Rudina,+Shireen

Background: I did LD for four years at Ridge High School (NJ) and graduated last year. I competed pretty extensively on the local and national circuit.

Decision calculus: Please give me one! By default, I do use the standard/value criterion to filter out arguments in the round. If there is no link in your final speech from the argument you’re winning to the standard and that link isn’t ridiculously obvious from the previous times you’ve articulated that argument, then it won’t weigh into my decision calculus! So link arguments clearly and then please please please weigh. There’s no way you’re winning every argument in the round, so tell me why the one you are winning outweighs whatever your opponent’s winning.

Speed: Speed should only be used to develop arguments better not to make tons of stupid blippy arguments. If you don’t need to be fast to put out all of your good developed arguments, don’t do it, speed won’t impress me and in fact I’ll probably be happier if you’re slower and easier to follow. I’ll be honest, I can’t follow what I guess I’ll call “TOC speed” and you should know that because I won’t completely understand your arguments/catch everything on my flow if you go that fast; but I can certainly handle what I call “Northeastern speed” which is the kind of stuff you may see in outrounds at tournaments like Harvard, Hen Hud, Lex, etc. If you’re going to speak fast please use a lot of inflection and be coherent. I will yell “speed” a couple of times because I don’t want you to be penalized for my inability to keep up, although I generally tend to think it’s your fault if you’re that unclear.

Theory: I will not vote on theory if there is no actual abuse in the round. Sorry, I know it’s the thing to do these days, but unless necessary, I don’t like having to evaluate theory debates or listening to arguments about fairness and education that I could hear in any round at any time of the year. Running theory when there is no actual abuse to me is just an excuse to not have to debate the resolution in an interesting and intellectually stimulating way, but rather skirt the topic completely. I will not not not vote on your theory argument if there is no abuse. Period.

Pre-standards arguments: Most of these arguments are not actually prestandard. If you think yours is, please tell me WHY, just calling it prestandards will mean nothing to me.

Reading evidence/cases post-round: I don’t like doing it. So please try to be clear the first time. The only reason I will look at cases/evidence is if there is a disagreement between the debaters about what a specific card meant, etc. I won’t read a card later if for example I didn’t get it the first time because you were speaking too fast. That’s your bad.

Finally, please don’t do sketchy or rude things during round. I will absolutely drop your speaks if you’re condescending towards your opponent, or purposefully confusing when your opponent is asking clarification questions, etc.

Please feel free to ask me any questions before the round, I will be more than happy to answer them! I know this philosophy is not completely exhaustive and I will be happy to fill in any blanks.