National Forensic League (NFL) Points

Many NFL members never concern themselves with their point totals, preferring to hone their speaking skills and improve their status at tournaments.
Others, however, crave something more. Speech and Debate for these poor individuals (myself included) becomes more than an activity -- it becomes a way of life. In this case, often the extent to which one lives life is measured in NFL points, the methods by which they are allocated recored below.

In Speech and Interpretation events, points are awarded based on the student's rank and the event's catagory, as shown below.

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Other
Original Events 6 5 4 3 2 1
Interp/Reading 5 4 3 2 1 1
Other Events 4 3 2 1 1 1

Origianl events are Original Oratory, Foreign and Domestic Extemp, Expository, Informative, Original Advocacy, and Public Address.
Interpretation events include Intrepretation, Analysis of Address, Poetry, Humorous Interpretation, Oratorical Interpretation, Declamation, Dramatic Interpretation, Reading, Duo Interpretation, Duet Acting, Dramatic Duo, Prose, Original Prose or Poetry, and Prose/Poetry.
After-dinner, Impromptu, Book review, Voice of Democracy, Story Telling, Salesmanship, 4-minute speaking, Radio Announcing, TV Announcing, and Demonstration are classified as Other events.
OHSSL (Ohio High School Speeh League) state-qualifing events are set in italics, NFL national-tournament qualifing events are in boldface. Events that qualify to both are naturally set in both.

For the helpless point-mongers, debate is the way to go, and of the two styles of debate (Policy and Lincoln-Douglas), the latter is the way to go; at many tournaments the directors fit in four rounds of L-D* to policy's three. Both are OHSSL and NFL events.

Debate Win Loss No Decision
6 3 3

In addtiton to the "standard" events listed above, NFL members can recieve points for Student Congress, which is scored from 0 to 6 points per speech (except at nationals) and has a maximum of five speeches per day (except when no one else wants to speak). Presiding for one hour is scored as a speech.

Points can also be earned for public speaking, based on the speaker's current degree, the number of adults present, the place and group addressed, and a number of other factors that must be present if points are to be earned for the speech.

DegreePoints RequiredInsignia JewlelsCertificate SealDiploma SealVotes
of Merit25NoneWhiteNone1
of Honor75EmeraldBronzeBronze2
of Excellence150Blue SapphireSilverSilver3
of Distinction250RubyGoldGold4
of Special Distinction500Double RubyRoseRose5
of Superior Distinction750Triple RubyBlueBlue6
of Outstanding Distinction1000Quad RubyPurplePurple7

For the really specific point caps and limits, the methods of recording them, and the various maximum totals, refer to the NFL Constitution.

*I can hear the reader laughing now. It's not funny; its an abbreviation.


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