EXTEMP DRAW ETIQUETTE
1. No talking once draw begins.
2. Assisting other extempors is not allowed.
3. No headphones in use. Theykeep you from hearing instructions, speakers being called and released, and time signals given.
4. Turn off cell phones.
5. No electronic retrieval devices.
6. Check your extemp boxes for any outlines of old speeches from past tournaments.
7. Notecards are allowed only in the prelim rounds at invitational qualifying tournaments. No notecards are allowed in semi-final and final rounds at
individual qualifying tournaments and they are not allowed in any round at the
state tournament. Check the rules for each tournament you attend.
8. Signing in procedures: On the sign in sheets - put your name, your school code, your topic number and a word or two about your topic.
9. Draw intervals may vary. Most of the time a 7 minute draw interval will be used. In some rounds, however, an 8, 10 or 12 minute draw interval may be necessary in
order to help the tournament time schedule run more smoothly.
10. Do not leave the extemp draw until your speaker position is dismissed. You will need to check out with the door monitors.
11. The only thing you can take with you to your round is your topic slip. Girls may take
their purses but briefcases must be left at the door.
12. Double check your section so you make sure that you draw from the right section and
report to right room to give your speech.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. It is the responsibility of the coach and the extempors from your school to check your extemp files for any material that might be considered “illegal material”.
Consult the rules for either TFA, UIL, or NFL to see what they consider
“illegal”.
2. Get to extemp draw early to set up. You want to make sure that you have room for your files and enough room for your squad to sit and work.
3. Encourage your students to move toward the draw tables when it is getting close to their time to draw. That gives them the advantage of a few seconds of decision
making time when selecting their topic. It also gets them back to the files quicker.
4. I think it is a good idea for each student to use their own stop watches in extemp draw.
That gives them the advantage of gauging their own prep time. Their prep time begins when their speaker position is called.
5. Make sure that students return to extemp draw after the last speaker has left so they can clean up their area. They need to be ready for the next draw time with files
that are replaced.
6. Students who are double entered must move to and from extemp draw quickly. At the some tournaments, speaker positions are not adjusted unless through an act of congress and this only takes up more of the student’s prep time.
7. The people working extemp draw are not lawmakers. They are the police.
They do not determine policy; they just carry out the decisions.