Unit 8: Sources: Quantity, Citation, and Honesty

1. 1. What is the competitive norm for total sources in a seven-minute speech?

   Roughly six to nine distinct sourcesThere is no useful normOne or twoAt least twenty

2. 2. True or False?

   "A judge is generally more impressed by many under-explained sources than by fewer, deeply analyzed sources."

   TrueFalse

3. 3. What is the benefit of memorized citation templates?

   They eliminate the need for a thesisThey guarantee a winThey make citation phrasing automatic, freeing attention for contentThey reduce required source count to zero

4. 4. What should a competitor do if unsure of an exact date or statistic?

   Skip the source entirelyFabricate a plausible-sounding detailUse honest, appropriately hedged languageGuess a specific number confidently

5. 5. True or False?

   "Fabricating a source or statistic can result in disqualification and is treated as a serious ethics violation."

   TrueFalse

6. 6. What is the recommended response to realizing you are unsure of a statistic mid-speech?

   Stop speaking entirelyState a fabricated specific numberUse hedged language like 'roughly' and correct your file afterwardChange your thesis on the spot

7. 7. Why do coaches connect Extemp sourcing ethics to professional careers?

   Because accurate citation under pressure mirrors standards in journalism, law, and policy workBecause professionals never cite sourcesBecause it only matters for tournament scoringBecause it has no real connection

Write three citation template sentences you could reuse across many speeches, and explain how you would handle a moment of genuine uncertainty about a detail mid-speech.