Moorhead/Woodbury Tournament

Registration	General information	Schematics	Files for download	Tournament schedule	Fees	Final results

Impromptu

IMPROMPTU -  Information 

Impromptu will be run NSDA style. Students will draw in the room in which they are speaking. They will have seven (7) total minutes, which they may split up however they choose. The most popular division is to spend two (2) minutes preparing the speech, and five (5) minutes speaking. Verbal time signals will be given every 30 seconds until the speaker stands, indicating they are ready to speak. Nonverbal time signals will be given after that in whatever manner the speaker desires.

Rules:

1. A notecard is allowed for both prep time and during the speech itself

2. Speakers may split up their prep time and speaking time however they choose

3. Speakers may time themselves, in the same way extemp speakers do during virtual speech

Preliminary Round Themes: The following themes will apply for the three preliminary rounds.

Round One: Celebrity Tweets

Round Two: Netflix

Round Three: Ducks

Final Round: Paw Patrol Characters

General Advice: Impromptu speeches should generally aim to interpret and analyze the prompt using examples, rather than merely describing the prompt or providing information on it. For example, if the prompt you draw is “Geese are just tiny versions of the Lochness Monster,” then your thesis might be something like: “We can see that the author is trying to tell us that even small things can be frightening, and we must agree for two main reasons: first, the little things in life are often the hardest to appreciate; and second, big things often come in small packages.” Then for each of those main points, you’ll typically use two examples that can be taken from pop culture, politics, movies, philosophy, books, anything.

Judging Criteria: Judges should evaluate this event according to the thesis, interpretation, examples, analysis, time allocation, and delivery.