Selecting and Balancing Sources
Choosing which sources make it into the final speech is a strategic decision, not just whatever is on top of the folder. You will be able to select sources that are current, credible, and varied across your three points.
Prioritizing Recency and Named Experts
When multiple sources say roughly the same thing, prefer the more recent one and the one that names a specific expert, official, or institution rather than an anonymous 'analysts say.' A source dated within the last two to four weeks reads as noticeably stronger to a judge than one several months old, especially on fast-moving stories.
Avoiding Source Repetition
Using the same outlet for all three points, such as citing The Economist three times, can make a speech look under-researched even if the analysis is strong; strong competitors vary outlets across points to signal breadth of reading. A well-sourced seven-minute speech typically cites somewhere between six and nine distinct sources across the introduction, three points, and conclusion.
Strategic Source Redundancy
Advanced competitors sometimes deliberately keep a secondary source in reserve for their strongest point, not to cite in the speech itself but to have ready in case a judge or coach asks a follow-up question after the round, demonstrating depth of research beyond what was strictly needed to fill seven minutes.
A competitor has two options for her second point on labor markets: a Reuters piece from two days ago and a Wall Street Journal piece from six weeks ago, both making similar claims.
She chooses the Reuters piece both because it is more current and because her first point already cited The Wall Street Journal, so using Reuters here also varies her outlet mix. She still keeps the older Wall Street Journal piece in her back pocket in case a judge's question during cross-examination-style feedback asks for additional support.
1. When two sources say similar things, which is generally preferred?
2. True or False?
"Citing the same outlet for all three points in a speech is a recommended strategy to show deep familiarity with that outlet."
3. Why might a competitor keep a secondary source in reserve without citing it in the speech?
Answer all 3 to check.
Strong source selection favors recency, named attribution, and variety across outlets rather than repetition of a single favorite source.