Modified WIDPSC Rulebook

This page outlines the criteria for participation, scoring procedures, and other policies governing all EduDrift competitions held in the Modified WIDPSC (aka Modified Worlds) public speaking format providing a clear and concise framework for all participants to follow.

Tournament Guidelines

Tournament Format

Modified WIDPSC (Modified Worlds)

Speaking Segments

Each competitor must compete in all three speaking segments in the competition. These segments are:

  • Impromptu Speaking
  • Interpretive Reading
  • Persuasive Speaking
Team Size

Individual Participation

Selection of Topics
  • Competitors will be assigned three random topics in the Impromptu Speaking Category. They may choose one topic out of such and prepare a speech with a length depending on their category. Competitors may not request a re-draw of the topic.
  • Competitors have the liberty to choose what literary piece to recite in the Interpretive Reading Category as long as the piece is fictional in nature and not of the competitor’s own writing. The piece must not also come from a play or a monologue.
  • Competitors have the liberty to choose what problem to present and solve in the Persuasive Speaking Category. The problem chosen must be real and not imagined.
Preparation Time
  • Competitors will be given 5 minutes to prepare a speech with a length depending on their age category for the Impromptu Speaking Category.
  • Junior category: 3-4 minutes
  • Senior category: 4-5 minutes
  • No preparation time will be given in the Interpretive Reading and Persuasive Speaking Categories.
  • The competitor must prepare a minimum of 1 unique for Interpretative Reading. Note that participants have the choice to prepare more than 1 unique speech.
  • The competitor must prepare a minimum of 1 unique speech for Persuasive Speaking. Note that participants have the choice to prepare more than 1 unique speech.
Penalties

A penalty of 2 points will be given for every 30 seconds under and over the time limit. Allotted speaking times for each age category are as follows:

 

  • Junior Category
  • Impromptu Speaking: 3-4 minutes
  • Interpretive Reading: 4-7 minutes
  • Persuasive Speaking: 5-7 minutes

 

  • Senior Category
  • Impromptu Speaking: 4-5 minutes
  • Interpretive Reading: 5-8 minutes
  • Persuasive Speaking: 6-8 minutes
Speaker Scores

A speaker score range of 0 – 100 will be used during the tournament.

Preliminary Rounds

The event will have one (1) preliminary round.

Grand Finals

The Top 7 Speakers for each speaking category will advance to the grand finals of the tournament.

Ranking

Categorical rankings are determined solely by the elimination and grand-finals round.

 

Overall rankings are determined solely by the combined results of the preliminary rounds.

Eligibility Criteria

A participant must be 7-17 years old in order to be eligible to compete in the tournament. The participant must not cross their 18th birthday on the day of the tournament.

Disconnection Policy for Online Speakers

Speakers who have (1) lost connection during the round and/or (2) fail to proceed to their recital rooms after preparation time ends are given only 1 minute to reconnect.

 

Should they fail to reconnect after 1 minute, the round proceeds as usual, the disconnected speaker’s speech would be skipped over and the judge of the room will circle back to them at a later time.

 

The recital room will only be open until the scheduled end of the round. Should the speaker fail to join the room before then, they will be forfeited for that round.

Decorum

Etiquette

It is expected that all participants maintain a high level of decorum and professionalism throughout the entirety of the tournament. Any participant who engages in disruptive behavior will be subject to removal from the event.

Zero Tolerance Policy

This event maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any harmful, hateful, discriminatory, or offensive behavior. Any participant who engages in such behavior will be immediately removed from the venue.

Impromptu Speaking

In Impromptu Speaking, the competitor will draw three random topics, which may be a word, a quote, or a phrase from a prompt generator. After all three topics are drawn, they will be given 5 minutes to choose one of the three topics. A penalty of 2 points will be given for every 30 seconds under and over the time limit.

 

The speech must be impromptu, and not memorized or plagiarized from their own Persuasive Speaking speech. The chosen topic must be revealed by the speaker before beginning their speech. The speech can be delivered in any style or format and can range from serious or humorous in tone.

 

Speech duration for the Junior Category

3-4 minutes. Notes allowed.

 

Speech duration for the Senior Category

4-5 minutes. Notes not allowed.

Impromptu Speaking Judging Criteria

Speakers in the Impromptu Speaking segment will be evaluated based on the following:

Appearance and Stage Presence – 10%

Appropriateness of attire, absence of visible distractions, poise and posture, eye contact and facial expressions, gesture and body control

 

Introduction – 15%

Attention-catching quality, introduction of purpose and subject

 

Conclusion – 15%

Summarization of key points

 

Projection and Language – 20%

Pitch, volume inflection, emphasis, use of appropriate words, skill in using meaningful quotes, pronunciation and enunciation

 

Body – 20%

Arrangement and development of key points

 

Overall Impact – 20%

Depth of analysis, originality, coverage of topic, overall organization of speech

Interpretive Reading

Before the competition, the competitor must choose a passage of prose or poetry to recite during the tournament. This passage may be from a novel, short story, poetry, or a selection of poems/prose. The piece must be fictional in nature, of literary merit, and not be the competitor’s own writing. The use of speeches from plays and monologues is not permitted. The piece must be read from print, and not be a fully memorized recital. Appropriate facial expressions and gestures may be used, but the emphasis should be on the use of voice, not visual appearance. The use of props is not permitted.

 

Speech duration for the Junior Category

3-7 minutes.

 

Speech duration for the Senior Category

5-8 minutes.

Interpretive Reading Judging Criteria

Speakers in the Interpretive Reading segment will be evaluated based on the following:

Appearance and Stage Presence – 10%

Appropriateness of attire, absence of visible distractions, poise and posture, eye contact and facial expressions, gesture and body control

 

Choice of Piece – 15%

Complexity of the Piece, literary merit of chosen piece

 

Delivery – 40%

Clarity of presentation, pronunciation, diction, enunciation, pace and timing, melody and rhythm, understanding and communication of author’s intention

Projection – 10%

Pitch, volume inflection, and emphasis

 

Introduction – 20%

Quality of introduction, establishment of context, mood, and background

 

Overall Impact – 5%

Overall appeal to the listener

Persuasive Speaking

Before the competition, each competitor must think of a problem and prepare a problem-solution speech. A penalty of 2 points will be given for every 30 seconds under and over the time limit. They are expected to have memorized their speeches but are allowed to use a 4” x 6” double-sided cue card as a prompt.

 

The identified problem must be real and/or feasible are present or within the near future. Imagined and/or fictional problems are unacceptable, and neither are motivational speeches, monologues, or dramatic interpretations. The participant must not adopt a political party and there will be zero tolerance for hate speech.

 

While a problem/solution approach must be taken, the speaker may finally conclude, for good reasons that must be shown, that no solution can currently be found.

 

Speech duration for the Junior Category

4-7 minutes. Notes allowed.

 

Speech duration for the Senior Category

6-8 minutes. Notes allowed.

Persuasive Speaking Judging Criteria

Speakers in the Persuasive Speaking segment will be evaluated based on the following:

Appearance and Stage Presence – 10%

Appropriateness of attire, absence of visible distractions, poise and posture, eye contact and facial expressions, gesture and body control

 

Introduction – 20%

Use of meaningful narrative, quotation, statistic, or question related to the problem; background and rationale; thesis statement and preview

 

Conclusion – 20%

Summarization of key points, review of purpose and thesis statement, solution and call-to-action

Language and Projection – 10%

Pitch, volume inflection, emphasis, use of appropriate words, skill in using meaningful quotes, pronunciation and enunciation

 

Body- 20%

Arrangement and development of key points; evidence, support, and credibility of sources

 

Overall Impact – 20%

Depth of analysis, relevance and importance of the problem, quality of proposed solution, use of signposting, and quality of persuasion