Welcome to Extemp!
Extemporaneous challenges students to analyze a question about a newsworthy event from the past 90 days. They can gather information before the tournament, but they only have twenty minutes to prepare for the specific question they select before they speak to their judges.
How This Event Works
At their assigned time, competitors arrive at the designated Extemp Prep room (or in the competition room for online tournaments), and they draw a choice of questions about current events from the past 90 days. During their twenty minutes of prep time, they are allowed to access news articles downloaded onto their computers, but they are not allowed to use the internet once they have drawn a topic. They prepare a notecard so that they can recall facts with accuracy and cite sources as they deliver a speech with a seven-minute time limit.
Watch Some Sample Extemp Speeches
Witness the power of extemporaneous speaking firsthand. Explore our video gallery to see captivating performances and gain valuable insights into this dynamic event.
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2016 NCFCA Extemp Champion
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Extemporaneous Finals, Patrick McDonald, 2021 NCFCA Online National Championship
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Extemporaneous Finals, Sophie Schenkel
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Extemporaneous Finals, Thaddian Burson
Extemporaneous FAQs
Why should I participate in Extemporaneous?
Like in other Limited Preparation events, Extemporaneous provides students with heightened analytical skills, increased adaptability, and increased performance skill. Students will also:
- Increase their knowledge of current events. Extemporaneous speaking is an excellent way to learn about geopolitical history, geography, and current events.
- Increase their understanding of bias. The research element also enables students to learn how to evaluate sources for presuppositions, worldview, and biases.
- Increase understanding of personal values and the values of others. The more students discuss current events, they will see how each individual’s value system informs what they believe about everything. Answering questions about current events helps students examine and develop their own value system and what they actually believe.
What if my limited prep topic is not releasing in an online competition room?
- Verify that the draw time has arrived. (Competitors can draw any time after the assigned time but not before. Check the time-zone of your computer.)
- If the draw time has just arrived, wait at least 60 seconds and try again.
- Check that the clock on the device is set to the correct time and aligns with the times shown on postings. (Posting times are based on the time-zone setting of the device, but it is possible for the clock to be manually set to a different time.)
- If draw time is not the issue, the problem is generally with the competitor’s connection speed. Keep trying and take steps to improve the connection speed.
Do we still have a grace period for speeches exceeding the time limit?
The automatic 2-rank penalty will only be applied after 15 seconds of the speech time limit. Find clarification on overtime in the event guidelines under “Timekeeping Protocols” (see Apologetics as an example), in the Speech Head Judge Instructions, and as an example of a timekeeping rule penalty in the Compliance Penalty Addendum. Keep in mind that while the grace period allows for small mishaps and miscalculations, judges may still consider the time limit of the speech event as they rank. We advise competitors to prepare for these variables by continuing to practice a speech under the time limit.
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