GUIDELINES FOR JUDGES

The coordinating host of each event should read these Guidelines for Judges, the General Standards fro Judging Forensics, and any other pertinent information from the Guidelines for Forensics Competitions to the judges before the start of that event. The judges should try to be familiar with all these guidelines.

1. TRY TO WATCH STUDENTS DURING THEIR PERFORMANCES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. That is, try to keep eye contact with the speaker. Students feel that you are paying closes attention to evaluating them more fully if they can see you watching them. It may be better for you to take mental notes during the performance and fill your ballot immediately following the student's performance. THIS APPLIES TO THE FINALS AS WELL; you will be given approximately thirty seconds between speaker to make your notes.

2. PLEASE ADD CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS ON THE STUDENT'S SCORE SHEET. Some judges do no give any comments. when a students has scores that vary widely between each round, the judge's comments can help clarify the difference. Also, try to give constructive criticism. Our competitors are grammar school students and we should try to build their confidence and competence.

3. TRY NOT TO GIVE THE SPEAKERS A SCORE OF ONE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. We want to encourage their work and we feel that making the effort is, in itself,, worthy of some reward. However, if a contestant fails to observe the time limit and must be penalize a point in each category, she/he may end up with a score of "one" after the deduction.

4. DO NOT CALL THE CONTESTANT TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR BALLOT FOR THE PRECEDING SPEAKER. It is unfair to the speaker to her her/him waiting until you are done. Please take whatever time you need to fill out your ballot before calling up the next speaker.

5. ALL SELECTIONS MUST LAST FROM THREE TO FIVE MINUTES. If a contestant goes more than fifteen seconds above or below these limits, judges  MUST DEDUCT ONE POINT IN EACH AND EVERY CATEGORY.

6. PLEASE DO NOT ASK CONTESTANTS WHAT SCHOOL THEY ARE FROM.  This is not permitted and may distract the contestants.

7. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO ENTER OR LEAVE THE ROOM WHEN A CONTESTANT IS SPEAKING. Please try to do whatever you can to make sure people enter or leave between speakers. If you are given a sign to post on the door, please work with your time keeper to make sure it is posted. Not to the host school: Please make on sign for each room to this effect.

8. IF A SPEAKER IS UNABLE TO COMPETE OR STOPS WITHIN THE FIRST HALF MINUTE OR SO, you may give the students the opportunity to perform again at the end of the round, if the student wishes. However, you must give the contestant the lowest mark ("1") in the memorization category.

9. AFTER THE SPEAKER HAS FINISHED AND THE TIMER REPORTS THAT SPEAKER'S TIME TO YOU, YOU SHOULD ANNOUNCE THE TIME OUT LOUD SO THE IS NO CONFUSION ABOUT IT.

10. A PIECE THAT IS PLACED FIRST IN A CATEGORY MAY NO BE REPEATED THE FOLLOWING YEAR BY ANY CONTESTANT. This information will be forwarded to the moderators at the end of the school year. (i.e., winning pieces from 1994-5 may not be used in 1995-96.)