(NOTE: I wrote the original version of this document as a guide for moderators. The version here, slightly modified from mine, was sent out to NAQT SCT hosts for this weekend. I would expect it also to appear soon on the NAQT website.)

Moderating is a difficult task, even for the most experienced moderators. This is because people who discuss the game naturally focus on faults rather than quality, and also because the moderator is responsible for a smoothly-run, fairly-adjudicated match. Quality moderation prevents problems, yet often goes unnoticed. Substandard moderation can lead to disaster. This is a primer that may be useful to both new and experienced readers. Quality moderation requires work but it allows good questions to shine and gives teams the best chance to perform.


Be Confident
A moderator who lacks confidence will not be a good moderator.

If you fear making a mistake then you WILL make a mistake. Be familiar with all match procedures before the match begins. Tournament directors should provide all readers with a copy of the rules and hold a moderators' meeting to discuss the rules. At minimum, the moderator should know all rules for recognition, prompting, and timing (how long a player has to give a tossup answer, single bonus answer, list, etc.). A reader who knows the rules and is unafraid to use them will control the room. Moderation is public speaking; controlling the room leads to success.

Balance Speed and Clarity
A moderator must read as quickly as he or she can, without sacrificing clarity.

An unintelligible reader is as bad as an unreadable packet. One should not stop and start within a question, lest a player mistake a pause for an important clue. Take note of the groups of words that come after what you are reciting, to preserve the question's natural cadence, grammar, rhythm, and intent. Consistent, free-flowing speech will make the question easy to understand.

Magnify
A moderator must be heard, otherwise your presence serves no purpose.

Your voice should fill the room. This may demand a slight (note: only a slight) increase from your natural speaking volume. Practice will allow you to determine your appropriate volume. You should not need to yell, nor should your voice be labored. (A good tournament will have at least eight rounds; your vocal chords won't last three rounds of yelling.)

Time Your Breath
The secret of quality moderation is to modulate breathing.

Breathe at the end of sentences or just before the scoring instruction. For NAQT questions, the goal of a good reader should be a two-breath tossup. Inhale before the first word and before the phrase, "for 10 points." Longer questions may require more breath -- writers should remember this and keep questions compact, lest readers collapse from lightheadedness.

Position Yourself to Project
The moderator should position himself so that his voice projects equally well to all teams.

Keep the questions away from your mouth when you read. Paper blocks sound from your mouth and may accidentally reveal upcoming questions (if the printout is double-sided). If you have the energy and resources, stand up and put the questions on a desk or podium.

Separate tossups and bonuses; switching between two stacks of paper is quicker than flipping within a single stapled or bound stack.

Speak With Authority
A confident, authoritative demeanor will prevent many match conflicts.

Ideally, a reader should be calm, authoritative, and stoic. Do not make excuses, provide an opinion, or otherwise interject. React, but do not opine. Be solid and players will have confidence in your competence. Leave opinions outside the match.

Be Assertive and Brief
Even if the match you read is not timed, the tournament is still on the clock.

Every syllable you say in a match should be part of the question or absolutely necessary. Use tight language to give point values (e.g. "5," "10," or "15," not "power 15" or "5 point penalty, I'll continue for the other team"). For bonuses, just give the correct answer after each part (if the team's answer is correct, just go on to the next part) and announce the points scored at the end of the bonus. At the highest levels of play, a moderator never needs to say the word "Correct.", while with novice players, this can be helpful. If playing with power tossups, NEVER indicate how close a player was to the power mark. While a moderator should aim for terseness and brevity at the highest levels of play (the ICT and HS NCT, for instance), a moderator can take a little time at lower levels of play (especially with newer and inexperienced teams) to indicate correct answers and the like.

Beyond these directions, moderating is intuitive. If you combine these directions with confidence, common sense, and equity, your reading will bring an excellent event to the teams that play in your room. If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions for improving this document, please E-mail us at feedback@naqt.com