STATE RADIO COMMENTARY BALLOT

Round _____ Section _____ Student Code ______________________________

Judge’s Name ______________________ School _____________________________

Topic ____________________________________ Length of Speech _______________

Please comment on the following areas. The questions may be used as guides.

See reverse for OSAA rules.

Introduction

Did the introduction clearly state the topic and increase your interest? Was the position of the speaker revealed? Was an overview of the main points provided?

Content

Was the speech clearly organized? Were there effective transitions? Was the student’s approach imaginative and original? Was there evidence of critical thinking and analysis, versus a mere recitation of facts? When used, were sources appropriately cited? Was the word choice discriminating?

Delivery

Was the speaker direct and communicative? Was the tone appropriate to the topic? Did the student clearly enunciate? How was the pace of the speech?

Total Effectiveness

What was the total impression of the speech and speaker upon you, the critic, as compared to other speakers in the round?

CIRCLE THE NUMBER BELOW THAT INDICATES THE RATING OF THIS SPEAKER. TIES ARE PERMITTED.

50-49-48-47-46-45 (Excellent)

44-43-42-41-40-39-38-37 (Good)

36-35-34-33-32-31 (Fair)

RANK THE SPEAKER. NO TIES.

1^ST 2^ND 3^RD 4^TH 5^TH 6^TH

OSAA RADIO COMMENTARY RULES

Communication among judges during the round. Judges must make independent decisions. Judges shall not discuss decisions with other judges prior to turning in ballots. Timekeepers may share the length of a given speech only. If questions arise regarding the rules or conduct of an event, judges shall ask at Speech State Championships headquarters.

Subject. The speech shall be an original news commentary dealing with current events of the current school year.

Scripts. The script is to be an analysis of news, not simply a running synopsis of news. It is to be original and written by the contestant.

Quoted Material. The speaker may use no more than seventy-five quoted words including all short words such as "a", "an", "the", etc.

Length. The script should be timed to end between 4:45 and 5:15 minutes. Any speaker ending before 4:45 minutes or after 5:15 minutes shall be disqualified. Time signals shall be given to the speaker indicating the amount of time the speaker has used, not time left. No contestant may be disqualified if a stopwatch was not used for timing.

Procedure. Contestants shall be out of sight of the judges. The script is to be read from a manuscript or printed page, and not committed to memory. It is not to be acted nor highly dramatized.