Judge Philosophies
Aidan Hunt - Hired
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Alexis Pennycuff - MCC
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Amanda Czuprynski - MCC
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Andrew Peterson - MCC
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Bob Becker - NWC
As a critic, I believe my task is to weigh the issues presented in the round. I don't enjoy intervening, and try not to do so. To prevent my intervention, debaters need to use rebuttals to provide a clear explanation of the issues. Otherwise, if left on my own, I will pick the issues I think are important. All of that said, I am not an information processor. I am a human being and so are you. If you want me to consider an issue in the round, make sure you emphasize it and explain its importance.
When weighing issues, I always look to jurisdictional issues first. I will give the affirmative some leeway on topicality, but if they can't explain why their case is topical, they will lose. Although some arguments are more easily defeated than others, I am willing to listen to most positions. In reality I probably have a somewhat high threshold for topicality, but if you want to win, you need to spend some time on it and not give the aff any way out of it. In-round abuse is not necessary, but if that argument is made against you, then you need to explain why topicality is important (jurisdiction, aff always wins, etc.) I dont require competing interpretations.
I am fine with critical arguments, but you need to explain how they impact the round. I have found few students can explain how I should evaluate real-world impacts in a debate world, or how I should evaluate and compare real world and debate world impacts. Im fine with critical affs, but you better have some good justification for it. We dont like the resolution doesnt cut it with me. If your critical arguments conflict with your disad, you better have some contradictory arguments good answers.
Performance based argument need to be sufficiently explained as to how they prove the resolution true or false. Or, I need to know how to evaluate it. If you dont tell me, I will evaluate it as I would an interp round.
As with everything else, it depends on how the impacts are explained to me. If one team says one million deaths and the other says dehume, but doesnt explain why dehume is worse than deaths, Ill vote for death. If the other team says dehume is worse because it can be repeated and becomes a living death, etc., then Ill vote for dehume. I think Im telling you that abstract impacts need to be made concrete, but more importantly, explain what the issue is and why I should consider it to be important.
I don't mind speed, but sometimes I physically can't flow that fast. I will tell you if I can't understand you. Also, one new trend I find frustrating in LD is tag lines that are multiple sentences long. Your tag line is a claim, but make it a brief one. Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure I understand what you are saying. Above all, be professional. This activity is fun. Thats why Im here, and I hope that is the reason you are here as well.
Chantelle Gossner - USU
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Connor Hunt - Hired
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Donald Moore - CC
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Doug Hall - Casper College
IPDA: The intent of this event is to be accessbile to the layperson. This is 100% how I look at and judge this event. Detailed procedural arguments have no place in this event. I will not vote on kritik and will likely reject a debater attempting these positions. If the procedural argument is accessbile and well linked, I may consider the reasoning. Other than that, I am looking for fluency of speech, sound logic, good argumentation and research, and an appropriate CX. As for rate, my rule in IPDA is if I can't flow it, I won't. Don't rush! I also, always, look for mutual respect between debaters. Treat each other with kindness.
LD/Parli: I will vote on procedural arguments IF they are well linked and make logical sense. If procedural arguments are being run as a strategy, and do not link well to the resolution in question, I'm not likely to consider it; this especially applies to Kritik positions. Linking a Kritik and offering an alt are critical. Without those two things, I will not vote for K. While I don't necessarily like or respect spreading, I will flow what I can.
Ethan Fife - Casper College
Debates don't happen on paper. They happen in real life, in the round, between the speakers. For that reason, I rarely judge a debate solely on the flow. I focus on base contentions, and the evidence used to support those claims. Debates are won or lost on how well speakers can articulate an idea and argue in a clear, concise, logical, and respectful manner for their argument and against that of their opponent. I am rarely swayed by rules lawyering, though I obviously take into account blatantly abusive definitions/scope/etc. That said, this is your round. It is the responsibility of the speakers in that round to make sure those issues are elevated to my attention. Marrying those two ideas (rules lawyering vs. lodging grievance) means that I encourage competitors to identify unfair debate behavior if it truly exists, but you best not miss on your persuasive explanation of why we are seeing abuse and why it matters for your ability to debate. At all times, be kind, be smart, and be clear.
Evan Enriquez - MCC
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Jacob Kirksey - CC
I am a former CX debater (high school) and IE competitor
(high school and college). Im a Ph.D. candidate in education policy, and I got
my B.A. in economics. In general, I prefer a policymaking framework for
debates. Im open to being convinced otherwise in a round.
Speed: Im okay with moderate speed. While I can listen to
spreading, I dont find it necessary in parli. If were in an out round and the
other two judges are fine with it, Ill turn on my CX ears.
Impacts: After debating for four years and listening to
debates for over a decade, Im over nuclear war and extinction impacts.
Controversial as it may be, Im not going to weigh these impacts. Dehum is
fine, but I want empirical examples. Everything else is fair game.
DAs: Absolutely necessary.
Ks: Ran a lot. Listened to a lot. No longer like them. Ks
ask me to insert my own subjectivity into a round, and Im not here for that.
CPs: Not a fan of conditional CPs; otherwise, love.
T: Only when theres clear abuse. Again, not a fan of
conditional Ts.
Partner work: Ive seen partners work well when using each
others flow, and Ive seen complete disasters. You choose.
Other notes: I do not intervene on the flow. I love
intentional clash. You represent yourself in and out of rounds. Be nice.
Kaleb Webb - USU
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Mariah Mader - Hired
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Mary Joseph - ASU
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Robin O'Regan - CC
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Sarah Hinkle - CC
I mostly live in the world of IEs (read: 20 years of either
competing or coaching) but have moderate experience training in Worlds and IPDA-style
debate.
I like speakers who are fair and balanced: Ethics, Argumentation, Strategy, and Style.
Construct your case carefully with well-developed arguments. Build a foundation with clean definitions. Create values/criteria so I know how to weigh out the evidence. Provide Impacts and explain how you get there. I want a lively debate with good clash. Be well-versed in the topic while implementing high quality and recent research. Respect each other.
By the end of the debate, I should be able to clearly
understand the significance of your position to the resolution.
I tend to prefer argumentation to be grounded somewhat in
the real world and prefer depth rather than rattling off a list of contentions.
Tell me a story. Paint a picture. Speakers who effectively demonstrate why an issue is significant and/or relevant are building strong ethos. I want to be as
involved as possible.
Have fun and ignore my non-verbals! I tend to look surly but
that's just my face. J
Therese Rich - MCC
n/a
Victor Torres III - CC
I have competed in Speech and Debate in college as well as
coached it at my Alma Mater. I am very familiar with the IE side of things;
however, I can hold my own in comprehension and analysis of debate arguments.
I expect you to tell me where
we are and how to vote. I will watch time, but I prefer you to time yourselves
in case I am flowing. I would also appreciate if the burdens were introduced
early in the debate (e.g., criteria, key values, decision-rules, framework-type
arguments, moral imperatives, and etc.). I would lastly emphasize the
importance of a clear impact analysis. Be clear on your positions and be
careful to present it in a clear an organized fashion that is easy for me to
digest.
With regards to critical arguments, I need you as the debater
to explain to me how your argument impacts the round. These points are
important for me to see in your argument: be sure to explain your view of the
world and of your own argument, link to some sort of advocacy for the other
team and offer a constructive solution. I support critics that offer solutions
to the problems they bring up.
Performance debate arguments are fine; however, I need to
see that you have clear framework on how I should vote. I like to know the role
of the ballot and why I should vote the way I should.
I do not have much experience
as a debate judge so be careful with the technical finer points of your debate
strategy. Also please be aware of your speed. I am fine with you speaking fast;
however, please be cognizant that I may not be able to flow that fast. If there
is some point or argument topic that you would like me to write down, please
repeat it so that I have the signal âOh that is importantâ? and then will write
it down. Be sure to speak clearly, annunciate, and have fun.