Alder,+Heidi

I am relatively new to the debate community but well versed in argumentation. I am an attorney and was actively involved in oral arguments for moot court and trial advocacy while in law school. I spent 3 years litigating in the courtroom and another year doing research and writing legal memoranda for the Office of General Counsel at the University of Utah. I currently coach debate in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Because I am more familiar with argumentation in general than with the technical aspects of policy debate, I am more interested in the logic and structure of your argument than with the jargon and line by line technique. I take a holistic approach and look for the persuasiveness of your arguments, the realistic nature of your plan, your analysis of your case, your ability to think on your feet and respond to the questions addressed to you during cross-ex, and your overall ability to defend your plan. I also look for your ability to speak clearly--I do not like spewing and would appreciate slower speeches--and with confidence under pressure.