Contest Guidelines

Table Topics - 1 to 2 minutes in length. Impromptu speaking. All contestants are taken out of the room and brought back in one by one to speak on the *same* topic, which should be general in nature and not require specialized knowledge which some contestants might have while others might not. Since no contestant hears the topic before his turn to speak on it, the judges can judge their impromptu speaking abilities by the way in which each person's effort stacks up against the others.

Humorous speech - 5 to 7 minutes. Humorous speaking, which must be original. Year after year, people hear the rules read to them and then stand up and present Bill Cosby routines and then act puzzled when they're disqualified. It's supposed to be a *speech*, not a monologue, and it MUST be original. It should also be "clean." So-called "blue humor" will get you zero points in the "appropriateness" column of the judges' forms. In other words, it should be a five-to-seven minute speech with a lot of humor value, but ALSO displaying good speechmaking abilities.

A lectern is provided but its use is optional.

Timing starts from the first definite verbal or non-verbal communication with the audience.

If timing lights fail, card will be held up and an extra 30 seconds given.

Lights on 5/6/7 mins and Red stays on until each speaker stops. Disqualified if under 4.30 mins or over 7.30 mins.


Evaluation - 2 to 3 minutes in length. A target speaker gives a speech which all the evaluation contestants are to evaluate. The contestants are taken from the room by the Sargent-at-Arms and given 5 minutes to prepare their speeches and make notes. Then, their notes are taken away and they are brought back into the room one by one (at which time the contestant gets their notes back) to deliver their oral evaluation of the target speech. Since no contestant hears what another said about the target speech, the judges can compare the analytical abilities of the contestants.

Lights on 2/2.5/3 mins and Red stays on until each Evaluator stops. Disqualified if under 1.30 mins or over 3.30 mins.


International Speech - 5 to 7 minutes. Any topic at all, so long as it's original. Can be funny, serious, whatever. It should be the best speech the contestant can give, and it must be original. Please don't do what so many speakers do and crib at length from someone else's works and then expect that no one in the audience will smell a rat. The reason this contest is called "International Speech" instead of "General Speech" or "Miscellaneous Speech" is because it's the only one of the five contests that goes as far as the World level. Note that the International Speech contests go as far as International level.

Lights on 5/6/7 mins and Red stays on until each speaker stops. Disqualified if under 4.30 mins or over 7.30 mins.