INTERNATIONA L Speech Contest Rulebook 2010 · 2010. 10. 5. · mitted to use the same speech, but...

SpeechContestRulebook2010

For International, Evaluation, Humorous,Table Topics, and Tall Tales Speech Contests

TOASTMASTERSINTERNATIONAL®

P.O. Box 9052 • Mission Viejo, California 92690 USA949-858-8255 • Fax: 949-858-1207

www.toastmasters.org

Item 1171

© 2009 Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved.


SpeechContestRulebook2010

For International, Evaluation, Humorous,Table Topics, and Tall Tales Speech Contests


4 Speech Contest Rulebook

Speech Contest Rulebook 5

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

General Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

International Contest Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Evaluation Contest Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Humorous Speech Contest Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Table Topics Contest Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Tall Tales Contest Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Table of Contents

Speech contests are an important part of the Toastmasters Inter na -tional educational program. Speech contests provide an opportunityfor proficient speakers to gain contest experience, and they provideinteresting educational programs for members and the public. Theyalso allow those Toastmasters who are not participating in the contestto learn by observing proficient speakers.

Since so many members participate in contests, it’s important that allcontests be conducted fairly and that they follow the rules. In thisbooklet are rules for the International Speech Contest, as well as rulesfor Evaluation, Humorous, Table Topics, and Tall Tales Con tests. TheInternational Speech Contest is conducted at the club, area, division,district, semi-final, and Inter na tional levels. All other contests origi-nate at the club level and proceed through the area, division, and district levels. Judges’ Guides and Ballots for each contest are availablefrom World Head quarters. Visit www.toastmasters.org/shop for pricesand ordering information.

If you are involved in conducting or participating in a speech contest,read the rules carefully and follow them. By doing so you will ensurea fair speech contest and an enjoyable event for everyone. Additionalinformation on speech contests may be found in the Speech ContestManual (Item 1173). This rulebook controls all decisions regardingcontests. The comments in the Speech Contest Manual and trainingmaterials are intended to give guidance but are not rules.

Rules for these contests are established by Toastmasters International’sBoard of Directors. The Board reviews the rules periodically, and anyrecommended changes are made the following year. Changes arehighlighted by a mark ( ) in the left margin.


Introduction


The following general provisions concern all contests conducted at alllevels of Toastmasters International.

1. The only contest a district must conduct is the Inter nationalSpeech Contest. Districts have the option to conduct up to threeadditional contests, and these contests must be those contained inthis rulebook. The only contests permitted at the area, division, ordistrict levels are those that originate at the club level and proceedthrough the area, division, and district levels.

2. In those districts with 10 or more divisions, two separate run-offcompetitions among division winners may be held before the district contest finals. Insofar as practical, the number of divisionscompeting in each run-off will be the same. The three highest-placed available contestants from each run-off competition willthen advance to the district contest.

General Provisions


1. PurposeA. To provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their

speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encourage-ment to all.

B. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing themore proficient speakers who have benefited from theirToastmasters training.

2. ApplicabilityThese rules, unless otherwise noted, apply to all Toast mastersspeech contests that select contestants for the annual Inter -na-tional Speech Contest, which is conducted in English only.These rules may not be supplanted or modified, and noexceptions are permitted.

3. Selection SequenceA. Club, Area, Division, District. Each club in good standing is

permitted to select a contestant to compete in the area contest.A club is permitted to choose its contestant by whatever meansthe club desires. If a contest is held, it must comply with allthese rules and the contest result is final. The area speech con-test winner then proceeds to the division contest (if applica-ble). The division winner then proceeds to the district contest.Should an area or division contest winner be unable to partici-pate in the next level contest, the highest placed available con-testant will advance to that level. Each district selects a winner.The chief judge ranks all district-level contestants in the orderof results. A comprehensive list shall be submitted to WorldHeadquarters. Information concerning the semi-final contest isthen mailed to the winner and alternate. If a district contestantcannot compete in the semi-final round, the next highestplaced contestant will be contacted by World Headquarters.

B. Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has four assignedclubs or fewer, districts have the option to allow the two highestplaced available contestants from each club to compete in thearea contest. Should additional clubs charter prior to the areacontest, the two highest placed available contestants from eachclub are permitted to compete. In those divisions with fourassigned areas or less, districts have the option to allow the twohighest placed available contestants from each area to compete.In districts with four assigned divisions or less, districts have theoption to allow the two highest placed available contestantsfrom each division to participate in the district contest.

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, from area to division, and/orfrom division to district must be made and communicatedthroughout the district prior to the commencement of thecontest cycle – i.e., prior to any club contests being held. Oncethe decision is made, it must be implemented consistentlythroughout the district in all clubs, areas, and divisions affect-ed. If a district decides to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, its decisions regarding the number

InternationalSpeech Contest Rules


to advance from area to division and/or from division to district need not be the same.

C. Semi-finals are to be held at the International Convention,and will include all district winners randomly assigned tonine separate contests. Each semi-final contest shall selecta winner and an alternate, and provide this informationto World Headquarters staff immediately following theannouncement of contest results.

4. EligibilityA. To be eligible to compete at any level of the Inter na tional

Speech Contest, an individual must:

1. Be a member in good standing of the club in which heor she is competing. The club also must be in good standing. A new, dual, or reinstated member must havedues and membership application current with WorldHeadquarters.

2. Have completed at least six manual speeches in theCompetent Communication manual prior to the clubcontest. However, a charter member of a club charteredsince the previous July 1 is permitted to compete with-out having completed six manual speeches in theCompetent Communication manual. The club must beofficially chartered before the area contest.

3. Maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest. If at anylevel it is discovered that a contestant was ineligible tocompete at any previous level, the contestant must be disqualified even if the ineligibility is not discovereduntil a later level and has been corrected.

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:incumbent international officers and directors; region advisors or region advisor applicants; district officers(governor, any lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer,public relations officer, division governor, or area governor)whose terms expire June 30; international officer and directorcandidates; immediate past district governors; district officersor announced candidates for the term beginning the upcom-ing July 1; presenters of educational sessions at the area, division, and/or district event at which the contest will beheld; presenters of educational sessions at the InternationalCon vention. An individual is not permitted to be a judge atany level for a contest in which they are still competing.

C. The winner of the contest finals held each August during theInternational Convention is not eligible to compete again atany level.

D. Toastmasters who are members in more than one club andwho meet all other eligibility requirements are permitted tocompete in each club contest in which membership in goodstanding is held. However, should they win more than oneclub International Speech Contest, the contestant is permittedto represent only one of the clubs at the area level. No contest-ant can compete in more than one area International SpeechContest, even if the two areas are in different divisions or different districts.

E. A contestant must be a member in good standing of the club,area, division, or district being represented when competingin a speech contest at the next level.

F. Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certifi cation ofEligibility and Originality (Item 1183) and submit it to thechief judge prior to the contest.


G. Each contestant must be present to compete. Partici pation byaudio and video tape and teleconference is not permitted.

5. Speech Subject and PreparationA. Subject for the prepared speech shall be selected by the

contestant.

B. Contestants must prepare their own five- to seven-minutespeeches, which must be substantially original and certifiedas such in writing to the chief judge by the contestants priorto the presentation of the speeches (on Item 1183, Speaker’sCertification of Eligibility and Originality). Any quoted mate-rial must be so identified during the speech presentation.

C. All contestants will speak from the same platform or area designated by the contest chairman. All contestants andjudges will be advised of the speaking area before the contestbegins. The contestants are permitted to speak from any position within the designated area and are not limited tostanding at the lectern/podium.

1. A lectern/podium will be available. However, the use ofthe lectern/podium is optional.

2. If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone shall be made available, if possible. It is suggested that the fixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional.The selection and use of a microphone is optional foreach contestant.

3. All equipment will be available for contestants to practiceprior to the contest. Contestants are responsible forarranging their preferred setup of the lectern/podiummicrophone and other equipment in a quiet mannerbefore being introduced by the Toastmaster.

D. Every participant must present an entirely new and differentspeech for the International contest than given in any Inter-national speech contest since January 1 of that same year. Upto and including the semi-final contest, contestants are per-mitted to use the same speech, but are not required to do so.

E. Winners of the semi-final contest will prepare and deliverto World Headquarters outlines of their semi-final winningspeech, which will be given to the chief judge at theInternational contest.

6. General ProcedureA. At the club level contests, a contest chairman, chief judge, at

least five judges, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, and twotimers are appointed, as far as practical.

At the area level contests, there shall be at least five judges orequal representation from the clubs composing the area inaddition to a contest chairman, chief judge, a tiebreakingjudge, three counters, and two timers.

At the division or district level contests, there shall be at leastseven judges or equal representation from the areas compos-ing the division or district in addition to a contest chairman,chief judge, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, and twotimers. At the district contest, no judge shall be a member ofthe club represented by a contestant.

At the International contest, there shall be at least nine judgesor equal representation from the districts; no judge shall be amember of the club represented by a contest ant. In addition


to these judges, five qualifying judges, a contest chairman,chief judge, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, and twotimers are appointed.

All judges will judge all contestants.

All judges shall be members in good standing. Insofar aspractical, all judges at area, division, district, semi-final, andInternational speech contests shall have been a Toastmastersmember in good standing since July 1 of the previous yearand have completed at least six Competent Communicationmanual projects. In addition, if practical, at semi-final andInternational contests, judges shall be at least an AdvancedToastmaster Bronze or Advanced Communicator Bronze andhave previously judged a Toastmasters speech contest at area,division, district, or semi-final level.

B. Before the contest, contestants are briefed on the rules by thecontest chairman. Judges, counters, and timers are briefed ontheir duties by the chief judge. Contestants will then draw fortheir speaking position with the contest chairman.

C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speaker,if present, is permitted to attend the briefing in place of theprimary contestant. If the primary contestant is not presentwhen the person conducting the contest is introduced to conduct the contest, the primary contestant is disqualifiedand the alternate officially becomes the contestant. Should theprimary contestant arrive after the briefing but before theperson conducting the contest is introduced, the primarycontestant is permitted to compete, provided the primarycontestant:

1) reports to the contest chairman upon his/her arrival, and

2) has all required paperwork in good order before the person conducting the contest is introduced to begin thecontest. The primary contestant waives the opportunity ofa briefing.

D. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant’sname, speech title, speech title, and contestant’s name.

E. There will be one minute of silence between contestants,during which the judges will mark their ballots.

F. Contestants are permitted to remain in the same roomthroughout the duration of the contest.

G. In contests with five or more participants, a third-place winner (if wanted), a second-place winner, and a first-placewinner will be announced. In contests with four or fewer participants, a second-place and first-place winner will beannounced.

H. Announcement of contest winners is final unless the list ofwinners is announced incorrectly, in which case the chiefjudge, ballot counters, or timers are permitted to immediatelyinterrupt to correct the error.

7. Timing of the SpeechesA. Speeches will be five to seven minutes. A contestant will be

disqualified from the contest if the speech is less than fourminutes 30 seconds or more than seven minutes 30 seconds.

B. Upon being introduced, the contestant shall proceed immedi-ately to the speaking position. Timing will begin with thecontestant’s first definite verbal or nonverbal communicationwith the audience. This usually will be the first word uttered


by the contestant, but would include any other communica-tion such as sound effects, a staged act by another person, etc.

C. Timers shall provide warning signals to the contestants, whichshall be clearly visible to the speakers but not obvious tothe audience.

1. A green signal will be displayed at five minutes andremain displayed for one minute.

2. An amber signal will be displayed at six minutes andremain displayed for one minute.

3. A red signal will be displayed at seven minutes andremain on until the conclusion of the speech.

4. No signal shall be given for the overtime period.

5. Any visually impaired contestant is permitted to requestand must be granted a form of warning signal of his orher own choosing. Acceptable warning signals would in -clude, but not be limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a personannouncing the times at five, six, and seven minutes. Ifany special device and/or specific instructions for suchsignal is/are required, the contestant must provide same.

6. In the event of technical failure of the signal, a speakeris allowed 30 seconds extra overtime before beingdisqualified.

D. Prior to announcing results, the chairman shall announceif time disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the contestant(s) involved.

8. Protests and DisqualificationsA. Protests concerning eligibility and originality will be limited

to judges and contestants. Any protest will be lodged with thechief judge and/or contest chairman prior to the announce-ment of the winner and alternate(s). The contest chairmanshall notify the contestant of a disqualification regarding orig-inality or eligibility prior to that announcement before themeeting at which the contest took place is adjourned.

B. Before a contestant can be disqualified on the basis of originality, the contestant must be given an opportunity torespond to the judges. A majority of the judges must concurin the decision to disqualify.

The contest chairman can disqualify a contestant on the basisof eligibility.

C. At the International contest, should qualifying judges deter-mine that a contestant did not present an entirely new anddifferent speech, the chief judge shall notify the contestantof a disqualification prior to the announcement of the winnerand alternate(s). The disqualified contestant does not havethe opportunity to respond to the qualifying judges. A con-testant receiving three or more disqualifying votes from thequalifying judges is disqualified.

D. All decisions of the judges and qualifying judges are final.

9. Travel AllowancesA. Toastmasters International shall pay the travel expenses of

each district’s contestant participating in the InternationalSpeech Contest at semi-final and International levels. NeitherToast mas ters International nor its districts shall reimbursethese contestants for any other expenses. Reimbursementshall be as follows:


1. Air, Bus, or Train – Full reimbursement, round tripat the lowest rate (coach air fare or discount fare if applicable) between the commercial airport or passengerterminals nearest the convention site and the home ofeach contestant.

2. Car – On the basis of reimbursement at 32 cents per mileby the most direct route not exceeding the lowest air farerate (coach or discount if applicable).

3. Any other mode of transportation – Actual costs in currednot exceeding the lowest air fare rate (coach or discount ifapplicable).

A person riding with another person receiving reimbursementis not entitled to reimbursement.

B. Reimbursement will be made by World Headquarters as soonas practicable on receipt of certification of attendance at thesemi-final and Inter national levels and upon receiving ticketreceipt(s) for air, bus, or train travel, or mile age for car travel.

C. Hotel or room accommodations are not included inallowances for contestants, unless otherwise stated.

10. International Taped Speech ContestA. Members of undistricted clubs and provisional districts are

invited to participate in the International Taped SpeechContest. Tapes must be in English.

B. The Toastmasters International Speech Contest Rules are tobe followed as far as they are applicable. Naturally, there is noarea, division, district, or semi-final competition, nor arethere any travel allowances. To enter, clubs shall conduct aspeech contest and submit a tape of the winning speech.Only one taped speech per club may be submitted.

C. The tape shall be made using the following procedures:

1. Use fresh tape and record on a standard audio cassettebefore a live audience. Video tapes will not be accepted.

2. Time the speech carefully to comply with the speech contestrules.

3. Clearly mark the audio tape and container with the partici -pant’s name and club number and be sure to enclose acompleted Certification of Eligibility and Originality form.

4. Tapes must be received at World Headquarters on or before5 p.m. Pacific Time March 31 to be eligible for competition.


These rules apply to all Evaluation Contests, which are conducted inEnglish only. These rules may not be supplanted or modified, and noexceptions are permitted.

1. PurposeA. To encourage development of evaluation skills and to

recognize the best as encouragement to all.

B. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the moreproficient evaluators who have benefited from theirToastmasters training.

2. Selection SequenceA. Each club in good standing is permitted to select its club

Eval uation Contest winner to compete in the area contest.A club is permitted to choose its contestant by whatevermeans the club desires. If a contest is held, it must complywith all these rules and the contest result is final. The areaspeech contest winner then proceeds to the division contest(if applicable). The division winner then proceeds to the dis-trict contest. Should an area or division contest winner beunable to participate in the next contest level, the highestplaced available contestant will advance to that level.

B. Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has fourassigned clubs or fewer, districts have the option to allowthe two highest placed available contestants from each clubto compete in the area contest. Should additional clubs char-ter prior to the area contest, the two highest placed availablecontestants from each club are permitted to compete. In thosedivisions with four assigned areas or less, districts have theoption to allow the two highest placed available contestantsfrom each area to compete. In districts with four assigneddivisions or less, districts have the option to allow the twohighest placed available contestants from each division toparticipate in the district contest.

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, from area to division, and/orfrom division to district must be made and communicatedthroughout the district prior to the commencement of thecontest cycle – i.e., prior to any club contests being held.Once the decision is made, it must be implemented consis-tently throughout the district in all areas and divisions affected. If a district decides to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, its decisions regarding the number to ad-vance from area to division and/or from division to district need not be the same.

3. EligibilityA. All Toastmasters who are members in good standing of the

club in which they are competing are eligible to compete. Theclub also must be in good standing. New, dual, or reinstatedmembers must have dues and membership application cur-rent with Toastmasters International.

Evaluation Contest Rules


A member must maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest.If at any level it is discovered that a contestant was ineligible tocompete at any previous level, the contestant must be disqualifiedeven if the ineligibility is not discovered until a later level andhas been corrected.

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:incumbent international officers and directors; region advi-sors or region advisor applicants; district officers (governor,any lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer, public relationsofficer, division governor, or area governor) whose termsexpire June 30; international officer and director candidates;im med iate past district governors; district officers or announcedcandidates for the term beginning the upcoming July 1; presen-ters of educational sessions at the area, division, and/or districtevent at which the contest will be held. An individual is not permitted to be a judge at any level for a contest in which theyare still competing.

C. Toastmasters who are members in more than one club andwho meet all other eligibility requirements are permitted tocompete in each club contest in which membership in goodstanding is held. However, should they win more than oneclub Evaluation Contest, they can represent only one of theclubs at the area level. No contestant can compete in morethan one area Evaluation Contest, even if the two areas arein different divisions.

D. A contestant must be a member in good standing of the club,area, or division being represented when competing in aspeech contest at the next level.

E. Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certifi cation ofEligibility and Originality (Item 1183) and submit it to thechief judge prior to the contest.

F. Each contestant must be present to compete. Partici pation byaudio and video tape and teleconference is not permitted.

4. General ProcedureA. At the club level contests, a contest chairman, chief judge,

at least five judges, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, andtwo timers are appointed, as far as practical.

At the area level contests, there shall be at least five judgesor equal representation from the clubs composing the areain addition to a contest chairman, chief judge, a tiebreakingjudge, three counters, and two timers.

At the division or district level contests, there shall be at leastseven judges or equal representation from the areas compos-ing the division or district in addition to a contest chairman,chief judge, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, and twotimers. At the district contest, no judge shall be a memberof the club represented by a contestant.


B. Before the contest, contestants and the contest sergeant atarms are briefed on the rules by the contest chairman. Judges,counters, and timers are briefed on their duties by the chief judge.Contestants will then draw for their speaking position with thecontest chairman.

C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternatespeaker, if present, is permitted to attend the briefing in placeof the primary contestant. If the primary contestant is notpresent when the person conducting the contest is introducedto conduct the contest, the primary contestant is disqualifiedand the alternate officially becomes the contestant. Should the


primary contestant arrive after the briefing but before the personconducting the contest is introduced, the primary contestantis permitted to compete, provided the primary contestant:1) reports to the contest chairman upon his/her arrival, and2) has all required paperwork in good order before the personconducting the contest is introduced to begin the contest.The primary contestant waives the opportunity of a briefing.

D. All contestants will speak from the same platform or area designated by the contest chairman. All contestants andjudges will be advised of the speaking area before the contestbegins. The contestants are permitted to speak from any position within the designated area and are not limited tostanding at the lectern/podium.


2. If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone shallbe made available, if possible. It is suggested that thefixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional. The se-lection and use of a microphone is optional for eachcontestant.


E. At the beginning of this contest a five- to seven-minute testspeech will be presented. The test speech shall be either a con-test-type speech, or taken from one of the assignments in theCompetent Com munication manual. Contestants are permittedto make preparatory notes during the test speech using materi-als of their choice. It is recommended that at all levels of thecontest, the Toastmaster giving the test speech is not a memberof the same club as any one of the contestants. The test speakershall be introduced by announcing the speaker’s name, speechtitle, speech title, and the speaker’s name. Neither the manualproject nor any objectives that the speaker may have shall bemade known to the contestants, judges, or audience.

F. At the conclusion of the test speech, all contestants shall leavethe room. They then have five minutes to prepare their evalu-ation using materials of their choice. Timing and preparationsupervision shall be under the control of the contest sergeantat arms. Where this is not practical, contestants will completetheir five minute preparation in the same room under thecontrol of the contest sergeant at arms.

G. After five minutes has elapsed no further preparation shallbe allowed and with the exception of the first contestant,who shall be called back as first evaluator (where preparationis done in the same room, with the exception of the first con-testant, the others shall leave the room), all others shall handall written material to the contest sergeant at arms. Prepa-ration material shall be handed back to contestants as theyare introduced to present their evaluation.

H. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant’sname twice.

I. There will be one minute of silence between contestants,during which the judges will mark their ballots.

J. Announcement of contest winners is final, unless the list ofwinners is announced incorrectly, in which case the chief


judge, ballot counters, or timers are permitted to immediatelyinterrupt to correct the error.

5. TimingA. Evaluations shall be from two to three minutes. Con testants

who speak less than one minute 30 seconds or more than threeminutes 30 seconds will be disqualified.

B. Timing will begin with the contestant’s first definite verbal ornonverbal communication with the audience. This usually will bethe first word uttered by the contestant, but would include anyother communication such as sound effects, a staged act byanother person, etc.

C. The green signal will be displayed at two minutes and remaindisplayed for 30 seconds. The amber signal will be displayedat two minutes and thirty seconds and remain displayed for30 seconds. The red signal will be displayed at three minutesand remain displayed until the evaluation is concluded. Noaudible device, such as a buzzer, shall be used for the over-time period.

D. Any visually impaired contestant is permitted to request andmust be granted a form of warning signal of his or her ownchoosing. Acceptable warning signals would include, but notbe limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a person announcing thetimes at two minutes, two minutes 30 seconds, and threeminutes. If any special device and/or specific instructions forsuch signal is/are required, the contestant must provide same.

E. In the event of technical failure of the signal, a speaker isallowed 30 seconds extra overtime before being disqualified.

F. Prior to announcing results, the chairman shall announceif time disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the contestant(s) involved.

6. Protests and DisqualificationA. Protests are limited to judges and contestants and are limited

to protests based on eligibility. Any protest will be lodgedwith the chief judge and/or contest chairman prior to theannouncement of the winner and alternate(s). The contestchairman shall notify the contestant of a disqualificationregarding eligibility prior to that announcement before themeeting at which the contest took place is adjourned.

B. The contest chairman can disqualify a contestant on the basisof eligibility.

C. All decisions of the judges are final.

7. WinnersIn contests with five or more participants, a third-place winner(if wanted), a second-place winner, and a first-place winner willbe announced. In contests with four or fewer participants, a sec-ond-place and first-place winner will be announced.

8. Contest ScheduleDistricts conducting Evaluation Contests shall announce the dateof the district contest and establish dates by which the division,area, and club contests must be completed.


These rules apply to all Humorous Speech Contests, which are con-ducted in English only. These rules may not be supplanted or modi-fied, and no exceptions are permitted.


speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragementto all.

B. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing themore proficient speakers who have benefited from theirToastmasters training.

C. To recognize the value of humor in speaking.

2. Selection SequenceA. Each club in good standing is permitted to select a contestant

to compete in the area contest. A club is permitted to chooseits contestant by whatever means the club desires. If a contestis held, it must comply with all these rules and the contestresult is final. The area speech contest winner then proceedsto the division contest (if applicable). The division winnerthen proceeds to the district contest. Should an area or division contest winner be unable to participate in the nextcontest level, the highest placed available contestant willadvance to that level.

B. Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has fourassigned clubs or fewer, districts have the option to allow thetwo highest placed available contestants from each club tocompete in the area contest. Should additional clubs charterprior to the area contest, the two highest placed available con-testants from each club are permitted to compete. In thosedivisions with four assigned areas or less, districts have theoption to allow the two highest placed available contestantsfrom each area to compete. In districts with four assigneddivisions or less, districts have the option to allow the twohighest placed available contestants from each division to par-ticipate in the district contest.

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, from area to division, and/orfrom division to district must be made and communicatedthroughout the district prior to the commencement of thecontest cycle – i.e., prior to any club contests being held.Once the decision is made, it must be implemented consis-tently throughout the district in all areas and divisions affect-ed. If a district decides to allow two contestants to advancefrom club to area, its decisions regarding the number toadvance from area to division and/or from division todistrict need not be the same.


club in which they are competing are eligible to compete. The

Humorous Speech Contest Rules


club also must be in good standing. New, dual, or reinstatedmembers must have dues and membership application current with Toastmasters International.

A member must maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest. If at any level it is discovered that a contestant wasineligible to compete at any previous level, the contestantmust be disqualified even if the ineligibility is not discovereduntil a later level and has been corrected.

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:incumbent international officers and directors; region advisors or region advisor applicants; district officers(governor, any lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer,public relations officer, division governor, or area governor)whose terms expire June 30; international officer and directorcandidates; im mediate past district governors; district officersor announced candidates for the term beginning the upcom-ing July 1; presenters of educational sessions at the area, division, and/or district event at which the contest will beheld. An individual is not permitted to be a judge at any levelfor a contest in which they are still competing.

C. Toastmasters who are members in more than one club andwho meet all other eligibility requirements are permitted tocompete in each club Humorous Speech Contest in whichmembership in good standing is held. However, should theywin more than one club Humorous Speech Contest, they canrepresent only one of the clubs at the area level. No contest-ant can compete in more than one area Humorous SpeechContest, even if the two areas are in different divisions.


E. Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certifi cation ofEligibility and Originality (Item 1183) and submit it to thechief judge prior to the contest.


4. Speech PreparationA. The subject for the humorous speech shall be selected by the

contestant. The speaker shall avoid potentially objectionablelanguage, anecdotes, and material.

B. Contestants must prepare their own five- to seven-minutespeech, which must be substantially original and certified assuch in writing to the chief judge by the contestants prior tothe presentation of the speeches (on Item 1183, Speaker’sCertification of Eligibility and Originality). Any quoted mate-rial must be so identified during the speech presentation.

C. The speech must be thematic in nature (opening, body, andclose), not a monologue (series of one-liners).

5. General ProcedureA. At the club level contests, a contest chairman, chief judge,

at least five judges, a tiebreaking judge, three counters, andtwo timers are appointed, as far as practical.

At the area level contests, there shall be at least five judgesor equal representation from the clubs composing the areain addition to a contest chairman, chief judge, a tiebreakingjudge, three counters, and two timers.





C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speak-er, if present, is permitted to attend the briefing in place ofthe primary contestant. If the primary contestant is not pres-ent when the person conducting the contest is introduced toconduct the contest, the primary contestant is disqualified andthe alternate officially becomes the contestant. Should the pri-mary contestant arrive after the briefing but before the personconducting the contest is introduced, the primary contestantis permitted to compete, provided the primary contestant:1) reports to the contest chairman upon his/her arrival, and2) has all required paperwork in good order before the personconducting the contest is introduced to begin the contest. Theprimary contestant waives the opportunity of a briefing.

D. All contestants will speak from the same platform or areadesignated by the contest chairman. All contestants andjudges will be advised of the speaking area before the contestbegins. The contestants are permitted to speak from any position within the designated area and are not limited tostanding at the lectern/podium.


2. If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone shallbe made available, if possible. It is suggested that thefixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional. Theselection and use of a microphone is optional for eachcontestant.


E. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant’sname, speech title, speech title, and contestant’s name.

F. There will be one minute of silence between contestants,during which the judges will mark their ballots.

G. Contestants are permitted to remain throughout the durationof the contest, in the same room.


6. TimingA. Speeches shall be from five to seven minutes. Con testants

who speak less than four minutes 30 seconds or more thanseven minutes 30 seconds will be disqualified.


B. Time will begin with the first word uttered by the contestant.However, should the contestant engage in definite verbal ornonverbal communication with the audience (including theplaying of music or other sound effects, a staged act byanother person, etc.) prior to reaching the speaking positionand uttering the first word of the speech, the timer shall acti-vate the timing device at that point. If this results in the con-testant going overtime, the contestant will be disqualified.

The green signal will be displayed at five minutes and remaindisplayed for one minute. The amber signal will be displayedat six minutes and remain displayed for one minute. The redsignal will be displayed at seven minutes and remain dis-played until the speech is concluded. No audible device,such as a buzzer, shall be used for the overtime period.

C. Any visually impaired contestant is permitted to request andmust be granted a form of warning signal of his or her ownchoosing. Acceptable warning signals would include, but notbe limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a person announcing thetimes at five, six, and seven minutes. If any special deviceand/or specific instructions for such signal is/are required,the contestant must provide same.

D. In the event of technical failure of the signal, a speaker isallowed 30 seconds extra overtime before being disqualified.

E. Prior to announcing results, the chairman shall announce iftime disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the contest-ant(s) involved.

7. Protests and DisqualificationsA. Protests will be limited to judges and contestants. Any

protest will be lodged with the chief judge and/or contestchairman prior to the announcement of the winner, andalternate(s). The contest chairman shall notify the contestantof a disqualification regarding originality or eligibility priorto that an-nouncement before the meeting at which the contest took place is adjourned.

B. Before a contestant can be disqualified on the basis of originality, the contestant must be given an opportunity tore-spond to the judges. A majority of the judges mustconcur in the decision to disqualify. The contest chairmancan disqualify a contestant on the basis of eligibility.


8. WinnersIn contests with five or more participants, a third-place winner(if wanted), a second-place winner, and a first-place winner willbe announced. In contests with four or fewer participants, a second-place and first-place winner will be announced.

9. Contest ScheduleDistricts conducting Humorous Speech Contests shall announcethe date of the district contest and establish dates by which thedivision, area, and club contests must be completed.


Table topics Contest Rules

These rules apply to all Table Topics Contests, which are conducted inEnglish only. These rules may not be supplanted or modified, and noexceptions are permitted.

1. PurposeA. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the

more proficient speakers who have benefited from theirToastmasters training.

B. To encourage development of impromptu and/or extemp-oraneous speaking skills and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.


to compete in the area contest. A club is permitted to chooseits contestant by whatever means the club desires. If a contestis held, it must comply with all these rules and the contestresult is final. The area speech contest winner then proceedsto the division contest (if applicable). The division winnerthen proceeds to the district contest. Should an area or division contest winner be unable to participate in the nextcontest level, the highest placed available contestant willadvance to that level.

B. Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has fourassigned clubs or fewer, districts have the option to allow thetwo highest placed available contestants from each club tocompete in the area contest. Should additional clubs charterprior to the area contest, the two highest placed available con-testants from each club are permitted to compete. In thosedivisions with four assigned areas or less, districts have theoption to allow the two highest placed available contestantsfrom each area to compete. In districts with four assigneddivisions or less, districts have the option to allow the twohighest placed available contestants from each division toparticipate in the district contest.

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, from area to division, and/orfrom division to district must be made and communicatedthroughout the district prior to the commencement of thecontest cycle – i.e., prior to any club contests being held.Once the decision is made, it must be implemented consis-tently throughout the district in all clubs, areas, and divisionsaffected. If a district decides to allow two contestants to ad-vance from club to area, its decisions regarding the numberto advance from area to division and/or from division todistrict need not be the same.


club in which they are competing are eligible to compete. Theclub also must be in good standing. New, dual, or reinstated


members must have dues and membership application cur-rent with Toastmasters International.

A member must maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest.If at any level it is discovered that a contestant was ineligibleto compete at any previous level, the contestant must be dis-qualified even if the ineligibility is not discovered until a laterlevel and has been corrected.

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:incumbent international officers and directors; region advisors or region advisor applicants; district officers(governor, any lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer,public relations officer, division governor, or area governor)whose terms expire June 30; inter national officer and directorcandidates; im med iate past district governors; district officersor announced candidates for the term beginning the upcom-ing July 1; presenters of educational sessions at the area, divi-sion, and/or district event at which the contest will be held.An individual is not permitted to be a judge at any level fora contest in which they are still competing.

C. Toastmasters who are members in more than one club andwho meet all other eligibility requirements are permitted tocompete in each club Table Topics Contest in which member-ship in good standing is held. However, should they win morethan one club Table Topics Contest, they can represent onlyone of the clubs at the area level. No contestant can competein more than one area Table Topics Contest, even if the twoareas are in different divisions.


E. Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certifi ca tion ofEligibility and Originality (Item 1183) and submit it to thechief judge prior to the contest.


4. TopicsA. All contestants shall receive the same topic, which shall be of

a general nature, and shall speak for two minutes.

B. The topic shall be of reasonable length, shall not require adetailed knowledge and shall lead to an opinion or conclusion.







B. Before the contest, contestants and the contest sergeant atarms are briefed on the rules by the contest chairman. Judges,counters, and timers are briefed on their duties by the chiefjudge. Contestants will then draw for their speaking positionwith the contest chairman.

C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speaker, if present, is permitted to attend the briefing in placeof the primary contestant. If the primary contestant is notpresent when the person conducting the contest is introducedto conduct the contest, the primary contestant is disqualifiedand the alternate officially becomes the contestant. Shouldthe primary contestant arrive after the briefing but beforethe person conducting the contest is introduced, the primarycontestant is permitted to compete, provided the primarycontestant: 1) reports to the contest chairman upon his/herarrival, and 2) has all required paperwork in good orderbefore the person conducting the contest is introduced tobegin the contest. The primary contestant waives the oppor-tunity of a briefing.

D. All contestants will speak from the same platform or area designated by the contest chairman. All contestants andjudges will be advised of the speaking area before the contestbegins. The contestants are permitted to speak from any position within the designated area and are not limited tostanding at the lectern/podium.


2. If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone shall bemade available, if possible. It is suggested that the fixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional. The selectionand use of a microphone is optional for each contestant.

3. All equipment will be available for contestants to practiceprior to the contest. Contestants are responsible forarranging for their preferred setup of the lectern/podiummicrophone and other equipment in a quiet mannerbefore being introduced by the Toastmaster.

E. When the contest begins, all contestants except the first shallleave the room.

F. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant’sname, the topic, the topic, the name.

G. There will be one minute of silence between contes tants, during which the judges will mark their ballots.


6. TimingA. Speeches shall be two minutes long. Contestants who speak

less than one minute or more than two minutes 30 secondsshall be disqualified.

B. Time will begin with the contestant’s first definite verbal ornonverbal communication with the audience. This usuallywill be the first word uttered by the contestant, but wouldinclude any other communication such as sound effects,a staged act by another person, etc.


The green signal will be displayed at one minute and remaindisplayed for 30 seconds. The amber signal will be displayedat one minute 30 seconds and remain displayed for 30 sec-onds. The red signal will be displayed at two minutes andremain displayed until the speech is concluded. No audibledevice, such as a buzzer, shall be used for the overtime period.

C. Any visually impaired contestant is permitted to request andmust be granted a form of warning signal of his or her ownchoosing. Acceptable warning signals would include, but notbe limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a person announcing thetimes at one minute, one minute 30 seconds, and two min-utes. If any special device and/or specific instructions for suchsignal is/are required, the contestant must provide same.


E. Prior to announcing results, the chairman shall announce iftime disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the contest-ant(s) involved.

7. Protests and DisqualificationsA. Protests will be limited to judges and contestants. Any protest

will be lodged with the chief judge and/or contest chairmanprior to the announcement of the winner and alternate(s).The contest chairman shall notify the contestant of a disqual -ification regarding eligibility prior to that announcementbefore the meeting at which the contest took place is adjourned.

B. The contest chairman can disqualify a contestant on the basisof eligibility.


8. WinnersIn contests with five or more participants, a third-place winner(if wanted), a second-place winner, and a first-place winnerwill be announced. In contests with four or fewer participants,a second-place and first-place winner will be announced.

9. Contest ScheduleDistricts conducting Table Topics Contests shall announce thedate of the district contest and establish dates by which the division, area, and club contests must be completed.


These rules apply to all Tall Tales Speech Contests, which are conduct-ed in English only. These rules may not be supplanted or modified, andno exceptions are permitted.


speaking abilities.

B. To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the moreproficient speakers who have benefited from theirToastmasters training.

C. To provide participants with the opportunity to create anoriginal, highly improbable, humorous tale.


to compete in the area contest. A club is permitted to chooseits contestant by whatever means the club desires. If a contestis held, it must comply with all these rules and the contestresult is final. The area speech contest winner then proceedsto the division contest (if applicable). The division winnerthen proceeds to the district contest. Should an area or divi-sion contest winner be unable to participate in the next con-test level, the highest placed available contestant will advanceto that level.

B. Eight weeks prior to the area contest, if an area has fourassigned clubs or fewer, districts have the option to allow thetwo highest placed available contestants from each club tocompete in the area contest. Should additional clubs charterprior to the area contest, the two highest placed available con-testants from each club are permitted to compete. In thosedivisions with four assigned areas or less, districts have theoption to allow the two highest placed available contestantsfrom each area to compete. In districts with four assigneddivisions or less, districts have the option to allow the twohighest placed available contestants from each division toparticipate in the district contest.

The decision whether or not to allow two contestants toadvance from club to area, from area to division, and/orfrom division to district must be made and communicatedthroughout the district prior to the commencement of thecontest cycle – i.e., prior to any club contests being held. Oncethe decision is made, it must be implemented consistentlythroughout the district in all clubs, areas and divisions affect-ed. If a district decides to allow two contestants to advancefrom club to area, its decisions regarding the number toadvance from area to division and/or from division to districtneed not be the same.


club in which they are competing are eligible to compete.

Tall Tales Contest Rules


The club also must be in good standing. New, dual, or rein-stated members must have dues and membership applicationcurrent with Toastmasters International.

A member must maintain eligibility at all levels of anycontest. If at any level it is discovered that a contestant wasineligible to compete at any previous level, the contestantmust be disqualified even if the ineligibility is not discovereduntil a later level and has been corrected.

B. The following are ineligible to compete in this contest:incumbent international officers and directors; region advisors or region advisor applicants; district officers (gover-nor, any lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer, public relations officer, division governor, or area governor) whoseterms expire June 30; inter national officer and director candi-dates; immed iate past district governors; district officers orannounced candidates for the term beginning the upcomingJuly 1; presenters of educational sessions at the area, division,and/or district event at which the contest will be held. Anindividual is not permitted to be a judge at any level for acontest in which they are still competing.

C. Toastmasters who are members in more than one club andwho meet all other eligibility requirements are permitted tocompete in each club Tall Tales contest in which membershipin good standing is held. However, should they win morethan one club Tall Tales contest, they can represent only oneof the clubs at the area level contest. No contestant can com-pete in more than one area Tall Tales Contest, even if the twoareas are in different divisions.


E. Each contestant must complete the Speaker’s Certifica tion ofEligibility and Originality (Item 1183) and submit it to thechief judge prior to the contest.


4. Speech PreparationA. The subject for the Tall Tales speech shall be selected by the

contestant.

B. Contestants must prepare their own three- to five-minutespeech, which must be substantially original and certified assuch in writing to the chief judge by the contestants prior tothe presentation of the speeches (on Item 1183, Speaker’sCertification of Eligibility and Originality). Any quoted mate-rial must be so identified during the speech presentation.

C. The speech must be of a highly exaggerated, improbablenature and have a theme or plot. Humor and props may beused to support or illustrate the speech.








C. If a contestant is absent from the briefing, the alternate speak-er, if present, is permitted to attend the briefing in place ofthe primary contestant. If the primary contestant is not pres-ent when the person conducting the contest is introduced toconduct the contest, the primary contestant is disqualifiedand the alternate officially becomes the contestant. Should theprimary contestant arrive after the briefing but before the person conducting the contest is introduced, the primarycontestant is permitted to compete, provided the primarycontestant: 1) reports to the contest chairman upon his/herarrival, and 2) has all required paperwork in good orderbefore the person conducting the contest is introduced tobegin the contest. The primary contestant waives the oppor-tunity of a briefing.

D. All contestants will speak from the same platform or areadesignated by the contest chairman. All contestants andjudges will be advised of the speaking area before the contestbegins. The contestants are permitted to speak from any posi-tion within the designated area and are not limited to stand-ingat the lectern/podium.


2. If amplification is necessary, a lectern/podium fixed-mounted microphone and a portable microphone shall bemade available, if possible. It is suggested that the fixed-mounted microphone be nondirectional. The selectionand use of a microphone is optional for each contestant.


E. Introduce each contestant by announcing the contestant’sname, speech title, speech title, and contestant’s name.

F. There will be one minute of silence between contestants,during which the judges will mark their ballots.

G. Contestants are permitted to remain remain throughoutthe duration of the contest in the same room.


6. TimingA. All speeches shall be from three to five minutes. Contestants

who speak for less than two minutes 30 seconds or more thanfive minutes 30 seconds will be disqualified.


B. Time will begin with the first word uttered by the contestant.However, should the contestant engage in definite verbal ornonverbal communication with the audience (including theplaying of music or other sound effects, a staged act by an-other person, etc.) prior to reaching the speaking positionand uttering the first word of the speech, the timer must acti-vate the timing device at that point. If this results in the con-testant going overtime, the contestant will be disqualified.

The green signal will be displayed at three minutes. The am-ber signal will be displayed at four minutes. The red signalwill be displayed at five minutes and remain displayed untilthe speech is concluded. No audible device, such as a buzzer,shall be used for the overtime period.

C. Any visually impaired contestant is permitted to request andmust be granted a form of warning signal of his or her ownchoosing. Acceptable warning signals would include, but notbe limited to: a buzzer, a bell, or a person announcing thetimes at three, four, and five minutes. If any special deviceand/or specific instructions for such signal is/are required,the contestant must provide same.


E. Prior to announcing results, the chairman shall announceif time disqualification(s) occurred, but not name the con-testant(s) involved.

7. Protests and DisqualificationsA. Protests will be limited to judges and contestants. Any pro-

test will be lodged with the chief judge and/or contest chair-man prior to announcement of the winner and alternate(s).The contest chairman shall notify the contestant of a disqual-ification regarding originality or eligibility prior to that an-nouncement before the meeting at which the contest tookplace is adjourned.

B. Before a contestant can be disqualified on the basis of origi-nality, the contestant must be given an opportunity to re-spond to the judges. A majority of the judges must concurin the decision.

The contest chairman can disqualify a contestant on the basisof eligibility.


8. WinnersIn contests with five or more participants, a third-place winner(if wanted), a second-place winner, and a first-place winnerwill be announced. In contests with four or fewer participants,a second-place and first-place winner will be announced.

9. Contest ScheduleDistricts conducting Tall Tales Contests shall announce the dateof the district contest and establish dates by which the division,area, and club contests must be completed.


Notes

P.O. Box 9052 • Mission Viejo, California 92690 USA949-858-8255 • Fax: 949-858-1207

www.toastmasters.org

Item 1171


INTERNATIONA L Speech Contest Rulebook 2010 · 2010. 10. 5. · mitted to use the same speech, but...

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Transcript of INTERNATIONA L Speech Contest Rulebook 2010 · 2010. 10. 5. · mitted to use the same speech, but...