Congress:

it's a debate event so don't make sure to both refute + weigh/extend. Delivery is p important but content will win you the round. I love hearing good rhetoric and impacts! Please give time specific speeches (i.e. sponsor explains the bill; crystal sums up + extends the debate)

Extemp - I love hearing new info! If you give me a new perspective on the topic, that's really amazing. Make sure to clearly answer the question and back it with evidence. I don't really care about the amount of sources at MS level; just give me more than 3

I am a freshman at USC School of Dramatic Arts and a 6-year speech and debate competitor.

I love speech and debate!! Yay go you!!

Match energy

Hi! I've had past experience with all speech events besides interpretation and informative, and I've done/do both Extemps, Public Forum, and Congress.

Extemp:

Delivery:
For online, just try and watch the camera. It's tempting to look at yourself to see how it is, but that makes your eyes look unfocused on the camera, and that'll raise suspicions.

I'm old, so I like Extemp Walk, but it isn't required.

Stutters aren't too big unless they're frequent, but swaying/pacing/fidgeting leaves a big mark about you in my head.

For a general style, don't act like you're completely formal; be slightly conversational, engage me and act like you know your topic.

Content:

ANSWER THE QUESTION PROPERLY! Don't duck or dodge around it.

Needs proper (sub)structure, analysis and relations to your umbrella are a must. Nothing too big in content preference.

I need sources, best 2 per point, with at least year if you can. Analyze statistics, don't just point them out.

If there's any hint of personal opinion when it isn't necessary (sexism, racism, etc) you aren't winning the round regardless of the rest of your speech.

PF:

Spreading is ok until it reaches the point where you aren't able to articulate 35% of your case/speech. Then the judges can't hear anything and it gets hard to judge.

Weigh clearly and specifically, I as a judge need to know exactly why I should vote you. Use juxtaposition directly between your case and that of your opponents.

Utilize prep time; hearing an unprepped rebuttal from a confident speaker isn't going to cut it for me, you can definitely do better if you use at least 10 seconds or so to collect your thoughts beforehand.

You can ask questions but I'm not going to change my decision.

I'll do my best to give a verbal disclosure at the end of each round.

Public Speaking:

Confidence is key, any topic can win a round as long as it's presented persuasively and with sufficient research.

Mostly looking for the same delivery I look for in extemp, except stutters will be taken into account more seriously because of the nature of the event.

Congress:

Please don't spread.

Clash is key; I don't wanna watch a boring round.

If you are PO, I expect near flawless performance; you should know what you're doing.

If you're restating a previously brought up argument, add something to it. Don't just say it again for the sake of it.

LD:

I have experience but not as much as other events.

I'll mostly follow the same rules I have for PF, as the only noticeable difference is the number of debaters in the room.

For email chains or questions, reach me at abezhang9@gmail.com

Good luck and have fun!

If you ever need me to elaborate on a ballot or add me to an email chain, here's my email:

haniyyah.zia.1@icloud.com

I've dabbled in several events since middle school (currently in high school), but I have the most experience in Original Oratory and other Public Address events. I am currently a senior at Plano West Senior High School and have been the Original Oratory captain for the 2022-2023 school year. I've had a bit of success with OO, including the TFA State 2023 OO Champion, the University of Texas at Austin 2023 Runner-Up, and a Midwest Finch Legal Oratory Scholarship Recipient. I also privately coach on the side, so if you're interested, feel free to shoot me an e-mail!

If you feel unsafe during a round or during a tournament that I am judging, remove yourself from the situation immediately and find someone your trust (a friend, coach, or parent).

If you are disrespectful to the other competitors at a tournament or during a round, I will ask you to leave and contact your coach.

In terms of what I'm looking for in Original Oratory or other Public Address events, I have four key criteria:

1) Have you connected with your topic? In OO where the nature of the event allows one to speak on a topic of their choice, allowing your speaking style and speech to carry your passion for the topic is incredibly important. I'm looking for a heart story, personal connection, or powerful rhetoric that connects your topic to yourself.

2) Do your words reach the audience? Oratory is a public address event, so choosing words that are meant to make the audience feel or understand things in a way that wouldn't be able to be achieved in other events like extemp or oral interpretation is incredibly important. Have you made an effort to connect your topic to the people in the room? When I leave the room, do I remember the way your speech made me feel?

3) Is it believable? Quite often in public address, actions meant to enhance one's performance (humor, drama, rhetoric) takes root, so allowing your performance to support the rhetoric you choose is essential. Do you, personally, believe in what you are saying? One of the greatest compliments an orator can ever get is that they are believable. Do your jokes land? Do I, as a judge, feel like you have made an effort to connect with me?

4) Are your solutions tangible? When I walk out of the room, I want to leave knowing that you provided me with a solution in your speech that I can do the second my foot crosses that threshold. It's not about speaking for 10 minutes (or 7 minutes for middle schoolers) just to have a space to speak. It's about finding an issue you care about and utilizing the power Original Oratory gives you to make a positive impact in the world around you with a solution.

5) Are you having fun? Can I tell that you are engaged in your performance and excited to show me, as a judge, what you have been working on for weeks or possibly even months? I want to feel your passion and performance, rather than simply hear it.