a) PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST. The purpose of this contest is to train students to analyze a current issue, determine a point of view, and then organize and deliver extemporaneously a speech that seeks to persuade listeners to agree with that viewpoint. The objective is to reinforce the views of listeners who already believe as the speaker does, but even more so, to bring those of neutral or opposing views around to the speaker’s beliefs or proposed course of action. This oral contest should especially appeal to those who have a strong argumentative urge and who wish to advocate reforms or outline solutions for current problems.
 

(c) PREPARATION.
(1) Sources. Students should prepare for this contest by reading a daily newspaper and any of the many news magazines, searching the Internet, and listening to radio and television news broadcasts. Schools will periodically be notified of available publications and lists of topics through the UIL web site. Helpful magazines include Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report and other news publications. Useful newspaper sources include The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor and major Texas newspapers. There are also numerous news oriented sites on the Internet, some of which are linked from the UIL web site (www.uil.utexas.edu).

(2) Topics.

(A) Topics for extemporaneous persuasive speaking shall be based on current news events. They shall include topics from state, national and international levels. They will be chosen from the general areas of political, social, economic, educational, and cultural interests. Practice topics will be posted from time to time on the UIL web site.

(B) The topics will be worded so as to elicit persuasive speeches rather than informative speeches but under no condition is it the obligation of the League to provide a “persuasive topic.”  That obligation is remanded to the speaker. The contest requires a contestant to convince or persuade the audience and judges to accept the speaker’s point of view. The contestant is required to take a position in answering a specific topic question.

(C) Topics for the preliminary and final rounds at district and regional meets are provided by the League office.

(3) Resource. The contest is discussed in more detail in the UIL Informative and Persuasive Speaking Handbook available through the League office and on the UIL web site. Coaches are responsible for reviewing this publication in advance of the contest.

JManry

02/18/2008