JUST FOR JUDGES
YOUR GUIDE TO JUDGING AT FCDI TOURNAMENTS
Anyone can judge at a speech and debate tournament! We welcome educators, volunteers, alumni, parents and other community members. FCDI and FDI provide training, resources and support before and throughout the tournament to help judges feel prepared, comfortable and confident in their role.
Judging provides immense value and reward, but it also requires preparation. To ensure a smooth and fair tournament experience for every participant, we kindly ask that judges come prepared to judge before the start of each tournament. To prepare, judges must thoroughly review the FCDI handbook, complete the official judge course, and view the resources available on this page.
The 2026-2027 edition of the handbook and judge guides will be available soon.
WHAT DO JUDGES DO?
Judges attend FCDI tournaments and evaluate the rounds they are assigned to using provided rubrics. Evaluations are submitted through "ballots" submitted online and include scores and feedback for competitors. As a judge, you play an important role in creating a fair, educational and rewarding tournament experience for students.
Judges are responsible for:
Reviewing and understanding the tournament rules and rules for each competitive event.
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Judges may adjudicate different competitive events. Competitive events are the different types of speech and debate formats offered at FCDI tournaments.
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Judges do not need to memorize the rules for each event — becoming familiar with the handbook and knowing how to reference the judge guides is enough.
Completing the official judge training course and attending a judge briefing on the morning of the tournament.
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The judge course provides a comprehensive overview of the competitive events and rules.
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The virtual training course and the in-person briefing cannot substitute each other.
Applying the evaluation criteria for debates and speeches in a fair and unbiased manner.
Providing constructive, respectful written feedback to help students improve their skills.
Completing and submitting ballots at least 5 minutes after each round.
TRAINING
All judges must complete the official online training course offered by the Florida Debate Initiative before judging at an FCDI tournament.
The training course is valid for the duration of the school year.
The course is completely free, online and self-paced. It takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.
Judges and coaches will receive an email announcing when the course has gone live. Judges may sign up to be enrolled in the course.
HOW DO I BECOME A JUDGE?
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Judges are registered for a tournament by a speech and debate team's coach. If you are interested in judging, the first step is to connect with a local speech and debate team and ask if they need judges for an upcoming tournament.
Once you are registered to judge a tournament by a coach, you will receive information to sign up for a judge account through a website called SpeechWire (see below).
If you would like to judge but are not affiliated with a school or team, please indicate so on the judge training course sign up form. We can help connect you with a team in need of judges whenever possible.
PREPARING TO JUDGE
All judges must bring an electronic device and charger with them to all FCDI tournaments. Although completing a ballot is easiest on a laptop or tablet, a phone may also suffice. Judges will need access to a device at all times during the tournament to receive round assignments and to compete ballots (input round results and feedback).
DEVICES
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Judges complete "ballots" to submit results for speech and debate rounds judged.
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You will input scores and feedback for students on the ballot.
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Judges receive and complete ballots online through a website called SpeechWire.com.
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live.speechwire.com for ballots
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Speechwire.com for calendar and information
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The coach of the team you are judging for will ask for your email to enter into SpeechWire. Provide an email address that you know can receive emails from external email addresses.
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When a coach first registers you to judge a tournament, you will receive an email from SpeechWire Account Services with account information, including a password.
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Judges should login and ensure access to the account prior to the tournament.
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The email address associated with the account will receive notifications with round assignments during a tournament. Round assignments tell you where the round you are judging is located and which competitive event it is.
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See the 'Subscribe' section below to learn how to subscribe to round assignments using a different email address or phone number.
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Use SpeechWire.com to read important tournament information. Visit SpeechWire.com, then navigate to Calendar & registration and find the tournament you will be judging at.
SETTING UP A JUDGE ACCOUNT
Complete the official judge training course offered by the Florida Debate Initiative. The course is online, self-paced and takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. Judges may sign up to be enrolled in the course here.
TRAINING
Judges will be provided with judge guides for each competitive event and other resources before and during tournaments. Judges should browse and familiarize themselves with the provided resources prior to the day of the tournament.
FCDI EVENT JUDGE RESOURCES
AT TOURNAMENTS
At the beginning of every FCDI tournament, tournament staff will present a short, mandatory judge briefing and answer questions.
Tournament staff will always be available to answer questions and provide support in the judge's lounge during a tournament.
JUDGE DO'S
Review the judging instructions for speech and debate and the guidelines for each competitive event.
Judges are rule keepers. Report any suspected rule violations and concerns to tournament staff. To contact staff, report to the judge's lounge or use the judge hotline if provided.
Judges should conduct themselves professionally at all times.
Judges should maintain positive and encouraging facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
Judges must consider all students equally, no matter who is competing, regardless of the subject matter of the speeches or debates.
Judges are encouraged to leave detailed feedback on official ballots. All feedback should be thoughtful, tactful, relevant and appropriate – students and coaches use ballots as a way to improve.
Document if the student’s rank was penalized for violating the rules and be specific.
Immediately upon receiving a round assignment, judges should click start on the ballot and begin the round in a timely manner.
Always notify tournament staff of any issues as soon as possible, including potential conflicts of interest.
JUDGE DON'TS
Don't discuss rule violations or concerns with students.
Don't disclose round results, provide feedback (other than in the official ballot) or discuss rounds, rankings, or student performances with anyone.
Don't make judgments based on a student’s ideology, background or appearance.
Don't ask competitors for personal information (grade level, school, etc.).
Don't comment on a student’s appearance.
Don't be alone in a room with a single competitor.
Don't allow students to enter a competition room without your permission.
Don't leave the tournament (online or in-person) until it ends or miss round assignments (unless an emergency occurs, in which case contact your coach/tournament staff).
Don't go anywhere else after a round but the judge lounge.
When judging alongside other judges (Ex. Congressional Debate), do not confer. Decisions must be made independently.
Questions?
Tournament staff are always available to help in the judge lounge during tournaments. Judges should be in regular communication with the coach of the team they are judging for.
SUBSCRIBE
Judges can subscribe to receive round assignments via texts and email (to receive round assignments to email addresses not associated with the SpeechWire judge account).
Visit the tournament on SpeechWire.com
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Click Subscribe. The subscribe feature will become available on the SpeechWire page for each tournament (SpeechWire.com > Calendar and registration > Select your tournament prior to the scheduled start time
STEP TWO
Find your name and click Subscribe
STEP THREE
Enter your contact information
STEP FOUR
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ROLE OF JUDGES
The role of judges in speech and debate competitions is critical to the integrity, fairness and overall success of the event.
IMPARTIAL EVALUATION
Judges must objectively evaluate the performance of competitors based on established criteria. They should assess student performance without bias or favoritism and focus solely on the debate or speech itself.
TRAINING AND RESOURCES
Judges should feel comfortable judging all events. To accomplish this, an online, self-paced judge training course is available and required before tournaments. Quick-reference materials are also available online and in the judge lounge and mandatory day of training is offered on the morning of each tournament before competition begins (see the tournament schedule).
TOURNAMENT RULES
Judges adhere to the rules and guidelines established by the tournament organizers, including regarding speech times, event rules and student conduct. Judges ensure that competitors follow the rules and that each round they are a part of runs smoothly and fairly. Judges requiring assistance during or after a round should contact tournament staff in the judge lounge or through the judge hotline if provided.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Judges attend FCDI tournaments and evaluate the rounds they are assigned to using provided rubrics. Depending on the event, this often includes content, delivery, organization style and the effectiveness of arguments. Judges should apply these criteria consistently and fairly across all competitors.
BALLOTS
Judges are responsible for providing thorough, constructive written feedback through the official ballot and making fair, informed decisions based on competitors’ performances using the published evaluation criteria. Written feedback should identify strengths, note areas for improvement and offer suggestions for future growth. Judges determine rankings and scores by carefully considering all factors of a performance or debate and the evaluation criteria. Clear, complete ballots ensure that decisions are communicated transparently to competitors and tournament officials while supporting the educational development of students. Oral feedback is not permitted.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Judges must maintain confidentiality regarding their evaluations and deliberations. They should refrain from discussing competitors’ performances with others, including other judges, competitors, coaches or spectators.
PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICAL CONDUCT
Judges conduct themselves professionally, ethically and with integrity. Judges should treat competitors, coaches and fellow judges with respect and fairness.
Overall, judges play a crucial role in upholding the integrity, fairness and quality of speech and debate competitions. Their expertise, professionalism and commitment to impartial evaluation contribute to the overall credibility and success of the event.
