IAD Speech Evaluation Form

SPEECH COMPETITION

General order of events and logistics

1. Each room should have two scoring judges and one timer, suitably spaced.

2. Each judging team has a schedule of student arrivals that will be 90% accurate.

3. Students arrive at the room and are greeted by the timer.

4. Ensure the student is identified by number and the number aligns with the schedule.  If it does not, simply accept the student number, recognizing that substitutions are going to be made.

5. Judges and timer are friendly, smiling, and make the student feel welcome, but there is no time for chit-chat.

6. Judges should have a ballot open on their personal device and populate a valid e-mail address, judge number, and other header information.

7.     Judges must ensure they have the proper student number populated on the online ballot.

8.  When judges are ready, the timer will explain timing to the student, using established script.

9.  The student will deliver their prepared speech.

10.  Upon completion of the prepared speech, the judges will fill out the prepared speech portion of the online ballot while the timer explains the process for the impromptu speech, also using established script.

11.  The student will deliver their impromptu speech.

12.  Upon completion of the impromptu speech, the judges will thank the student for participating, wish them well, and the student will exit the room.

13.  Judges will fill out the impromptu speech portion of the online, ensuring that the timer report is included.

14.  Judges will confirm any timing violation with the timer.

15.  Judges submit their online ballot.

16.  Judges can open the online ballot for the next student while the timer changes the impromptu topic sheet.

Judges can then prepare the IAD Speech Evaluation Form for the next student. 

General judging tidbits

1.     Each panel includes scoring judges and a timer. Please do not rotate roles (e.g. Judge 1 is Judge 1 for the duration of the event).

2.     To give yourself a good guide on judging, it may be good to have a short pause after the first three speakers and mentally review how you scored them. This will help you going forward. Do not compare your scoring to that of other judges.

3.     Students move through briskly - the schedule is such that you have enough time to welcome the student, explain logistics, and move right into the speaking portion. We want to be welcoming and friendly and make the experience as fun as possible, but there is not time built in for small talk or feedback.

4. You will see a variety of speeches. You may see "storytelling," you may see "persuasive," you may see "narrative," you may see political, debate, social issues, inspiration, personal emotional stories, etc. As a judge, you are evaluating the speech based on the judging ballot, not on the content or your personal opinion on the content.

5.     The prepared speech must be an original work of the student and cannot have been used for any other competition beyond Academic Decathlon.  Judges have no direct means to validate this.

6.     Note cards are allowed during presentation of each speech, but usage while speaking will affect scoring.

7.     Timing cards must be clearly visible and must remain visible until the next card is displayed.

8.     Judging is subjective. You will see some very good speeches (7 through 9 scoring), but 10s are truly special. You will know a 10 when you see it - they are above and beyond.

9. Leave yourself room to move among scores. Better to have an early 8 that should have been a 10 depress all the rest of your scoring than an early 10 that should have been an 8 result in all 8-9-10 speeches being scored as 10s. 10s should be the truly exceptional standouts.

10.  Most speakers will present a logical, well thought-out speech. What sets exceptional speakers apart is the way that it is delivered - usage of voice, comfort in the environment, gestures, facial expressions, non-verbals, speaking without notes, exceptional means of connecting an opening, body, and conclusion, stellar grammar, etc.

11.  No matter how you judge, consistency is the most important.

12.  A timing deduction is applied if the student stops speaking before the yellow card is shown for either speech or if the student speaks beyond the red card (beyond four minutes). Please note this not the Olympics. Exercise some tolerance for a second or two.

Prepared speech

1. The prepared speech must be an original work of the student and cannot have been used for any other competition beyond Academic Decathlon.

2. Note cards are allowed.

3. The speech has a target of four minutes.  The timer will display cards in this manner:

• ONE MINUTE: Three minutes elapsed, one minute remaining

• 30 SECONDS: Three and a half minutes elapsed, 30 seconds remaining

• STOP: Four minutes elapsed.  Ask the student to stop.

• Timing cards must be clearly visible to the student speaker and must remain visible until the next card is displayed.

4. Scoring is done according to the categories on the ballot

   • Judging is subjective.  You will see some very good speeches (7 through 9 scoring), but 10s are truly special.  You will know a 10 when you see it - they are above and beyond. 

   • Most speakers will present a logical, well thought-out speech.  What sets exceptional speakers apart is the way that it is delivered - usage of voice, comfort in the environment, gestures, facial expressions, non-verbals, speaking without notes, exceptional means of connecting an opening, body, and conclusion, stellar grammar, etc. 

   • No matter how you judge, consistency is the most important.

5. A timing deduction is applied if the student stops speaking before the 30 SECOND card is shown (three minutes thirty seconds) or if the student speaks beyond the STOP card (beyond four minutes).  Please note, particularly in this virtual environment, it is not the Olympics.  Exercise some tolerance for a second or two.

Impromptu speech

1. The timer will share directions for the impromptu speech. 

2. Students are given one minute to select a prompt and prepare an impromptu speech answering the question. They may use provided note cards or paper to compose their thoughts.  

3. At the conclusion of the one minute of preparation, the student delivers his/her impromptu speech.

4. The speech has a target of two minutes. The timer will display cards in this manner:

6. 1. ONE MINUTE: One minute elapsed, one minute remaining

   2. 30 SECONDS: One and a half minutes elapsed, 30 seconds remaining

   3. STOP: Two minutes elapsed.  Ask the student to stop

   4. Timing cards must be clearly visible to the student speaker and must remain visible until the next card is displayed.

7. Scoring is done according to the categories on the ballot

   1. Judging is subjective and follows the same guidelines provided for the prepared speech, although there are fewer categories to judge.

   2. No matter how you judge, consistency is the most important.

8. Penalty scoring is applied if the student stops speaking before the 30 SECOND card is shown (one minute 30 seconds) or if the student speaks beyond the STOP card (beyond two minutes)

Timer Scripts

Timer Script - Prepared speech

Welcome. We will start with your prepared speech, which is up to four minutes long. When three minutes have gone by and one minute is remaining, I will hold up the GREEN card. When three minutes and thirty seconds have gone by and thirty seconds are remaining, I will hold up the YELLOW card. At four minutes, I will hold up the RED card and ask you to finish your current sentence and stop speaking. To avoid a timing point deduction, you need to reach the yellow card, but not go past the red card. Timing will begin with your first spoken word.

Timer Script - Impromptu speech

Part one: We will now move on to the impromptu portion of the speech event. When prompted, you will turn over the piece of paper on this desk (pointing) and see three impromptu questions. You will have sixty seconds to choose a question and prepare a speech that is up to two minutes in length. You may use provided note cards and pencil if desired

Part two: Your one minute is complete.  Please indicate which question you will be speaking on.  <pause> As a reminder, your impromptu speech is up to two minutes long. When one minute has gone by and one minute is remaining, I will hold up the GREEN card. When ninety seconds have gone by and thirty seconds are remaining, I will hold up the YELLOW card. At two minutes, I will hold up the RED card and ask you to finish your current sentence and stop speaking. To avoid a timing point deduction, you need to reach the yellow card, but not go past the red card. Timing will begin with your first spoken word.