Currently, DART has two sets of criteria Instigators can choose among to have their debate judged by. One is the “choose winner” option, in which judges vote primarily based on which side had the more convincing arguments. The other is the “four-point system,” where judges weight arguments, sources, conduct, and grammar/spelling equally. Right now, the default option in debates is the four-point system, and an Instigator can change to the “choose winner” system if they want. My proposal is to make “choose winner” the default option and allow Instigators to change the criteria to the four-point system if they want.
My reasoning: New debaters on DART often don’t have information about what the competing systems are and are unaware of site norms. The “choose winner” option is fairer, other things equal, than the “four-point system.” Thett3 outlines the reasoning in his case here quite well (https://www.debate.org/debates/DDO-should-keep-a-voting-system-with-multiple-categories/1/), and Bluesteel does so here (https://www.debate.org/debates/DDO-should-only-have-a-more-convincing-arguments-point/1/). Hence, when a debater doesn’t have information, we should presume the fairer system, and allow them to change it if they want to.