How to Improve Your Speaker Points

# How to Improve Your Speaker Points Speaker points are one of the most important -- and most misunderstood -- metrics in competitive debate. They directly influence your DPI, determine tiebreakers in prelim rounds, and signal to judges that you are not just winning rounds but winning them convincingly. Here are seven strategies that top-ranked debaters use to push their speaker point averages above 29. ## 1. Prioritize clarity over speed Yes, spreading is part of policy debate. But the highest speaker points go to debaters who can go fast *and* stay crystal clear. Judges reward intelligibility. If a judge has to strain to follow you, your speaks will suffer. **Drill:** Record yourself reading a block at full speed. Play it back. If you cannot understand every word, slow down 10% and drill again. ## 2. Organize your speeches with clear signposting Judges appreciate knowing exactly where you are in the flow. Use explicit signposts: "On the 1AC advantage one, subpoint B..." This is especially critical in rebuttals where time pressure leads to muddled organization. ## 3. Make strategic concessions Nothing impresses a judge more than a debater who knows what to let go. Instead of spending 30 seconds poorly answering an argument that does not matter, say "Even if they win X, it does not outweigh because..." This shows mastery and saves time for your strongest arguments. ## 4. Use judge adaptation Before the round, look up your judge's paradigm on Tabroom. Are they a flow judge or a truth-over-tech judge? Do they prefer util frameworks or deontological approaches? Tailoring your style to the judge is the single biggest speaker-point lever most debaters ignore. ## 5. Practice cross-examination as performance Cross-ex is where many debaters either gain or lose a full point. Be polite but assertive. Ask short, pointed questions. Never let the other team filibuster. And when you are being crossed, give concise answers without volunteering extra information. ## 6. Write your 2AR/2NR like a closing argument Your final rebuttal should sound like a lawyer's closing statement. Slow down slightly. Make eye contact. Weigh the round clearly. Judges often assign speaks based heavily on the last speech they hear. ## 7. Time your speeches perfectly Running out of time mid-sentence is a speaks killer. So is finishing 45 seconds early. Use a timer, practice to the second, and structure your speeches so your strongest points hit at the right moments. ## The data speaks Looking at our DPI dataset, the top 10% of debaters average 29.1 speaker points. The top 25% average 28.6. The difference between a 28.0 and a 29.0 average often comes down to these fundamentals -- not brilliant arguments, but brilliant delivery. Focus on these seven areas for one month and track your speaker point average. We bet you will see the needle move.