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Q. What is the structure of the competition?
A. Each team’s presentation will have three components, which will last 20-25 minutes.
  • First is an initial Oral Argument of up to 10 minutes.
  • Judges then have an opportunity to ask 1-2 questions to the team.
  • The team has the option of offering a closing statement of up to 2 minutes.
Q. How are teams scored?
A. The judging rubric scores five criteria:
  • Comprehension of subject matter
  • Clarity and coherence of argument
  • Presentation delivery
  • Quality of responses
  • Overall persuasiveness
Q. Is there a minimum/maximum number of sources to use in an argument?
A. No. Judges will score the quality of a team’s argument over the quantity of sources.
Q. Can I use secular sources in my argument?
A. Yes! While arguments should be rooted in Jewish sources, you are welcome to introduce secular texts to buttress your argument.
  • Valid: Using a secular text that helps you apply your argument.
  • Invalid: Rooting your argument in a secular legal text.
Q. Can I use Jewish sources not provided in the source sheets?
A. Yes, definitely!
Q. Can I use slides in my Oral Argument?
A. Yes, you will have co-host status on Zoom and be able to share your screen.