MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE
JUDGING INSTRUCTIONS
See your
Tournament's Dashboard
BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT
NEW JUDGES
1. Watch the
Judge Training 7 minute Video
2. Judge a Short Debate
Takes 20-30 minutes.
FIRST: Present
Out loud this Judge Script
(as if you were starting this short
debate)
SECOND: Watch
this 10 minute Debate*
* unfortunately, one debater’s speech got cut off.
Judge based on what is presented.
THIRD: Email Winner and Points (actually
click and email it now)
or click here to copy and paste the ballot
text into your own email
--FOURTH
you would give verbal feedback (obviously
can’t do that in this case)
--FIFTH: Complete
the Comments Form
We will email you back comments on your ballot and
comments form.
Doing comments
for a real 3 on 3 MS debate? Click here or click the link in your emailed
ballot.
3. Complete
the MS 3on3 Debate Judging Quiz
MS 3on3 Debate Topics Rules Times
Takes 15-25 minutes.
JUDGES WHO’VE JUDGED BEFORE
1. Watch the
Judge Training 7 minute Video
Required once each year.
2. Complete
the MS 3on3 Debate Judging Quiz
MS 3on3 Debate Topics Rules Times
Takes 15-25 minutes. Required once each year.
DURING THE TOURNAMENT
Present
Out loud this MS 3on3 Debate Judge Script Each Round
Follow the directions in the script.
Email Reply to your Ballot with the winner and speaker
points.
Give Verbal Feedback to the Debaters
JUDGING HELPERS
Missing
Debater(s)? What to do
Giving Feedback
(Who won and why plus Compliments and Improvements)
Other Middle School Judge Training Videos (note some items
don’t apply to this tournament)
See your
Tournament's Dashboard
THIS SECTION HAS THE OLD INFORMATION FOR JUDGING.
JUDGES TAKE THIS QUIZ--CAN YOU PASS IT?
See
your JUDGE Dashboard for Schedule and other information
4 KEY SKILLS OF JUDGING
|
You need to review these 4 judging skills before each
tournament. Missing Debater(s)? What to do Giving Feedback (Who won and why plus
Complements and Improvements) |
QUICK JUDGING
Note: You are
expected to read through the judging details below at least once.
JUDGING DETAILS
Note: You are expected to read
through the judging details below at least once.
1. CHECK TO MAKE SURE BOTH TEAMS ARE READY TO GO
MISSING TEAM? Email missingjudge@gmail.com with the name of the team and what round it is.
2. AT THE DEBATE START TIME:
Introduce yourself; Check for missing students
Your
emailed ballot tells you the first and usually last name of each debater in
your round.
Missing
students might be in their prep room—you can go in there and check.
Missing
student and it is time to start? Start. Don’t be late.
Tech Issues?
Speaking Times? Rules? See Below.
Remind the debaters: You may NOT use materials during
the debate that you wrote out/typed before prep time.
3. BEGIN THE DEBATE ON TIME
Give
them a positive comment “I’m eager to watch this debate”
Encourage but don’t require webcam use.
4. DURING THE DEBATE AND WHEN IT CONCLUDES
At all times, treat each and every debater with
equity and support.
Take notes and be thinking about how each student
can improve and as the debate finishes, which arguments win the debate and why.
Please listen attentively and supportively during
the debate. These kids need positive faces, non-verbals,
and feedback.
Deciding the Winner
Winner
goes to the side with the strongest argument(s) for their side of the topic.
First,
consider the arguments AND the responses and draw a conclusion about the
argument.
EXAMPLE: “The prop team showed water contamination is growing and that many
cities lack the funding and oversight to assure water is properly treated and
safe. The opp team responded that cities are
empowered to have safe drinking water—but they did not show they have the money
and help to make that happen. So, I concluded that water contamination is a
real problem.”
Do this for each main argument/issue in the debate.
Second,
consider the strongest arguments for both sides and hopefully using the
arguments the debaters presented, explain why one side’s argument was stronger.
EXAMPLE: “The prop showed water contamination and weighing that argument
the opp team’s cost argument, I vote prop because the
prop showed water contamination really threatens people’s lives and can have
catastrophic economic consequences whereas the opp
did not really explain nor impact the cost argument.”
2
Important Notes:
1. Don’t vote on arguments you think of. Decide based on the arguments the students presented.
2. Impromptu topic? Treat unsourced reasoning as strongly as facts, statistics, expert sourced arguments. The point of impromptu debating is to rely on sound reasoning—not experts and studies and statistics.
Giving Speaker Points
Points are 61 to 99.
VERY HIGH END
91 to 99 is for kids that
--are supportive and inclusive
--use great AREI
--do their speaker duties REALLY well
--make and respond to POI’s very effectively
--have great delivery
--and speak for the full 5 minutes.
LOW END 61 to
69 is for kids that
--need to be more supportive and less rude
--use AREI more and more strongly
--need to do their speaker duties
--use POIs and respond more effectively to POIs
--be more clear in their delivery
--and need to speak more than 1 to 3 minutes long.
Scores from 70 to 89 are most common and are for debating between the two above.
5. IMMEDIATELY
AT END OF DEBATE:
EMAIL BALLOT with winner and points.
Please doublecheck with the debaters about names.
In your email program, REPLY to the emailed ballot:
DO THIS IMMEDIATELY—DON’T TALK.
RIGHT AWAY, EMAIL THE WINNER AND POINTS.
We need the Winner and Points immediately or the entire tournament gets
delayed.
6. AFTER YOU EMAIL WINNER AND POINTS, TALK TO THE
DEBATERS:
Start with a complement, supportive statement such as
“This was a very enjoyable debate. You did great!”
YES REVEAL DECISION State who you voted for and give
your reasons.
YES GIVE FEEDBACK Then, state at least one complement
and one improve to each debater.
After you finish, tell the debaters to return to the
main meeting room OR their school room.
7. TYPE YOUR DECISION AND COMMENTS
Click
Here to Type in Comments--Required
Remember: Parents and Coaches are reading these
comments. I cannot overstate how important what you write is for these kids,
coaches, and parents.
Please complete the online comments by the end of the
Prep Time for the next debate (use
your next round’s Prep Time to finish it up if needed).
Sorry—but we fine schools with judges who do not
complete each and every online comments.
==========================================
TECH
ISSUES—Click Here for Help
MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE SPEAKING TIMES
Topic announce, 20 minutes prep (30 minutes prep for impromptu topic)
• Prop
1st speaker: 5 minutes
• Opp 1st
speaker: 5 minutes
• Prop
2nd speaker: 5 minutes
• Opp 2nd
speaker: 5 minutes
• Opp 3rd
speaker: 5 minutes
• Prop
3rd speaker: 5 minutes
POIs—questions or arguments during an opponent’s
speech--that last less than 15 seconds are permitted in the middle 3 minutes of
each speech.
Debaters are required to take 2 POIs during their
speeches but do not take two POIs made immediately after each other.
RULES MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE
Reminder:
Treat your Partners, Opponents, Judge and Audience Positively and Inclusively!
Debaters
must be 10-14 years of age or receive league president permission to debate in
this tournament.
Notice: You
must use ONLY tournament provided flow paper in rounds except for ADA reasons.
E-Flows are okay for the Friday Online tournament only.
Prep Time
Rules
•
You CAN view materials you
researched/prepared before prep time started EXCEPT you cannot do this if it is
an impromptu topic.
•
YES you can use laptop/e-device in prep BUT
no internet/wifi access and NO laptops/e-devices for
impromptu topic rounds except for ADA reasons.
You
CAN talk with your debate partners
You CAN hand write notes/flow arguments for your speeches.
•
You CANNOT research online during prep time.
You CANNOT get debating help from coach(es) or parent(s) during prep time.
•
NOTE YOU CANNOT USE typed items during the
debate except for ADA reasons.
During
the Debate
•
SATURDAY ONLY RULE: You CAN use HAND WRITTEN
notes prepared during Prep Time ONLY ON TOURNAMENT PROVIDED FLOW PAPER.
You CAN pass notes with your debate partners.
You CAN quietly speak with your debate partners who are not speaking.
•
You CANNOT view nor use materials during the
debate that were prepared before prep time.
You CANNOT use materials on your computer/tablet/phone during the debate except
for ADA reasons. Use handwritten notes ONLY (except for ADA reasons).
SATURDAY ONLY RULE: You CANNOT use an electronic flowsheet when we are
online (eg flowing on Google Spreadsheet) except for
ADA reasons.
SUNDAY ONLY RULE: You can use your laptop for flowing but you CANNOT use
it for cases nor the internet.
You CANNOT research during the debate.
You CANNOT get help from coach(es) or parent(s) during the debate.
You CANNOT speak to teammates who are speaking.
•
No heckling.
•
POIs (questions/short arguments) allowed in
ALL speeches for the middle 3 minutes of the speeches.
•
Each speaker must take two POIs except they
do not take POIs requested less than 30 seconds after taking a POI.
•
When there is an impromptu topic for a
debate, logic and reasons should be given just as much weight as a debater
citing a study/statistic/fact.