Volunteer Judging with NOF

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with NOF! Our volunteer judges support online speech and debate tournaments by evaluating rounds and providing written feedback. If you’re new to speech and debate, we’ll walk you through what to do. If you’re experienced, you can jump in quickly.

What does judging involve?

You’ll watch rounds and submit a written ballot with ranks and feedback for each competitor. Everything is done online. Some competitions are live, where you observe competitors in a video room. Others are asynchronous, using submitted videos. You can volunteer as much or as little as your schedule allows.

Training is provided

If you’re new to speech and debate, training is provided. We’ll go through training, guidelines, examples, and resources so you can judge with confidence.

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Register Below

Have questions or concerns? E-mail Anika: anika@nationalonlineforensics.org

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Who can volunteer as a judge?

Anyone can judge, regardless of experience or age. Judges can be as young as 12 (with appropriate division assignments). Our pool includes parents, college students, coaches, former / current competitors, and middle/high school students.

Do I need prior experience to judge?

No. We provide training, certification, and clear resources so judges can feel confident during the tournament.

What materials do I need to judge?

You will need an electronic device with a working camera and microphone (a computer, tablet, or phone), stable internet or wi-fi connection, and a distraction-free environment. We also recommend a pen and paper to take notes during the round.

How long is a judging shift?

A round is typically 60–90 minutes, including submitting feedback. Judges usually cover 1–5 rounds per tournament; more is optional depending on availability.

Can I judge if I’m a student?

Yes. Student judges are assigned to competitors below their grade level (ex: middle school judges elementary; high school judges elementary/middle).

Can my school or organization contact NOF to verify community service hours?

Yes. If you need verification for your hours, email anika@nationalonlineforensics.org.

Is this fully online?

Yes. Tournaments are fully online. You can judge from anywhere, as long as you’re in a distraction-free environment.

Do I need to be on camera?

For live (synchronous) tournaments, judges are required to keep cameras on. If you prefer not to be on camera, you can judge our asynchronous tournaments. The competitors submit video performances for you to evaluate.