Scroll down for descriptions of public speaking and performance of literature categories, as well as details of differences between categories and rules among various Speech associations, including a 2022-23 guide to participating in both WISDAA and WFCA in the WISDAA categories of Demonstration and Informative and WFCA categories of Informative and Expository.
2022-23 Topics #
Moments in History #
Choose one or both time periods:
- 1960s (1960-1969)
- 1250-1500 CE (AD)
Examples of areas students might consider: politics, military action, historic sites, monuments, natural disasters, ethnology, legends, folklore, science, inventions, medicine, arts, entertainment, geography, transportation, sports, religion, heroes, villains, personalities, significant speeches, fashion, and fads.
Public Address #
Choose one topic question:
- Should schools implement periodic mental health checks for students and staff?
- Should the U.S. implement a single-payer universal health care system?
- To what extent, if any, should the U.S. increase investment in high-speed rail?
- What reforms, if any, should be made to the U.S. Supreme Court?
- What reforms, if any, should be implemented to make housing more affordable?
Special Occasion #
Choose one occasion:
- A conference/convention keynote address
- A proposal for an innovative community service project
- A tribute/dedication to a veteran/veteran memorial
- A protest speech
Storytelling #
Prepare a story for each topic area:
- A story questioning reality
- A story about acceptance/inclusion
- A story with magic/magical creatures
Category Descriptions #
Public Speaking #
Students write original speeches, and may use one 4″ x 6″ note card, where students are encouraged to outline or include speaking points, rather than word-for-word manuscripts (so they can engage better with audiences).
| Max. Time | Max. Time | Visuals | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demonstration Speech | 10 min. | 1-2 speakers demonstrate how to do something or how something works. | |
| Extemporaneous Speech | 7 min. | 30 minutes prior to speaking, the contestant will select a question from which to phrase a direct and clear answer and support it with evidence and reasoning. | |
| Impromptu Speech | 5 min. | Spontaneously provide a direct response to the prompt drawn with an original, well-organized and imaginative interpretation, supported by personal examples. | |
| Informative Speech | 6 min. | Present a speech with a narrow enough topic to be developed adequately in the time provided to share knowledge, educate and/or raise awareness. | |
| Moments in History | 6 min. | Explore an historical topic within prescribed topics, using such sources as archival records, diaries, personal interviews, letters, newspapers, etc. | |
| Oratory Speech | 10 min. | Persuade with compelling language by offering a solution to a problem; to take action in response to a situation; or potentially reinforce and strengthen attitudes. | |
| Public Address | 8 min. | Selecting from prescribed topics, contribute to public dialog on a contemporary issue by presenting a well-informed speech directly responding to a question about that issue. | |
| Special Occasion | 6 min. | Responding to a prescribed topic area, deliver a speech appropriate to a specific occasion and its probable audience by entertaining, persuading, or informing. |
Performance of Literature #
Contestants interpret literature to convey the human existence, exploring psychology of characters, to mine the artistry of language, and/or cultivate arguments surrounding themes/issues. Key: Book = performed from manuscript; Brain = memorized.
| Category | Max. Time | Mode | Original | Quality | Genres | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farrago | 10 min. | Variety (poetry, short stories, speeches, essays, drama, songs, novels) | Material from a variety of literary genres address a central theme. | |||
| Group Interpretive Reading | 12 min. | Any except drama | 2-5 readers compile and present a script with symbolic interpretation such that the audience imagines action being described rather than witnessing it being performed. | |||
| Play Acting | 12 min. | Single play (dramatic literature) | 2-5 performers act a scene or cutting from a single play with emphasis on character development, ensemble, and appropriate physical movement. | |||
| Poetry Reading | 8 min. | Poetry, verse, song lyrics | One or more poems center on a theme or emotion; delivery mines the artistry of language. | |||
| Prose Reading | 8 min. | Short stories, cuttings from novels, drama, essays, nonfiction | One or more works of prose -- including short stories, cutting from novels, drama, essays, or other non-fiction work -- center on a specific theme or emotion. | |||
| Radio News Reporting | 5 min. | Provided script of news, sports, weather, and a commercial. | 30 minutes prior to reading, the contestant organizes from a variety of types of news as well as a commercial, a precise newscast cut and edited to 5 minutes. | |||
| Solo Acting Humorous/Serious | 10 min. | Any genre | The contestant convincingly acts characterization(s) to transport the audience to the world of the material peformed. | |||
| Storytelling | 8 min. | Any genre; most often, narrative prose | Chronicle and perform events in a coherent, unified, clear, and interesting manner, while seated and conveying a sense of audience for one of the prescribed topic areas. |
Wisconsin Speech Category Differences #
Summary of rules differences between the WISDAA, Wisconsin Forensic Coaches’ Association (WFCA), National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), and National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL).
| Category | WISDAA* | WFCA | NSDA | NCFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demonstration | One 4x 6 note card allowed; Second person may have shared speaking assistant role. | Not offered; see Informative. | Not offered. A demonstration speech could be adapted to Informative. | Not offered. |
| Duo Interpretation | Not offered; may adapt from Group Interp. or Play Acting. | May come from any published source including online. | Restrictive guidelines for source material. | Restrictive guidelines for source material. |
| Expository | See WISDAA Informative. | Time limit: 5 minutes. Notes allowed; no visual aids. | Supplemental event at National Tournament. | Not offered. |
| Extemporaneous | One 4x 6 note card/speaker stand allowed. | One 4x 6 note card allowed. | No notes allowed when speaking. International and United States categories. | No notes allowed when speaking. |
| Farrago (Wis.) Program of Oral Interp. (NSDA) | Reading stand optional. Speaker may walk only for introduction/transitions. Contestants presenting a transitionless program must announce as such. | Adaptations should be for continuity; gender/pronoun changes or to avoid potentially offensive language. Lines attributed to one character may not be attributed to another. Platform movement should be minimal and non-intrusive to performance. Manuscript may be memorized and/or used as a prop. | Restrictive guidelines for source material. | Not offered. |
| Informative | Time limit: 6 minutes; one 4x 6 note card and/or speaker stand allowed. | Time limit: 10 minutes; notes, visuals, uniform allowed. | Time limit: 10 minutes; visuals, uniform allowed. Must be memorized. | Not offered. |
| Group Interpretive Reading | Time limit: 12 minutes; chairs/stools/ reading stands allowed. | Time limit: 10 minutes; see manuscript in Farrago. | Not offered. Two-person performance may adapt to Duo if memorized. | Not offered. |
| Impromptu | Time limit: 5 minutes. One 4x 6 note card allowed. | Time limit: 5 minutes. One 4x 6 note card allowed. | Offered as 7-min. consolation at National Tournament. No notes. | Not offered. |
| Moments in History | One 4x 6 note card and/or speaker stand allowed. | Notes allowed. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
| Oral Interp. of Literature | Not offered. | Manuscript may be used as a prop. | Not offered. | Specific rules govern movement. |
| Oratorical Declamation | Non-Original Oratory for middle level contests only. | Not offered; some invitationals offer NCFL version. | Not offered. | For 9th and 10th grade students only. |
| Oratory | One 4x 6 note card and/or speaker stand allowed. | Must be memorized. | Must be memorized. | Must be memorized. |
| Play Acting | Time limit: 12 minutes; must be from a single work of drama. | Time limit: 10 minutes; see adaptations in Farrago. | Not offered. Two-person play may adapt to Duo. | Not offered. Two-person play may be adapted to Duo. |
| Poetry Interp/Reading Prose Interp/Reading | Reading stand optional. Speaker may walk only for introduction/transitions. Contestants presenting a transitionless program must announce as such. | See adaptations/platform movement/manuscript in Farrago. | Each offered as 5-min. supplemental event at National Tournament. | Not offered; see Oral Interp. of Literature. |
| Public Address | Not offered. May adapt to Oratory. | Not offered. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
| Radio | Multiple character voices may be used. | One professional newsreader voice must be used except for commercial. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
| Solo Acting Humorous (Wis.) Humorous Interp (NSDA), Dramatic Perf. (NCFL) | Single stationary chair allowed. | Different evaluation criteria for humorous/serious. See adaptations in Farrago. | Restrictive guidelines for source material. | Single category - mixed humorous/serious contestants. |
| Solo Acting Serious (Wis.) Dramatic Interp (NSDA), Dramatic Perf. (NCFL) |
Single stationary chair allowed. |
Different evaluation criteria for humorous/serious. See adaptations in Farrago. | Restrictive guidelines for source material. | Single category - mixed humorous/serious contestants. |
| Special Occasion | Speaker stand allowed. | Not offered. | Not offered. | Not offered. |
| Storytelling | Adjudicator each round selects story for each contestant. | Stories assigned each round. | Offered as 5-min. consolation at National Tournament. | Not offered. |
* In WISDAA all manuscripts in interpretive categories and note cards in speech categories must be paper (and not digital devices).
WISDAA & WFCA: Demo/Info/Expos #
In 2022, WFCA revised category offerings to effectively merge Demonstration into Informative Speech as a 10-minute category allowing for both explanation and/or exhibiting a process. What was Informative was replaced with Expository Speaking, which resembles the former Four-Minute Speech category with no visual aids, but allowing up to five minutes. These changes align the categories better with other states offering the same categories and with the National Speech & Debate Association’s (NSDA) categories of Informative and Expository, making it easier for students who move to/from Wisconsin, as well as students who wish to attempt qualification to the NSDA National Tournament.
WISDAA’s Speech Advisory Committee discussed implementing this change to mirror our kindred association, but decided to wait and review feedback from schools who participate in contests offered by both associations in 2022-23 before moving forward with any changes, and to give WISDAA coaches more time to wrap their minds around a potential category realignment.
Coaches and students at schools who participate in both associations may use this table below as a guide for categories in which to register between the associations, depending on how they wish to structure their speech. Coaches are reminded that both associations have a four-student entry limit (invitationals run by schools that are not official contests of the respective associations may not have such restrictions).
Participation in Both Associations #
| Primary Purpose | Visual | Speaker(s) | WISDAA Category | WFCA Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit process | or | Demonstration (10 min.) | Informative (10 min.) | |
| Explain/raise awareness | Informative (6 min.) | Informative (10 min.) | ||
| Explain/raise awareness | Informative (6 min.) | Expository (5 min.) |
Notes pertaining to adaptation between association rules: as you can see, from the table above, the one circumstance in which a student may need to adapt the length of their speech is the middle row, as the difference in time would be between a 6-minute and 10-minute speech. Otherwise, following the third row, a student could have a similar speech, but use a visual in WISDAA Informative and no visual in WFCA Expository (but would have to modify wording to omit references to the visual, which could make the difference of a minute between the two time limits).
