Helpful Terms & Abbreviations

NSDA – The National Speech and Debate Association is the nation’s oldest and largest speech and debate honor society. Since its founding in 1925, over 1 million members in all 50 states have joined the NFL. We compete in the Heart of Texas (HOT) NSDA District, which holds an annual district tournament that allows us to qualify for the NSDA National Tournament (held in June each year at a different location). This year, the tournament is in Kentucky.

TFA – Texas Forensic Association – The Texas Forensic Association is an organization that was started in 1972 by the Texas Speech Communication Association and gives students from large and small, public and private, schools an opportunity for competition in many events that are also offered at the National Tournament. We compete at TFA sanctioned tournaments throughout the year and we host our own TFA sanctioned tournament. In March, TFA holds a State Tournament in which the members of the TFA compete against each other. To qualify for the TFA State Tournament, an individual or pair must accumulate 12 TFA State Points in competitions across the year, in one or more events.

UIL – University Interscholastic League – The University Interscholastic League was created by The University of Texas at Austin to provide leadership and guidance to public school debate and athletic teachers. Since 1909 the UIL has grown into the largest inter-school organization of its kind in the world. We compete at the UIL District, Regional, and State tournaments. The speech and debate events offered by UIL are Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Persuasive Speaking, Informative Speaking, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Policy Debate.

TOC – Tournament of Champions – The Tournaments of Champions is a tournament circuit run by the University of Kentucky's Speech & Debate program. These are the most prestigious invitational tournaments on the “national circuit,” representing the most competitively successful speech and debaters from the nation’s most successful schools. Students acquire bids to these tournaments throughout the year by advancing to out rounds at large national tournaments held across the country.

Students may compete in a variety of events on the WHS Speech & Debate team:

LD – Lincoln-Douglas Debate – A one versus one event in which two competitors argue opposite sides of one bi-monthly resolution (the affirmative or the negative). Competitors weigh values within the round and their arguments usually focus on philosophical or social issues. Speech speed in this event varies, and tends to grow very fast as competitors progress. 

PF or PFD – Public Forum Debate – A two versus two event in which competitors argue opposite sides of one monthly resolution (the positive and the negative). Competitors' arguments focus on current events, and debate whether the merits of the resolution through research and analysis. Speech speed in this event fluctuates depending on the preferences of the judge. 

WSD - World Schools Debate – An event where two teams of 3 to 5 students argue opposite sides of a congressional-style motion (the government or the opposition). Some motions are prepared and researched, while others are extemporaneous. Speech speed in this event remains accessible to all competitors and judges.

CD – Congressional Debate – Event in which competitors present short speeches responding to bills or resolutions, similar to the U.S. Congress. Students may affirm or negate a resolution or bill. 

Interp – Performance or Competitive Acting Events

IE’s – Individual Events – Typically, the phrase individual events refers to events that are outside of debate. These events are as follows:

HI – Humorous Interpretation – A ten minute event in which a competitor is expected to find, cut, and perform a piece of literature and entertain their audience using a humorous tone. The competitor is not allowed to use props.

DI – Dramatic Interpretation – A ten minute event in which a competitor is expected to find, cut, and perform a piece of literature and entertain their audience using a dramatic tone. The competitor is not allowed to use props.

DUO – Duo Interpretation – A ten minute event in which two competitors are not allowed to look at each other, or touch each other. Competitors must find, cut, and perform a piece of literature and entertain their audience. The tone may be humorous or dramatic. The competitors are not allowed to use props.

DA – Duet Acting – A twelve minute event in which two competitors are allowed to look at and touch each other. Competitors must find, cut, and perform a piece of literature and entertain their audience. The tone may be humorous or dramatic. The competitors are allowed to use two chairs as props.

PO – Poetry Interpretation – A seven minute event that incorporates a binder (usually black) in which a competitor attempts to take a piece of literature and express the author’s true intent.

PR – Prose Interpretation – A seven minute event that incorporates a binder (usually black) in which a competitor attempts to take a piece of literature and express the author’s true intent. 

OO – Original Oratory – A ten minute event in which competitors identify a societal problem or concern and write their own speech and perform it in an attempt to persuade their audience that this societal problem exists and that the solutions proposed are legitimate. 

Info- Informative Speaking- A ten minute event in which competitors inform an audience on a topic of significance, and typically present workable solutions. Students may use pre-prepared props.

Extemp – Extemporaneous Speaking

FX or IX – Foreign or International Extemporaneous Speaking – A seven minute event focusing on international current events in which a student is presented with a limited number of topics and must choose one, prepare a speech within 30 minutes and must present a seven minute speech. 

DX or USX – Domestic or United States Extemporaneous Speaking – A seven minute event focusing on U.S. current events in which a competitor is presented with a limited number of topics and must choose one, prepare a speech within 30 minutes and must present a seven minute speech. 

Postings/Pairings – The lists at tournaments that tell competitors in which room they are competing, the order in which they are competing, and against whom they will be competing. Sometimes, usually at large tournaments, students are given codes and postings/sectioning has these rather than their names, so as to encourage anonymity.

Round – A session of competition. Individual events may have up to 8 competitors in one round, while debaters may have anywhere between 2 to 10, depending on their event.

Break – To place high enough in the initial, preliminary tournament rounds to compete in the tournament's elimination bracket. The breaking point at a tournament often varies, based on the number of competitors and the type of tournament.

Cume – Cumulative ranks in a competition. If the cume to break is 10 after the preliminary rounds, a competitor must have ranks that add up to 10 or lower in order to break to the next level of competition.

Flighted – One judge will evaluate back-to-back sections or rounds.

Prelims – The first rounds of a competition. In debate, there will almost always be three or more prelim rounds, but often tournaments will have four or more. In Individual Events, there is always at least one prelim round, but often tournaments will have two or more.

Outrounds – Any round of competition that is beyond prelims. Outrounds can be referred to as octos, quarters, semis, or finals.

Qualified, Qual, or Qualled – To earn enough points to qualify to compete at a tournament, or tournaments, at a higher level.

Bid – Many large tournaments all over the United States offer bids to the TOC tournaments. The TOC tournaments usually require two bids to compete at their tournaments. However, if a competitor has one bid and has had a successful year, they may be allowed to get into the tournament at-large

Lay Judge – A judge who does not have a significant amount of Speech & Debate experience.

"Flow"/"Tech" Judge- A judge with significant Speech & Debate experience.