As Topics are short and quite quick in succession, the Topics Evaluator has a lot of listening and watching to do in a short time, plus taking some notes. Firstly evaluate the Topics Master on how they ran the session, their introduction, the theme and how they closed the session by giving a brief resume of each speaker, calling for the timekeepers report then asking the audience to cast their vote. The essence for the participants is the same as any evaluation, albeit in a reduced time, in that one or two commendations should be made and one recommendation. The recommendation is very important for the participants to enable them to improve when they take part again. The Topics Evaluator must note the time allowed on the programme and then fit their evaluations into this time. Keep them short and to the point and you will not go wrong.
Taken from Speakeasy 181 – March 2014