MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE
JUDGING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Middle School Judge Training Videos

New judges especially but all MS judges should watch these.

Note that a few items in the videos do not apply to this tournament—follow the 3 steps below.

 

ALL JUDGES NEED TO TAKE THIS QUIZ--CAN YOU PASS IT?

 

See your JUDGE Dashboard for Schedule and other information

 

 

4 KEY SKILLS OF JUDGING

 

 

QUICK JUDGING

 

Note: You are expected to read through the judging details below at least once.

 

FIRST

Say hi to the students, notify tab of missing teams (not individual debaters), 20 min. prep time before debate starts (30 min. impromptu topic), 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

 

 

judging-ms-3on3-debate-times-rules.htm

 

*For Elims, you email just the winner; no need to provide speaker points for elims.

Teams flip a coin for the final round only.
Otherwise, all rounds are assigned by tab.

Yes, judges can judge a team again in elims.

 

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.

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

 

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.

 

Tips for Giving Good Feedback

 

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.

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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.