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MIDDLE SCHOOL
PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE
JUDGING INSTRUCTIONS

 

See your JUDGE Dashboard for Schedule and other information

 

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.

Making Decisions of who won

How to give Speaker Points

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 Short Debate Comments Form

We will email you back comments on your ballot and comments form.

Doing comments for a real public forum debate? Click here or the link in your emailed ballot

 

3. Complete the Public Forum Debate Judging Quiz

Public Forum Topic 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 Public Forum Debate Judging Quiz

Public Forum Topic Rules Times

Takes 15-25 minutes.

 

 

 

 

DURING THE TOURNAMENT

 

Present Out loud this Public Forum 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

Complete the Comments Form

 

JUDGING HELPERS

Missing Debater(s)? What to do

Making Decisions of who won

Giving Speaking Points

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 KEY SKILLS OF JUDGING

 

 

You need to review these 4 judging skills before each tournament.

 

Missing Debater(s)? What to do

 

Making Decisions of who won

 

Giving Speaking Points

 

Giving Feedback (Who won and why plus Complements and Improvements)

 

 

 

 

QUICK JUDGING

 

Note: You are expected to read through the “Details on Judging” below at least once.

 

FIRST

Say hi to the students, notify tab of missing teams, no prep time before debate starts, begin debate on time, watch the debate

 

SECOND

 

1. Email Reply Winner-Points immediately at end of debate

 

2. Verbally tell the debaters your Reason for Decision and Complements and Improves to each Student

 

3. Click Here to Type in Comments--Required

 

PUBLIC FORUM SPEAKING TIMES-ORDER, TOPIC, RULES

 

DETAILS ON JUDGING

 

FIRST PART

1. CHECK TO MAKE SURE BOTH TEAMS ARE READY TO GO

MISSING TEAM? Go to the Zoom Help Room and Report It!.

You should be able to tell which teams are from your ballot or from the Postings.

 

2. AT THE DEBATE START TIME:
Introduce yourself; Check for missing students

Your emailed ballot tells you the first name of each debater in your round.

Missing student and it is time to start? Start. Don’t be late.

Tech Issues? Speaking Times? Rules?

Click here to test your Internet Connection (Should be 10+mb down, 5+mb up or higher)

Help for Tech Problems

 

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.

 

 

SECOND PART

 

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 pro team showed water contamination is growing and that many cities lack the funding and oversight to assure water is properly treated and safe. The con 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.

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.

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.

 

1. 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:

Graphical user interface, text, application, email

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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.

(submitting the online comments form does NOT complete this step—you have to EMAIL the winner and points)

 

2. 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.

 

3. 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.