Duties of the Timer

Ah Counter | Ballot Counter/Listener | Evaluator | General Evaluator | Jester | PLG
President | Sergeant at Arms | Speaker | Timer | Toastmaster | Topics Master

Before the Meeting

• Practice your "Explanation of Duty" speech if you need to.

Upon Arrival at the Meeting

• Secure the stopwatch and the three timing flags from the table or supply box.
• Experiment with the stopwatch to figure out how to operate it.
• Look at the agenda to see what parts of the meeting you will be timing. The possibilities are prepared speeches, table topics, and speech evaluations. You do not time the Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, General Evaluator, or other helpers. Note the time for the prepared speeches, as it varies from speech to speech.
• Adapt your "Explanation of Duties" to fit the agenda; do not explain events not in the meeting.

During the Meeting

• Explain your duties when called upon to do so.
• Time each prepared speech. Begin timing with at the first word and end with the handoff back to the Toastmaster. Raise each flag at the appropriate time and hold it up until the time for the next flag. Record the time for your report.
• Report if the speaker met the time limits for the prepared speech when asked to do so by the Toastmaster.
• Time each Table Topics respondent, beginning, ending, and raising the flags as above. Record the time for your report.
• When asked by the Topics Master, report if the speakers met the time limits. If some did not meet the limits, then list the names of the speakers who spoke within the required time.
• Time each speech evaluator and record the time for your report.
• When called upon by the General Evaluator, report which ones met the time requirements.

Sample "Explanation of Duty"

Timeliness is a very important part of a speaking, and today I will be helping our speakers develop timeliness by timing the prepared speeches, table topics responses, and the evaluations of the prepared speeches.

The times for each type of speech is listed on the back of the agenda. Look at it for the exact times. When I hold up this green flag [demonstrate], it indicates that the speaker has reached the minimum time. At the midpoint, I will hold up the yellow flag [demonstrate]. At the end of the time window, I will hold up the red flag [demonstrate]. At that point, the speaker will have 30 seconds to finish his speech. I will keep the red flag up until the speaker stops speaking.

I will report the times for each speaker when asked.

Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster.

Sample "Timer's Reports"

Prepared Speeches

Table Topics Responses

Speech Evaluation