It’s that time of year again! Twitter Fight Club kicks off for 2013 and, as with last year’s tournament, I will be one of several judges trying to decipher and adjudicate the coming virtual fracas. For the uninitiated, all the information you need can be found here. My judging criteria will be the same as I used last year, as follows:

1. Quality of arguments – First and foremost, the quality of arguments will hold the highest priority, with an emphasis on original thought, clear logic, and the significance of what is tweeted.
2. Depth of knowledge – Provision of concise supporting material, addressing counter-arguments and alternative points of view, and demonstrating general depth and breadth of subject matter understanding.
3. Engagement – Interaction with followers, other #TFC12 competitors, judges, and – particularly – critics of your tweets/arguments. Audience participation encouraged!
4. Humour & style – Getting your message across in a way that captures attention and suits the medium. Points for snark, wit, fine prose, clever ‘hooks’, elegance/endearing brashness of style, or any combination therein.

I will not be taking into account the number of followers a competitor has. Whilst I appreciate the impact of followers on the ability to disseminate your arguments and opinions,  the ‘public poll’ portion of TFC accounts for this. No doubt competitors will attempt flattery, bribery, and so on… I’m partial to peaty Scotch, fine cigars, and cartridge cases from conflict zones.

The hashtag for relevant tweets is ‘#TFC13’. I encourage competitors to use the same where required. You can find me on Twitter here.

Good luck!