IEs - Spontaneous Events

Spontaneous events are quick, unpredictable, and fun!

Spontaneous events are just what they are: spontaneous.

You do not need to bring in any prior evidence or memorize any scripts. All of your preparation will be done in round. These events are great for new members looking to dip their toes in Speech and Debate.

We recommend that everyone enters an event that does require you to put in more time, whether it be Debate, Originals, or Prepared events. Not only does this immerse you in the Forensics world, but it also gives you a broader sense of how you can develop your communication and public skills. Most of our team members love Spontaneous events, particularly the dynamic duo: Spontaneous Argumentation and Impromptu. These are easy to learn and require no preparation beforehand, making it very

Overview

SPAR is a shortened debate.

You can receive topics as wacky as "Lady Gaga is better than Katy Perry" or as serious as "The US GDP is in rapid decline due to the monopolizing nature of corporations." You will debate the given topics on either the affirmation (agreeing with the topic) or the negation (disagreeing with the topic). This is randomly chosen depending on the order of competitors listed.

The affirmative receives the topic and gets 1 minute to prepare a 1-minute constructive. The negative listens the speech and gets 1 minute to prepare a rebuttal. There is a grand cross-examination for 3 minutes between the affirmation and the negation. Following that, the negation gives their closing arguments followed by the affirmation. 

SPAR is a Panel A event.

SPAR is a League event.

Overview

The speaker is given 3 topics to choose from and has 2 minutes to prepare a 5-minute speech on one of the topics. Throughout the tournament, each round will have a different group of topics to choose from, starting with questions, then nouns, and finally quotes. At invitationals, Impromptu topics may vary from all quotes, to nouns and song titles, to famous people, so be prepared for anything.

We have prepared a few dozen sample topics for you to practice or to get a feel for Impromptu. Click the corresponding button for which category of possible Impromptu topics you would like to practice. The Examples button provides sample speeches or speech outlines written by the members listed below under Team Resources, to show you what a quality speech may look like.

However, remember that their way is not the only way; Impromptu is your own interpretation of the given topic. Some members may be adamant of their own tried-and-true methods, but take everything with a grain of salt and see what works out best for you.

Impromptu is a Panel B event.

Impromptu is a State event.

In Extemp, a speaker is given 30 minutes to prepare a 7-minute speech in which he or she answers a political question. Evidence is permitted during preparation time. At league tournaments, no distinction is made between International and National Extemp. At State Qualifiers and Invitationals, National and International Extemp are considered two different events.

Current topics can be found here.

Extemp is a Panel A event.

Extemp is a State and National event.