Marchal,+Krisena

I have been involved with Speech & Debate for five years, primarily judging Humor, Duet, Policy Debate and Public Forum. My background is in Communication and Business/Marketing, and currently work for the government. I am not an expert or a paid coach, so cherry picking about technicalities may not prove beneficial or create an advantage you had hoped for.

In terms of judging Public Form, I enjoy clash that is done with respect. In other words, I will vote you down if you are rude, use inappropriate language, and are obnoxious towards your opponents.

The debate should be well structured, clearly communicated, with depth and evidence. Therefore, quality, well-explained arguments will be favored over quanity. Obscure and confusing interpretations will be voted down. I expect teams to use timers (not their phones) as I prefer using my time to focus on your debate.

I try to avoid being influenced by my own personal beliefs when judging. I appreciate many types of sources and will not hesitate to ask to see your evidence at the end of a round. However, if I sense something is not right, I will not hesitate to seek clarification from the tournament's head judge before casting my ballot.

As this event has two speakers, if one team is significantly unbalanced and inconsistent, it will impact the vote.

I appreciate immensely the time that debaters take to research and prepare for this extracurricular activity, and regardless of the outcome, you should feel proud of your participation!