Smith,+Zach

My main philosophy is that speed is not everything. If I can't understand you, I cannot judge you. I just flat out can't. I know you have a lot of material to go through, but there is still time to take a breath, slow down, and relax. I was a speech kid growing up and we were not allowed to talk that fast.

I judge quality over quantity. If a competitor gives a speech that does not meet maximum time, but is slow and coherent and the other speech is over time and does not make much sense, I'm going to give the win to the first competitor. They deserve it.

Also, signposting is a must. I get lost sometimes and I know the other competitor does too.

You must be clear in who and where your evidence is from. If you aren't, then it isn't real to me. But, I really don't have to see your evidence, unless there is something majorly wrong.

Be nice to each other. It just makes the round a lot better.

Don't be afraid to actually debate. That's what you are here for. If you have an issue with their evidence, call them out!

Again, I did not do much debate in high school or in college, so please be patient. If I have a question, answer it respectfully as I am your judge.