Informative Speaking

The purpose of an informative speech is to secure understanding. The topic should be suitable for the audience, yet reflect originality. A good informative speech is developed through organization, amplification, clarity, and interest. Supporting material should be presented in a logical manner designed to maintain a high level of interest for the listener.

BASIS FOR DECISION

Oral Presentation: The delivery of the speech should be enthusiastic, direct, sincere, and communicative. The speaker should give the impression of genuineness without affectation in attitude, manner, or appearance. The speaker's delivery should be effective in enlisting and holding the interest of the audience. The speaker may deliver the speech from a manuscript, memory, an outline, or any combination thereof.

Action and Platform Conduct: The speaker should exhibit personality, maintain direct eye contact with the audience, show physical poise, and demonstrate freedom in posture, movement, and gesture. Prompting from the audience is not allowed and could be the basis for disqualification.

Script requirements: Contestants must have a manuscript or an outline available for a judge to review in the round if requested. Contestants must use proper documentation of all source material used in the manuscript or outline. The manuscript or outline must include directly quoted material and/or paraphrased material, which is used in the speech. Plagiarism, the failure to provide accurate credit to the author(s) of directly quoted material or paraphrased material, is a serious offense and is a basis for disqualification. The script may be a hard copy or an electronic version on a device that can be made available to the judge in the round. A judge request for a contestant’s script must be made within the time frame of the round of competition. Should a judge need more extensive review time, the judge should make arrangements through tournament officials and the contestant’s coach.

Visual aids: The speaker may wish to incorporate the use of visual aids, audiovisual projections, or demonstrations. A demonstration is defined as the actual operation of a piece of equipment, an object, a device, or a process. Visual/audio aids should supplement the presentation and should not be the major focus of the speech. The use of visual aids, audiovisual projections, or demonstrations should not interfere with the speaker's communicative contact with audience. Only one easel or electronic display monitor may be used. No other display equipment is allowed. Set-up time is limited to two minutes.

Procedures that endanger the health and safety of the audience are prohibited. Live animals are not permitted. Caution should be used in distributing consumable products to an audience.

Timing: Each presentation must be timed. Timing starts when the presentation of the contestant begins. Either the judge or an alternate timekeeper, under the supervision of the judge, is responsible for using a stopwatch and for displaying time cards that are clearly visible to the contestant unless the performer prefers not to have visual timing. The number showing on the card should indicate the amount of time remaining. Judges should give an oral report of the actual time at the completion of each performance. Timing must be indicated on the ballot as well as on the contestants' critique sheets.

Presentations that do not conform to the suggested time parameters may be penalized at the discretion of the judge. Penalties are not mandatory for timing irregularities.

HIGH SCHOOL: Time limit for Informative Speaking in high school is five (5) minutes to eight (8) minutes.

MIDDLE LEVEL: Time limit for Informative Speaking in middle level is four (4) minutes to seven (7) minutes.

Contestant Evaluation: The ballot must be completely filled out and needs to include the contestant's name and code, the author, the rank, the percentage score, and the time of the presentation. Judges are to complete their ballots legibly.

Each judge shall rank the participants as 1,2,3, according to the relative merits of the contestants. All other contestants will receive a rank of 4. The judge shall also assign a percentage score ranging from 100 to 75. No two contestants can be given the same percentage.

All point scores must be assigned in whole integers. One hundred percent must be assigned to the best contestant with the points for all other contestants in the range of 99-75. The assignment of a score between 79-75 should be reserved for special circumstances; such as when a contestant fails to complete his or her presentation, exhibits inappropriate behavior, or performs highly inappropriate material.

Critique sheets and ballots must be returned to the ballot collection/tabulation room at the conclusion of each round.

Note: Please follow the instructions given at the judge’s meeting concerning speaking order. Some Invitational tournaments may draw in round. Regional & State Tournaments use the order as listed on the schematic.