[eDebate] 50 pts. AT Hoe and Ellis

[Ross Smith]

Good points (no pun intended).

The emporer has no clothes, Andy. Which 5-3's will clear at Wake is 
random as it is (at least with regard to the differences between the 
bottom 5-3's that do clear versus the top 5-3's who just miss clearing. 
We *pretend* that it is meaningful. Yes, there will be a new form of 
randomness introduced. At least there is some *potential* in the new 
system for points to have meaning in relation to performance.

Making 20-30 "work" has been tired and failed, Josh. One hypothesis I 
have is that no judge wants to give, and debaters do not want to 
recieve, less than a 27. 20-26 is *percieved* as (and therefore "means") 
BAD. There is no reason 40-45 needs to be seen in that same way. 
Choosing a scale that is not a multiple of 30 is part of that. This 
discussion is another. At least we have an *opportunity) to create some 
breathing room in our evaluations.

-- 
Ross K. Smith
Director of Debate
Wake Forest University

336-251-2076 (c)
336-758-5268 (o)

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