# Impromptu speaking

Impromptu speaking is a speech that a person delivers without predetermination or preparation. The speaker is most commonly provided with their topic in the form of a quotation, but the topic may also be presented as an object, proverb, one-word abstract, or one of the many alternative possibilities. While specific rules and norms vary with the organization and level of competition, the speeches tend to follow basic speech format and cover topics that are both humorous and profound.

## Collegiate impromptu speaking

Impromptu speaking is an individual event offered and regulated by both the National Forensic Association (NFA) and the American Forensics Association (AFA), both of whom follow nearly identical formats in proctoring the event. Both organizations provide seven minutes of time to be allocated between speaking and preparation as the speaker sees fit, allow minimal notes (usually a 3"x5" index card) to be used, and provide undisclosed prompts to determine the speech's topic.
While the competitor's success and ranking is ultimately determined by the judge's decision, there are several general criteria that many competitors and judges adhere to:
* Experienced speakers are generally expected to avoid exceeding two minutes of preparation time, with some speakers preferring to use only one minute or less.
* The speaker is to create an interpretation of the prompt and use it to establish an argument/thesis that the speech will support.
* The speaker is heavily encouraged to use examples (e.g. historical events) in the "body" of their speech to support their argument.
* Advanced speakers often use theories in conjunction with examples that illustrate them.
* As with any competitive speech, the speaker is expected to offer a clear and defined structure in their speech.
* Competitors are advised to avoid giving pre-prepared, or "canned" impromptu speeches.
Neither the AFA nor NFA regulate specific speech formats to be used by competitors, however there are two formats that are predominantly used:
Two point format:
Three point format:

### Editorial impromptu

In 2008, the National Forensic Association introduced a new form of impromptu competition. In this experimental event, students were given a short editorial (ideally 3 to 5 paragraphs) to which they developed a response. Students were allowed nine minutes to divide between preparation and speaking. Speakers were required to speak for at least five minutes. Limited notes, prepared in the round, were permitted. The speech was intended to involve the development of an argument in response to the thesis or opinion shared in a given editorial. The event was offered at the National Championship Tournament only twice. Stan Polit from Northwestern University was the 2009 champion and Joshua Hiew from Northwestern University was the 2011 champion.

## High school competitions

Typically in high school speech competitions, a competitor is given 30 seconds to select a topic from a set of topics (usually three). The competitor will then have 5 minutes to compose a speech of five minutes with a 30-second grace period. There is a general outline for impromptu speeches, it is as follows:
* Introduction/roadmap (1 minute)
* First section (1 minute)
* Second section (1 minute)
* Third section (1 minute)
* Conclusion (1 minute)
The introduction begins with an attention-getter, the statement of the topic and an outline of the speech. The conclusion is usually like the introduction except backwards, ending with a profound statement, although a lighthearted ending is also accepted. For the three body points, there are many kinds of formats that can be used. For example, if the topic is a quote, a competitor may go over how the quote is true, how the quote is false, and why he or she believes what he or she believes. Other examples are: past, present, future; local, national, international. More advanced speakers will use formats that look deeper into a subject such as: physical, moral, intellectual; books, video, digital (media.)
However, many speakers choose not to follow a format at all. That being said, most beginners who fail to follow a solid format often find themselves lost in a jumble of ideas.
Judging usually involves one judge in the preliminary round, one to three judges in the semi-finals/qualifying round, and a panel of three judges in the finals round. Judges look for overall coherency, impact, and confidence, and usually overlook basal errors due to the short preparation time.

## Past champions in impromptu speaking
### Past AFA Champions

| Year | Competitor | Academic Institution |
| 1979 | Dwight Rabuse | Macalester College |
| 1980 | Camille Bammes | University of New Mexico |
| 1981 | Andy Heaton | Bradley University |
| 1982 | Kate Joeckel | University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| 1983 | Bart Coleman | Concordia College |
| 1984 | Dave Fowler | George Mason University |
| 1985 | Bucky Fay | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
| 1986 | Debra Williams | Gonzaga University |
| 1987 | David Bickford | Brown University |
| 1988 | Cam Jones | Cornell University |
| 1989 | Cort Sylvester | Concordia College |
| 1990 | Michael Jacoby | Bradley University |
| 1991 | Randy Cox | University of Texas at Austin |
| 1992 | Joe Kennedy | George Mason University |
| 1993 | Mark Price | University of Colorado Boulder |
| 1994 | Joe Kennedy | George Mason University |
| 1995 | Eric Wolff | Concordia College |
| 1996 | Kurtis McCathern | Rice University |
| 1997 | Chris Grove | Illinois State University |
| 1998 | Amir Brown | Rice University |
| 1999 | Julie Bolcer | Seton Hall University |
| 2000 | Chris McLemore | Kansas State University |
| 2001 | Bryan Gray | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2002 | Rob Barnhart | Ohio University |
| 2003 | Rob Barnhart | Ohio University |
| 2004 | Jackson Hataway | University of Alabama |
| 2005 | Stephanie Cagniart | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2006 | Stephanie Cagniart | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2007 | Jill Collum | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2008 | Saeed Jones | Western Kentucky University |
| 2009 | Jessica Furgerson | Western Kentucky University |
| 2010 | Dan Glaser | Ohio University |
| 2011 | Omar Orme | Eastern Michigan University |
| 2012 | Dexter Strong | University of Alabama |
| 2013 | Harrison Postler | University of Northern Iowa |
| 2014 | Andrew Neylon | Ball State University |
| 2015 | James Qian | Arizona State University |
| 2016 | Nathan Leys | George Mason University |
| 2017 | Lily Nellans | Western Kentucky University |
| 2018 | Suchinder Kalyan | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2019 | Nathan Dowell | Kansas State University |
| 2021 | Rahmane Dixon | Western Kentucky University |
| 2022 | Anna Kutbay | University of Alabama |
| 2023 | Gustavo Lanz | George Mason University |
| 2024 | Margot Treadwell | Cornell University |

### Past NFA Champions

| Year | Competitor | Academic Institution |
| 1971 | Lisa Uhrig | Ball State University |
| 1972 | Michael Muth | Ohio University |
| 1973 | Jerry Bluhm | Eastern Michigan University |
| 1974 | Alberto Coll | Princeton University |
| 1975 | Jan Marrow | California State University |
| 1976 | Alberto Coll | Princeton University |
| 1977 | Butch Maltby | Wheaton College (Illinois) |
| 1978 | William Allen Young | University of Southern California |
| 1979 | George Denger | Eastern Michigan University |
| 1980 | Justin Hughes | Oberlin College |
| 1981 | Mary Foersch | University of Virginia |
| 1982 | Tom McCarthy | Bradley University |
| 1983 | Sam Marcosson | Bradley University |
| 1984 | David Alabach | Bradley University |
| 1985 | Michell Patrick | La Salle University |
| 1986 | Mitchell Fay | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
| 1987 | Scott Wilson | University of Minnesota Twin Cities |
| 1988 | Cam Jones | Cornell University |
| 1989 | Cam Jones | Cornell University |
| 1990 | Ed Wisniowski | Illinois State University |
| 1991 | Nick Fynn | Ohio University |
| 1992 | Ronnie Stewart | Bradley University |
| 1993 | Eric Martin | Bradley University |
| 1994 | Kevin Minch | Wayne State University |
| 1995 | Jeff Archibald | Cornell University |
| 1996 | Paul Higday | University of Pennsylvania |
| 1997 | Mike Thompson | Miami University |
| 1998 | Chris Kristofco | St. Joseph's University |
| 1999 | Chris Kristofco | St. Joseph's University |
| 2000 | Nathan Mather | Northwestern University |
| 2001 | Bryan McCann | Ohio University |
| 2002 | Rob Barnhart | Ohio University |
| 2003 | Rob Barnhart | Ohio University |
| 2004 | Allison Rank | Miami University |
| 2005 | A.J. Moorehead | Arizona State University |
| 2006 | Saeed Jones | Western Kentucky University |
| 2007 | Joelle Perry | Western Kentucky University |
| 2008 | Jessica Furgerson | Western Kentucky University |
| 2009 | Merry Regan | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2010 | Todd Rainey | Western Kentucky University |
| 2011 | Shira DeCovnick | Northwestern University |
| 2012 | Joshua Hiew | Northwestern University |
| 2013 | Andrew Neylon | Ball State University |
| 2014 | Patrick Seick | Eastern Michigan University |
| 2015 | Paige Settles | Western Kentucky University |
| 2016 | Jerome Gregory | Bradley University |
| 2017 | Kohinoor Gill | Arizona State University |
| 2018 | Annie Schuver | Bradley University |
| 2019 | Jordan Auzenne | University of Texas at Austin |
| 2021 | Jacob Thompson | George Mason University |
| 2022 | Aaron Lutz | Lewis & Clark College |
| 2023 | Gursimrat Dahry | University of Minnesota Twin Cities |
| 2024 | David Jacobson | University of Minnesota Twin Cities |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 tournament was canceled. However, the NFA permitted competitors in their senior year to submit recordings of their speeches for an asynchronous competition. The top performing student in each category was ranked as the Performance of Highest Distinction. The Performance of Highest Distinction in Impromptu Speaking was awarded to Andrew Yohanan from Bradley University.

### Past NSDA Champions

| Year | Competitor | Academic Institution |
| 1964 | Richard Patterson | Oskaloosa HS, Iowa |
| 1965 | James Kay | Fullerton HS, California |
| 1966 | Keith Dodds | Antelope Valley HS, California |
| 1967 | Michael Biggers | Houston-Memorial, Texas |
| 1968 | William Rosenberg | Denver-Washington, Colorado |
| 1969 | David Alley | Springfield-Parkview, Missouri |
| 1970 | Gene Alesandrini | Pekin HS, Illinois |
| 1971 | John Campbell | San Marino HS, California |
| 1972 | Roy Osborne | Nashville-Overton, Tennessee |
| 1973 | David Miller | Denver-Regis, Colorado |
| 1974 | Robert Meadow | Richmond-Kennedy, California |
| 1975 | David Burton | San Antonio-MacArthur, Texas |
| 1976 | James Attridge | Denver-Regis, Colorado |
| 1977 | Denise Antolini | Harbor HS, California |
| 1978 | Mary Joekel | Lincoln-Southeast, Nebraska |
| 1979 | Bill Frank | Perry HS, Ohio |
| 1980 | Beth Barlet | Carthage HS, Missouri |
| 1981 | Robert Verchick | Chaparral HS, Nevada |
| 1982 | Mary Shamshoian | Clovis HS, California |
| 1983 | Paul Mapp | South Eugene HS, Oregon |
| 1984 | Susan Foster | Gonzaga Preparatory, Washington |
| 1985 | Jon Garcia | Bellarmine Preparatory, California |
| 1986 | Elaine Barnett | Fresno HS, California |
| 1987 | James Wallace | Leilehua HS, Hawaii |
| 1988 | Anne Joseph | Robinson Secondary HS, Virginia |
| 1989 | Breean Stickgold | Redlands HS, California |
| 1990 | Chris Snowbeck | Wheaton Central HS, Illinois |
| 1991 | Samantha Burton | Bakersfield HS, California |
| 1992 | Arthur Krause | Polytechnic School, California |
| 1993 | Jill Van Pelt | Plano HS, Texas |
| 1994 | Chris Walker | Dobson HS, Arizona |
| 1995 | Razimera Heywood | Redlands HS, California |
| 1996 | Ryan Syrek | Millard-South HS, Nebraska |
| 1997 | Barrett Huddleston | Putnam City HS, Oklahoma |
| 1998 | Peter Stone | Johansen HS, California |
| 1999 | Joe Shapiro | Beaverton HS, Oregon |
| 2000 | Bethany Kenny | Neosho HS, Missouri |
| 2001 | Lexi Menish | Assumption HS, Kentucky |
| 2002 | Georgios Theophanous | Miramonte HS, California |
| 2003 | Ron Kendler | Newton South HS, Massachusetts |
| 2004 | Megan Loden | Aubrey HS, Texas |
| 2005 | Lauren K. Nelson | Wheaton North HS, Illinois |
| 2006 | Jessica Furgerson | Sandra Day O’Connor, Texas |
| 2007 | Treza Hirsch | Flathead County HS, Montana |
| 2008 | Taman Narayan | Leland HS, California |
| 2009 | Jessica Petrie | Belleville West HS, Illinois |
| 2010 | Adam Conner | Loyola Blakefield HS, Maryland |
| 2011 | Alex Daniel | Dobson HS, Arizona |
| 2012 | Matt Rauen | Pennsbury HS, Pennsylvania |
| 2013 | Alexander Buckley | Downers Grove North HS, Illinois |
| 2014 | Michael Everett | Chaminade College Prep, California |
| 2015 | Josh Mansfield | Highland HS, Idaho |
| 2016 | Jacob Womack | Aberdeen Central HS, South Dakota |
| 2017 | Kate Farwell | ILEAD North Hollywood, California |
| 2018 | Miles Morton | ILEAD North Hollywood, California |
| 2019 | Jocelyn Marks | Theodore Roosevelt HS, Iowa |
| 2022 | Chloe Yang | Ridge HS, New Jersey |
| 2023 | Kat Northrop | Westridge School, California |
| 2024 | Madeline White | Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Pennsylvania |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NSDA permitted competitors in 2020 and 2021 to submit recordings of their speeches for a Prepared Prompt Speaking competition. In Prepared Prompt, students were given a list of topics prior to the tournament, selected one prompt from the official list, prepared a speech, and submitted it through the recording process. The 2020 champion was Sarah George (Marquette HS, Missouri) and the 2021 champion was Nya Ware (Southland College Prep Charter HS, Illinois).