Judging a Debate
12 March 2005

A judge’s decision ought not be based on:

1. The merits of the question
2. Partiality
3. Pre-conceived notions or arguments
4. Personal preference of debating style

A judge’s decision should be based on: 

1. Skill in analysis
   1. Proposition
   2. Debate
2. Use of evidence
   1. Referring to source
   2. Sufficient evidence
3. Validity of Argument
4. Clarity of organization
5. Adequacy of rebuttal
6. Effectiveness of delivery

During a debate, a team can be penalized for: 

1. An unfair interpretation
2. Discourtesy toward opponents
3. Falsification of evidence
4. Misconstruing an opponent's argument
5. Introducing new argument into the rebuttal
6. Speaking overtime