Cavalier Invitational at Durham Academy

2023 — Durham, NC/US

• Invite
• Entries
• Judges
• Pairings
• Live Updates
• Results

Extemporaneous Speaking

Event Description:

This is a mixed division of both United States and International topic areas. We will procure topics phrased for contest use and based on subjects discussed in standard periodicals during the current school year. Each topic will be in the form of a question. The contents of the list shall not be disclosed except as contestants draw topics therefrom; although the tournament director may publish topic areas in advance. There shall be a new subject area for each round. Thirty minutes before the contest is to begin, the first speaker draws three questions, choose one, and return the other two. The other contestants draw in like manner, in the order of speaking, at intervals of seven minutes. Students may consult published books, magazines, newspapers and journals or articles provided 1) they are originals or copies of whole pages, 2) provided those originals or copies are uncut, 3) there is no written material on that original or copy other than the citation information, and 4) topical index without annotation may be present. Extemp speeches, handbooks, briefs, and outlines are prohibited from the prep room. Underlining and highlighting in Extemp will be allowed if done in only one color on each article or copy. Contestants may make notes during the preparation time, but the use of notes, cards, briefs or other aids is prohibited during the speech. In other words, students may not remove any notes from the prep room to take to their contest rooms. The time limit is 7 minutes with a 30 second “grace period,” If the judge in the round finds that the student has gone beyond the grace, the student may not be ranked 1st, but need not be ranked last based on time. The ranking is up to the individual judge’s discretion. No minimum time is mandated. In the final round, each speaker shall be assigned a speaker order position. Drawing shall take place in 12-minute intervals. Thirty minutes after speaker first has drawn, speakers first and last shall enter the contest room. Speaker first shall give a speech and speaker last shall listen and may take notes. At the conclusion of speaker first’s speech, speaker last shall questions speaker first for two minutes. Speaker last shall return to the prep room and speaker first shall stay and question speaker second. Speaker second will question speaker third, etc. Unless it is unavoidable, students from the same school shall not cross-examine one another. Speaker order should be adjusted accordingly. For further clarification, see the National Speech and Debate Association rules for Extemporaneous Speaking.