Last Updated: January 14, 2025

How do I rank competitors in a speech round?

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League Policies

  1. Ranking competitors from first to last is one of your two most important tasks as a judge. (The other is typing written feedback comments for them.)

    You have the flexibility to rank the students according to whatever you feel is most important and/or compelling. Our ballot system will suggest ranks based on equal weighting of the category scores you enter in the ballot rubric or allow you to rank the students first and then enter scores in the rubric. Please note that ranking determines overall placings in the tournament, not the rubric category scores. 

    We recommend that judges plan to use one of two methods in each round.

    These methods are both explained in separate FAQ entries below, and our Speech Ballot Demonstration video shows both approaches. You can also find ballot samples and rubrics on the Resource tab of the Speech Judge Information page.Â