Please note that these guidelines are for British Parliamentary Style as it is applied in the Irish Times Debating Competition.
Different adjudicators look for different things in a speech but most look for some basic things.
The cardinal rule is that every aspect of a speech should be directed towards persuading the audience to either support or reject the motion. The basis of every speech is a coherent argument. A successful team should always have a unifying argument which is continuously impressed upon the audience so as to convince them. Also the ability to fit in with previous argument while remaining original is important. The argument must make an impact while remaining logical.