Category: Blog Post

Over the past year, inflation in the United States has significantly increased. What is it, why does it matter, and what can governments do to address it? Those are just a few of the questions Ananth Veluvali explores in this briefing.

After reflecting this summer, we’ve got some exciting updates about our podcast! Read more to find out.

In this article, Ananth Veluvali provides a strategy for practicing before big tournaments.

In this article, Ananth Veluvali explores how extempers can read the news efficiently and comprehensively.

Few things spice up a speech like a timely quote. In this article, we’ll go over some quotes that can be used in any extemporaneous speech and go over how to use them.

In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down how you, as a captain, can run practices for your extemp team. This will be Part 2 in a longer series about starting, managing, and leading your team.

USX What do recent referendums on police reforms signal about the future of the Defund the Police movement? What lessons do the Democratic Party need to take away from the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections? Is paid family leave a winning issue for Democrats? Is admitting more immigrants the best response for America’s labor […]

USX Will Congressional Democrats be able to pass price reductions on prescription medication? Have we seen the last wave of COVID cases in the U.S.? Would breaking up Facebook be a good policy decision? How long will America’s widespread supply shortages last? Is the “Defund the Police” movement dead for good? IX How can the […]

Welcome to the first monthly update for the 2021-22 National Points Race! In this edition, we cover the results from the UK Season Opener, the Yale Invitational, and the Duke Invitational. The new extemp season has started, and some familiar faces are already showing their growth from last year at the first tournaments of the […]

We apologize for the delay in posting questions. Happy practicing!

Interested in helping us? Keep reading for more!

After a successful launch last year, the Extemper’s Bible will once again host a Nationals Points Race in order to determine the country’s most consistent competitor across a series of nationally-recognized events. Following the model of the Extemp Central National Points Race, we will be using different tiers to determine the comparative difficulty of tournaments […]

This article explains how a society’s demographic structure affects its economic and political systems and how that is relevant to extempers.

Are you caught up with the news? Find out with this weeks ten question quiz!

In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down how you, as a captain, can recruit people for your extemp team. This will be Part 1 in a longer series about starting, managing, and leading your team.

After a well-enjoyed summer break, the Extemper’s Bible is back! Keep reading to find out more about exciting updates to the site and what you can expect from us.

Are you caught up with the news? Find out with this weeks ten question quiz!

The Extemper’s Bible is beginning a virtual book club for extempers.

Are you caught up with the news? Find out with our weekly quiz! 10 questions, once per week

Football What can NFL front offices learn from the resolution of Aaron Rodgers’ feud with the Packers? Which rookie quarterback will exceed expectations the most? Does vaccine skepticism among NFL players pose a serious problem to the league? Are the Buffalo Bills ready to make the “next step” in the 2021-22 season? Should the NFL […]

Read this article for some exciting updates from the Extemper’s Bible! Plus, a free presentation on introductions linked below!

Are you caught up with the news? Find out with our weekly quiz! 10 questions, once per week — it’s back!

Read this article for some exciting updates from the Extemper’s Bible! Plus, a free economics presentation linked below!

Economics is one of the more difficult subjects that extemp covers. In this article, Ananth Veluvali breaks down interest rates and modern monetary theory.

The speech and debate season is coming up in less than two months, which means it’s time for recruitment! Hopefully, this ‘sales pitch’ for joining the speech and debate team helps! This article was written by Ananth Veluvali.

While summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and the sweet feeling of freedom that comes with having no homework, it’s also a great time to improve your extemp skills. In this article, Ananth Veluvali delves into some tips and tricks for becoming a better extemper over the summer.

Work closely with three-time national finalist Christopher Maximos at 6 PM CST tomorrow as he delves into what makes an effective introduction. Interested in signing up for our full camp and working one-on-one with Maximos? Check out extempinstitute.com! The link to the meeting can be found here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81140285031. The Meeting ID is 811 4028 5031 […]

Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your next speech.

Sometimes, you want to get your extemp information without having to pore over news articles and think tank reports. That’s where podcasts enter into play: you can stay up-to-date with the latest events and relax a bit! Keep reading to discover some enjoyable podcast sources. This article was written by Ananth Veluvali.

Happy practicing and remember to check out our camp at https://www.extempinstitute.com/!

The following is a reposted article from October of 2020. With big tournaments like the ETOC, NCFLs, and NSDA Nationals coming up, we hope it strikes a chord with you all.

After months of careful planning and coordination with nationally-renowned extempers and extemp coaches, we have finally got our camp up-and-running! Read more to find out some details.

Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your next speech. 

In important rounds, you may have to cross-examine your opponents. In this article, we’ll delve into what cross-examination is and how to effectively do it. This article was written by Ananth Veluvali.

With important tournaments like the TOC and Nationals coming up and tournaments likely online through December of 2021 (if not longer), we thought we’d revisit one of our favorite articles. Below is a list of different tips & tricks for navigating online tournaments that will help maximize your speaking appeal.

Happy practicing!

In this article, we go over a few handy charts and graphs to help any extemper

We’ve decided to extend the deadline to register for our tournament until 7 PM CST today! You can sign up using this tabroom link: https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/index.mhtml?tourn_id=20022.

Effectively outlining your introductions and points can be a daunting task. Fortunately, with a little practice, you can nail your outlines every single time! This article was written by Ananth Veluvali.

Looking for a list of drills to practice? Look no further!

Citing a book is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books you may want to cite in your […]

Sometimes, it’s hard to come up with three distinct points to answer a question. In this article, Ananth Veluvali lays out a potential solution: utilizing layered analysis.  

Many extempers will experience burnout at some point in there careers. In this article, Anne Smith give some tips for avoiding and solving burnout.

One of the most influential overlooked regions in US and international policy, Central America can seem hard to understand. That is why in this article we guide you through the main issues that the region is facing.

After months of careful deliberation and thoughtful editing, nationally-acclaimed extempers Sam Padmanabhan, Kevin Bi, and Alex Yang wrote a handbook for extempers of all skill that we’ve published in this article. Enjoy!

In this article, Ananth Veluvali lays out a four-step practice routine that novice and varsity speakers alike can follow during Spring Break to become a better speaker.

February has been an exciting month for the Extemper’s Bible. As you may have noticed, we made some big changes to our website. We’ve also been planning some awesome things under the hood. Read below to find out more!

Extemp questions commonly deal with international issues that are greatly influenced by the power of the countries involved. This article will explore the types of power countries can posses and their effects on the issues extemper’s are commonly asked about.

The statement of significance is an important, albeit underutilized tool in extemporaneous speaking. In a single 10 second statement, your judge will either feel connected or distanced from your topic. Thus, nailing this part of the speech is critical to being a successful speaker. In this article, learn some tips about how to utilize statements […]

In this article, we take a look at how good gestures, posture, eye contact, and facial expressions can really improve a performance in Extemp while discussing ways to improve them.

As Vladimir Putin once again arrests one of his main opponents and silences his followers, let’s take a look at the complex political situation in Russia and what’s really going on at the Kremlin.

Citing a book (or books!) is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books (with their summaries) you may […]

The following is the ultimate guide for novices on how to succeed in extemporaneous speaking. Covered are the following sections: what is extemp, what goes into a speech, the art of substructure, confidence in this activity, free extemp resources, and concluding commentary. Since this is an ongoing project, we will be continually updating this resource. […]

As Israeli encroachments on the West Bank persevere despite international pressure, join us in exploring the complex narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, impending Israeli elections, and foreign influence in the region.

In extemp, effective filing is of paramount importance. In this article, Anne Smith highlights five tips to become better at filing.

In this article, written by Anne Smith, we’ll take a deep dive into the history, controversy, geopolitical significance, costs, and benefits of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Enjoy!

In this article, Mukta Dharmapurikar lays out the benefits of diversifying your Speech and Debate experiences in order to better your own extemp and our community.

Figuring out an effective practice schedule for extemp can be a challenging task. In this article, Katelyn Cai takes a deep dive into a few practice strategies that will make you a more effective extemper.

Check out our year in review, which highlights our proudest accomplishments from this year! Then, keep reading this article, so you know all of the exciting updates we’re planning for 2021!

In this article, Will Ford divulges some tips on how to maximize your extemp ethos, even if you have a speech you don’t feel fully confident about.

With Joe Biden set to be the next president of the United States, questions over how he will conduct his foreign policy have emerged, especially given the current problems the global community faces. Written by Arjun Raman, the following article examines Biden’s potential foreign policy agenda and defines some key vocabulary along the way.

The following article is part of a new series by the Extemper’s Bible where we’ll take a deep dive into relevant domestic and global subjects. For this post, we’ll examine political polarization in the US, including its causes, implications, and potential solutions. As a nation where political agreement is needed for unified action, the US […]

Happy belated Thanksgiving! We’re looking to grow our website, but that will mean getting more help! If one or more of the following positions interests you or if you have any questions, please let us know by contacting ananth@extempers.org or outreach@extempers.org! 

Citing a book (or books!) is one of the most impressive things you can do in an extemp speech. Beyond presenting an opportunity to cite distinguished scholars, books typically hold complex political, social, and economic theories that add sophistication to your speeches. Below is a list of a few books (with their summaries) you may […]

Introduction The attention-getting device, better known by its moniker the AGD, is one of the most important parts of an extemp speech. Despite this, most extempers recycle the same 2-3 AGDs for an entire tournament, often resulting in strenuous ties between their opener and the topic. Fortunately, it requires little effort to produce stronger attention […]

The following is a new series by the Extemper’s Bible where we’ll take a deep dive into relevant domestic and global subjects. For our very first article, we’ll examine the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. As the second largest country in Africa, if this conflict goes unresolved, the violence in Ethiopia risks […]

With most tournaments through February already online, it’s clear this extemp season will be different than the past. Accordingly, your speaking strategy might have to change. Below are a list of different tips & tricks for navigating online tournaments to maximize your speaking appeal.

Walking into my first Varsity final round sophomore year, I had no idea what to expect. After a year and a half of watching finals with older, more “distinguished” speakers, I was still shocked to see myself in the midst of such talented individuals. Although I was extremely nervous, I was still committed to trying […]

How much have you kept up with this past week’s news? Take this short, 10-question quiz to find out! Answers are provided at the very bottom of this article.

In this article, Peter Alisky gives viewers some tips for how to perform in high-stakes rounds. He divulges some of his own secrets when it comes to settling nerves and gives easy-to-read advice on how to conquer the crowd.

Do you want to put your news reading skills to the test? Find out how much you know about this past week’s news by taking the weekly quiz below! Happy practicing and good luck!

In this article, Cailin Friary takes a deep dive into the realities of speech and debate in small communities without strong debate infrastructures and ways to get involved and improve whether you are a small or big school competitor.

Just a thank you to everyone who has made this website possible.