Williams,+Alexis

I debated at the national level for three years in high school and am currently a student at Yale.

I certainly prefer a traditional style of debating. I weigh substance over technicalities in most circumstances. That being said, I will accept non-traditional elements (theory, kritiks, etc) as long as they are carefully warranted and reasonable, but please do not rely on them as a primary argument.

Have an organized speech. Signpost and help me to catch the important parts of your arguments. My number one pet peeve is a circular framework -- don't do it.

Speed is fine, as long as you are clear and using it reasonably and not as a tactic. Spreading to include not impactful, relatively useless arguments will work against you. I will not tell you to slow down, but if I stop flowing or miss things because of your speed, that only hurts you.

Being aggressive is one thing, but don't be rude or disrespectful.

Please have all sources available. I will likely ask for them.

In rebuttals, please make extensions, but realize they hold little weight without proper impacting. More extensions on the flow does not guarantee a win; if you are losing a point on logical grounds or it has been outweighed by something else it doesn't matter if it survives to the other side of the flow. Also, do not expect me to make logical leaps for you. I may agree with the direction you're heading, but it's your job to do the work and get me from point A to point B.

Overall, I want to see a compelling round that deeply engages with the core issues and values of the debate.