Steiker,+Diane

Coach at Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York (Westchester). I'm an open-minded judge who will accept most arguments as long as they are warranted and impacted clearly throughout the round. I enjoy the dialectic. I prefer substantive debates over theory, although if theory becomes part of the substantive debate, then all is fair game. I can handle critiques, which should not be spark note analyses, but rather clearly articulated rhetoric that can be expertly argued throughout the round. In terms of speed, it must be expertly done for me to be able to flow the arguments. If I don't flow it, I won't consider it in the round. Blippy, unwarranted arguments in an attempt to spread, or say a lot when it could be said with fewer words is not a fun round to watch or easily adjudicated. Crystallization helps to clarify any possible misconceptions so I expect clearly articulated voters in the last speeches.