UIL Student Activities Super Conference

Extemp: "Secrets to Success"

Tim Cook, Extemp Topic Analysis, Web Page: extemptopicanalysis.com, Email: [email protected]

Introduction

A survey by iHigh.com discovered that of all the speech events extemporaneous speaking
was rated the most difficult. Extemporaneous speaking is the most challenging and educational
forensic event. The challenge develops public speaking skills, knowledge of current events and
analytical thinking. The purpose of this session is to outline techniques and strategies that
enhance a speaker's success in the extemporaneous speaking. Issues to be discussed:
Preparation/Practice, Choosing a Topic, Evaluating Files, Introductions, Analysis/Organization,
Sources, Transitions, and Delivery.
For an introductory tutorial go to
http://www.extemptopicanalysis.com/Introduction_To_Extemp.htm.

Disclaimer: These are only suggestions. I do not assert to have all the answers. Foremost you should follow your coach's
advice.

Tim Cook owns Extemp Topic Analysis, a web based service to facilitate extemporaneous speaking. Mr. Cook
coached 4 State Champions, 36 medallists and 55 qualifiers to the State Meet. He served on the National
Federation CX Topic Selection Committee, presents at UIL SuperConferences and Capital Conference, serves as a
content director for the 5A CX State Meet and LD State Meet, and was awarded the Southwestern Bell UIL Sponsor
Award.

Preparation/Practice
 I always told my students the key to being a successful speaker was to discover how to PP. No, not that "pee pee", but
PREPARE and PRACTICE. The secret to success in extemporaneous speaking is adequate preparation and practice. An athlete
would never consider competing without practice and neither should a persuasive or informative speaker.
Preparation for extemp requires studying current events, filing information in extemp tubs, and practicing speeches.
Extempers should spend at least 4 to 5 hours a week preparing for competitions. By and large, the more a student prepares the
more successful they will be in the event.
Extempers must read, read and read. You will want to read a variety of sources ("The Big Three," Economist, Washington
Post, New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Christian Science Monitor, etc.). Reading will improve your analysis and
allow you to prepare in less time. Without an adequate knowledge base, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Watch a daily news broadcast, the best is 'NewsHour with Jim Lehrer' (PBS). On Sunday there are several news talk shows
that are helpful: ‘Fox News Sunday’ (FOX), ‘Meet the Press’ (NBC), ‘This Week’ (ABC), ‘Face the Nation’ (CBS), ‘Late
Edition’ (CNN), ‘To the Contrary’ (PBS), and ‘ Washington Week’ (PBS)
Conduct extemp labs, mini-lessons on a topic. Invite a guest to present a lecture (maybe a history teacher, economist,
professor, etc.), this person should provide depth to the knowledge you already have on the topic. Prior to the lab, somebody can
prepare a suggested reading list. After the speaker is done, write a few questions on the topic and then analyze them collectively.
It very important to watch and evaluate your peers. Using peer evaluation, you can create a style of your own (use what you
liked in their speech and correct mistakes you thought they made in your presentations). I can't emphasize the importance of
watching other extempers, you can read all you want, but you will learn so much more by watching actual speeches. When you
watch a speech flow the speech, take notes, so after the speech you can evaluate the content more effectively. There are
numerous tapes of final rounds, state and national, that can be purchased.
I would highly recommend you video tape yourself and then evaluate the presentation. Take your time when evaluating the
tape, look for awkward movements, vocal pauses, and distracting mannerism. It is also very effective to practice in front of a
mirror for the same reasons.
Finally, go to as many tournaments as possible. This is the real learning environment for an extemper. At the tournament
watch as many speakers as you can. Watch other contestants in your rounds and if you don't make it to the elim rounds then you
should definitely watch those rounds.
For more information see "Preparation for Contest Extemp,"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/CopelandExtempPrepMar99.pdf

Choosing a Topic

There are two types of questions, open and closed. Closed questions ask for a yes or no answer. For example, Is North
Korea a threat? And closed questions ask for sequential steps to reach the answer. For example, How should the United States
respond to a nuclear North Korea?
Look for other key words. How and what ask for precise reasons. When calls for a date. Why demands a discussion of the
cause. And will and can require a yes or no answer.
While you are drawing consider: do I know anything about the topic, do I have files on the topic, have I spoke on this topic, and
did I attend an extemp lab on this topic.
Finally, you should never change the topic. If for some reason the topic is faulty (the event already occurred or there are errors
in the topic), you should avoid the topic. Last but not least, the take slip with you to your speaking room, the judge should ask for
it.
For more information see "What makes a "hot" extemp topic (and what to do when the topics aren't so hot),"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/extempcox0497.pdf

Evaluating Files

Extemp files are large tubs used to organize the articles you have researched. Buy tubs that are designed to hold “hanging”
folders. Remember, files must be portable. You have to take them to tournaments or they are useless. You may even want a
tub for supplies and reference materials (almanacs, quote books, dictionaries). Your files should be organized so they are easy
for you to find information quickly.
Start with the “the Big Three” (Newsweek, Time and U.S. News & World Report). These are easy to obtain, usually you can
get somebody to donate these to your squad. However, research shows that students who quote more obscure sources tend to
do better in competition.
Some excellent newspapers to use are The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and USA Today. You may
need to read and file some regional newspapers (Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, etc.) for specific topics. Extempers tend
to use some periodicals more than others. The Economist has been called “The God of Extemp Sources.” For foreign topics,
many extempers use World Press Review and Foreign Affairs. Last but not least, the Christian Science Monitor is a preferred
source for many speakers.
It is also popular to file magazines like the Economist and World Press Review in large binders. Place the magazines in clear
cover sheets with the index showing.
Finally, have an index. Update your index frequently so you know what files need to be updated or created.
For more information see "Annotated or Non-Annotated? What exactly is allowed in Extemp Prep?,"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/ext Matley Extemp02-03.pdf

Characteristics of a good file:

1. Be Organized. (Left/Background&Intro and Right/Current Articles)
2. Have no more than 15 articles. (Once a file has reached this point, it should be subdivided. For example, economy could be
subdivided into general, unemployment, stocks, deficits, interest rates and other related topics. The more you divide the more
efficient your files will be.)
3. Contain background information. (profile, biography, background notes, brief history, etc.)
4. Include introduction suggestions. (quotes, jokes, etc. - make sure the material follows the rules)
5. Be purged. (Purged to get rid of articles that are outdate and/or are no longer useful.)
6. Each article will be highlighted in one color.
7. Contain no outlines and/or handwritten materials.

Tips:
1. Stagger the tabs on the top of your hanging folders. Far left decent files or files that need work, middle good files, and far right
exceptional files that you want to use at the tournament. This lets you visually see what topics you want to draw and which files
need to be developed.
2. Don’t take hanging folders out when preparing. Only take the manila folder out to write your speech. This will keep files in
alphabetical order and index order. It also helps to see if you are missing files.
3. Use your index to make tabs for you hanging folders. Print labels in 24 point font.

For more information see "Building an Extemp Box," http://www.extempprep.org/tutorial2.html

Introductions

In my opinion, the introduction is the most important part of the speech. You must “grab” or “hook” the audience. It also gives
you the opportunity to make yourself stand out. On the other hand, a bad introduction will decrease interest in the speech. The
more common techniques include jokes, rhetorical questions, anecdotes, fables, startling statistics, quotes, political cartoons and
even movie plots. I personally prefer jokes or great thinkers like Shakespeare or Aristotle. Your intro should establish a theme
and be under a minute long.
Now for "canned" introductions. I do not advocate canned introductions if they are defined as "use over and over again without
regard to whether it fits or not." Some judges will penalize you if you decide to use this strategy. I would suggest an arsenal of
quotes or jokes to use as introductions which allows you to more precisely apply the technique to the question.
For more information see "Canned Attention Getting Devices: Extemporaneous Speaking or Dinner Theater,"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/ext Householder2-03.pdf

Elements of an Introduction
1. Attention Getter : device used to “grab” the audience. Also called a hook; it is something that makes the audience want to
listen to you.
:
2. Connection relate attention getter to question
3. Background: limited information to form a backdrop to speech
4. Question: state question word for word
:
5. Answer briefly answer the question, answer should be clear and direct
:
6. Foreshadow state your main points
7. Justification: tell the judge the importance of the topic. Use evidence.

Samples
Woodrow Wilson in 1914 said, "The truth is our economic system is heartless." Now this may have been true in 1914, but is
our economic system heartless today. The 9 million unemployed Americans today would argue the system is heartless,
merciless, cruel, and even ruthless. President Bush could be the first president since Herbert Hoover to witness the total number
of jobs fall during his term. 3.2 million private sector jobs have vanished during the Bush term. Hence, many people today are
asking: Is Bush responsible for the record number of jobs that have been lost during his term? The answer is no. Bush may have
been at the helm, but the ship was built before he was elected. To fully understand my position I will develop two points: First,
American manufacturing is in long-term decline and Bush does not have the power to reverse the trend; Second, the
administrations has enacted economic recovery programs, but time is needed for job growth. With the current presidential
election rhetoric, a proper understanding of this issue is imperative. Bush is responsive to unemployment concerns and is acting.
President Bush said while speaking to the International Union of Operating Engineers in Richfield, Ohio on Labor Day, "We're
committed to helping those who've got a job to keep a job and for those who are looking, to find a job. We want people to be able
to realize their personal dreams by working."
 First, American manufacturing is in long-term decline and Bush does not have the power to reverse the trend......

Two young engineers applied for a single position at a company. They both had the same qualifications. In order to determine
which individual to hire, the applicants were asked to take a test. Upon completion of the test, both men had each missed only
one of the questions. The manager went to the first applicant and said, ''Thank you for your interest, but we've decided to give the
job to the other applicant.'' "And why would you be doing that? We both got nine questions correct," asked the rejected applicant.
"We have based our decision not on the correct answers, but on the question you missed," said the department manager. "And
just how would one incorrect answer be better than the other?" the rejected applicant inquired. ''Simple,'' said the department
manager, ''Your fellow applicant put down on question #5, 'I don't know.' You put down, 'Neither do I.''' Searching for a job is not
amusing, it can be stressful and even painful. Currently 9 million people are unemployed in the United States. President Bush
could be the first president since Herbert Hoover to witness the total number of jobs fall during his term. 3.2 million private sector
jobs have vanished during the Bush term. Hence, many people today are asking: Is Bush responsible for the record number of
jobs that have been lost during his term? [Continue as above....]

Analysis/Organization

All speeches must have an introduction, body and conclusion. In competitive extemp, a rather rigorous standard has
developed. Divergence from this expectation will usually cause the judge to rank you lower in the round. Mastering the format is
your first step in the extemp process. The main points in your speech should be phrased as argumentative statements. Create
balance in your speech by devoting an equal amount of time on each point.
How you analyze the question will have a major effect on the outcome of the speech. Poor analysis will only result in an
ineffective answer to the question. The easiest, and probably best, form of analysis to utilize in the substructure of the speech is
a syllogism. A syllogism is a formula that makes a claim based on two premises. For example, A. John is a student; B. All
students hate homework; C. Therefore, John must hate homework. The key obviously is to make sure your claims are true. An
extemper might argue: A. Cuba is a communist state; B. Communist states are incapable of establishing democratic institutions
and sound economic conventions; C. Cuba is in capable of establishing democratic institutions and sound economic conventions.
When determining the appropriate organizational pattern, there should really be only one factor: the answer to the question
should determine the body of the speech. Irrelevant material should not be included in the speech. If the information does not
answer the question, then it does not belong in the speech.
Take for example these traditional patterns:

Past/Present/Future
Example: Is Social Security doomed?
I. Past
II. Present
III. Future
Problem/Solution
Example: What should the government do to prevent terrorism?
I. Problem
II. Solution
Cause/Effect/Solution
Example: School Finance: How should we reform it?
I. Cause
II. Effect
III. Solution

In the first example, the only part of the speech that is germane to the question is the third point. The second example does
not need a discussion of the problem. And the third example, definitely does not need the effect, maybe you could convince me
the cause is relevant.
To avoid these errors, use a pattern called unified analysis. With this organizational pattern, the body of the speech serves as
a justification for the answer, the organizational pattern unifies all the analysis. Typically, requires organizing the speech with two
main points and two sub points for each main point. Unified analysis has been called the "one best organizational pattern."

Examples
Closed Questions: ask for a yes or no answer
Example: Is Social Security doomed? Yes
I. The public desire for alternatives will causes changes.
II. Social Security's funding base no longer exists.
Example: Is North Korea a threat? Yes
I. North Korea's political leadership is fanatical and extreme.
II. Possession of nuclear weapons presents unique risks.
Open Questions: ask for sequential steps in proposing the answer
Example: Who will win the 2004 Presidential Election? George Bush
I. The economy will not hurt Bush.
II. National security issue will win the election for Bush.
Example: How can the federal government best protect the public from terrorism? Provide state and local government with funds
and increase intelligence.
I. State and local government are on the front line and need funding.
II. Intelligence is key to prevention.

For more information see "Unified Analysis, Organizing an Extemporaneous Speech using Unified Analysis,"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/extorgcarroll0495.pdf

Sources

Sources increase a speaker's credibility. Many people are from the school of thought "the more sources the better the
speech." I disagree. A good speaker will emphasize quality over quantity. I literally have seen speakers dump so many sources
that it left very little time for analysis. One source for each sub point should be sufficient. Nine is recommended. Make sure you
give the date and have a variety of sources. I would also like to see more information about the source, what makes it a credible
citation (authors credentials, based on a valid study). Why should I accept a NY Times story, especially with their track record
recently?

How to introduce sources

Trade deficits are normal during times of industrial growth. Therefore, we should not be troubled about the current trends. The
National Review, which conducted an in-depth study of trade deficits, reported on February 24, 2003, "... recent data indicate that
the trade balance tends to move in the opposite direction of growth in GDP. In other words, when the trade balance goes down
(deeper deficits) the growth in GDP goes up. .... From 1997 until December of 2002, the trade balance and the U.S. economy
have moved in almost exact opposite directions. This suggests that deficits tend to correlate with economic growth. " National
Review established the consequence of trade deficits for us, the end result will eventually be positive economic growth for the
U.S. economy.

How not to introduce sources

Newsweek reported, "The global trading system is in trouble—mainly because it became overdependent on big U.S. trade
deficits." [This method offers no analysis, date, source legitimacy or impact for the evidence.]

For more information see Do Sources in Extemp make Extempers Break,

http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/extempcossette0194.pdf

Transitions

Your speech must have transitions. Transitions allow you to move from one place to another place in the speech. They make
the speech fit together. Without transitions the speech will be choppy and hard to follow. Practice transitions so they become
almost routine. Examples: My first point is, The next major issue is, and Finally.
Internal summaries and preview should also be included in the speech. Think of each point as a speech within a speech.
After you present the transition and argumentative point, the speaker should preview the sub points. When the speaker has
developed the sub analysis, a brief summary of the point should be given. This technique will also help you add time to the
speech.
For more information see "A list of helpful transitional words and phrases", http://members.aol.com/DOWESNEY/extemp-
transitions.html (Extemp Land)

Delivery

Your delivery should be professional and polished. Your delivery should be "lively," not boring, dry or dull. I like to have some
humor in the speech, but don't turn it into an after-dinner speech. Keep the following in mind:
Dress
First appearances make the difference. Dressing down shows a lack of appreciation for the event. You should look professional
and knowledgeable. Boys should wear suit and tie. Girls either a nice suit or skirt and blouse. Girls you should dress
conservatively - you are trying to impress a judge, not find a date.
Gestures
Gestures should have meaning. They should not be a nervous release. Do not over-gesture. Gestures should be above the
waist. Natural gestures are more effective than "staged" gestures. When not gesturing, let your arms rest at your side.
Vocal Style
Watch your speed. The most common error I witness with delivery is speaking to fast. Utilize voice inflections, pauses, and clear
pronunciation. Voice inflections will signal to the audience the significance and importance of your message. Pauses add climax
to your speech and force you to slow down. Mispronouncing words effects your credibility. Eliminate "vocalized pauses" (ahm,
ah, ok, and, etc.).
Walking
Do not walk too much! I have judges contestants that continuously walk during the speech, the so called "ping pong" effect. Do
not turn your back to the audience or turn completely sidewise to the audience. Movement must have meaning and add
something to the speech. Most successful contestants take steps between main points. This is commonly called the "extemp
dance."
Introduction
 Step/First let me
Step/Second
Step/In conclusion
You can take additional steps to highlight arguments or points within the speech.
Cards
Although you are allowed to use cards, most successful speakers will not use them. It really is not that difficult to speak without a
card.
For more information see "Ten Commandments for Effective Extemporaneous Delivery,"
http://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/EbelingMar99.pdf

Closure

Your preparation started today by attending this clinic. Now take the next step to success, prepare and practice. As Colin
Powell once said, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
Fill free to contact me if questions develop throughout the year. Email: [email protected] .