Poetry contests, such as SLAMS, are events where poets compete against each other to win a prize. A SLAM is a competition in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. The term 'SLAM' comes from the audience's enthusiastic response to the performance. SLAMS usually involve a panel of judges who score the performances on a scale from 0 to 10. The poet with the highest score wins the contest. SLAMS can also refer to the act of performing poetry in a competitive setting.