Debate Resources

Common Terms

PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

All competitors at a tournament debate in preliminary rounds. The amount of preliminary rounds, often called “prelims,”, depends on the event and the tournament. There are normally 3-6 preliminary rounds before the top competitors are notified and compete in elimination rounds, often called “elims.” 

BREAKING/CLEARING/ADVANCING

When a student breaks/clears/advances it means they have done well enough in preliminary rounds to move on to elimination rounds. The requirement at many tournaments to break in debate is to have a positive record (more wins than losses) in preliminary rounds. Some tournaments with seven preliminary rounds require debaters to go 5-2 to break to elimination rounds. Other tournaments only have a certain amount of elimination rounds planned and thus some of the competitors with positive records do not break as another elimination round would be necessary.

Other tie breakers are used to determined which of the competitors with positive records do not break. Different tournaments have different tie breakers, but the most common and important one in PA is Jvar.  Jvar is used to also how they determine the rankings of competitors going into elimination rounds. Therefore, records are considered first and then debaters are sorted by Jvar within their record. Jvar is short for judge variance. It is how much a competitor’s speaker points vary from what their judges that judge normally gave during the tournament. A positive Jvar means a competitor’s speaker points were better than the average points their judges gave to other people during that tournament. The higher the Jvar the better. At many national tournaments Jvar is not used; their main tie breaker is just speaker points. 

ELIMINATION ROUNDS

The top competitors at a tournament compete in elimination rounds. If a competitor or team loses an elimination round in debate, they are out of the tournament and do not debate anymore. If they win, they move on to the next elimination round. Who a competitor debates in elimination rounds is decided by a bracket based on the placement of the advancing competitors in preliminary rounds. This ranking of competitors is determined by first, the record. And in PA, the second factor used is normally Jvar (explained in the breaking section). What a competitor is placed is called their seed. A high seed hits a lower seed in order to reward them for doing well in preliminary rounds and the bracket continues onward based on the seeding order from the preliminary rounds. Below is a blank bracket for what would be a smaller tournament with less breaks.

LAY JUDGE

“Lay judge” is a term used to refer to judges who do not have past debate experience and either don’t take notes or take minimal notes. It is also used to refer to judges that tend to make decisions based off of presentation or general narrative rather than in looking in depth at how each debater responded to each argument in each speech.

FLOW/TECH JUDGE

Flow judge is a term used to refer to judges who “flow.” Flowing is how debaters in round write down their arguments to keep track. Flow pages have the the arguments from each side laid out and keep track of exactly how each side responds to each argument. Flow judges tend to make decisions based on the details of the argumentation rather than the presentation or the narrative.

CARDS

Cards are evidence for debaters. Debaters read cards to support their arguments. They are usually snippets of articles that are put in cases or used to respond to other people’s arguments. They should have citations with at least the author and year, which the debater reads in round.

Event Structures

LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE

STRUCTURE OF LD

An LD round consists of 5 main speeches, 2 Cross-examinations (CX), and eight minutes of prep time. The round starts with the Affirmative Constructive(AC), in which the affirmative side has six minutes to make arguments about why the resolution should be affirmed. This is followed by a three-minute Cross-examination, where the negative asks the affirmative questions. The questions can clarify a point made in the AC, point out a fallacy, or force the affirmative to take a stance on something that will be brought up later in the round. The negative side usually takes 2-3 minutes of prep time at this point.

Then the negative side gives the Negative Constructive* (NC). The NC is seven minutes long and the longest speech in the round; a typical NC consists of stating reasons as to why the resolution should be negated (usually 2-4 minutes) and then responding to the AC by attempting to disprove the arguments the affirmative side made (usually 3-5 minutes). This is followed by a second Cross-examination just like the first, except the affirmative side, asks questions to the negative side.

Following the second CX, the affirmative side usually takes 3-4 minutes of prep time before the First Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR). The 1AR is 4 minutes, and the affirmative debater responds to  the arguments made in the 7 minute NC, point out what was not responded to, and drop arguments that will not be impactful in the round. The time management in this speech is notoriously difficult — if the affirmative debater misses any important content the negative side may extend it into the next speech under the claim that the information is true. The negative side then takes the remainder of their prep time.

The negative side has 6 minutes to respond to everything in the 1AR and explain why they are winning the round as this is the final negative speech. The affirmative then uses whatever prep they have left and gives the Second Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR). No new arguments should be in the 2AR as the negative would not have a chance to respond. It should chiefly be used to explain what arguments the affirmative is winning why those arguments mean they win the round, and offer any essential clarifications. While things like when to use prep time and how long to spend on the constructive part of your speech in the NC have recommended guidelines, these are just recommendations and can be broken if you think they should be.

SUMMARY

Affirmative Constructive 6mins: State reasons to affirm

Cross-examination 3mins: Negative asks Affirmative questions

Negative Constructive 7mins: States reasons to negate and counters the AC

Cross-Examination 3mins: Affirmative asks Negative questions

First Affirmative Rebuttal: Response to the NC and drops unimportant arguments

Negative Rebuttal: Responds to the 1AR and states what the Negative is winning and why it matters Second Affirmative Rebuttal: Offers clarifications and states/why the Affirmative is winning.

*The negative speeches are sometimes referred to as the First Negative Rebuttal (1NR) and the Second Negative Rebuttal (2NR) rather than the (NC) and (NR). This is because the first negative speech consists of constructing the Negative arguments and rebutting the Affirmative arguments.

PUBLIC-FORUM DEBATE

STRUCTURE OF PF

A PF round consists of eight main speeches, three crossfires, and six or eight minutes of prep time. The round starts by flipping a coin. The winning team can choose to speak first or second, or choose to debate on the affirmative or negative side; the team that lost the flip can then choose whatever option wasn’t chosen. The first speaking team gives a four-minute pre-written speech called a case stating why the judge  should affirm or negate the resolution, the second speaking team  then does the same for the opposite side. Then, a three-minute cross-fire alternating teams ask questions, with the first speaking team asking the first. The questions can clarify a point made, point out a fallacy, or force their opponents to take a stance on something that will be brought up later in the round.

The first rebuttal comes next with the express purpose of tearing down the second speaking team’s case for four minutes. The second speaking team’s rebuttal is similar, except they can choose to (and usually do) respond to both the case read and rebuttal of the first speaking team. Then there is another cross-fire, which is exactly like the first, except it’s between the second speakers. Then come the three minute summaries.  First summary is the last time new evidence should be brought up in the round. The summary is where the bulk of a teams strategic decisions are made. Debaters do not have time to cover everything, so it’s important to decide what arguments to address and what can be left alone while making sure you don’t drop anything that could win your opponents the round. After that is grand crossfire, where all the competitors participate; even though it is technically the same as other crossfires, it is substantially less impactful because no new evidence can be brought up and all the most important strategical decisions have already been made. The last speeches are the two final focuses, where the debaters make their final case for why they are winning the round and address the most important points.

SUMMARY

Case read/constructive for 4 mins each side: State reasons to affirm or negate

Crossfire 3 mins: Alternatively asking questions

Rebuttal for 4 mins each side: Attack opponents constructive second speaking team can attack the first rebuttal

Crossfire 3 mins: Alternate asking questions

Summary 3 mins each side: make strategical decisions about what to go for and start saying why your arguments are the most important

Grand Crossfire 3 mins: Alternate asking questions 

Final Focus 2 mins each side: finalize arguments and state why they are the most important

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE

STRUCTURE OF CONGRESS

Congressional Debate is an event where competitors role-play as members of Congress and each round is centered around debating pieces of legislation. These can either be bills, which are specific policy proposals, or resolutions, which are statements that express the opinion of the congress on a specific matter.

Ahead of a tournament, participating schools can draft and then send in legislation to the tournament organizers. A docket with all of the possible legislation is then sent out, so students can research and prepare arguments. At the tournament, students are organized into chambers, where the rounds will actually take place. Students within each chamber will start a congress round by setting the agenda based on the docket and electing a presiding officer (PO), who will lead the round by calling on members to speak.

Throughout the round, congress members will make pre-written or extemporaneous speeches affirming or negating the legislation or responding to another person’s speech, based on whatever prior research they did and notes taken during the round. Speeches are followed by a questioning period.

After the legislation has been debated, the congress chamber will vote to pass or fail the legislation, and then move on to the next piece of legislation. A session will last for a couple of hours. Judges rank congress competitors based on the quality of their speeches and answers to questions. Learn more about Congress here.

POLICY DEBATE

STRUCTURE OF POLICY 

Policy, often shorted to CX or 2P, is a two-person debate event where teams argue the positive and negative consequences of United States federal government policies that fall under a specific, year-long resolution. The affirmative team, referred to as the aff, creates and argues a plan that falls underneath that resolution or a plan that critiques the resolution, arguing that it is net worse to argue policies that fall underneath the resolution, and tries to convince the judge(s) that it is a good idea to pass the plan. The negative team, referred to as the neg, creates and presents arguments designed to convince the judge(s) that it is a bad idea to pass the plan. 

Speaker Positions

Since policy is a two-person event, in every given round, everyone must be assigned to a speaker position. The speaker positions on the affirmative team are the 1st Affirmative (1A) and the 2nd Affirmative (2A), and the speaker positions on the negative team are the 1st Negative (1N) and the 2nd Negative (2N). Typically the team member who is the 1A when debating on the affirmative side in one round will be the 2N when debating on the negative side in another round, and the team member who is the 2A when debating on the affirmative side in one round will be the 1N when debating on the negative side in another round.

Round Structure

A typical policy round will last anywhere from 75 – 120 minutes. Each team is allowed 6 minutes, in PA, or 8 minutes, on the National Circuit, of prep time that may be used at any point in the round. 

The speeches in a policy round are as follows:

First Affirmative Constructive (1AC): 8 mins

Cross-Examination (CX) of the 1AC (by the 2N): 3 mins

First Negative Constructive (1NC): 3 mins

Cross-examination (CX) of the 1NC (by the 1A): 3 mins

Second Affirmative Constructive (2AC): 8 mins

Cross-Examination (CX) of the 2AC (by the 1N): 3 mins

Second Negative Constructive (2NC): 8 mins

Cross-Examination (CX) of the 2NC (by the 2A): 3 mins

First Negative Rebuttal (1NR): 5 mins

First Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR): 5 mins

Second Negative Rebuttal (2NR): 5 mins

Second Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR): 5 mins

The speeches in a policy round are structured like this for strategic reasons. The affirmative team gets the first and last speech which means they get to decide what the debate will be about and they get to have the last say in a round. However, the negative team gets the last constructive speech and the first rebuttal speech. This is called the negative block, referred to as the neg block. The negative block allows the negative team 13 minutes to make well-developed arguments and the affirmative team only has 5 minutes to respond to all of that. Teams tend to “split” the negative block, meaning that they will strategically design their negative block so that arguments are not repeated, which results in maximum ground coverage. If the affirmative team drops — when the opponent forgets to answer an argument — anything that the negative team makes in the negative block, ​the negative team automatically wins that argument.

Argumentation — Aff

 The 2022 policy debate resolution is “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its security cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in one or more of the following areas: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity.”

As explained above, the affirmative team is responsible for creating a plan that fits underneath the year-long policy debate resolution or a plan that critiques the resolution, arguing that it is net worse to argue policies that fall underneath the resolution, and this plan is presented in the 1AC. The 1AC is the only fully pre-written speech in a policy round, and it consists of presenting the affirmative team’s plan and harms — consequences that will happen if the affirmative plan isn’t passed.

Throughout the remainder of the round, the affirmative team will continue to prove that their plan is a good idea by proving that it can solve the harms outlined in the 1AC and proving that the negative team’s arguments are false.

Argumentation — Neg

As mentioned above, the negative team creates and presents arguments designed to convince the judge(s) that it is a bad idea to pass the plan. These arguments are called off-case and consist of topicality, shortened to T; disadvantage, shorted to disad or DA; counterplan, shortened to CP; and kritik, shortened to K.

Topicality — the plan does not fall underneath the resolution, it is common for affirmative teams to push the boundaries of the topic.

Example: The affirmative team is clearly addressing arms sales which are not any of the categories present in the resolution.

Disadvantage — there is a negative consequence of the plan that creates an impact worse than the harms outlined by the affirmative team. This proves that the affirmative plan is undesirable. 

Example: The affirmative plan is exorbitantly expensive and drains funding from the Department of Defense (DoD), the agency that enacts the plan. This results in the DoD no longer being able to give key aid to Ukraine to contain Russia. This results in a Russian victory in Ukraine, which emboldens Putin to attack WWIII and cause extinction.

Counterplan — an alternative plan that solves the harms outlined by the affirmative team better than the plan and avoids the disadvantage

Example: The affirmative plan is enacted by the Department of Defense (DoD); however, the plan should be enacted by the Department of State (DoS) because the DoS can do the entity of the plan and avoid the disadvantage, outlined above. The counterplan avoids the disadvantage because it uses a different agency with different funding mechanisms.

Kritik — a philosophical objection to some element of the plan

Example: The affirmative team expands imperialism by working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. An expansion of imperialism creates a new wave of genocide enacted against the Global South, and the only way to avoid this is to create a global anti-imperialist movement.

For a more comprehensive guide to policy debate, click here!

Other Helpful Resources

HELPFUL SOFTWARE FOR DEBATE

A number of websites and programs are either necessary to compete or helpful to make debate more manageable. The websites competitors will use to gain access to rounds will be Tabroom.com (most national tournaments use this) or Speechwire.com (most local PA tournaments use this). Essential features include finding rounds, what side competitors are on, getting zoom links if necessary, and receiving comments and results after rounds. Additionally, Tabroom allows judges to submit a paradigm so competitors can learn about a judge’s preferences before the round begins. If competitors plan on competing nationally, the NDCA’s Caselist Wiki, commonly referred to as “the wiki.” will be essential. The wiki is a place to upload and look over uploaded cases. Uploading, or disclosing, to the wiki is necessary to avoid disclosure theory (if competitors don’t want to disclose, they can also engage with the theory). Browsing the wiki is also helpful to find new ideas and evidence. When writing cases or blocks, formatting software can be a precious tool. If competitors plan on writing in Microsoft Word, Verbatim is incredibly useful. Debate Template (formerly DebateX) does very similar formatting for Google Docs. Both programs include formatting options and the ability to send cards to a speech doc to read in round. Paperless Debate’s Cite Creator automatically creates tags for any article or study and allows for the tag’s modifications. Finally, Sci-Hub is a website used to get access to paywalled studies. By inputting a DUI, URL, or PMID, a competitor can access the full text of most scholarly articles without paying fees.

Speech Resources

Common Terms

GUIDE TO BREAKS IN SPEECH

In speech, each tournament has their own way of tabulating speech scores and breaks (elimination rounds), but the following are the most common ways that tournaments determine breaks.

CUMULATIVE BREAKS

Every score earned up until that point in the tournament matters when determining who moves on to the next elimination round. For example, to determine who would move on to quarterfinals, tab would combine all ranks from preliminary rounds and all ranks from previous break rounds  for all competitors making elimination rounds. Then, the top X competitors move on to quarters, the same process is repeated once again for semifinals and finals. This means that it is possible that any number of people in a competitor’s specific section could move on, depending on preliminary and elimination ranks.

CLEAN BREAKS

In clean breaks, once a competitor makes it past an elimination round, their previous scores do not matter; the sole determiner for advancement in the competition is rankings in the current elimination round. For example, the only ranks that are being compared are those of the competitors in that specific section of the break round. Unlike cumulative breaks, competitors are not ranked against everyone who made the elimination round; they will only be compared to the other competitors in their specific section. Typically, the top three competitors from each section move on to the next elimination round.

NATIONALS BREAKS

NSDA Nationals uses a system combining both the cumulative and clean scoring system. After a competitor advances to octafinals in main (non-supplementary) speech events, a competitor’s preliminary scores no longer matter. However, ranks are then cumulative from there on out. This means that to advance to quarterfinals, a competitor’s rankings from both rounds of octas are added up and compared to all the other competitors who made it to octas. Then, after quarterfinals, quarterfinal ranks are combined with octafinal ranks to determine who advances to semifinals. The process repeats for all elimination rounds. 

ADDITIONAL BREAKS COMPLICATIONS

Some tournaments also provide modifiers to a competitor’s rankings, these include but are not limited to

Weighting elimination round scores (multiplying by a factor of x)

Dropping worst score received

Dropping highest and lowest ranks

A combination of any of the above

TIEBREAKERS

Each tournament also uses their own tiebreakers, below is a non exhaustive list of common tie breakers  (In typical order of priority)

JUDGE PREFERENCE

Who did the majority of judges on the panel rank higher?

For example, if competitor A ranked 155 and competitor B ranked 524, Competitor B would win the tie due to ⅔ of the judges having Competitor B ranked higher than Competitor A.

In prelims, did the two competitors hit each other? If so, who won?

If Competitors A and B went 1112 and 2111 respectively, and both competitors hit each other round 1, competitor A would win the tie due to them beating competitor B head to head.

Who had the “better” scores?

A competitor’s ranks that are being used to tabulate (this could be prelims, elims, or a combination of both depending on the tabulation method used above) are reciprocated, so, a 1 is worth 1 in recips due to 1/1=1,  a 2 is worth 0.5 due to 1/2 = 0.5, a 3 is worth 0.333 (however many decimals being used to tab) due to ⅓= 0.333, etc. The recips of the ranks being used to tabulate are compared to whoever is in the tie.

For example, if competitor A went 1511 in prelims, the recips would equal 3.2 (1/1+⅕+1/1+1/1) and competitor B went 2222, their recips would be 2, therefore Competitor A would win the tie.

Who had harder rounds?

Each competitor is given an average rank (1111 would have an average of 1, 1212 would have an average of 1.5 and so on) and then the average ranks of every opponent that a competitor had are averaged out (taking the average rank of all of the competitors an entry has faced and dividing the sum by the number of entries faced). Whoever has the lower average opponent rank wins the tie.

DOUBLE ENTRY

Double entry, also known as cross-entering, is where a speech competitor competes in two separate speech events at the same tournament. In PA, most rounds are not flighted (where each round has two separate sections of competitors who compete one after each other), so competitors who are double entered go from room to room. Currently, double entry in speech is allowed at most tournaments (with the exception of extemp). However, this varies greatly between tournaments, so it is best to check with each individual host.

WHAT DO I DO IF I’M DOUBLE ENTERED?

Typically, when you receive your room assignments via e-mail, you are slotted an early position in one event and a later one in the other. After receiving the blast, go to the room in which you are earliest assigned. If you are not speaking first, it is common for double entered competitors to request to speak first. After you have finished speaking, tell your judge that you are double entered and ask to be excused to your other round.

Once you have arrived at your other round, it is important to ensure no one is speaking when you enter. Wait to hear applause to signal when a speaker is finished, and then knock and enter the room. It is important to create as little disruption as possible. Once you gain entry, introduce yourself, your speaker code/slot, and that you were double entered, then resume the round as usual.

BID PROCEDURES

Each competitor is eligible for bids in each category they compete in and can earn bids in different events at the same tournament. 

Events

DECLAMATION

WHERE TO FIND DEC SPEECHES 

There are plenty of online resources that  provide possible options for declamation speeches. The Forensics Community website provides a multitude of declamation-specific resources, including how to find, cut, and present a dec speech. They also have a list of compiled speeches. Choosing a previous Original Oratory, Informative Speaking, or Interpretation speech given by a past speech competitor is also an option. Examples of these can be found on the NSDA’s YouTube channel. Past final rounds can also be viewed on the NSDA website, and there is information on how to access more rounds on [our page]. If searching for dec speeches in this way, it is important to keep in mind that Humorous Interpretation, POI, Duo Interpretation, and Dramatic Interpretation speeches are not considered options for declamation by many. The website Love to Know has an article of compiled speeches by topics (such as life lessons and comedic speeches). The Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) has also compiled a list of past winning orations. If one is looking for a speech on a topic related to a specific idea or scientific topic, TED talks can be good choices. The competitor can either use the search feature on https://www.ted.com/ or look at a complete list of all TED talks. Lastly, speeches on political topics may be found through web searching specific subjects (e.g., “speeches on climate change,” “speeches about sexism”) or by searching for activists who speak on the topic a competitor is interested in.

DRAMA

WHAT IS A DI?

DI (or dramatic interpretation) is one of our four interpretation or acting events. The performance is an 8-10 minute memorized piece cut from any form of writing, (typically short plays, books, monologues, etc.) The performance is all about conveying a character while using strong emotions to make your performance as realistic as possible. There are so many past and present global issues. In this event, you will see a wide variety of oppressions being called out through the expression of raw emotion, change in tone and manner, development of a character, and body movements. Dramas may not use any props or outside objects while performing. This event is ideal for independent actors who enjoy using a lot of emotion in giving a realistic and dramatic performance

STRUCTURE OF A DI

DI is about telling a story, and just like any story, there must be a beginning, middle, and end. Typically, the first 30 seconds to two minutes of a DI are what’s called the teaser which establishes the tone, setting, or theme of a performance. Afterwards comes the intro n intro is written by the performer, typically less than a minute in length. A DIintro provides context to the topic of the DI or an explanation of the piece, or a combination of the two, ending with the piece title and author. After the intro, the next minute or two are the inciting incident, where the problem of the story is introduced. Next comes the rising action. Between the 5-8 minute mark is where a performer begins the emotional escalation of a piece all leading to the climax (or emotional peak) around the eight minute mark, followed by the falling action. The rest of the piece is dedicated to wrapping up the story being told.

DI SOURCES

Any published work, print or electronic, is eligible under NSDA rules for use. Typically, either plays or memoirs are used and cut down. Below is a list of good resources for getting started on a piece hunt.

Playscripts

Brooklyn Publishers

JD Drama Publishing

Concord Theatricals

Mushrromcloud Press

Speech Geek

The Interp Store

3P Speech

DUO INTERPRETATION

WHAT IS DUO?

DUO is one of our four interpretation or acting events. The performance is composed of 2 people, using an 8-10 minute memorized piece cut from any form of writing (typically short plays, books, prose, musicals, etc.) DUO teams can have a humorous, dramatic, or a combination of both options to perform. This event requires the DUO team to work together, using their acting skills to bring a story to life as realistic as possible, while also having the challenge of being unable to look directly at each other, use any form of physical contact, and no use of any props in the performance. This event is ideal for actors who are quick on their feet and are team players. 

STRUCTURE OF A DUO

Since duos can be dramatic or humorous in nature, it is common amongst competitors to structure a duo similarly to an HI or DI with a teaser, intro, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. However, it is important to keep in mind that both performers should have equal speaking tame, one competitor should not outshine the other.

DUO SOURCES

Any published work, print or electronic, is eligible under NSDA rules for use. Typically, either plays, movies, children’s books, and memoirs are used and cut down. Below is a list of good resources for getting started on a piece hunt.

Playscripts

Brooklyn Publishers

JD Drama Publishing

Concord Theatricals

Mushrromcloud Press

Speech Geek

The Interp Store

3P Speech

HUMOR

WHAT IS AN HI?

HI is one of our four interpretation or acting events. The performance is an 8-10 minute memorized performance also from any form of writing, (typically books, prose, movies, monologues, etc.) The competitor must give a humorous performance while still maintaining proper portrayal of character development using a variation of voices, transitioning of characters and scene, sound effects, and staying quick on their feet to give a comedic performance to their audience. No competitor is eligible to use any props during the performance. This event is ideal for actors who prefer high energy and comedic performances to give.

STRUCTURE OF AN HI

Typically, the first minute or two of an HI piece is used to introduce the main characters throughout the story and hint at the oncoming conflict. An intro is written by the performer, typically less than a minute in length. An HI intro can be a joke, an explanation of the piece, or a combination of the two, ending with thepiece title and author.After the intro, the next 30 seconds to one minute are meant to establish the setting, tone, etc.  After the audience learns what the world of a piece is like (characters, settings, etc.), something must go wrong (i.e., an inciting incident) that creates tension and leads to the main story. The next three to four minutes are used to develop the problem and continue the story, leading to the climax of the piece. While it is typically believed that humor pieces do not have climaxes in the vein of Dramatic Interpretation climaxes, every story does have a peak moment of dramatism before the story resolves. Typically, the “climax” of an HI piece takes place at around seven to nine minutes. After the climax takes place, the falling action happens. The point of a falling action is to lead the audience from the climax to the ending. This is the part of a piece where storylines wrap up and characters get their happily ever after, leading to a satisfying ending.

HI SOURCES

Any published work, print or electronic, is eligible under NSDA rules for use. Typically, either plays or children’s books (ala Captain Underpants) are used and cut down. Below is a list of good resources for getting started on a piece hunt.

Playscripts

Brooklyn Publishers

JD Drama Publishing

Concord Theatricals

Mushrromcloud Press

Speech Geek

The Interp Store

3P Speech

INFO

WHAT IS AN INFO?

Informative Speaking, or Info for short, is a platform/rhetoric event that focuses on informing an audience on a topic of the speaker’s choice. Speeches are at the maximum 10 minutes long (with a thirty second grace period), and are given completely memorized. A distinguishing feature of an Info is that the speaker is allowed to have visual aids. Normally, the speaker will keep the same topic and speech for the entire season, although edits are usually made throughout the year (and some people, albeit rarely, do change their topic). Click here for more information about Infos.

INFO TOPICS

Choosing a topic for an info is one of the most important parts of the event. The speaker has complete freedom over the topic they choose, but there are some general guidelines that competitors may want to follow. First and foremost, competitors should pick a topic that they find interesting as they will have to research and present on it. Competitors should make sure that the topic is not too broad where the speech will be very surface-level, but they should also make sure it is not too narrow where they won’t have enough content for 10 minutes. Examples of past topics are bees, speaking impediments, aviation, policing, and spoons.

INFO PROPS

Informative speaking is the only public address event in which a prop, known as a visual aid, is allowed. The purpose of a visual aid is to help the audience better understand your points. For example, if there is a statistic that says ⅕ people are illiterate, you could have five people, one of which is visually filled in on the poster board. Usually, this poster board is used, this stand is used, and this protector is used. It should be noted that just because something is done a certain way does not mean it has to be done that way. To gain a better idea of how a visual aid can be used to enhance a performance, click here to watch a national championship performance.

GENERAL INFO OUTLINE

The outline below is a general structure that most people, both in PA and on the national circuit, use for Info. There are no set rules about the structure of an info, so speakers do have the freedom to stray away from this structure. No matter the structure, speakers should keep the speech informative in nature. 

Infos are usually five to six paragraphs in length. First is the introduction, which starts off with a hook, otherwise known as an Attention Grabbing Device (AGD). The AGD can be seemingly unrelated to the topic, but the speaker should make the connection to the topic immediately after. Next, the speaker presents some background information and the topic is introduced. At the end of the introduction is the roadmap, which is essentially the thesis of the speech. In the roadmap, the speaker lays out what they will say in each body paragraph.

The second and third paragraph are the meat and bones of the speech; this is where the speaker presents all of their information. Depending on their topic, the speaker can format these two paragraphs differently. There are two general structures for the body paragraphs that Infoers usually use (although history-current may be more popular).

First is the history-current format. In the first body paragraph, the speaker traces the origins and history of their topic. In the second, the speaker presents current information about their topic. If the topic item has changed drastically over the course of history, the speaker might want to consider formatting their body paragraphs this way. For example, an info about hair could talk about the cultural and historical significance of hair for the first body paragraph, and then about how hair is viewed in modern society for the second body paragraph.

Second is the subtopic-subtopic format. In the body paragraphs, the speaker tackles two aspects of their topic (usually the second subtopic builds off the first). If the topic is broader or no longer exists today, the speaker might want to consider formatting their body paragraphs this way. For example, an info about memory could talk about the biological processes of memory for the first body paragraph, and then about the psychology of memory for the second body paragraph.

After the body paragraphs, the fourth paragraph covers the implications of the topic. Essentially, this paragraph deals with the tangible impacts or relations between the topic and another concept. This paragraph can both cover the good and the bad effects of the topic, but the speaker needs to be careful not to insert their own opinions. As an example for implications, an info about the male gaze could cover how it objectifies females and fuels sexism in the contemporary landscape.

Last but not least is the conclusion. Conclusions for an info usually do not have a set structure, but they serve to wrap up the speech. Some people choose to quickly summarize their points or offer some “solutions”, but it’s up to personal taste. However, most people choose to end their conclusion by connecting it back to the AGD from their introduction.

OO

WHAT IS AN OO?

Original Oratory, or OO for short, is a platform/rhetoric event which focuses on persuading audiences to believe the speaker’s viewpoint(s) on a topic of their choosing. Speeches are at the maximum 10 minutes long (with a thirty second grace period), and are delivered completely memorized without any props. Normally, the speaker will keep the same topic and speech for the entire season, although edits are made throughout the year (and some people, albeit rarely, do change their topic). Click here for more information about Original Oratory.

OO TOPICS

Choosing an OO topic is one of the most difficult parts about the event; however, a good topic is crucial to a well-rounded oratory. The speaker has complete freedom over what topic they choose, but OO topics tend to deal with societal issues. There are some general guidelines that competitors may want to follow when picking a topic. First and foremost, the speaker should pick a topic that they are passionate about and that they truly believe in. Competitors should make sure that the topic is not too broad where the speech will be shallow and oversimplify the issue, but they should also make sure it is not too narrow where there won’t be enough content for ten minutes. It is also important to be aware that OO topics can be controversial in the eyes of different audience members, so the speaker should choose something that fits their comfort level. Examples of past topics are the glorification of trauma, consequences of silence, hatred, toxic masculinity, and performative activism.

GENERAL OO OUTLINE

The outline below is a general structure that most people, both in PA and on the national circuit, use for OO. There are no set rules about the structure of an OO, so speakers do have the freedom to stray away from this structure. Though the speaker should remember that they are not only presenting information, but are also persuading the audience to believe the speaker’s opinion. 

OOs are usually five to six paragraphs in length. First is the introduction, which starts off with a hook, otherwise known as an Attention Grabbing Device (AGD). The AGD can be seemingly unrelated to the topic, but the speaker should make the connection immediately after. Next, the speaker presents some background information, and then introduces the topic and their  stance. Finally, at the end of the introduction is the roadmap, which is essentially the thesis of the speech. In the roadmap, the speaker lays out the purpose of each body paragraph, letting the  audience know the key takeaways.

The second and third paragraph are the meat and bones of the speech; this is where the speaker will be presenting information on the topic and building the thesis. Depending on the speaker’s topic, the speaker can format these two paragraphs differently. There are three general structures for the body paragraphs that OOers usually use. 

First is the most popular format: cause-effect. In the first body paragraph, the speaker talks about the causes of their topic. In the second, the speaker presents information about how the topic affects society and why it is a problem. If the topic/issue is not widely known and its impacts are spread across multiple different areas, the speaker might want to consider formatting their body paragraphs this way. For example, an OO about the consequences of silence could talk about why people choose to stay silent in the first paragraph, and then show the impacts of silence in the second paragraph.   

Second is the subtopic-subtopic format. This structure is more flexible, but may not have as clear organization. In the body paragraphs, the speaker tackles two aspects of their topic (usually the second subtopic builds off the first). If the topic is broader or already well-known, the speaker might want to consider formatting their body paragraphs this way. For example, an OO about hatred could talk about the personal hatred between individuals for the first body, and then about mass hatred between groups for the second body.

After the body paragraphs, the fourth paragraph is usually a personal story. Some OO’s have done without a personal story and instead went with more lengthy body paragraphs – it’s a matter of personal taste and topic. Essentially, this paragraph allows the speaker to share why this topic matters to them and their experiences with the issue. It is up to the speaker what they want to include, but it is important to note that competitors should not feel pressured in any way, shape, or form to include information that they are not comfortable sharing. Usually, speakers will talk about how they have been a victim, culprit, or witness of their topic. For example, an OO about the glorification of trauma could talk about how sharing their trauma in their previous OO made them relive those experiences.

Last but not least is the conclusion. Conclusions for an OO usually have two main parts. First, the speaker presents solutions to the issue. Second is the wrap-up, where some people choose to quickly summarize their points, but again, it’s up to personal taste. Most people choose to end their conclusion by connecting it back to the AGD from their introduction.

POI

WHAT IS POI?

POI, or program oral interpretation is an interpretation event where a competitor decides on a thesis for their program, then collects various published prose and poetry that serve as evidence for the thesis. The sources used are then cut apart and place throughout the program to tell a clear story to act as evidence. For example, if one is doing a POI on the environment, a competitor could take a poem about the environment and news article about deforestation and combine them, flipping pages or transitioning between sources. Since POI is a newer event on the high school circuit, there are not as many unwritten rules as with the other interp events, so POI leaves lots of room for, well, interpretation. A competitor must differentiate between sources by transition and changing character. A good example of how to properly weave together various sources is shown here. Like other interpretation events, competitors must have a self-written introduction to their program and cite sources. 

POI TOPICS

POI topics are advocacy based. Similar to the PA events, the purpose is to inform and persuade the audience on a topic or take a nuanced point of view. For example, POI topics can range from climate change to the correlation in rhetoric between Covid and AIDs. In POI, a very wide range of topics could be used, it is simply about finding something that not many people know about and there is enough material to form a complete program.

POI STRUCTURE

As with many of the other aspects of POI, the structure of a POI is very flexible. However, there are recommendations. The first 30 seconds to one minute of your program should be a teaser, which gives the audience an idea of what your program is about. Secondly comes the introduction, which follows a similar pattern to the other interpretation events. After the intro is where you get to the meat of your program. Say each source you used is divided into three sections, a beginning, middle and end. A competitor should take the beginning(s) of their sources and put them after the intro. After introducing the characters and story of each source, a competitor should move on to telling the middle of each of their sources, peaking at an emotional climax around the seven minute mark. After the climax is when a competitor uses the endings to wrap up any loose threats in there program. Remember, this is just a suggestion, many POIs take this formula and make it their own. The special thing about POI is that it can flow however you want, just make sure it is coherent and has a beginning, middle, and end.

HOW TO CITE SOURCES

While verbally citing a source in POI may seem daunting, it is in reality very easy. Firstly, make sure you have all of your sources used in a list, separated by category, there are two typical categorical makeups:

Prose (Anything anything not written in verse, besides news articles)

Poetry (Sources written in verse)

Articles (News, blogs, etc.)

Or

Dramas (Any play, music, etc.)

Prose (Any publish work not written in verse besides dramas, this includes articles)

Poetry (Written in Verse)

At the end of your intro, before giving the title of your program, list each source (title and author) by category.

For example using the first makeup

End of intro…. Through the prose, Micke Harte was here by Barbra Park and Wit by Margret Edson, The poetry the light in the attic by Shel Silverstein, and the articles from the New York Times and Time Magezine… Program title, because ____

The key to properly citing sources is to make sure every single source used is listed and properly credited, rules my vary state to state, make sure to check with your local/national organizations for additional rules.

POI BINDERS AND PAGE PROTECTORS

An easy place to find POI binders/page protectors is on Amazon or your local stationary/office supply store. POI binders are usually around 5”x8”. Here is a link to an Amazon listing for a 8×5 binder, and here is the link for the sheet protectors inside. The total of the Amazon products amounts to around $13.72.

INTRO TO BINDER TECH

Blocking or tech, is how the character(s) moves in the space you’ve created for him/her/them. In POI, the manuscript may be used as a prop as long as you stay in control of it throughout the entirety of the performance. For example, if you are using a black binder for a manuscript it would be appropriate to mimic using a laptop with your binder.

COMMON AND ACCESSIBLE PIECES OR CUTTINGS

For news, I simply google my topic and click on the “news” tab to find recent articles related to my topic. For some more focused research, NPR, Reuters, and the Associated Press provide unbiased information.

For Prose, I recommend searching open-sourced website compiled here by the Speech Equity Project.

For poetry, The Poetry Foundation will be your best resource with poems on a variety of topics, with abilities to search by form, length, topic, etc. 

Start a Team | Administration Resources

Within our Administrative Resources, PAIR has provided information on local tournaments within PA, as well as information about and how to qualify and register for the State Tournament, as well as major national tournaments. PAIR has also compiled information on how a school can start a speech and debate team, including PHSSL and NSDA registration and Speechwire and Tabroom logistics. Lastly, we have compiled resources on how to judge Speech and Debate tournaments, including event information, sample ballots, and anti-bias resources. (More information on equitable judging can be found here.)

Tournament Information

Weekly Local Tournaments

Many PA districts host local tournaments on most weeks through November-March. Anyone can attend a local tournament, although they have varying registration costs. There are multiple tournaments happening in different districts each week, and schools may compete in their district or travel to other tournaments across the state, depending on the discretion of team leaders and/or coaches. The tournament calendar can be found on the PHSSL's website here.

Most local tournaments will have either three or four preliminary rounds, depending on event and individual tournament preference. Some local tournaments will have elimination rounds where the top competitors in each event will compete. 

The top placers at local tournaments will earn a bid to the State Tournament. The PHSSL's bid ratios can be found in Section III of the PHSSL's BQS Manual. Earning four bids will guarantee a place at the State Tournament. The other ways to qualify are through Littles and Bigs, covered in the States and NSDA qualifying sections below.

PHSSL STATE TOURNAMENT

WHAT IS THE STATE TOURNAMENT?

The PHSSL State Tournament is the end of the local tournament season in PA and is the largest tournament that the PHSSL hosts. It is two days long, and usually occurs the first Friday and Saturday in March. Qualifying competitors from all seven state districts come together to compete. 

HOW TO QUALIFY TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT

There are three ways to qualify for the state tournament. First, students can qualify through Little District tournaments. These tournaments are hosted by each of the seven local districts and usually occur during the first week of February. Each team registered in that district can bring four competitors in each event to Littles (minus however many have bid out in that event, bidding out will be detailed below). The top competitors in each event (dependent on the number of competitors entered in each event for that district) will then qualify to States. For the 2022-23 season, Congress will have a different qualification system for States. There will be two events under Congress at States: House and Senate. House qualification will operate similarly to the other speech and debate events (four entries per school entered at Littles, compete to qualify), while schools can send any two students automatically to Senate for Congress. As an extra requirement for competitors in OO, Info, and POI: OO and Info competitors must submit a cover sheet, their speech, and their works cited. POI competitors must also submit a cover sheet and their works cited. Templates are available on the PHSSL website. 

The second method of qualification is by bidding out. Students can bid out in a category by earning four local bids in one event during the regular season. At each PA local tournament, bids are offered to a certain number of competitors who place the best in each event (the specific number of bids offered rely on the number of entries in each event). Students who earn bids at four different local tournaments automatically qualify to the State tournament and do not need to compete at their Little District tournament. For the 2022-23 season, students double-entered at tournaments can earn bids in both events. In addition, Congress competitors who have bid out will compete in House at States (bid competitors will be seeded for State prelims) and PF and Duo pairs only bid out when the four bids have been earned with the same partner. Finally, every competitor who has already bid out subtracts a place at Little Districts for that team’s event. So if four or more competitors have bid out, there is no way to qualify more team members at Little Districts. The only way more than four students in an event can go to the state tournament is by bidding out more than four students (or backdooring, explained below).

The last way for students (in all events except Congress) to qualify to States is through backdooring. At the Big Districts tournament (which qualifies students to NSDA Nationals), the top 8 students in each event besides Congress, which may have a separate Bigs tournament, automatically qualify to States if they had not qualified already. As with Little Districts, teams may only bring four competitors in each event to Big Districts, but these four students do not have to be the same as those entered into Littles.

STATES REGISTRATION

The registration for the state tournament is located on Speechwire, and in essence, is similar to registering for any other local circuit tournament in PA. However, qualified entries are automatically added to each team’s registration, and the invoice will be due some time before the tournament (usually it must be sent by the third week of February). In addition, for teams that stay overnight for States, the PHSSL will usually house a list of recommended hotels on their Speechwire page. 

For the actual tournament, it is not mandatory for students to attend the Opening Ceremony. The check-in process is similar to check-ins at local tournaments, but the coach in charge needs to distribute badges to their students to wear for the duration of the tournament. States will contain multiple break rounds for every event. It is important that judges stay for all rounds, including elimination rounds, because they may have to judge any of them. 

NSDA TOURNAMENT

WHAT IS THE NSDA TOURNAMENT?

The NSDA (National Speech and Debate Association) is the organization that hosts the National Speech and Debate Tournament annually, as well as being the main governing body for high school Speech and Debate. Over 6,000 students attend, and each year the NSDA crowns a new champion in each category. The tournament has been held in a variety of cities, including Dallas, Albuquerque and Louisville. The NSDA’s website is also home to many resources for speech and debate students and coaches, including forms, rules, guides, and competitive resources, however it’s important to note that the NSDA’s rules may differ from state rules. 

HOW TO QUALIFY TO NSDAS

The main way to qualify for the NSDA National tournament is through district tournaments. In PA, the NSDA categorizes multiple districts. All PHSSL districts hold a  district tournament to qualify for states; these are usually referred to as “little districts,” or just “littles,” while the NSDA districts are referred to as “big districts.” The number of entries determines the number of people qualifying through big districts in each event.  Besides big districts, there are a few ways to qualify for the NSDA tournament. First is World Schools Debate; World Schools is a 5v5 debate format in which a district committee chooses the teams usually by reviewing applications, although it is up to the district to decide the admission process. Most districts allow anyone who competes in any district tournament (littles or bigs) in any event to apply to the World Schools team. Additionally, the NSDA sometimes authorizes other ways to qualify in any event. At the National Tournament, any entry who places in the top 14 in any main event or top 16 of Big Questions and World Schools Debate, has not completed more than six semesters of high school, and is still enrolled in high school (as a student in good standing) may enter the following year’s National Tournament in the same solo event or in the same team event with the same partner. In 2022, they held a Last Chance Qualifying Tournament that a competitor could enter in to qualify for the NSDA tournament. The Last Chance tournament will be continued in 2023. In addition to main events, each school can send two competitors in supplemental events. Supplemental events are held during the last four days of the tournament and can also be entered by anyone who doesn’t break in a main event. 

NSDA REGISTRATION

In order to register for the National Speech and Debate Tournament, there are a variety of prerequisites that must be filled. One must first qualify for the tournament through district tournaments that are held in their state, and after qualifying, high school registration will open in March, the exact date depending on the district. Each student must be registered on the NSDA’s website with an email attached to their account. Accounts can be registered at https://www.speechanddebate.org/join/, and more information can be found on on adding a student and tournament registration on Tabroom can be found here.

NIETOC

WHAT IS NIETOC?

NIETOC, or the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions, is one of the most prestigious national tournaments for high school competitors and is usually held in mid-May. The tournament is specifically held for the Individual Events, so only speech events are offered. NIETOC is not necessarily affiliated with a particular university or league, but there is a leadership board that runs the tournament. The defining feature of NIETOC is that competitors are allowed to double or even triple-enter in different events.

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NIETOC

To attend NIETOC, there are three main ways to qualify. First is the automatic qualification, where if a competitor was a semifinalist or a finalist at the previous year’s NSDA, NCFL, or NIETOC tournament, they will automatically be eligible to attend the current year’s NIETOC. Additionally, if a competitor places in the top three at their state tournament, they are  eligible to compete at NIETOC for that year.

Second, which is how most people qualify through earning at least two NIETOC bids. A NIETOC bid is similar to a PHSSL state tournament bid – the competitor has to place high enough to earn a bid. The number of competitors that earn a bid depends on the number of entries entered in that event at a predetermined bid tournament. Competitors have to earn at least two bids to qualify to NIETOC. However, one of those bids can be earned if the competitor was 1. A quarterfinalist or an octafinalist at the previous year’s NIETOC, 2. A state finalist for the previous year, or 3. A state finalist for the current year (or semifinalist if the event had more than 50 entries). At the beginning of the season (usually in mid-July), NIETOC will release a list of bid tournaments, or tournaments that offer a bid to the NIETOC tournament. There are usually around 150-200 tournaments that will offer NIETOC bids (and multiple will also offer UKTOC bids as well) starting from August all the way to March and occasionally April. 

During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, a great multitude of bid tournaments were online, which allowed for students all across the country to have access to potential NIETOC bids. However, as the speech and debate community progresses back into in-person tournaments (for now), it’s not clear what the future of NIETOC bid tournaments may look like. Other NIETOC bid tournaments are usually on the national circuit, and can be found on Tabroom under the “National Circuit” tab. Some can also be found on Speechwire (click on the “Calendar” tab). For more information about the national circuit, click here. Be aware though that the school name on the bid tournament list may not always be the name of the tournament. 

Finally, the third official option of qualifying to NIETOC is the at-large qualifier. Essentially, competitors with one or no bids can apply to participate in NIETOC. Applicants will be considered by their best three placings for the season (at either bid or non-bid tournaments), and the total sum of these placings should be less than or equal to ten. (NIETOC has an example of how this works under “Option 3”: http://nietoc.com/full-details/). It is not completely clear how many people NIETOC accept under at-large, but competitors with no bids have been accepted before.

Depending on the year, additional entries may be granted (similar to how schools can send supplementals to NSDA Nationals). A school is allowed two additional entries in Duet Acting, which is very similar to Duo Interpretation, except that the competitors are allowed to use a chair as a prop. Occasionally, additional entries may be granted in other events depending on the year.

NIETOC REGISTRATION

As for registering for NIETOC, the tournament uses Speechwire to handle registration and other logistics. The process is similar to registering for any other tournament on Speechwire, except that there are quite a few extra steps to take. Most of these steps will be communicated in the information tabs on Speechwire or through email. For example, when registering a competitor, the coach will have to list the competitor’s bid tournaments and competitors have to submit forms.

For more information about NIETOC, be sure to visit their website.

PA TOURNAMENTS WITH NIETOC BIDS

The amount of bids awarded are as follows from the NIETOC website:

0-19 contestants = FIRST PLACE BID

20-34 contestants = FIRST, SECOND & THIRD PLACE BIDS

35-50 contestants = FINAL ROUND BIDS

51-70 contestants = SEMIFINAL ROUND BIDS

71-99 contestants = QUARTERFINAL ROUND BIDS

  100 + contestants = OCTAFINAL ROUND BIDS

TOC

WHAT IS TOC?

The Tournament of Champions, TOC, is one of the three big end of the year nationwide tournaments which speech and debate competitors have to qualify to. The other two are NSDA nationals and NCFL nationals. TOC is the first of these three tournaments and happens at the end of April. The TOC offers twelve events, four debate and eight speech. The debate events offered are Congress, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, and Policy. The speech events offered are Extemperaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Oral Interpretation, and Program Oral Interpretation. TOC has a reputation of being more technical than the other big tournaments due to its affiliation with the national circuit and the overall high quality of judging. 

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR TOC

There are three main ways students can qualify for the TOC. The first and most common way to qualify is by receiving two bids at TOC bid tournaments that year. In debate, the size of a tournament in previous years determines how far into elimination rounds a competitor has to get to receive a bid. In speech, the round a competitor needs to get to receive a bid, known as “the bid round”, is determined by the number of competitors at the tournament that year. A list of bid tournaments and their bid rounds can be found here: https://ci.uky.edu/UKDebate/list-bid-tournaments 

The second way a student can qualify for the TOC is through auto qualification. In speech, all semifinalists and finalists at NSDA nationals and NCFL nationals auto-qualify to the next year’s TOC. All finalists from TOC also auto-qualify to the next year’s TOC. In Public Forum, octafinalists at TOC and NCFL nationals auto-qualify to the next year’s TOC. The top 14 competitors at NSDA nationals also auto-qualify to the next year’s TOC. The requirement is that the debaters must be competing with the same partner to be eligible for the auto-qualification. In LD and Policy, only octafinalists at TOC auto-qualify to the next year’s TOC. Policy does not have the same partner requirements as Public Forum. 

The third way competitors can qualify to the TOC is by applying for an “at-large” bid. Competitors do this when they have done quite well during the season but have only received one gold TOC bid. The TOC decides who can “at-large” and attend the tournament even with only one official bid after students apply. As a large event, Public Forum has two different TOC’s, silver TOC and gold TOC. Competitors in PF acquire silver TOC bids by making it to the round before the gold TOC bid is acquired. PF competitors can also auto-qualify to the next year’s silver TOC by making it to octafinals at silver TOC. The TOC has more requirements for the past experience of judges than other tournaments and tends to have more “tech” judges in debate and more qualified judges in speech than an average tournament.

TOC REGISTRATION

The Tournament of Champions is managed on Tabroom, so competitors who qualify will register using the steps outlined in the “Tabroom Registration” section here in our Administrative Resources.

PA TOURNAMENTS WITH TOC BIDS

Certain PA tournaments have TOC bids for both speech and debate events. The number of bids awarded depends on the amount of tournament entries, outlined on the TOC’s speech bids webpage. 

NCFL TOURNAMENT

WHAT IS NCFL?

NCFL is shorthand for the Grand National Tournament which is the only tournament run by the National Catholic Forensic League. The tournament offers all the main debate events that the NSDA runs and most of the speech events. Notably, the NCFL tournament has 3 judges instead of 1 in every preliminary round. The NCFL uses their own website for announcements/changes to their tournament. 

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR NCFL

Because it is disconnected from other leagues, the NCFL forms “local leagues” to determine qualifiers. While local leagues are allowed to choose how to distribute their qualifiers, both PA districts do so via an application based on past success. Qualifications are granted to a school, rather then a competitor, so schools can choose which of their applicants can compete. However, districts have the ability to change this process at any time. Any questions about this process. If a competitor or  have any questions, reaching out to your Local Leagues moderator should hopefully resolve any issues. The number of qualifiers is determined by the number of schools in each local league. If your school is currently not in a Local League you can either join or create a new one by following the steps outlined on their website.

NCFL REGISTRATION

After qualifying, registration to NCFL is the same as any other tournament hosted on Tabroom after linking your NSDA account. Registration is completed using the steps outlined in the “Tabroom Registration” section here in our Administrative Resources.

Judging Resources

At PA local tournaments, most, if not all tournaments will conduct a judge’s meeting and provide some instruction about how to judge speech and debate. National circuit tournaments tend to vary more; some do hold a judge’s meeting or provide some resources to judging. Some tournaments, like NSDA Nationals, will also require judges to complete anti-bias training. However, it is always desirable for judges to be equipped with the knowledge of how to judge speech and debate, as each event often has its own niches and a judge should aim to provide fair feedback to help competitors improve. The resources below explain what the different events are and give some guidelines on how to judge.

EXPLANATION OF EVENTS

Explanation of Main Events: https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Combined-Competition-Events-At-A-Glance.pdf

Explanation of Supplemental Events (usually only offered at some national circuits and at NSDA Nationals): https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/High-School-Supplemental-and-Consolation-Events-Guide.pdf

Extemp Cross Examination Guide (cross is only done at a few, if at all, local tournaments and the state tournament): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KF6Lk9jVkdO1JI4c9MJ9sRBlm7gTBHaK/view?usp=drive_open

Judging Guides and Example Ballots

Overall Judging Handbook (also includes event explanation): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BThv0UaPdgIuBlODLH-EsWrCgayw4s0REOEDqhyLJuM/edit

Speech Judging Handbook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dHaTrhrzGfb0ljWmg1V21rNlE/view?resourcekey=0-RtQ0MRWibhxLogPd4qwOAA

Debate Judging Handbook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dHaTrhrzGfUjRCMzFEeVNfREk/view?resourcekey=0–wBH5ryKolNu-JTLzfbhLA

Speech Judging on Speechwire: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16_em6EEpcah83F2IZV4uM-XCO5P-0JLr/view

Debate Judging on Speechwire: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18KOKeI-I86HsaLEuY8ZD2lQIKMhNaGGY/view

Sample Speech Ballot Rubric (templates that have ideas and guidelines on what to judge and critique competitors on): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Er1Qe36r5SuKXDh6fvIxNI7WQBtLTFMC/view

Sample LD Ballot Rubric: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1li_uPoTNJEf1DdUEN6QRbQXQpKVcdefx/view

Sample Policy Ballot Rubric:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Jc02qXMDns_rQ2Uw62lgkH4ygR_9PrK/view

Sample PF Ballot Rubric: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cCr6K4YbBD7hoOrPUp_pBU6f6G1T4Csg/view

ANTI-BIAS RESOURCES

When judging, judges should aim to provide feedback and ranks based on how the speakers performed or how well the debaters debated, and not on personal biases. Undoubtedly, speech and debate is a subjective event, but anti-bias training can help judges learn to pinpoint their own prejudices, provide constructive feedback, and judge fairly. The resources below are some examples of anti-bias training, although more in-depth information can be found on our Equity Resources for Judges page:

NSDA Cultural Competency Course (required for some tournaments, such as NSDA Last Chance and NSDA Nationals): https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Culturally-Competent-Judge-Training.pdf

Information on Personal Pronouns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iKHjl5xAaA&ab_channel=Seventeen

Information on Trigger Warnings: https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.lsa.umich.edu%2Finclusive-teaching-sandbox%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F853%2F2021%2F02%2FAn-Introduction-to-Content-Warnings-and-Trigger-Warnings-Draft.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw0fMcu0X-NLiZVtmM-SiMnc

Example Videos/Scripts

Viewing examples of different events is extremely helpful for learning what each event is and how to improve in an event. Even if a competitor is in one event, viewing a different event can help them learn skills that will help them in their main event (for example, viewing interp can help with expressing emotions in platform events). In addition, viewing examples of past platform speeches can help Declamation competitors select a piece (although caution should be exercised as final round speeches are often common for Dec). Below are some examples.

EXAMPLE VIDEOS

Ranked List of Speech Examples (this is a list that is regularly updated with notable pieces; however, this is up to personal taste and all the examples listed are worth watching): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z4obmEdvT_ItGH9kj9ofTdB4mDRJdCHzhmEHSKXXQ0g/edit?usp=sharing

UKTOC Final Round Videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/KentuckyDebate/videos

NSDA Nationals Final Round Videos (if students have a membership, they should be able to access all of the past NSDA Nationals Final Round Videos): https://www.speechanddebate.org/final-round-videos/

In addition, if students search up “[Event Name] Examples/Final Round Videos” on Youtube, there are usually a multitude of examples.