THE SUBJECT:
- Narrow
your topic
(eventually) to no more than what could be handled in a 15 page term paper. In
any one speech 2-4 main points is all you can do effectively
- Each speech will need a specific topic, a thesis and
a specific purpose - ideally each of your speeches will build on the previous one.
- REMEMBER: you are not required to cover everything
about your subject, even everything about your narrowed topic. You probably
can't give a good speech the is specific, concrete and memorable and do
"everything." Doing a good job on a limited set of points is far better than
doing a superficial job on a broader topic.
- Consider audience. You want to tell us NEWS about
your issue while not going over-our-heads.
- SPEECH 1
-- THE
STATUS QUO [Expository] This assignment has features of
the "Sourced Essay" assignment in ENGL 110.
- You don't have to follow this structure, but see
me if you have another idea.
- The goal of the first speech is to explain the
current state of affairs regarding your topic.
Eventually you will be trying to persuade us that some change
is needed. For that to work we need to know where we are now.
- Some ways to do that:
- Explain current policy, law, etc. and how it
is working (structure function)
- Explain the history of the issue -- how we
got to the present (chronological)
- Explain what's going on with your issue now
and why it is a hot topic now (cause and effect)
- Don't slide into Speech 2 issues here
SPEECH 2 -- THE
ISSUES [Informative] This assignment has
similarities to the "Evaluation" essay assignment in ENGL 110.
- The goal of the second speech is to lay out the
principle arguments and problems regarding your topic that are currently
being discussed as important.
- Between your speech and your partner's you want
to understand the nature of the controversy but you
don't want to really try to persuade us that one
side is right.
- Some ways to do that:
- Topical issues (Pro or Con or multiple sides)
- Topical problem/solution
- Case study
SPEECH 3 -- POLICY
PERSUASION This assignment is similar to the
"Position" essay assignment in ENGL 110.
- The goal of the third speech is to
present a plan of action that solves some problem related to
your AND persuade us it should be adopted
- You will have some latitude in this speech to
select an audience different from (and more suitable for your purpose
than) SCAT 101.
- Some ways to do that: -- to be covered later (see
text for ideas)
- Motivated Sequence
- Inspirational Model
- Pro - Con
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