Author’s Note: I wouldn’t be able to write this without the input of everyone quoted. Thanks for your contributions and candor. I greatly appreciate it.
Understatement of the year– I enjoy policy debate. My professional life is consumed by coaching and teaching the activity. My Fridays and Saturdays are devoted to it. I find judging to be an especially rewarding part of this experience.
Most of the time, anyway.
Somewhere along the road, debaters develop habits that can really make a judge’s skin crawl. In an informal, completely unscientific survey, I asked 30 judges their thoughts on the matter.
The folks quoted below come from a variety of policy backgrounds: some are college debaters, others coach full-time, and all judge frequently.
Trashing you is not the purpose of this piece. More than anything, we want to educate and help you. We want you to be the best debater you can be. Constructive criticism is an important part of growing into that role.
The words below are direct quotes in response to the question: “What debater behavior do you find off-putting, ridiculous, or just plain bad?”
Ready for your critique?
When You Don’t Sign Post or Road Map, Santa Kills an Elf
“No road maps.”
“Definitely when students don’t sign post. I refuse to flow arguments that they don’t clearly tell me where they go.”
“Not giving a roadmap or at least an order before the speech is ridiculous.”
“A debater giving a disorganized speech.”
Not Explaining Arguments = As Fun As a Nickelback Concert
“Your case and args should be analysis of evidence, not evidence with a little bit of analysis.”
“DAs that turn into ‘let me read all this really, really quick and then explain its’ point. ’ Break down the DA and show the relevance of each section.”
“Though news to me, the Aff must think that CPs don’t need things like, oh I don’t know, net benefits, competitiveness, text, or solvency.”
“No analysis. I want to hear what the debater thinks that page and a half of words means to their case.”
Stealing Prep Like Elvis Andrus Steals Bases
“Telling me to end prep time. AS IF I CAN’T TELL THAT YOU ARE WALKING TO THE PODIUM.”
“I end prep time when I’m actually done prepping. Better than when they say end prep and stand there for a few minutes rearranging stuff.”
“Making other paperless teams look bad by not having computers or flash drives ready.”
“Announcing to the room how much prep time you have left.”
“What’s Your Pair-A-Dimes?”
“Ignoring paradigms after asking about them.”
“When debaters just pander to me like ‘Judge, a drop means…’ or when they quote any kind of rule to me.”
“I hate it when debaters quote rule books at you about speed.”
Respect is a Garden. Dig It.
“Acting like they know everything just because they are an X year debater from X school.”
“Ad hominem attacks.”
“Debaters that feel the need to eviscerate a novice team just because they can.”
“All of the biggest problems stem from respect. Respectful does not always equal nice or clownishly polite. It does mean treating your partner and the people you are debating as though they have the same right to compete as you do.”