Judges Training

1
Judges Training

• District 26 Toastmasters

2
Part One

• Contest Roles

3
Contest Chair

• Responsible for the entire contest
• Make room arrangements
• Make sure you have all materials needed to run a
  contest
• Know the contest rules

4
Contestants

• Prepare and deliver a speech
• Participate in Evaluation and Humorist (Fall) or
  Table Topics and International (Spring) Contests.

5
Chief Judge

• Appoint and brief timers, counters and tie
  breaking judge
• Brief the judges
• Provide the names of the winners to the contest
  chair
• Knows the contest rules

6
Chief Judge

• Brief judges by reviewing the judges guide ballot
• Remind judges that their decision is confidential
• Brief timers
• Brief counters

7
Chief Judge

• Explains to the audience that
• The contestants have been briefed
• The judges have been briefed
• The timers and counters have been briefed

8
Chief Judge

• Explains to the audience
• Contestants know where the timing lights are
• No photography during the speeches
• Turn all cell phones off
• Announces the speaking order

9
Toastmaster

• Briefs contestants
• Verify their presence and name pronunciation
• Review rules
• Review timing protocol
• Review speaking area
• Draw for speaking order

10
Toastmaster

• No opening remarks about any contestant
• Announce each contestant by name, speech title,
  speech title, name
• Observe one minute of silence between speakers

11
Toastmaster

• After the contest
• Conduct brief interview
• Have each contestant give club name and area
• Present certificate of participation
• Announce any disqualifications without naming any
  contestants names

12
Toastmaster

• Announcements from Area, Division and District
  Officers
• Announce winners
• Contest with five or more contestants announce
  1st, 2nd and 3rd place (in reverse order)
• Contest with four or fewer contestants announce
  1st and 2nd place (in reverse order)

13
Toastmaster

• The announcement of contest winners is final
  unless the list of contest winners is announced
  incorrectly
• If the list of winners is announced incorrectly
• The chief judge or counters may immediately
  interrupt to correct the error

14
Judges

• Use the judges ballot to select a 1st, 2nd and
  3rd place winner
• All information is confidential

15
Tiebreaking Judge

• Rank all the speakers numerically on the
  tiebreaking judges ballot
• Ballot is given only to the chief judge
• Ballot is only opened in case of a tie

16
Timers

• To record the duration of each speech
• Submit the information to the chief judge
• All times are confidential

17
Counters

• Collect and count all ballots
• All information is confidential

18
Sargent at Arms

• Opens meeting
• Introduce the Toastmaster
• Ensures that no one enters or leaves during a
  speech

19
Part Two

• Judging

20
What is the purpose of a Judge?

• To Pick A Winner!!
• To Select the person who has given the best speech

21
What is the difference between judging and
evaluating?

• Evaluating
• Is a speech appraisal
• Measures presentation against purpose
• Offers improvement advice

22
What is the difference between judging and
evaluating?

• As a Judge
• You do not Evaluate
• Your decision is confidential
• Dont explain your decision
• Dont offer contestants suggestions for
  improvement

23
What makes a good judge?

• Fair
• Completely impartial
• Set aside - friendship, age, race, gender, etc..
• Dont let anything including disapproval of
  speech topic get in the way of your decision

24
What makes a good judge?

• Accurate
• Dedicated to making the correct decision
• Filling out the judges form correctly
• Adding points carefully

25
What makes a good judge?

• Trustworthy
• Understand that the contestants, contest
  officials and Toastmasters International is
  counting on you to select the best speaker

26
What makes a good judge?

• Knowledgeable
• Know the current contest rules
• Be familiar with the judging form

27
What makes a good judge?

• Good Listener
• Listen carefully to each speaker
• Dont become distracted
• Dont daydream

28
Barriers to Objectivity

• Speaker position
• People tend to remember the first and last
  contestant
• May hold a slight advantage

29
Barriers to Objectivity

• Champion for the underdog
• Normal to want to give a break to someone with a
  handicap or has overcome a hardship
• As a judge you do not

30
Barriers to Objectivity

• Halo effect
• Attributing a favorable trait because of another
  favorable trait
• Example Joes delivery is dynamic so his
  content is really good

31
Barriers to Objectivity

• Reverse halo effect
• Attributing a non-favorable trait to another
  non-favorable trait
• Example Jane has questionable grammar, therefor
  her speech is weak

32
Barriers to Objectivity

• Second time around
• Longer you are in Toastmasters the more likely
  you are to see a speaker more than once
• Imagine you are hearing the speaker for the first
  time

33
Barriers to Objectivity

• Give someone else a chance
• Betty won last year, lets give Bob a chance this
  year
• Never let past performance effect your decision

34
Barriers to Objectivity

• Not the norm
• Social behaviors that are not common to you
• Behaviors differ from club to club

35
Common Misconceptions

• Speeches must to be serous
• Contestants can use humor
• Speeches must be motivational or inspirational
• Contestants can give any kind of speech they wish

36
Common Misconceptions

• Contestants CAN use props, visual aids or music
• As long as they are in good taste
• Must place them on the stage and clean up right
  after the speech

37
Disqualifications

• Contestants can only be disqualified for
• Eligibility
• Timing
• Originality

38
Disqualifications

• Eligibility
• Member of good standing in a club of good
  standing
• Maintain eligibility at ALL levels
• Check eligibility with Word Headquarters prior to
  the contest

39
Disqualifications

• Timing
• 30 second grace period
• Clock starts with the first definite verbal or
  non-verbal communication with the audience

40
Disqualifications

• Originality
• No large amounts of quoted material
• Properly cited sources
• No plagiarizing

41
Disqualifications

• Protest
• For originality only
• Must protest in writing to the chief judge before
  the winners are announced
• Only contestants or judges can protest

42
Part Three

• Judges Guide and Ballot

43
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Is laid out in two parts
• Top portion to help you pick a winner
• Is not given to the counters

44
Judges Guide and Ballot

• The bottom portion is the official ballot
• Will be given to the counters and must be
  complete
• Three different names for 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Must signed by the judge
• Chief Judge will throw out if not filled out
  correctly

45
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Not only one way to fill out the ballot
• Use a notebook to take notes then fill in ballot
• This way you are focused on the speech not the
  ballot
• You must break your own tie

46
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Three main categories
• Content
• Delivery
• Language

47
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Content
• Worth 50 of the speech points
• Determines the quality of the speakers message

48
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Content
• Speech development
• Structure defined opening, body and conclusion
• Organization purpose clear and defined
• Support material

49
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Content
• Effectiveness
• Achievement of purpose Subject matter clear to
  audience
• Audience interest Subject relevant to the
  audience
• Reception How does the audience react

50
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Content
• Speech Value
• Ideas Does the speaker have something to say
• Logic Have a clearly defined message
• Original Thought Stimulate listeners thinking

51
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Delivery
• Worth 30 of speakers points
• The way the content of the speech represented
• Delivery is both verbal and physical

52
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Delivery
• Physical
• Appearance Does the speaker look neat and
  appropriate
• Body Language Gestures have purpose, facial
  expression match the message
• Speaking Area How well the area is used

53
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Delivery
• Voice
• Flexibility Good quality, modulate to show
  feeling and emotion
• Volume adequate for the room, words clear, easy
  to understand

54
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Delivery
• Manner
• Directness Does the speaker believe in their
  message
• Assurance Clear and confident in sharing the
  message
• Enthusiasm Speak with enthusiasm conveying the
  message

55
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Language
• Counts for 20 of the speech points
• Is about the speakers word choice and grammar

56
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Language
• Appropriateness
• To speech propose Does the language fit the
  speech
• To audience Promote understanding of the
  speakers message

57
Judges Guide and Ballot

• Language
• Correctness
• Grammar Is the speakers grammar good
• Pronunciation Enunciation good
• Word Selection diction and word choice effect,
  show study and preparation

58
Judges Training

• You are now ready to confidently judge the
  contest!
• Have fun and enjoy