Individual Event Descriptions

Revised July 2011

Biographical Narrative

A Biographical Narrative is an original platform speech that focuses on the relevance and/or contributions of a single person’s life. The following goals could be served by the speech: informing, inspiring, persuading, entertaining, or teaching among others. The primary goal of the event is to encourage student recognition of those individuals that have impacted us in profound ways.

Illustrated Oratory

An Illustrated Oratory is an original platform speech which informs or explains a particular topic with the use of visual aids.

Persuasive Speech

A Persuasive Speech is an original speech intended to persuade the audience to adopt a particular point of view or course of action.

Interpretive Speeches

Duo Interpretation 

A Duo Interpretation creatively explores and develops the intellectual, emotional, and artistic embodiment of a single piece of literature for dual performance.

Humorous Interpretation 

A Humorous Interpretation creatively explores and develops the intellectual, emotional, and artistic embodiment of a single piece of humorous literature for performance.

Open Interpretation

 An Open Interpretation creatively explores and develops the intellectual, emotional, and artistic embodiment of a single piece of literature for performance.

Original Interpretation

An Original Interpretation creatively explores and develops the intellectual, emotional, and artistic embodiment of literature written by the student for performance.

Limited Preparation Speeches

Apologetics

Apologetics is a limited preparation event in which the speaker is given four minutes to prepare a six-minute speech on a topic related to defending his/her faith.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Extemporaneous Speaking is a limited preparation event where the speaker is given thirty minutes to prepare a seven-minute speech on a current event topic.

Impromptu Speaking 

Impromptu a limited preparation speech in which the speaker is given two minutes to prepare a five-minute speech on a randomly drawn topic