Event Descriptions

Description of Events

Speech:

Interpretation: There are two different interp events at this tournament: Dramatic Interp or DI and Humorous Interp or HI. Students will interpret a piece of published work by presenting it to you in a style of their choosing.

Impromptu: The judge will give each student a slip of paper or it will show up on your ballot in Tabroom with three words, phrases, sentences, song lyrics, pictures, etc. written on it. The student will have seven minutes to prepare and present a speech. It is generally encouraged to prepare the speech for two minutes and deliver the speech for five minutes.

Extemporaneous: Competitors will receive three questions about current events and deliver a seven-minute speech about one of them. They will use articles and evidence which they have gathered, prepared, and become familiar with prior to attending the tournament to supplement their speech. You should expect a well informed, entertaining, and informative speech.

Oratory: Competitors will deliver a ten-minute speech about anything they'd like. Speeches should be well-prepared and delivered from memory.

Debate:

Policy: Two teams compete against each other to argue about different policy options which would either support or oppose the given resolution. The two teams won't necessarily prove the resolution true or false, rather they will present a plan that affirms or upholds the resolution. These debates are generally long and almost always progressive in style.

LD: Stands for Lincoln-Douglas debate, named after the great moral/ethical/philosophical debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. This debate will be between two debaters. You will find both traditional and progressive debaters in this event. 

Not found at this tournament but fyi:

Public Forum: Created with the layperson in mind, Public Forum debate, like policy, is also a two vs. two debate, but takes much less time to finish a round. Less emphasis is placed on reading evidence in this debate, and more emphasis is placed on public discourse.

Congress: A mock congress session. Students will gather in groups of about 25 students and argue in support of or against certain bills which they have prepared themselves. Students should be evaluated according to their participation and argumentation.