by Sebastian Pyrek
The typical extemper probably has multiple areas in which he/she needs to improve in to reach ultimate perfection, be it delivery, knowledge base, or anything out of the myriad of qualities that makes the ‘good’ extemper good. One thing that is arguably the most important is analysis, because we are answering a question, and our ranks depend directly on this answer. Also, after a season, having only 7 minutes to speak is a curse – it is difficult to gather a focus and be deliberate in what we want to say. This is where impacting can come in and save the common extemper and add a whole new dimension of organization to a speech.
You may be asking yourself: “Why is impacting important?” To answer this question, I’ll just tell you that an impact probably killed the dinosaurs and you do not need a better example!
Enough with the silliness though, impacts will make a world of difference. It is also very easy to do (it can be broken down into three parts) Just ask yourself these three questions:
1. What is/will happen(ing)? This could also be an idea – This will be one of your main sub-points, for the example of this article we will use the premise of this article as the idea who’s significance we will impact: Impacting is important.
2. Why is this the case? – With every statement that you make in your speech you need to ask yourself this question. At this point you will cite your sources and use this evidence to bolster your factual position on the issue. Impacting gives the extemper a more rigid structure because it allows evidence and time to be used to its maximal value, as according to an article in the October edition of Ex Files Magazine.
3. Why is this important? – This is the most important part of your argument and the impact part of the argument. You must ask yourself this question and answer it in your mind. Without this final point your entire idea or sub-point goes to waste. Skipping this part makes you no better than an encyclopedia. This is where you involve your own thoughts and synthesis, and if you can convince your judge that what you said is important for every idea in relation to your question and the wider issue, you will have no difficulty in winning or placing within the top of each of your rounds. Impacting is extremely important because the rigid structure allows the extemper to make sense to the jugde and the audience and fully communicate their ideas. This reduces the informational asymmetry that occurs when the extemper assumes that the judge ‘gets’ what the extemper is saying. A properly implemented impact is the key to ‘killing’ the competition.
This is not difficult to do once you get yourself in the habit of asking these three questions. The overall appearance of your speech will also greatly improve. You will see how many sub-points belong under your main points and you will not blindly scatter your ideas to the four corners of the world. The 7 minutes you receive will also not be as restrictive once you can contain your ideas in these neat little packages, and the clarity of your speaking will also reduce your need to rush and increase your clarity. If you can speak with a purpose, those who you want to understand you will understand you.