Extemp would be so much easier if we could have unlimited time to read deeply, cross-check sources, and select the perfect evidence for each argument. But then, of course, it wouldn’t be extemp at all. Extemp challenges speakers to find strong evidentiary support for arguments in a short window of time. Under pressure, many speakers struggle to put together well-sourced speeches at all. However, it is possible to search, choose, and use evidence intentionally to have a strong speech.
Before Researching
Prior to even searching for an article, the first judgement call that must be made by every extemper is determining how much they already know about the question. Under time pressure, failing to answer this honestly can hurt your entire prep. While searching for a topic you are familiar with as if you aren’t can waste time, treating an unfamiliar topic like a familiar one can lead to missed context.
If the topic is familiar, your goal in research should be to confirm what you know and find specific statistics and examples to support your pre-existing knowledge. If you already understand the actors and likely arguments, your searching should immediately be targeted toward verifying trends, checking recency, and sharpening impacts.
On the other hand, if the topic is unfamiliar, the strategy is different. Your first priority should be to build a mental framework of what’s going on instead of finding specific statistics. This means starting with broad context: what the issue is, who’s involved, and why it matters. Under pressure, the biggest mistake to be made is collecting detailed evidence before understanding the landscape.
How Much Evidence is Necessary
Under time pressure, knowing where to place evidence is just as important as knowing what evidence to choose. Obviously not every claim needs a citation, so allocating evidence strategically saves time and strengthens your speech.
In a standard extemp speech, evidence is necessary in your attention grabbing device (AGD) if you’re opening with a story, statistic, or quote. This will make it memorable and credible when you’re stating something specific. In the introductory section, evidence is useful in the background to clarify the scope of the issue or highlight recent trends. Evidence in the statement of significance is options, but can definitely enhance your argument if you have the time to do so.
Regarding each point of your speech, where the bulk of the information is, two strong sources per point is ideal, and three can even be used if they directly support analysis (one for each subpoint and the impact). At the minimum, one solid citation per point is considered essential. Each piece of evidence should serve a clear purpose to substantiate your argument instead of reiterating the points.
Scanning Articles
When you only have 30 minutes to prepare a speech, you can’t afford to read every single article from start to end. To be efficient, it is important to scan for claims that match your argument. When opening a source, immediately look for a thesis, forward-looking language (“likely,” “expected,” “could”), or evaluative words (“effective,” “failed,” “limited”). If an article only describes events without interpreting them, it’s usually not worth your time under pressure. Reporting explains what happened, but extemp requires evidence that can be as specific as possible, such as specific examples or statistics. Ultimately, before committing to a piece of evidence, it’s important to ensure that you understand it fully and it genuinely advances your claim.
Knowing What to Look for
Before opening an article, you should know what kind of evidence you are searching for in the first place. Are you trying to predict an outcome, evaluate a policy, explain causation, compare options, or something else? All of these different goals demand different evidence. For instance, predictions can be strengthened using trends and expert expectations. On the other hand, evaluations need criteria and outcomes. If you don’t identify this early, you’ll waste time collecting facts that never make it into your speech.
ConclusionOverall, extemp prep is stressful by design and the clock forces you to reveal what you value. Strong extempers can trust that the right evidence is more than just collecting the most amount of facts. Extemper’s have success by choosing the right evidence, placing it strategically, and not spending too much time trying to find the perfect sources. Make those decisions intentionally because even 30 minutes of prep can produce a confident, persuasive, and well-supported speech.