Blanco,+Carina

I am a former PF debater, a former middle school debate coach, and am now teaching English at Pembroke Pines Charter HS as well as acting as an assistant coach for our school’s debate team. I am familiar with the LD format and look forward to getting the opportunity to do more judging of the event at National bid level tournaments.

I appreciate clear taglines and signposting. All arguments should be supported with sufficient evidence and should demonstrate a thorough understanding of both sides of the topic. Claims should always be based in research (which comes in many different formats)…if all you have is your opinion your arguments will fall. On that note, my personal opinions and biases are irrelevant while I am judging. I will always vote for the side that has argued their points most effectively, regardless of my personal beliefs.

Speaking style: Spreading is an acceptable strategy as long as it is used effectively. Make sure that your arguments are still intelligible. Remember that the intent of PF is not to be bogged down by jargon. Instead, you should be explaining the issue and laying out your arguments as clearly as possible.

Cross-ex: Spirited and even aggressive debate is encouraged. However, all debaters should engage with the argument and never with the opponent. The use of slurs, personal attacks, or any other derogatory language will not be tolerated and will result in your speaks being marked down. Be respectful of your opponent, and do not speak over each other.

Rebuttals: This aspect of your debate is not the place to introduce new arguments, and generally any new arguments introduced during these times will not be taken into account. Any arguments presented after time has elapsed will also not be taken into account. Remember that the rebuttal time is your chance to refute your opponent’s case and extend any arguments for why you think you've successfully won the debate. Crystallize by showing the impact of your value/criterion from your case – convince me that your framework is best.