Format

Format
The tournament will consist of five preliminary rounds, each judged by 2 individuals. Each preliminary round will consist of six sections with four competitors in each section. When sectioning, we will try to make sure a competitor is not in the same section with the same competitor repeatedly. People from the same school may compete in the same section.

There will be a three-minute cross-examination period after each speech in every round. The last speaker will cross-examine the first speaker, then return to draw. The first speaker will cross-examine the second speaker, and so on. To allow time for this process, draw will run with twelve-minute intervals between each speaker.

After tabulating the ranks from the preliminary rounds, the eight competitors with the lowest accumulated scores will move on to semifinals. Following semifinals, the 4 students with the lowest accumulated scores will advance to the final exhibition round, judged by a four judge panel with a fifth rank determined by an average ranking of the non-advancing semifinal competitors.

Judging
Each school attending is required to provide one EXTEMP-QUALIFIED* judge. Schools may “buy out” of their judging obligation, but must notify Kirsten Nash or Joseph Uhler in order to do so. The “buy out” is $100. The necessary remaining judges will be hired from a pool of former competitors, college competitors, and coaches.

*Extemp-qualified judge means that the individual regularly judges and is extremely well-versed in the rules, expectations, and norms of the event. We request that each judge also have viewed the NSDA Cultural Competence Training Video. We prefer coaches/adults who have a passion for coaching extemporaneous speakers.