You can submit
questions too, just email Jim at hansonjb@whitman.edu
How do I adapt to
No-Flow/"Style" Judges?
(much of this
answer comes from Breaking Down Barriers: How to Debate, 1996
Edition)
Here are 3
suggestions for these kinds of judges:
1. My "five
finger" rule for winning the ballots of unknown judges:
- On the negative, always run a
disadvantage or value objection. Nearly all judges will
consider a disadvantage or value objection in their
decision.
- Avoid arguments with weak
links that can be pressed and pressed to death. Stick to
arguments that judges will tend to agree with and that
are solidly supported.
- Never contradict. Make sure
your arguments fit together into some kind of consistent
position.
- Use cross-examination to get
your opponents to agree to the arguments that will win
the debate. It is very difficult for a judge to say he or
she will vote for a team that lost an issue when that
same team said in cross-examination that issue was
crucial.
- When you are affirmative, run
clearly topical, mainstream affirmative cases. You never
know when that next judge will be ready to drop
non-topical cases--even well defended ones.
2. Tips for
adapting to these "style" judges.
A Style Judge
prefers debaters that exhibit sound delivery skills. The issues
and arguments that you present, the content, are not as important
to a style judge as the way that you present your arguments. When
you have a style judge, you should:
- Speak slowly. Keep it at a
conversational speed. Emphasize clear, persuasive
delivery.
- Avoid highly technical issues,
especially issues based on debate theory. Explain
arguments well and make the issues clear.
- Instead of multiple
responses--stick with just a few clear, well explained
responses.
- Use many internal summaries
(summaries at the end of an issue). Make it very clear
how your arguments support your main case.
- Avoid acronyms
- Use full source citations
- Speak from the podium or a
place in the center, front of the room where a podium
would be in a public speaking situation.
- Be sure to write your names on
the board
- No tag-team cross-examination
where both you and your partner answer questions during
one cross-examination.
But, pray tell, how
do you tell who's what kind of judge? That's not an easy task.
Here's some clues to knowing you have a style judge:
- Style judges flow very little
of a debate. If they do, they'll usually take only one
page of notes and often use a flowsheet with columns that
don't line up.
- Style judges will write on the
ballot during speeches.
3. Stick with
arguments that show your policy (the status quo or your plan)
will reduce juvenile crime the best. That's what these judges
want to hear--who will best reduce juvenile crime.
Jim Hanson
Thanks
to John Agozzino for this question
