Pfeifer,+Taylor

I am a former national-circuit varsity LD competitor with awards from competitions across the United States.

I am not in favor of speed. Ensure that your words are clearly enunciated. This does not mean you must speak slowly; rather, simply ensure that your words can be clearly heard and understood so that arguments can be debated on their merits.

Stay organized. Keep a cohesive direction in your speech instead of jumping all over the flow.

Properly extend your evidence. You need to explain the warrant coming out of the last speech.

I flow every round for the most accurate judging. I try to make the decision that requires the least amount of intervention on my part. If that does not resolve it, I will tend to vote for the debater that I think did the most work or exhibited the most strategic and substantive smarts during the round. In other words, if the round is not resolvable on the flow, I will not have a problem voting for the “better” debater. I will not agonize over a messy round just to artificially make up a flow-based decision. You have to earn that. In most rounds, though, I find a decision usually pretty clear on the flow. Make that decision clear to me.

I evaluate the flow in the following manner. I will examine the voters given by both sides, and compare how each fulfills the value/criterion of the round. Weigh your arguments. You never know how I will weigh arguments on your behalf.

Be respectful toward your opponent. To be aggressive is fine, to be rude is not. Have fun.