Tournament and Event Rules

 GENERAL RULES FOR INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

There is a thirty second grace period beyond the applicable time limit for each event.  If a contestant goes beyond that grace period, he or she shall not be awarded first place in that event.  Aside from this restriction, the placement of such a contestant in the round is left to the judge’s discretion. 

MHSAA Decency Clauses must be available at the tournament for each selection entered in any interpretation event.  A copy of this form is linked above.

Mississippi State University COVID-19 protocols apply to all events. Competitors must wear masks while in competition and prep rooms but may remove their masks while speaking/performing only.

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING

The Tournament Director shall prepare a list of topics on current foreign and domestic issues.  The student will draw three questions and return two before he/she begins his/her preparation period.

The competitor has thirty minutes to prepare his/her speech in an independent and supervised environment.  At the end of that time they will come to the competition room to perform.

The competitor has a maximum of seven minutes to present his/her speech, not including the thirty-second grace period. 

Students are responsible for providing their own extemp files that may include materials from any published source.  Research may be conducted online during prep time, provided there is no conferring with coaches or other non-competitors.

The competitor will hand the judge their topic prior to speaking.  They must take a stand on the issue and explain in the speech why that stance is correct.  The speaker should remain on topic.

ORIGINAL ORATORY

Original Oratory is memorized and should not be more than ten minutes. 

The oration is the original thought and writing of the competitor.  The orator must be truthful.  Any non-factual reference, especially a personal one, must be so identified.

No more than 150 words of the oration may be a direct quotation from any other source.

Although many orations deal with a current problem and propose a solution, the judge is expressly reminded that this is not the only acceptable form of oratory.  The oration may simply alert the audience to a threat or danger, strengthen its devotion to an accepted cause, or eulogize a person.  The orator should be given free choice of subject and judged solely on the effectiveness of its development and presentation.

DECLAMATION

The event is open only to students in the 10^th grade or below.

A selection in this event must have been originally delivered as a speech by its author, a person other than the present speaker. A copy of the Declamation should be present at the tournament for verification purposes. 

The selection has a maximum time of ten minutes.  It must be memorized. An introduction is required and should include the author’s name and the actual circumstances under which the original speech was delivered.

The speaker should convey the original author’s message in a sincere, honest, and realistic manner.  Attempts at dramatization rather than communication should be avoided.

IMPROMPTU SPEAKING

The total time given to each speaker shall not exceed seven minutes. Participants will use this time for both preparation and delivery.

The judge will show the competitor his/her three topic choices from which the student will select which one he/she will prepare and deliver within his/her allotted seven-minute period.   Once the competitor has seen the topics, he or she may not leave the room or converse with any person until finished speaking.

The timing of this event begins immediately after the competitor chooses his/her topic.  Vocalize to the competitor every 30 seconds as it passes until he/she is ready to perform.  Whatever time is left is the amount of time the competitor has to speak.  DO NOT restart their time.

The competitor may use a notecard/legal pad to help them collect their thoughts during prep time, but they may not use them during the actual speech.

Topics will come from a wide variety of areas, including but not limited to history, literature, science, sports, popular culture, current events, quotations, art, music, folklore and/or mythology. 

INFORMATIVE SPEAKING

This is an original speech designed to explain, define, describe, or illustrate a particular subject. The general purpose of the speech is for the audience to gain understanding and/or knowledge of a topic. Any other purpose such as to entertain or to convince shall be secondary.

The speech is memorized and has a time limit of ten minutes.

Effective speeches provide new information or perspectives on a topic, including those that are widely known. The responsibility for choosing a worthwhile topic rests with the contestant. A fabricated topic may not be used. Any non-factual reference, including a personal reference, must be so identified.

Audio/visual aids may be used to supplement and reinforce the message, but are not required.

The use of electronic equipment, live animals, or any additional people as visual aids is not allowed during the speech. Items of dress put on and/or removed for illustration during the course of the presentation are considered costumes and may not be part of the contestant’s presentation. Visual aids may not violate university policies or applicable laws.  MSU will endeavor to provide competition rooms with sufficient space, but cannot guarantee the presence of materials like movable tables or chairs.  Expedient set up and take down of aids is expected.

No more than 150 words of the speech may be direct quotation and such quotations must be identified orally and in a printed copy of the speech supplied prior to registration.

DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION

The selection may not be longer than ten minutes, not counting the thirty second grace period.  It must be memorized. An introduction must be given and is included in the time limit.  The introduction should be written by the student to contextualize the performance, and must state the title and the author.

The selection shall be a cutting from a published work such as a printed novel, short story, play, or poetry.  Recorded material that is not printed and published is prohibited.  Monologues are acceptable.

The selection must be generally serious in tone, although some incorporation of humor is not prohibited.  The event focuses on the student’s ability to convey emotion and meaning through the use of a dramatic text.

There are no strict movement limits in this event, but students are reminded that this is a contest in interpretation and not solo acting. No props or costumes of any kind are allowed.

HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION

The selection may not be longer than ten minutes, not counting the thirty second grace period.  It must be memorized.

An introduction must be given and is included in the time limit.  The introduction should be written by the student to contextualize the performance, and must state the title and author. 

The selection shall be a cutting from a published work such as a printed novel, short story, play, or poetry.  Recorded material that is not printed and published is prohibited.  Monologues are acceptable.

The selection must be humorous in tone, but may have serious elements and/or convey a serious message through humor.  Humorous Interpretation is designed to test a student’s comedic skills through script analysis, delivery, timing, and character development.  Competitors may portray one or multiple characters.

There are no movement limits in this event but students are reminded that this is a contest in interpretation and not solo acting. No props or costumes of any kind are allowed.

DUO INTERPRETATION

The selection may not be longer than ten minutes, not counting the thirty second grace period.  It must be memorized. 

An introduction must be given and is included in the time limit.  The introduction should be written by the students to contextualize the performance, and must state the title and author.

The selection shall be a cutting from a published work such as a printed novel, short story, play, or poetry.  Recorded material that is not printed and published is prohibited.

As this is interpretation and not acting, neither direct eye contact nor any physical contact is permitted between the participants, except during the introduction.  Students should react to verbal and nonverbal expressions but may not touch each other. No props or costumes of any kind are allowed.

PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION

The competitor will present a program of oral interpretation of thematically-linked selections chosen from two or three genres: prose, poetry, and/or drama/plays.  The time limit is ten minutes with a thirty second grace period.

At least two pieces of literature that represent at least two separate genres must be used. All selections must be published works, and must be verbally identified by title and author. Competitors are encouraged to devote approximately equal time to each of the genres used in the program. This distinction pertains to these two or three genres as a whole, not types of literature within a genre (such as fiction/nonfiction).

The use of a manuscript during the performance is required. Common practices include the use of a binder or folder. Reading from a book or magazine is not permitted. The intact manuscript may be used by the contestant as a prop, so long as it remains in the contestant's control at all times. No costumes or props other than the manuscript are permitted. The contestant must address the script; however, introduction and transitional material may be memorized.

Adaptations may be used only for the purpose of transition.  Brief transitions may be used to clarify the logical sequence of ideas. They are not to be used for the purpose of embellishing the humorous or dramatic effect of the literature.

DUET ACTING

The selection has a maximum time of ten minutes.  It must be memorized. 

This is an acting event, rather than an interpretation event, so movement is not limited.  Contestants will be provided two chairs, but usage is not required.  Unlike Duo Interpretation, contestants may look at one another and make physical contact.  No costumes or props may be used.

Selections shall be cuttings from a single source or from a published novel, short story, play, poem, or screenplay.  Material may be dramatic, humorous, or a combination of both.

Each performer may play one or more characters so long as performance in the cutting remains reasonably balanced.

Performances should also include an introduction written by the students to contextualize the performance and state the title and the author.  The two students should participate roughly equally in the introduction.

PROSE INTERPRETATION

The selection has a maximum time of ten minutes. Students must use a manuscript and are reminded that this is a contest in interpretation not acting.  The manuscript should not be used as a prop and costuming of any kind is not allowed.  Movement should be appropriate to interpretation, rather than acting.

Prose includes fiction (short stories and novels) and non-fiction (articles, essays, journals, and biographies).  Poetry, monologues, or other cuttings from plays are not allowed. All material must come from a published source.

POETRY INTERPRETATION

The selection has a maximum time of ten minutes.  Students must use a manuscript and are reminded that this is a contest in interpretation not acting.  The manuscript should not be used as a prop and costuming of any kind is not allowed.  Movement should be appropriate to interpretation, rather than acting.

Poetry includes any form of verse.  Monologues, short stories, or cuttings from novels are not permitted, unless the work is written in some form of verse.   Collections of poems around a theme or author are permitted. All material must come from a published source.

GENERAL RULES FOR DEBATE

The tournament will follow NSDA’s substantive rules governing use of evidence in debate and the resolution of disputes over evidence. Appeals, where applicable, will be made to the tournament director or their designee and will be final.

Judges may elect to disclose results and offer constructive feedback after each round.  The decision whether to disclose is in the judge’s discretion.  In preliminary rounds, we ask that feedback last no longer than approximately five minutes to keep the tournament on time.

We expect to power match rounds on a one-round delay following round two.  However, we reserve the right to use whatever pairings the tab staff feel will best clarify breaks and seeding.

LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE

The debate will follow the standard 6-3-7-3-4-6-3 format. Each debater has four minutes of prep time to use as they wish. Five preliminary rounds will determine breaks to elimination rounds. 

NSDA rules governing the use of laptops and electronic devices, internet use, and evidence shall apply. Disputes will be referred to the tournament director or their designee, whose decision shall be final.

The resolution will be the NSDA topic for January-February 2022.

POLICY DEBATE

The debate will follow the standard 8-3-8-3-8-3-8-3-5-5-5-5 format. Each team has five minutes of prep time to use as they wish. Four preliminary rounds will determine breaks to elimination rounds. 

Each round may use open or closed cross examination based on the preference of the judge(s).

NSDA rules governing the use of laptops and electronic devices, internet use, and evidence shall apply. Disputes will be referred to the tournament director or their designee, whose decision shall be final.

The resolution will be Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States.

PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE

The debate will follow the standard 4-4-3-4-4-3-2-2-3-2-2 format. Each team will have two minutes of prep time to use as they wish. Five preliminary rounds will determine breaks to elimination rounds.

NSDA rules governing the use of laptops and electronic devices, internet use, and evidence shall apply. Disputes will be referred to the tournament director or their designee, whose decision shall be final.

The resolution will be the NSDA topic for January 2022.

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE

Except where the tournament director provides express direction to the contrary, the tournament will follow the NSDA Manual’s rules on Congressional Debate.

This year’s theme for legislation will be “Civilian-Military Relations.”  Approximately half of the legislation provided will be centered around this theme, with the remainder focusing on general interest topics.  Legislation will be posted at the Legislation on the Tabroom page.