MPHS Judging Requirements
The MPHS Debate team expects at least one parent, relative, or volunteer be available to judge for each competition your child signs up for.
You may not be called on for every tournament, but you will be expected to judge at least 50% of the tournaments that your child competes in.
If you do not meet this requirement, your child may not be able to compete in further tournaments.
We understand there will be circumstances where it may be impossible for a student to supply a judge. If your student finds themselves in this position, please reach out to Jason Carey, VP Judging.
You may not be called on for every tournament, but you will be expected to judge at least 50% of the tournaments that your child competes in.
If you do not meet this requirement, your child may not be able to compete in further tournaments.
We understand there will be circumstances where it may be impossible for a student to supply a judge. If your student finds themselves in this position, please reach out to Jason Carey, VP Judging.
Judge Training Slideshow
You can view the training slides from our MPHS Speech& Debate parent meeting here.
Steps For Judging
Step 1: Register with CMS
In order to judge, you must register as a CMS Volunteer. Go to https://www.cmsvolunteers.com/ .
Step 2: Judge sign-up
Some tournaments last one day; others last through the weekend. You should expect to judge multiple rounds for any tournament you sign up for.
Step 3: Create a Tabroom account:
Create a judge account on Tabroom.com, our tournament software site. Even when tournaments are in-person, most have moved to an electronic ballot on Tabroom. Steps: Go to tabroom.com. Click "signup" in top right. Create a non-NSDA member account by filling in the fields. Make sure you include your cell number and provider (Verizon, At&T, etc.). Then create a password.
Step 4: Complete training in the specific speech or debate event you plan to judge.
This site has judge training videos for each event, as well as the rules and norms for each category. This is very important to complete before you judge!
In order to judge, you must register as a CMS Volunteer. Go to https://www.cmsvolunteers.com/ .
Step 2: Judge sign-up
Some tournaments last one day; others last through the weekend. You should expect to judge multiple rounds for any tournament you sign up for.
Step 3: Create a Tabroom account:
Create a judge account on Tabroom.com, our tournament software site. Even when tournaments are in-person, most have moved to an electronic ballot on Tabroom. Steps: Go to tabroom.com. Click "signup" in top right. Create a non-NSDA member account by filling in the fields. Make sure you include your cell number and provider (Verizon, At&T, etc.). Then create a password.
Step 4: Complete training in the specific speech or debate event you plan to judge.
This site has judge training videos for each event, as well as the rules and norms for each category. This is very important to complete before you judge!
Thank you for judging!
Thank you for volunteering as a speech and/or debate judge! You are an extremely important part of our program, and your contribution helps makes our speech and debate program possible.
What You Need To Know About The Events
Speech
There are two general categories of speech events, public address events and interpretive events. Public address events feature a speech written by the student (either in advance or with limited prep) that can answer a question, share a belief, persuade an audience, or educate the listener on a variety of topics. Interpretation events involve a student selecting and performing published material.
In speech, a typical round will contain six competitors, each given 10 minutes to complete their piece. Students will occasionally ask for time signals, it is up to the judge whether or not they would like to honor that request. Many ask for "5 down" or "3 down" and "a fist at grace."
In speech, it is common for competitors to enter in more than one event for the tournament, this is called being cross-entered. Student’s who are cross-entered should be allowed to speak earlier in the round if they have another event to go to, and should be excused for entering the round late if they were competing in a different event in the same round.
At the end of the round, the judge will evaluate the speakers and rate them on a scale from one to six, with the best performance receiving the one ranking. Depending on the tournament, you may be asked to assign speaker points, typically on a scale from 90-100, with 100 being outstanding.
During preliminary rounds of a tournament, there is usually only one judge per round. However, when student’s begin competing in elimination rounds, rounds will have more than one judge. This is called a panel.
Speech includes the following events: Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation and Duo Interpretation. See resources below for more information on each one.
RESOURCES:
In speech, a typical round will contain six competitors, each given 10 minutes to complete their piece. Students will occasionally ask for time signals, it is up to the judge whether or not they would like to honor that request. Many ask for "5 down" or "3 down" and "a fist at grace."
In speech, it is common for competitors to enter in more than one event for the tournament, this is called being cross-entered. Student’s who are cross-entered should be allowed to speak earlier in the round if they have another event to go to, and should be excused for entering the round late if they were competing in a different event in the same round.
At the end of the round, the judge will evaluate the speakers and rate them on a scale from one to six, with the best performance receiving the one ranking. Depending on the tournament, you may be asked to assign speaker points, typically on a scale from 90-100, with 100 being outstanding.
During preliminary rounds of a tournament, there is usually only one judge per round. However, when student’s begin competing in elimination rounds, rounds will have more than one judge. This is called a panel.
Speech includes the following events: Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation and Duo Interpretation. See resources below for more information on each one.
RESOURCES:
- Speech Slides from parent training session
- Click here to access an excellent website with more information on judging different speech events. It includes training videos and a sample ballot.
Debate
In debate, each round will have two debaters, or two teams, depending on the event. There are two sides to every debate: one side supports the resolution being debated, the other side negates the resolution. In Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, the sides will have been decided before the round. In Public Forum Debate, sides are determined by a coin flip at the beginning of the round.
All debate events have a unique order to the round, divided into three parts: speeches, cross-examination, and prep time. The bulk of the debating is done during speeches, with each team presenting and reinforcing their arguments while refuting their opponents. It is common for judges to flow a debate, which means the judges will take notes about the speeches in order to keep track of the debate.
During cross-examination, debaters ask each other questions. Typically, this is not a time for debaters to make arguments; instead, it is to clarify their opponent's positions.
Each event gives debaters a set amount of prep time, where competitors can take a moment to prepare for the next part of the debate. Competitors can take prep time between speeches and should notify the judges when they begin and end prep.
The judge will watch the entirety of the debate and then decide which side won. Depending on the tournament, judges can give an oral critique or disclose the results of the round. An oral critique is when the judge provides the debaters with immediate feedback by talking with both sides after the debate. Similarly, a disclosure is when the judge reveals which side won the debate right after the round. Neither of these are necessary, and, be sure to check with the tournament organizer before giving oral critiques or disclosing. When filling out the ballot, you may be asked to assign competitors speaker points, typically on a scale from 20-30, with 30 being outstanding.
During preliminary rounds of the tournament, there is usually only one judge per round. However, when student’s begin competing in elimination rounds, rounds will have more than one judge. This is called a panel.
RESOURCES:
All debate events have a unique order to the round, divided into three parts: speeches, cross-examination, and prep time. The bulk of the debating is done during speeches, with each team presenting and reinforcing their arguments while refuting their opponents. It is common for judges to flow a debate, which means the judges will take notes about the speeches in order to keep track of the debate.
During cross-examination, debaters ask each other questions. Typically, this is not a time for debaters to make arguments; instead, it is to clarify their opponent's positions.
Each event gives debaters a set amount of prep time, where competitors can take a moment to prepare for the next part of the debate. Competitors can take prep time between speeches and should notify the judges when they begin and end prep.
The judge will watch the entirety of the debate and then decide which side won. Depending on the tournament, judges can give an oral critique or disclose the results of the round. An oral critique is when the judge provides the debaters with immediate feedback by talking with both sides after the debate. Similarly, a disclosure is when the judge reveals which side won the debate right after the round. Neither of these are necessary, and, be sure to check with the tournament organizer before giving oral critiques or disclosing. When filling out the ballot, you may be asked to assign competitors speaker points, typically on a scale from 20-30, with 30 being outstanding.
During preliminary rounds of the tournament, there is usually only one judge per round. However, when student’s begin competing in elimination rounds, rounds will have more than one judge. This is called a panel.
RESOURCES:
- Click here to access an excellent website with more information on how to judge different debate events, including helpful videos and sample ballots
- Debate Judging Slides from parent training
- Lincoln Douglas Slides from parent training
- Public Forum Slides from parent training
- Timing Page for Public Forum
Congress
In Congressional Debate, judges preside over a room of students as they simulate a session of Congress. A typical Congress session lasts longer than rounds for other speech and debate events, and rounds are usually divided into morning and afternoon sessions. As student’s debate proposed bills and resolutions, judges evaluate each speech that is given during the round.
Congressional Debate uses Robert’s Rules of Order, a manual describing parliamentary procedure, which most competitors will be familiar with. However, you don’t need to be an expert to judge Congressional Debate! At the beginning of each session, each house will elect a Presiding Officer (PO), a competitor who will abstain from speaking in order to orchestrate the proceedings. The PO will do things like keep time, call for speakers, count votes, etc. Because the PO does not give any speeches, judges are given a special ballot to evaluate the PO, which should be done at the end of the session.
RESOURCES:
Click here to access an excellent website with more information on judging Congress, including informational videos and sample ballots
Congressional Debate uses Robert’s Rules of Order, a manual describing parliamentary procedure, which most competitors will be familiar with. However, you don’t need to be an expert to judge Congressional Debate! At the beginning of each session, each house will elect a Presiding Officer (PO), a competitor who will abstain from speaking in order to orchestrate the proceedings. The PO will do things like keep time, call for speakers, count votes, etc. Because the PO does not give any speeches, judges are given a special ballot to evaluate the PO, which should be done at the end of the session.
RESOURCES:
Click here to access an excellent website with more information on judging Congress, including informational videos and sample ballots
Help with Tabroom
If you would like assistance with Tabroom, please click one of the following links:
- How to create a Tabroom account
- How to complete Debate Ballots (Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum)
- How to complete Congressional Debate ballots
- How to complete Speech ballots