This weekend many of y’all will be attending either the New York City Invitational or the St. Marks Heart of Texas Invitational. I didn’t attend either tournament, so I can’t really give any tournament specific advice, so after offering some general advice, I’ll link you to some previously written articles by knowledgeable sources.
Now, to my advice: ANSWER THE QUESTION. That is the most important piece of advice, and it bears repeating. Take the question, come up with an answer, and then mull it over for a couple of minutes, and make sure it really answers the question. Nothing will screw you over faster in a tough round than not answering the question. Seriously, answer the question.
Next, a corollary to the first hint: explain, explain, and explain some more. Many of your judges won’t know what you’re talking about. It is your job to fill in their big gaps of knowledge. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with an easy question about the 2012 election or a super hard question about the French foreign legion in Chad. If you explain the judge will reward you, and silently thank you.
Remember, though, not to let facts get in the way of clarity. Never let an additional fact ruin stuck at the end of the sentence prevent you from cleanly finishing what you were saying. If a fact isn’t said clearly, then it was never said.
Finally, and most importantly, use good sources. Newsweek might be ending its print run, but it still exists, and you may be tempted to use it. Resist that urge. Use CFR, NY Times, Washington Post, Peterson Institute, the Brookings INSTITUTION. And make sure to cite them correctly. A speech is only as strong as its weakest source. Good sources will not only enhance your credibility, but they will also enhance the speech before you give it, by exposing you to better arguments. I have always been source obsessed, and so that is my final piece of advice.
Now, to the knowledgeable sources: the first preview, for St. Marks, is from 2010, written by Shahid Ahmed, one of my former coaches and a former MBA invitee. The other preview, also for St. Marks, is from 2008, written by Sarah Anand, a former MBA invitee who was totally before my time. Sadly, there are no specific previews for Bronx. Enjoy!
http://speechgeek.com/extemp/st-marks-heart-of-texas-invitational-preview-by-shahid-ahmed/
Ben There, Done That 