Zhou,+Jason

Can't Judge: Blake, Lexington, St. Louis Park, Hockaday

Updated for the 2013-2014

Background: I debated LD for four years at Lexington High School in Massachusetts, qualifying for the ToC my junior and senior years. I debated policy during my freshman year at Northwestern. I am currently a student at Northwestern Law.

Judging Experience: I used to judge about 10-15 tournaments a year. In the past year and half I've judged significantly less.

Paradigm: As a judge, I don't think it's my place to impose a particular paradigm or view of debate on the debaters in the round. I don't think it is difficult to determine when both debaters seem to be functioning under the same view of debate and when there are discrepancies I am open to listening to arguments as to which paradigm to adopt. Absent arguments in round I will default to presume neg, competing interpretations, truth testing, drop the debater, and offense/defense. Please ask to clarify if you have questions.

Speed: I flow pretty fast. If you want better speaks slow down on tags, analytics, and theory. I will yell clear if you are going to fast, if will yell louder if I can't hear you.

Theory: I will evaluate theory in the way that you tell me to but I will default to my preferences (see above). I am fine with RVIs, you need to win an I meet or a CI w/ offense to trigger an RVI. If answering theory, please don't spend most of your speech time on theory and not read an RVI.

Critical Arguments / Ks: I like Ks. I prefer impact-based kritiks over ones that attempt to access the truth of the resolution.

Extensions: I have a higher threshold for extensions than most judges. Even if an argument is conceded you must extend a warrant in addition to the claim (you obviously do not need to extend all of the warrants that were made in the previous speech). This does not apply to descriptive claims that did not have a warrant in the first place.

Speaks: I give speaks based on the quality and style of arguments, strategic choices, and actual speaking ability (fluency, efficiency, etc.). I will average around a 28.