Paradigm

Lindsey McNamara
American Heritage Palm Beach

Updated MARCH 2026- If my paradigm update seems a lil grumpy- I am sorry- jan/feb just ended and too many rounds have made me… grumpy.



Contact info: lindsey.mcnamara@ahschool.com

Background: I debated in LD for 4 years at William T. Dwyer High School (also independent from my school bc #smallschoolproblems) and graduated in 2017. I was a lone wolf at most tournaments and got 1 bid to TOC my senior year. I also competed in several college policy tournaments at University of Florida- although larp is… not my vibe. I currently coach LD and PF at American Heritage Palm Beach.



All debate plz read:

I will vote on almost any argument so long as it is clearly explained why and how I should do so; however, I reserve the right to vote you down if you make blatantly offensive arguments or say something racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. Also, do not miscut or misattribute evidence.



Be nice to novices pls and just nice in general. If you feel like you have to exclude your opponent on purpose by spreading or drowning them things they clearly don't understand, for example theory, topicality, etc. your speaks will suffer and you might get voted down. If you do not think you can still win the debate by being inclusive to a novice or someone clearly worse than you, then strike me. Debate should be educational and should not leave a debater suffering in round because of the other debater having a ruthless desire to win.

Give trigger warnings for potentially triggering arguments.

Weighing and impacting is very important- I want to hear how I should vote and why.



Write my ballot for me. If there is no weighing, I will be sad and depending on my decision, you might be sad too.

Please do not steal prep or take forever to exchange docs. Y’all should figure it out beforehand and if you already exchanged docs, I do not know why it should/could take so long to send new cards.

Flex prep is fine.

I don't want to hear a lengthy spew of cards. You can read cards as refutation, but please add analysis as to why I should care. I really want people to go back to analytics - not paragraph theory or chatgpt.

Signposting is very important, especially for PF. Please be extra clear.



*LD*

Defaults if not told otherwise:



Probably tech over truth? but I have a low threshold for bs so keep that in mind. If you tell me to gut check something- I will.



Speed:

I’m okay with spreading and I will say clear if I cannot understand. I do not flow off docs, I only look at them for ev if something happened in the debate where I feel like I need to. So with that said, it is on you to make sure it ends up on my flow. Post round me- I dare you.



Kritiks:

This is my favorite form of debate. I am not as well read on high theory, but I am open to listen to anything. When reading these types of arguments, assume I know nothing. So long as debaters clearly explain what their argument means and does, then I will vote on it. I am also open to non T K affs. I reserve the right to not vote on something if I do not understand it because I believe it is the debaters responsibility to make understand. If you cannot make me understand, then you did not do a good enough job explaining it.



Phil:

I enjoy philosophy a lot! Debaters just need to have good judge instruction, clear warranting and weighing are important. I used to read a lot of Kant- plz do not take this as a green light to just reading buzzwords. Buzzwords are not philosophy and high schoolers will never convince me it is- sorry.



Trix:

Not my fav but I will evaluate them- just remember, I do not flow off the doc :)



Topicality/Theory:

Friv theory is annoying.

Topicality is cool if run well.

I will vote on it if you win it, but it may be harder to win in front of me. I am not that good at flowing spikes so keep that in mind when deciding how many you want to read.

Also, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, please never read turing test arguments in front of me. EVER.



Disclosure:

I think disclosure CAN be a good norm for debate but is NOT practiced well- please keep that in mind. Disclosure theory can be run in front of me, but if you are running it on someone who doesn’t know what disclosure is- I will probably be visibly upset. If you are running it against a small school/lone wolf debater, I will probably have more leniencies for them. If it is being used as a frivolous tactic, I will probably be more than visibly upset. I would rather hear shoe theory tbh (To clarify, that is not an invitation to read shoe theory).



LARP:

Although I did policy debate, when I judge LD I don't want to feel like I'm judging policy. Not a fan, but you do you; however, if the arguments win, then they win. If you do go very larp heavy, please please please give me context and explain what abbreviations you use for things throughout the round. Y'all are super well versed in your topic and the lit but that can sometimes be very niche so please just give me some type of context when it comes to plans and DAs.



*PF*

My LD background frames my view of debate; however, I will try to adapt to PF norms for judging. Signposting and weighing is incredibly important. I like rounds to be as clear and fleshed out as possible. Write my ballot for me. LD norms have bled over into PF so if those types of arguments are going to be read, they need to be read well with uniqueness/link/impact. Please don't assume because I did LD that you will have a better chance at winning just for reading these types of arguments. You can read whatever you want in front of me, so long as it is read, impacted and weighed well.

AGAIN, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, please never read turing test arguments in front of me. EVER.



I said this above but I feel like PF needs to hear it again- please do not steal prep or take forever to exchange docs. Y’all should figure it out beforehand and if you already exchanged docs, I do not know why it should/could take so long to send new cards. This is one of my biggest pet peeves and it holds up the tournament.

~

Overall, have fun, learn something, and be a good human. Good luck!!<3