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The Biggies: What’s the Diff?

Debate and Speech

Maine’s three biggest tournaments are fast approaching. Are you ready? If you don’t know the difference between the three tournaments and their events, thenĀ read below.

State Finals CFL Qualifiers Maine District
(NSDA Qualifiers)
Double-entry? Allowed Single-entry only Allowed
Entry limits Limit per entry per school: Speech: 4, Debate: 6, Congress: Senate 2, House unlimited Limit 4 entries per event per school (all events). Limit 4 entries per event per school in Speech, Debate. Congress separate limit. Cap on total entries determined by degrees on record.
Awards Top five places in event. Three qualifiers per event to national tournament. Two qualifiers per event to national tournament.
Events
  • Congressional Debate (Senate and House)
  • Lincoln-Douglas (3 divisions
  • Public Forum (2 divisions)
  • Dramatic Interpretation
  • Duo Interpretation
  • Ensemble
  • Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Humorous Interpretation
  • Novice Poetry Reading
  • Novice Prose Reading
  • Oratorical Declamation
  • Original Oratory
  • Original Works
  • Poetry Reading
  • Prose Reading
  • Storytelling
  • Student Congress (1 chamber)
  • Lincoln-Douglas (1 division)
  • Public Forum (1 division)
  • Duo Interpretation
  • Dramatic Performance*
  • Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Oral Interpretation of Literature**
  • Oratorical Declamation***
  • Original Oratory
  • Congressional Debate (Senate**** and House, if numbers allow)
  • Lincoln-Douglas (1 division)
  • Public Forum (1 division)
  • Dramatic Interpretation
  • Duo Interpretation
  • Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Original Oratory

*Consolidated Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation
**Alternating rounds of Prose and Poetry Reading
***Freshmen and sophomores only; memorized
****8 schools required

Each organization has different rules for the performance expectations in each event; read the rules!

The definition of “published” differs per organization; read the rules!

It is the coach’s affirmative duty to verify the content and published status of any piece performed. Bring the original script/source to the tournament in case of a challenge. This isĀ required for NSDA.

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