Davidson,+John

Hello,

I am a Diamond Coach in the NFL and have been involved with debate for over 12 years, both as a student and as a coach. I also hold BA degrees in both Political Science and International Studies.

As an LD judge, I want to see:


 * Clarity & Logic - Keep your arguments concise and to the point. Snowball effects and illogical conclusions stemming from what was originally a logical argument will cause me to discount your case.


 * Value/ Criterion - Each point of your case should be tied back to your value/criterion. This is the standard to which you are holding your own case, so be sure that your case solves for your standard.


 * Lincoln/Douglas Debate - In short, this is not Policy and should not be treated as such. Spewing and barreling through your case as fast as you can will cause me to put my pen down. Your case should be concise enough to be able to fit it into the time frame without having to sling it at me at 100 mph. There is strength in simplicity.


 * Civility - Debates should always be civil. Arrogance, rudeness or immaturity in the round, in my mind, casts serious doubt on your ability to convey your points in a professional, mature way.


 * Evidence - Needs to be concise, accurately cited and applied to the case.