SDA Speech and Debate 

Tournaments


SDA is hosting a State Quals Tourney on March 2-3!  Please Sign-Up to supply concessions and food for judges.
Parents sign-up to judge at local tournaments by clicking here!
 

Student Forms and Sign-Ups




State Quals - Three Weekends of Fun - info


What to bring when traveling:
  • Tournament attire, or professional dress
  • Toiletries for overnight stay
  • All your debate work (cases, blocks, etc.) in multiple formats (printed out in an expando, on a flash-drive, on a computer, in the clouds, etc.).
  • Water bottle and light snack
  • Chap-stick & Lozenges
  • iPod/MP3 player, a book, homework and/or something to do in between rounds
  • A jacket and an umbrella, just in case. Trench coats are spiffy, too.

 

Parent Judging Guidelines and Forms

Parent Judging Instructions PowerPoint

General Judging Guidelines

Lincoln Douglas Judging Instructions

Policy Debate Judging Instructions

Individual Events Judging Instructions

Parliamentary Debate Judging Instructions

Public Forum Debate Judging Instructions

Facilities Application
Bulletin Announcement Form
Use of Private Auto for School Activity Form


What to bring:

  • Paper and pencils/pens for notetaking
  • Books/laptops/stuff to do - there is often down time between judging events
  • Water bottle - food is usually provided
  • Timer - you can use your cell phone for this
  • Readiness to be amazed by these students! 

     

Events

Debates

  1. Lincoln Douglas (LD)
    • Individual event – one person vs. another
    • Debate is approximately 45 minutes long / Double flighted (2 groups debate in a round)
    • LD debaters must convince judge that the position on the resolution they uphold is better / more important / more meaningful than the position their opponent upholds.
    • Topics change throughout the year – Current Topic: States ought not possess nuclear weapons.
  2. Policy Debate
    • Teams of 2 people compete
    • Debate is approximately 1 ½ hours
    • Topic for the year:  Resolved:  The United States federal government should substantially reduce military and/or police presence in one or more of the following countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, South Korea, Japan, and Turkey.
  3. Parliamentary Debate
    • Teams of 2 people compete
    • Debate is approximately 1 hour
    • The topic for the debate changes each round and is given to the teams 20 minutes before the beginning of the round.
    • The debate stimulates debate in a House of Parliament and stresses rigorous argumentation, logical analysis, quick thinking and breadth of knowledge over the preparation of evidence.
    • The round is judged based on whether the affirmative team proved their case or if the opposition team effectively undermined the affirmative team’s case.
  4. Public Forum Debate
    • Teams of 2 people compete
    • Debate is approximately 35 minutes / Double flighted
    • The topic for the debate changes monthly.
    • Current Topic: Resolved: Allowing deep water offshore oil drilling is in the best interest of the United States.
    • The affirmative should prove that the resolution is true while the opposition is trying to prove the resolution is false.
  5. Student Congress
    • Student Congress is modeled after the procedure of floor debate in a legislature.
    • Debate lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
    • Approximately 7 to 14 students participate and are ranked on their performance during the round

Types of Speeches

  1. Original Oratory (OO) and Original Advocacy (OA)
    • In original oratory, students present an original speech about an issue or current event.
    • In original advocacy, students present an original persuasive speech that identifies a problem and offers a clear, concise, legislative solution.
  2. Expository Speaking (Expos)
    • The purpose of the speech is to inform rather than persuade.  The speech describes, clarifies, illustrates or defines an object, idea, concept or process.
    • Visual/auditory aids are not required but are encouraged.
  3. Original Prose / Poetry (OPP)
    • The presentations are the original work of the students and may be plays, stories, poems, essays or any combination thereof.
  4. Dramatic Interpretation (DI) and Humorous Interpretation (HI)
    • The selections come from stories, plays, poems or other literary material.  The student will convey the author’s meaning through character voice(s), gestures and facial expressions.
    • Dramatic presentations will overall be dramatic but may contain lighter, more humorous moments.
    • Humorous presentations will overall be humorous but may contain more serious moments.
  5. Thematic Interpretation (TI)
    • The student attempts to communicate a certain theme, such as “war is hell”, by using at least three literary selections that illustrate and develop that theme.
  6. Duo Interpretation
    • Two students interpret a single selection taken from a short story, a novel, a play, a poem or other literary material.
  7. Oratorical Interpretation
    • Students present a speech that was previously delivered in a public forum.  The student’s aim is to convey the message intended by the original speaker.
  8. Extemporaneous Speaking
    • Students receive 3 topics 30 minutes prior to speaking.   They select one of the topics that concerns either national or international issues.  Students prepare and deliver a speech no longer than 7 minutes.
  9. Impromptu Speaking
    • Students draw a topic for a speech and have 2 minutes to prepare a speech no longer than 5 minutes.