New York State Forensic League
DECLAMATION BALLOT
Judges:
1. Points should be given on a 100 point basis. Please award a minimum of at least 75.
2. The speaker with the highest point total should be given the rank of 1.
3. No two speakers may be given the same rank.
4. Time Limit: Maximum of ten (10) Minutes with no minimum. There is a mandatory
thirty (30) second grace period during which time no penalty may be assessed.
speakers who exceed this grace period may not be ranked first in the round.
5. Speech must be presented from memory. No scripts, notes or visual aids are permitted.
6. The selection must have been originally delivered as a speech by its author, a person other than
the present speaker. The speaker shall include an introduction which states the name of the
author, title of the speech, and a brief synopsis of the circumstances under which it was
originally delivered.
The speaker should display the ability to interpret and convey the message of the author in a sincere, honest and realistic style. The mechanics of speech must be observed faithfully: Poise, vocal quality, effectiveness and ease of gesture, emphasis, variety, pronunciation and enunciation. The speaker must hold the listeners’ interest and attention. No particular style should be demanded of the speaker; rather, the speaker is free to select and develop his/her own style and be judged according to the degree it effectively influenced the listeners. While the style of delivery should be judged in light of the purpose of the speech, artificiality and/or mere impersonations are to be discredited.
Round______ Date______ Room_______ Judges Code_____________