The evaluation is your personal reaction to the speech. You will generally have only 2 minutes to relay the highlights and suggestions for improvement so organize your thoughts with only a few points. You will use the member's manual to write a more detailed evaluation.

In the 15 minutes Before the Meeting:

• Touch base with the speaker to find out what the objectives are and if there is anything that the speaker wants you to look for - nervousness, eye contact, etc.
• Offer some encouraging words and support to the speaker.
• Obtain the speaker's manual so you can write down your comments.

During the Meeting:

• Try to sit at the back of the room to better judge appropriate voice, volume and the audience reaction.
• Try to find 3 praiseworthy points - highlight strengths and provide a catalyst for future growth.
• Try to find 2 suggestions for improvement - we all need to improve so offer constructive criticism sandwiched between the positive points and the encouragement, don't mix suggestions- 'you have great gestures but you could have been better...'
• Evaluate the speech not the speaker - do not criticize what they said but evaluate how they said it.
• Avoid - 'you didn't', 'you should have', 'you failed to'.
• Use - 'I believe', 'what I felt', 'I suggest that'.
• Recommended framework: opening statement, message I received, objectives, key items I liked most (give examples if possible), 2 opportunities for improvement, conclusion - how could this speech be delivered more effectively?
• Don't forget to be motivating and encouraging but don't whitewash either. You have taken the time to express your reaction to the speech so honour that time. It is sometimes difficult to deliver an evaluation because we have been brought up to believe it has to be bad news or negative. Through Toastmasters you learn a way to give feedback to others so that they have something to take away and work on as well as something they can feel good about.
• Do not forget to fill in the evaluation section in the speaker's manual so the speaker can receive credit for delivering the speech at Toastmasters International.

Speech Evaluation Forms:

"BTD"	Articulate what the speaker Does Well, what s/he could Do Differently and suggestions to Do Next Time.
"CDI"	Simple framework divided into three sections: Content, Delivery and Impact.
Saw-Heard-Felt	A popular framwork used by many Toastmaster's clubs. Three core sections to focus the evaluator on presenting an evaluation as an her/his opinion; what s/he Saw, Heard and Reacted to, i.e. Felt.  Includes two additional sections, Greatest strength and Element to improve.
International Speech Contest Framework (Criteria)	Criteria used in Toastmaster's International Speech Contests.  Criteria weights (scoring system) removed.