Rogue Valley Invitational at Crater High School
2024 — Central Point, OR/US
Prose
Event Description:
Prose Reading.
13.15.1. Communication among judges during the round. Judges must make independent decisions. Judges shall
not discuss decisions with other judges prior to turning in ballots. Timekeepers may share the length of
a given speech only. If questions arise regarding the rules or conduct of an event, judges shall ask at
Speech State Championships headquarters.
13.15.2. Length. There is no minimum time limit; contestants shall speak no more than eight minutes with a 30-
second period of grace including the introduction and reading. If laughter delays the speaker, the
timekeeper shall make allowance by stopping the watch at the beginning and starting it at the end of
each interruption.
Time signals may be given at the speaker’s request; however, presentation within the time length is
ultimately the responsibility of the speaker.
Contestants who violate the time limit may receive a lower rank. No contestant may be penalized if a
stopwatch was not used for timing.
13.15.3. Introduction. Each reader shall appropriately introduce the reading. Introductions should be memorized
or delivered extemporaneously.
13.15.4. Presentation. The materials are to be read from a manuscript or printed page. Continued practice during
the time of preparation may result in memorization of some passages. The aim of the reader, however,
should not be complete memorization. Rather frequent references must be made to the manuscript
during the presentation of the materials. Contestants may use limited gestures while standing in one
place and freely using facial, verbal and vocal expression. Contestants may use transition steps during
introductions and transitions, which should be presented in an extemporaneous manner making use of
appropriate gestures and physical movements.
13.15.5. Changing Readings. Materials read at the District Tournament must also be read at the Speech State
Championships.
13.15.6. Materials.
(a) The materials shall be cuttings from published, printed short stories, novels or essays, published
electronically or in print. No material may be presented from any work that is identified as a play /
drama, poem, stand-up-comedy routine, sermon or speech.
(b) Digital (Online) Publications. See 11.7 General Contest Rules: Sources for Interpretation Events.
(c) Adaptations may be made for the purpose of continuity only. Selections may be chosen from any
good literature without regard to publication date.
Oregon School Activities Association 2023-2024 Speech Handbook
(d) Both narration and dialogue are encouraged, but MORE THAN 50% OF THE WORDS IN THE
SELECTION MUST BE NARRATION.
13.15.7. Re-use. No speaker may use a cutting from the same source that the speaker used in any contest previous
to the current school year.
13.15.8. Overlap. Students may not use the same material or cuttings from the same source, in Prose Reading and
any other interpretation event.
13.15.9. Manuscript Submission. Interpretation events must bring an original, electronic or photocopied version
of their script(s) and original source material to State.
13.15.10. Instructions to the Judges. This is a contest for the interpretation of a cutting from a published, printed
short story, novel or essay. No speaker shall be penalized for a lack of dialogue in their presentation. The
responsibility of the speaker is to entertain the audience with the material used. The speaker should
suggest the characters, moods and changes of situation largely through his voice. Characterizations
should be confined to facial expressions, postures and character placement, but there should be no
movement of the entire body.
Special Note. Judges should expect that some readers, from constant practice of their selections, may be
able to present portions from memory. Speakers are not to be penalized for this, as long as they refer
rather frequently to their manuscripts or to the printed page in front of them.