Debate, Public Speaking, and Speech Events

Debate Events:

Congressional Debate (aka Student Congress)

Lincoln-Douglas Debate (aka LD)

Public Forum Debate (aka PF)

Policy Debate (aka Cross-Examination Debate, CX)

Congressional Debate Aka Student Congress – Docket changes each

semester

Students act as a congress representative in a room of about 20 students

One student acts as a Presiding Offi cer (PO) to run the session and keep things in order

Students give 3 minute speeches either in favor of or against a bill or resolution in the docket

Students make motions and vote on whether or not to pass bills and resolutions

Sessions last a minimum of 2 hours each

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

aka LD – Topic changes every two months

A value-based debate

One student debates against one other student

Students present arguments (contentions) to support why we should or should not do something

Each round runs about 45 minutes

Students must debate a minimum of 3 rounds per tournament

Public Forum Debate

aka PF – Topic changes every month

Designed to be understood by the “common man”

A team of two students debates against another team of two students

Students debate whether or not something should be done on an issue

Each round runs about 30 minutes (the shortest of the debate events)

Students must debate a minimum of 3 rounds per tournament

Policy Debate aka Cross Examination debate or CX – Topic remains

the same all year

An evidence-based debate

A team of two students debates against another team of two students

Students propose a new policy on a topic and debate on why it must be passed

Each round runs about an hour and a half (the longest of the debate events)

Students must debate a minimum of 3 rounds per tournament

Public Speaking Events:

Original Oratory (aka OO)

Domestic Extemporaneous (aka Domestic Extemp or DX)

Foreign Extemporaneous (aka Foreign Extemp or FX)

Original Oratory

aka OO

A speech written on the topic of the student’s choosing

Usually a social issue that needs to be addressed or a new advancement in something

Research must be done/Sources must be cited

Speech must be memorized

Speech is a maximum of 10 minutes in length (usually no shorter than 8 minutes)

Domestic Extemporaneous aka Domestic Extemp or DX

A speech given on a topic having to do with the United States (similar to a current event)

Students choose 3 topics from an envelope and then choose the one they wish to speak on

Students then have 30 minutes to prepare a speech using only the resources brought by the school (no internet access)

Each speech should be a maximum of 7 minutes in length (usually a minimum of 6 minutes)

Prelims, Semis, Finals

Foreign Extemporaneous

aka Foreign Extemp or FX

Follows the same rules and format as domestic extemp except the topics will be on topics outside of the United States

Speech Events:

Humorous Interpretation (aka HI)

Dramatic Interpretation (aka DI)

Duo Interpretation (aka Duo)

Duet Interpretation (aka Duet)

Prose

Poetry

Humorous Interpretation

aka HI

Student performs a selection of their choice that is humorous in nature

The script must be memorized

The piece must include an introduction

The performance is a maximum of 10 minutes in length (usually a minimum of 8 minutes)

Prelims, Semis, Finals

Dramatic Interpretation

aka DI

Follows the same rules and format as Humorous Interpretation except the pieces selected will be Dramatic in nature

Duo Interpretation aka Duo

A performance that can be humorous or dramatic in nature

Two students act 0ut a scene without looking directly at each other or having any physical contact with each other

No props or costumes can be used

The script must be memorized

The performance is a maximum of 10 minutes in length (usually a minimum of 8 minutes)

Prelims, Semis, Finals

Duet Interpretation

aka Duet

Follows the same rules and format as Duo Interpretation except students are allowed to look at and have physical contact with each other

May use two chairs (but nothing else/no costumes)

Maximum of 12 minutes in length (usually a minimum of 10 minutes)

Prose A piece of prose (fi ction or non-fi ction)

Can be cut from a longer work (book, short story – not a play or monologue)

The piece will be held in a small black “interp binder” during the performance, but the piece should still be memorized

The performance is a maximum of 7 minutes in length

UIL categories are used (not a TFA qualifying event)

Poetry

Follows the same format as prose except the piece must be published as poetry.

More than one poem can be read to fi ll the 7 minute maximum time