Introduction to Note Keeping for Judges

• Purpose of Notes
  • Used during deliberation and feedback periods.
  • Helps in proving claims, comparing analyses, and understanding tactics.

Purpose of Notes

• Deliberation Period

  • Determining what teams exactly said.
  • Understanding and comparing different analyses.
  • Identifying what specific teams do better.
  • Assessing comparative advantages (e.g., mechanization vs. impact).
  • Reasons why one team beats another.

• Feedback Period

  • Discussing structure and style.
  • Improving specific analyses.
  • Enhancing tactical approaches.
  • Understanding how specific analyses play into the debate.

Types of Notes

• Small Picture Notes

  • Detailed summary of speeches.
  • Use of color for questions, feedback, remarks.
  • Helps in direct feedback and understanding of speech structure.

• Big Picture Notes

  • Overview of arguments in short sentences or symbols.
  • Includes weighing, interactions, and clashes.
  • Useful for comparing teams and understanding overall debate dynamics.

Note Keeping System

• Small Picture Notes

  • Roman numerals for mechanization.
  • ABC for rebuttals, weighing, impacting.
  • Lines under words for emphasis.

• Big Picture Notes

  • Different colors for rebuttals and constructives.
  • Symbols and numbers to denote argument structure.
  • Lines to show team comparisons and rankings.

Example Analysis

• Small Picture Organization

  • Roman numeral on left for the first speaker.
  • Blue for stated points, red for comments.
  • Questions and feedback noted in red.

• Big Picture Organization

  • Top left: Opening Government, top right: Opening Opposition.
  • Bottom left: Closing Government, bottom right: Closing Opposition.
  • Colors to differentiate constructs and destructs.

Practical Application

• Prioritize small notes during speeches.
• Use symbols for quick reference and analysis.
• Develop signs for team rankings during debates.

Conclusion and Recommendations

• Adaptability

  • No one-size-fits-all for note-taking; adjust based on personal needs.
  • Experiment with colors, structures, and formats.
  • Seek advice from other judges for diverse approaches.

• Continuous Improvement

  • Try different strategies and learn from each round of debating.

These notes cover essential techniques for note-keeping as a judge, ensuring effective deliberation and feedback to participants.