The speech shall 5 to 7 minutes in length with 30 seconds of grace allowed. The general purpose is to persuade. The speech should have an undertone of seriousness. It should address a current issue of the day, presented in sermon style. The speech is prepared in advance. No notes are permitted during the delivery of the speech.

Ranking ________                     Rating: _______

Each contestant must be ranked according to performance in this round. Rank 1,2,3,4,5 where "1" is the best. Each contestant must also be rated according to skill Ratings of S, E, G, F must be consistent with the average of the ratings in the boxes below and with the rankings in the round (i.e. 1S, 2S, 3E, 4G, 5G, are acceptable, 1G, 2E, 3S in the same section would not be acceptable.) Ties in ratings are allowed.

Superior

Excellent

Good

Fair

Topic

Was the topic appropriate for high school audiences?

Was the topic interesting?

Was the student passionate about the topic?

Content

Was the speech clearly organized?

Was the serious undertone evident?

Did the speaker analyze the topic effectively?

Delivery

Did the speaker use sermon style delivery?

Did the speaker use emotion and passion in delivery?

Did the speaker connect effectively with the audience?

Was the speaker persuasive?

Overall Effectiveness

What was the total impression of the speech and speaker upon you, the critic, as compared to other speakers in the round?