2. What is a review?
A review is a permanent document you create in the
Judge Center.
In consists of you evaluation of another judge, you’re
recognizing the good work of another judge and
giving advise on how to improve.
The documents is broken down in “strenghts” and
“areas of improvement”
3. How to create a review in the
Judge Center…
Log in into the JC and click “reviews”
4. How to create a review in the
Judge Center…
Click on “create”, select “evaluation” and click on
“continue”.
5. How to create a review in the
Judge Center…
Top of page -find the judge you want to review, and
insert all the data relevant to the tournament.
6. How to create a review in the
Judge Center…
Year issue: select year 2010
Remember to write “This is a 2012 review” in the
comment box
7. What is the purpose of a review?
Recognize the good job a judge did.
To give advice on how to improve!
A pair of “extra eyes” from outside – no one can
improve much all by himself/herself.
Share our expertise and mentor.
Write what someone could improve.
Ultimately: improve the Judge Program as a whole.
8. Important!
The main purpose of a review is to be helpful!
It should help the judge to realize his/her mistakes and
give advice on how to improve.
It is not an exam. No one “fails”.
It should be useful and a source of information on how
to improve and do an even better job next time!
9. Writing a review helps you as well!
It helps you develop your observation and mentoring
skills.
It will also show that you’re involved actively in the
judge community. (Not only the reviewed judge can
read the reviews you write…)
It’s part of the checklist…
10. Choose your words wisely!
Be tactful and diplomatic.
Be careful not to offend someone.
Keep in mind cultural differences and language
barrier!
Don’t use irony or sarcasm – it won’t work…
Try to give constructive criticism.
11. Be very specific in the review
Write down exactly in what situation you observed a
given thing.
Write the role you and the judge had.
Put all the details relevant to the situation you’re
describing.
Justify your point of view.
12. How to observe:
Shadowing (especially if “buddy system” is
implemented).
Chat – except for real situations, talk about
hypothetical ones (“what do you think about…”, “what
would you do in this case…”)
Work together (example: do a deck check together…)
13. What to observe:
Interaction with players and judges
General preparation in rules and policies
Approach and attitude towards judging and players
Execution of assigned tasks (remember to write what
tasks exactly you’re talking about)
14. “Role oriented” reviews
A review doesn’t need to contain every aspect of
judging. It can be quite short and specific to a role.
Example:
You can review your TL (even if you’re a L1),
considering only the team leading aspects of that
particualar judge in that tournament.
15. Things to remember…
Take notes during the tournament.
They will help you remember what to write after a few days.
16. Things to remember…
If you want to get a review ask for it!
(usually to your “buddy” or TL on a GP,
or the HJ on a smaller tournament like a PTQ)
17. Things to remember…
You can review a judge of any level!
Don’t be shy,
even if they are high level they are not perfect!
…except for Kalle ☺
18. Things to remember…
Language barrier and cultural differences.
English is preferred language for judge reviews,
but if it’s not good enough better write in your native
language (if the reviewed judge also speaks it).
19. Things to remember…
Avoid absolute statements
Don’t say “John IS…” if you observed a thing only
once.
Avoid words like “always” and “never”.
By their nature, absolute statements are bound to be
false and inncaurate.
20. Things to remember…
You can write a review to a judge that
performed well.
You don’t need to wait for a judge to do something “wrong”.
Even if a judge does a great job, there are surely ways he or
she can do an outstanding job next time!
Even if there’s nothing you can think of as “area of
improvements” – write the review anyway!
21. Things to remember…
Before you write the review, talk to the judge
about what you observed.
This is important: it will help you get a better idea on the
judge’s performance.
And sometimes it will avoid you some mistakes or
inaccuracies.
22. Things to remember…
If don’t get the chance to talk in person – use
some other mean (emails, Facebook, JC…)
It’s important to exchange opinions and have some sort of
debriefing.
Sometimes it won’t be possible at the tournament, so feel
free to do it electronically.
23. Your first review
Don’t be afraid to write one. It’s normal, everyone does it.
Review a judge you know and have worked with on several
occasions (this should be less intimidanting than
reviewing a judge you just met for the first time on a GP).
Talk to the judge before writing the review.
It doesn’t have to be an outstanding review. It can be
short and schematic. It will still be useful.
Good reviews come with time. Don’t expect to be perfect
immediately. Everyone needs practice and experience.
24. You got a bad review. What now?
Don’t get depressed. Don’t take it personally.
Learn from it and try to do your best next time.
Be happy about it! You now have something to work
on and become a better judge!
25. Examples:
Even if you have arrived in the staff of the tournament in run for
before thing you have tried to visualize the situation to try to
improve what it was necessary.
Your figure during the whole tournament has been at the most
of the professionalism her your knowledge of the policies it is
excellent and I would wish me to always work with people of
your preparation.
The only note that can move you is that at times your ways can
seem hard as if you had always become rabid with whom is you
before.
I note this during the "Legacy@National" Tournament