How much information do I need to give when referencing sources in a platform speech?
The goal is for your audience to know whose ideas are being presented. Here are two examples: 1. “In his book, The Gospel in the Shells, Joe Doe presents a fascinating theory of God’s revelation to man in simple objects.” 2. “A recent Wall Street Journal editorial by Jane Smith on the decline of western civilization has brought this issue to the forefront.” Will I be penalized if my speech goes too long because of audience laughter? Audience participation or laughter that extends the time of a piece will not result in penalizing the speaker. Do I have to memorize my piece? Yes. Memorization is required. No scripts, notes, or prompting are allowed. Use of a script in a qualifying tournament requires a penalty of two ranks. Use of a script at the National Championship requires disqualification. Can automatic script penalties be waived for a speaker with learning disabilities or difficulty with memorization? The answer is that there can be no exceptions. Competitive forensics reveals stre
