Big 8 Conference Tournament

2011 — WI/US

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Moments in History

Event Description:

Purpose of the Category
To develop skills in research and speaking related to an historical focus.

Definition of the Category
The challenge to the speaker is to select and explore an historical topic within the limits presented each year.Students may consider (but are not limited to) using the following areas of research: archival records,diaries, personal interviews, letters, newspapers, etc. The speaker is to use this research information tocompose and present a well-organized, informative speech. This is an original informative speechcategory, and not an acting category.

Rules
1. The speech must be the original work of the participant, and the topic chosen must conform to theannual focus and guidelines. The topic (person, event, trend, etc.) need not have been well publicized.The 2010-11 season time period is:
1850-1880
Students may select a topic that focuses on any region of the world during the time period. Possibleareas of consideration may include, but are not limited to: historic sites/monuments, natural disasters,inventions, medicine, arts and entertainment, education, military activity, ethnology/legends/folklore,geography, politics, fashion and fads, transportation, sports, religion, heroes, villains, and personalities.
2. Visual supporting materials may be used, but not worn. Such materials must support, not dominate, thepresentation. This category calls for a speech, not a visual media show. Mechanical sound effects andlighting are not allowed.
3. Use of notes is optional.
4. Maximum time limit: 6 minutes, with an allowable 15-second grace period. There is no minimum timerequirement. Vocal music, if used, must be incidental and consist of no more than 30 seconds total. Anyentry exceeding the grace period and/or the vocal music time limit may not be ranked first in the round.If all entries in a round exceed either time limit, no first rank shall be given in that round.

Criteria for Evaluation
1. The extent to which the speech was clearly informative and well researched.
2. The extent to which the organization of the speech was characterized by an objective presentation ofaccurate, well-developed, and unified information.
3. The extent to which the presentation reflected effective language skills, including such items as use oftransitions and clear, vivid, and appropriate word choices. Individual judges may lower the rank due touse of profanity or vulgarity.
4. The extent to which the vocal presentation was clear and appropriate to the subject, including such itemsas articulation, pronunciation, volume, rate, pitch, and voice quality.
5. The extent to which the speaker's physical presence contributed to the clarity and effectiveness of thepresentation, including such items as the use of note card, any visual materials, facial expression, eyecontact, gestures, and bodily movement.