Competitive Events

Competitive Events

The OSDA conducts BQS, PDQ, District, and State Tournaments in the following events as regulated by the Tournament Operations Manual: 

1. POLICY/PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE - Each event shall consist of teams of two (2) persons prepared to debate both sides of the resolution. To train students in cross-examination debating proficiency, which includes research of the resolution, organization of materials, logical thinking and analysis, soundness of argument, use of evidence, adaptation to opponent’s case, force of rebuttal, and effectiveness of delivery.

   1. POLICY DEBATE is the traditional debate. Rounds last roughly 70-80 minutes, and students debate one topic per year, with the topic going through a selection process. The OSDA has a PDQ (Pre District Qualification) process for policy debate, whereby teams can qualify to state before the District Tournament. 

   2. PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE is a newer debate, originating in the early 2000's. Rounds last approximately 40-50 minutes, and students debate a monthly topic, selected by a vote of members of the National Speech and Debate Association, relating to a timely topic in the news.

2. LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE - To train students in "one-on-one" argumentation where the debaters attempt through effective analysis, evidence, reasoning, refutation, and delivery, to convince the judge of the acceptability of their side of a proposition of value. Resolutions of value should take forms such as moral value resolutions, political value resolutions, or artistic value resolutions. Value debating is more analytic (logical) than policy debating which is more empirical (factual/statistical).

3. CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE - Where students simulate an actual Congress in which they must research, write, and present effective legislation, engage in parliamentary procedure, and exhibit intelligent delivery and argumentation

4. EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING - To train students to speak intelligently on questions pertaining to current events, which includes research and maintenance of information files and oral presentation of that information in an organized, analytical, and fluent manner in a restricted period of time.

5. ORIGINAL ORATORY - To train students in creating, organizing, developing, and presenting original thoughts into a truthful, coherent, worthwhile speech.

6. INFORMATIVE SPEAKING - To train students in informing an audience about a topic of interest through creating, organizing, developing thoughts into a truthful, coherent, worthwhile speech.

7. ORAL INTERPRETATION -

   1. DECLAMATION - To train students not only to present the speech but also to recreate the thoughts, emotions, and effects of an original oration.

   2. DRAMATIC, HUMOROUS, and DUO INTERPRETATION - To train students in the art of oral interpretation by recreating the character(s) in the selection.

   3. PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION - To train students to interpret prose and poetry selections in such a way as to arouse intellectual and emotional responsiveness in an audience.