Judging Criteria and Ballot Basics
Understanding what a judge is actually scoring will change how you build every future speech. You will be able to identify the major categories on a typical Extemp ballot.
What Ballots Usually Measure
Most Extemp ballots score analysis, organization, use of evidence, delivery, and answer to the question, often with a ranking against the other five or six competitors in the round rather than a raw numeric score alone. Analysis and direct answer to the question typically carry the most weight, meaning a beautifully delivered speech that dodges the actual question will still rank low.
Ranks vs. Points
Many circuits use a ranking system where the top speaker in a round gets a rank of one and the last gets a rank of six, alongside speaker points on roughly a twenty-to-thirty scale; other circuits use points alone. Because rankings often decide advancement more than raw points, a competitor's job in every round is to be clearly better than at least half the room, not just to hit a personal-best score.
A judge's ballot lists five competitors and must rank them one through five.
Competitor A gave the most polished delivery but only summarized recent headlines without a clear thesis or impact; Competitor C had rougher delivery but built three distinct points that each directly answered the question with a source-backed impact. The judge ranks C first and A third, noting on the ballot that 'delivery cannot substitute for direct, analytical answer to the question.'
1. On most Extemp ballots, which two categories typically carry the most weight?
Answer all 1 to check.
Judges rank competitors primarily on analytical, direct answers to the question, with delivery and organization supporting rather than replacing that substance.