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National Speech and Debate Tournament

 
National Speech and Debate Tournament

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National Speech and Debate Tournament



 
 
The National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League
National Forensic League

The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, not for profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking, and interpretation....
. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are amenable to the large influx of students and coaches, and have reasonably-priced accommodations.

Also called "Nationals" by many forensic competitors, the National Tournament involves competition between NFL competitors across the United States; thousands of competitors from across the country attend each year.






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The National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League
National Forensic League

The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, not for profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking, and interpretation....
. It is held annually in early June, and is hosted in a different part of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 every year, although it tends to be hosted in cities that are amenable to the large influx of students and coaches, and have reasonably-priced accommodations.

Also called "Nationals" by many forensic competitors, the National Tournament involves competition between NFL competitors across the United States; thousands of competitors from across the country attend each year. The NFL 2007 National Tournament took place in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas

Wichita , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The 2006 estimated population of 361,420 makes it the 51st largest city in the U.S....
. In 2008, the National Tournament was held in Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada

Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; it is located mainly to the southeast. The population was estimated at 249,386 by the 2007 United States Census Bureau....
, less than 10 minutes from Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
. Future tournaments will be held in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in the United States state of Alabama and is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama. It also includes part of Shelby County, Alabama....
 in 2009 and in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson County, Missouri, Clay County, Missouri, Cass County, Missouri, and Platte County, Missouri counties....
 in 2010. A list of all the participants in the 2008 tournament, including the unofficial results, is available

Qualifying at the District Level

Competitors qualify to the National Tournament by placing in the top spots at District Tournaments
NFL District Tournament

NFL District Tournaments are held each year by the National Forensic League to determine the qualifiers to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in speech, debate, and Student Congress....
. The number of competitors in each event in each district determines the number of competitors that will qualify to the National Tournament from that event. For example, smaller districts of 200 competitors may only be able to send the top one or two teams from each event, while larger districts may be able to send up to four. Those who qualify at the district level then move on to participate in the National Tournament.

In most districts, there are two qualifying tournaments. For example, some districts may opt to split the qualifying competition for Student Congress
Student Congress

Student Congress is a form of high school debate in the United States. The National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League offer Student Congress as an event, as do many national debate tournaments and State Forensic Associations....
 from the remaining events, or hold separate tournaments for Individual Events and Debate
Debate

Debate or debating is a formal method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examine the consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examine what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is technique of persuasion....
. Additionally, some districts allow competitors to "double enter". This means that rather than entering in a single event at a district qualifying competition, a competitor enters in two events. A competitor competing in multiple events must sign a letter of intent beforehand, stating which event they choose to go in if they qualify for nationals in both events. If they register in a team event, that event takes precedence over an individual event.

Competition at the National Tournament

After a competitor gets eliminated from a qualifying event, they may move on to a supplemental event. If the competitor is eliminated later in the competition in a qualifying event, or is eliminated from all of their supplemental events, they may compete in a consolation event. Although considered less prestigious, supplemental and consolation events offer an eliminated competitor the chance to win at a national tournament. A competitor may register to compete in two supplemental events and one consolation event, but these registrations must be filed by the coach before the tournament begins.

Tournament Events


Qualifying Events

  • Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
    Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking

    Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking is a style of competitive speaking sponsored by the National Forensic League, the Florida Forensic League, and the National Catholic Forensic League....
  • Duo Interpretation
    Duo Interpretation

    Duo Interpretation, or often simply called Duo Interp, or just Duo, is an official speech event of the National Forensics League, the National Catholic Forensics League and the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association....
  • Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
    Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking

    International Extemporaneous Speaking is a style of competitive speaking sponsored by the National Forensic League. It is identical in structure to United States Extemporaneous Speaking, except that the topics are focused on world affairs, rather than U.S....
  • Humorous Interpretation
    Humorous Interpretation

    Humorous Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions. It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10 minute span....
  • Dramatic Interpretation
    Dramatic Interpretation

    Dramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensics League high school forensics competitions. DI is sometimes called "Depressive Interpretation" as a joke; however, it accurately describes the sentiment underlying most pieces....
  • Lincoln-Douglas Debate
    Lincoln-Douglas debate

    Lincoln?Douglas Debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy....
  • Original Oratory
    Original Oratory

    Original Oratory. is a National Forensic League#Events in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and other high school Individual events competitions in which competitors deliver an original speech on a subject of their choosing, though the speech must be factual....
  • Policy Debate
    Policy debate

    Policy debate is a form of speech team in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States Federal Government....
  • Public Forum Debate
    Public forum debate

    Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , or sometimes called by its former names, controversy debates or Ted Turner debate, is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League competitions....
  • Student Congress
    Student Congress

    Student Congress is a form of high school debate in the United States. The National Forensic League and National Catholic Forensic League offer Student Congress as an event, as do many national debate tournaments and State Forensic Associations....


Supplemental Events

  • Extemporaneous Commentary
    Extemporaneous Commentary

    Extemporaneous commentary is a branch of normal extemporaneous speaking, an area of competition in high school forensics. Students participating in extemporaneous commentary are given 30 minutes to prepare a four to seven minute speech on a topic relevant to modern politics....
  • Expository Speaking
    Expository Address

    Expository address is an event in the National Forensics League. It is a supplemental event at the National Tournament. Expository speeches are original compositions of the contestant....
  • Prose Interpretation
    Prose Interpretation

    Prose interpretation is a non-memorized event in which competitors choose a published piece of work that is not poetry or drama. The piece should be cut to no more than 10 minutes ....
  • Poetry Interpretation

Consolation Events

Impromptu Speaking
Impromptu speaking

Impromptu speaking is a public speaking and debate consolation event that involves an eight minute speech, with up to three of these eight minutes available for use as preparation time ....
Storytelling