Arra,+Joseph

__**Background:**__ I have debated in high school for four years. I have debated both varsity Public Forum and varsity Lincoln Douglas. I have competed at invitationals, states, and nationals multiple times. For nationals I have debated both PF and LD. I have judged many circuit and local competitions before. I am not a lay-judge.

__**Quick Points**__ **(For those who are lazy) [specifics below for each]** //LD//: theory good, speed good, kritiks good, off cases good, flex prep good //PF//: theory good, speed ok, no kritiks, no off cases, no flex prep

__** Scale: 20-30 **__ //20-23//: Rude, unprepared, not a real debate round //24-25//: Needs improvement //26-27//: Debated well //28//: Great Debate, Favors doing well at tournament. //29//: Passionate, Excellent Debate, Odds of advancing in tournament are high. //30//: Perfect debate, did not drop points and defended all of your points. Clear, thorough, debated subject well. Will definitely break in my opinion.

// Approach me after rounds if you want feedback. If disclosure is allowed you can ask me during a round. If there is any problem with how I voted in a round I am opened to discussing it with you. Odds are I will not change my decision unless it was a serious infraction on my part. //

// - Updated: 1/18/12 //

__** LD: **__ //Round:// If you are speaking you must be standing. Do not be rude during the round, this will cost you speaker points. I am fine with flex prep as long as both debaters are okay with it, same goes for exchanging speeches. I will do hand signs for 5 minutes on down and include a 30 second hand sign. For prep time I will allow running prep but still remind you every 30 seconds. I am fine if you time yourself, but I will still be timing. SIGN POST!!! Formally crystallize and give me voting issues in your last rebuttal. I am fine hearing "you should vote for me" reasons in all the rebuttals though. CLASH CLASH CLASH! The more clash the better. PHONES OFF! I walk into a round without bias.

//Speed:// Clarity over speed. I will say clear once in a round if you are stumbling on your words. I will not vote for you off the sheer number of arguments you make but the quality of it. If you have 20 contentions and your opponent only argues 1/2 of them, I will take this into account.

//Kritiks/ off cases/ theory:// I am fine with any of these. I have judged and voted off of them before, although I am not highly excited by these debates, nor do I think debate should be like this, I am opened to them. I prefer a values based debate. DO NOT ONLY USE OFF CASES! ARGUE ABOUT THE TOPIC AS WELL! This will ensure if your opponent has no idea what theory is, or there are no clashes on the theory debate then I have something to vote off of. DEBATE THE TOPIC! Personally, I do not understand how so many Policy arguments made its way into debate. LD should be VALUES based.

//Judging the round:// I will judge the round based on the most rational argument put forth. If you can prove to me you have the most rational argument you win the round. I will call your card if you or your opponent brings it up as a questionable piece of evidence in a round. Good philosophical arguments are stronger than evidence. I will look towards framework first and then the evidence. Do not just tell me a piece of evidence drops your opponents argument, extend an argument, or tell me to drop your opponents argument without reasons. TELL ME WHY! Tell me how I am judging the round and ultimately why you should win. Decide on a value framework or link into both to be most convincing. If there isn't ample amount of clash then I will rely on listing which arguments were won on both sides and whoever wins the most arguments will win. I automatically vote affirmative if there was NO DEBATING, just statement of ideas without clash. DO NOT bring up new arguments in your last rebuttal! Whatever you want me to extend bring up in your first rebuttal. The only argument I will buy in the final rebuttal is an argument in response to your opponents rebuttal, no new contentions or cards. In order to count questions from cross X bring it up in rebuttals.

__** PF **__ //Round:// If you are speaking you must be standing, with the exception of grand crossfire where you all may sit. Do not be rude during the round, this will cost you speaker points. I will do hand signs for 5 minutes on down and include a 30 second hand sign. For prep time I will allow running prep but still remind you every 30 seconds. I am fine if you time yourself, but I will still be timing. SIGN POST!!! Formally crystalize and give me voting issues in your last rebuttal. I am fine hearing "you should vote for me" reasons in all the rebuttals though. CLASH CLASH CLASH! The more clash the better. PHONES OFF! I walk into a round without bias.

//Speed//: Clarity over speed. I will say clear once in a round if you are stumbling on your words. I will not vote for you off the sheer number of arguments you make but the quality of it. If you have 20 contentions and your opponent only argues 1/2 of them, I will take this into account.

//Kritiks/ off cases/ theory//: DO NOT USE IN PF! Theory is only used in EXTREMELY ABUSIVE cases on the part of your opponents.

//Judging the round:// I will judge the round based on the most rational argument put forth. If you can prove to me you have the most rational argument you win the round. I will call your card if you or your opponent brings it up as a questionable piece of evidence in a round. Good philosophical arguments are stronger than evidence.Do not just tell me a piece of evidence drops your opponents argument, extend an argument, or tell me to drop your opponents argument without reasons. TELL ME WHY! Tell me how I am judging the round and ultimately why you should win. If there isn't ample amount of clash then I will rely on listing which arguments were won on both sides and whoever wins the most arguments will win. I automatically vote affirmative if there was NO DEBATING, just statement of ideas without clash. DO NOT bring up new arguments in your last rebuttal! Whatever you want me to extend bring up in your first rebuttal. The only argument I will buy in the final rebuttal is an argument in response to your opponents rebuttal, no new contentions or cards. Your Final Focus tells me the big picture and why you should win. The Summary is your last time for clarity. In order to count questions from crossfire bring it up in rebuttal.