Study GuideSpeechByDonna BeechReviewed ByJos.docx

Study Guide
Speech
By
Donna Beech
Reviewed By
Joseph F. Caputo
About the Author
Donna Beech is a professional writer who has written about a
variety
of topics, including business, science, health, interior design,
and
art. She wrote The HeartMath
Solution
(HarperCollins, 1999), which
Publishers Weekly called “groundbreaking.” Her books have

been
featured on Oprah, ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter
Jennings,
CNN Headline News, NBC’s Today Show, Lifetime’s New
Attitudes,
Body & Soul on PBS, Inside Edition, ABC’s The View, and
Good
Morning America.
About the Reviewer
Joseph F. Caputo received a bachelor of arts degree in
communication
arts/English from Marywood University in Scranton,
Pennsylvania,
and a master of arts in theater from State University of New
York
at Binghamton. Mr. Caputo served as administrator of both an

elementary and a high school, and has taught at the elementary,
secondary, and college levels. His college teaching includes
classes
in film as art, theater, writing, and training of the speaking
voice.
He has also directed and acted in numerous plays, including
Romeo and Juliet, Our Town, The Odd Couple, Fiddler on the
Roof,
and Plaza Suite. Mr. Caputo has served as the drama critic for
the
Scranton Times since 1997.
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INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS 1
LESSON ASSIGNMENTS 7

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING 9
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 1: NARRATIVE/
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SPEECH 20
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 2: PODCAST 27
LESSON 2: REHEARSAL AND DELIVERY 41
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 3: INFOMERCIAL 41
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 4: PERSUASIVE SPEECH 66
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 5: FINAL SPEECH
ASSIGNMENT 70
SELF-CHECK ANSWERS 75
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YOUR COURSE
Most of us are in almost constant communication with other
people. Whether we’re using the basic social skills we need

in our personal relationships or the advanced presentation
skills required to hold the attention of large audiences, all of
us can benefit from improving our ability to communicate
well.
This course is designed to help you learn the basic principles
of effective speaking in a variety of settings. The textbook
provides procedures for preparing and delivering different
types of speeches in a variety of contexts.
OBJECTIVES
When you complete this course, you’ll be able to
n Explain the importance of audience-centered
communication
n Use skills for coping with apprehension or fear of public
speaking
n Create a goal or thesis for your speech with three to five
main points
n Identify and avoid false arguments in an informative
speech

n Explain how to develop an emotionally persuasive speech
n Prepare an outline for a speech
n Identify methods to gain the audience’s attention with
your introduction
n Describe the key elements of a conclusion
n Recognize appropriate and inappropriate language in
speeches
n Explain the process of rehearsing a speech
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COURSE MATERIALS

This course includes the following materials:
1. This study guide, which contains an introduction to your
course, plus
n A lesson assignments page with a schedule of study
assignments
n Introductions to lessons and assignments, which
emphasize the main points in the textbook
n Self-checks and answers to help you assess your
understanding of the material
n Five graded speech assignments
2. Your course textbook, The Essential Elements of Public
Speaking, Fourth Edition, by Joseph A. DeVito
KNOW YOUR TEXTBOOK
Here are some of the features of the reading material in your
textbook, The Essential Elements of Public Speaking:

n A purpose section that explains why the content of the
chapter is relevant
n Public speaking sample assistants, found in most
chapters, that are designed to give you an idea of how a
good speech works and poor speech doesn’t
n A list of essential terms at the end of each chapter
n A series of public speaking exercises
A STUDY PLAN
Everyone has his or her own style of learning. The object is
to find the method of learning that works best for you. What
follows is a suggested format for using this study guide.
Instructions to Students2
Remember that this is a suggested plan only. If you feel that
another method would help you learn more effectively, use
that method.

1. Note the pages for each assignment and read the intro-
ductory material in this study guide.
2. Scan the assigned pages in the textbook. Make a note of
the headings and illustrations. Write down questions to
yourself in the margin of the textbook or on a separate
sheet of paper.
3. Keep your textbook open to the chapter assignment, and
read the assignment text in this study guide. When the
study guide references passages or figures in the textbook,
turn to the text to complete your understanding. It may
answer your questions or inspire more.
4. Read the assigned pages in the textbook. This time, pay
more attention to details. Concentrate on gaining an
understanding of the concepts being presented.
5. Read the text in this study guide again. Check on any-
thing that’s still not clear, and reexamine the pages and
illustrations to which the study guide refers. Then com-
plete the self-check. Don’t submit your answers to the
self-checks for grading. You can check your own answers
using the answers given at the back of this study guide.
If you have problems completing any self-check question,

reread the sections of the textbook that pertain to the
problem area. If you still need assistance, contact your
instructor.
6. Complete and submit the graded speech assignments
as you come to them. Instructions are provided in this
study guide.
7. When you’ve completed all the assignments for the first
lesson and you feel confident you understand the material
covered in these assignments, take the lesson examination.
Instructions to Students 3
8. When you receive the results of your speech assignments
and examination, don’t dwell on any mistakes you made.
For the speech assignments, work on applying what you’ve
learned to become a better, more confident speaker. For
the multiple-choice exams, simply note which questions
you answered wrong, go back to the textbook to locate
the right answer, and move on. Remember, a successful
learner isn’t someone who never makes mistakes. Rather,
a successful learner is someone who learns to benefit

from correcting mistakes. After all, once you’ve corrected
a mistake, you can avoid making the same mistake again.
Repeat the steps for the remaining lessons in your course.
RECORDING AND UPLOADING
SPEECH ASSIGNMENTS
Within this course, you must prepare and deliver five speeches.
To submit these speeches for grading, you must record them
with the camera you received with this course. Use the follow-
ing procedures to record your videos:
1. Use the video camera supplied with this course. Be sure
the camera is set for web-quality video (webQ).
2. Ask a friend or relative to do the recording for you. Before
you record the first speech, practice making a few sample
videos. Refer to the documentation that came with your
camera for guidance on making your video and saving it
to your computer as a file.
3. When you feel confident about your speech, make the
recording. If the assignment asks you to give your speech
in front of a group of people, have your partner include a

quick shot of the audience.
4. Once you have your speech file, rename the file. To do
this, right-click on the file and select Rename. The new
name should be your first initial and last name, followed
by an underscore and the exam number for the speech
(jstudent_XXXXXXXX.avi). At the end of your new file
name, be sure to include the file extension, just as it
was on the original.
5. Go to http://tinyurl.com/pf-filemail for instructions on
transferring your file to the school. Do not change any of
the default settings at the Filemail site.
Instructions to Students 5
If you have a dial-up connection, you may want to contact your
instructor for an alternate method of submitting your speech.

NOTES
Lesson 1: Introduction to Public Speaking
For: Read in the Read in
study guide: the textbook:
Assignment 1 Pages 9–15 Pages 1–20
Speech Assignment 1:
Narrative/Personal Experience Speech 05032100
Speech Assignment 2: Podcast 05032200

Examination 050323 Material in Lesson 1
Lesson 2: Rehearsal and Delivery
Speech Assignment 3: Infomercial 05032400
For: Read in the Read in
study guide: the textbook:
Speech Assignment 4: Persuasive Speech 05032500

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Examination 050326 Material in Lesson 2
Speech Assignment 5: Final Speech Assignment 05032700
Lesson Assignments8
Note: To access and complete any of the examinations for this
study
guide, click on the appropriate Take Exam icon on your “My
Courses”
page. You should not have to enter the examination numbers.

These
numbers are for reference only if you have reason to contact
Student
Services.
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Introduction to Public
Speaking
ASSIGNMENT 1: INTRODUCTION
Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 1, pages 1–20, in
your textbook.
Every choice you make, when you create a speech or presenta-
tion, must be designed to help you communicate with a
particular audience. A speech that’s exceptionally effective
with one group of people can completely fail with another
group.
Few things are more moving than a rousing speech, given
by a coach to a team that has been losing all season, but has

the ability to win if they’ll only try a little harder in the final
games. Yet that speech would have no application at all to
commuters about to ride the subway to work or to farmers
planting corn. Those groups might appreciate a victory speech,
but it won’t have any personal application to the task they’re
about to face. It’s only when the speech and the audience are
well matched that communication is genuinely effective.
Behaving Ethically
Individuals, groups, and societies use ethics to tell good
behavior from bad behavior. According to your textbook,
ethics are “issues of right and wrong, or the moral implica-
tion of your message.” Above all, a speaker must behave in
an ethical manner. At the simplest level, the set of principles
that make up the ethical standard for speaking contains five
elements:
n Honesty
n Integrity
n Fairness

Speech10
n Respect
n Responsibility
First, you must be especially careful to tell the truth.
Sometimes,
telling only part of a story—even if what you say is completely
true—is the same as not telling the truth, because the omit-
ted important elements would have changed the slant of the
story.
Second, you must identify the sources you use in making the
speech. Plagiarism (stealing someone else’s words or ideas) is
both unethical and illegal. In fact, it’s a breach of all five ethi-
cal principles. First, of course, it’s dishonest. Furthermore,
claiming someone else’s ideas or wording as one’s own indi-
cates a lack of integrity. To have integrity, one’s actions must
be consistent with that person’s inner values.
Plagiarism also relates to the third element of ethics because
it’s not fair. Another person has articulated his or her ideas,
choosing those words carefully. By not acknowledging the

source, a plagiarist makes it appear as if these words and
ideas are his or her own. Such behavior is hardly fair to the
person who actually created them.
If someone fails to acknowledge sources when speaking, that
person also abandons the fourth and fifth elements of ethics
by showing a lack of respect and responsibility—toward the
original source and toward the audience, which deserves to
know the truth.
Apart from everything else, living in an ethical way allows you
to respect yourself. Why sacrifice that essential virtue when
it’s so easy to tell the truth and quote sources?
Lesson 1 11
Understanding Public Speaking
Apprehension
Making a speech in public is often listed as people’s number-
one fear. So many people are afraid of speaking in public that
it’s become fodder for comedians. Jerry Seinfeld once said
that most people at a funeral would rather be in the casket

than give the eulogy.
In most cases, though, speaking isn’t really the issue. It’s the
fear of humiliation, embarrassment, scorn, and ridicule—
things that send chills through us all. So great is this fear
that it shows up in nightmares. In one classic nightmare, the
dreamer is standing naked in front of an audience. The image
perfectly conveys the idea of being embarrassed, unprepared,
inappropriate, subject to ridicule, and exceptionally vulnera-
ble. The nakedness may mean that there’s nowhere to hide.
In another common nightmare, the dreamer appears in front
of an audience, but can’t remember what to say. Sometimes
the person can’t even improvise because he or she doesn’t
even know what the topic of the speech is.
Public Speaking and Society
As a means of communication, public speaking can provide a
variety of services to society:
n Paying tribute
n Providing information
n Influencing thought

n Entertaining
n Stimulating action
In some cases, a single speech fulfills all these functions. It’s
easy to imagine a political speech
in which a candidate running for office pays tribute to the
person who previously held the office,
provides information about the issues, influences the audience’s
thinking about the issues,
entertains them with relevant stories, and then stimulates them
to take action on the issues
themselves or simply vote for the candidate!
At other times, the entire speech may be devoted to one element
alone. For example, stand-up
comedians often give speeches meant to entertain. New
broadcasters strive to give presentations

that inform.
Speech12
Fortunately, in real life, if we get up on stage, we do know what
play we’re in. When you give a speech before an audience,
you know exactly why you’re giving it and what you’re going
to say, even if you do feel nervous. Moreover, you’re unlikely
to find yourself accidentally standing there naked. Therefore,
the good news is, speaking in real life will probably never be
as nerve-wracking as our fears would have us believe.
Overcoming Public Speaking
Apprehension
Possibly the best way to overcome a fear of public speaking
is to make many speeches. The more exposure you have to
public speaking, the more comfortable you’ll be with it. Of
course, a little fear may be beneficial in keeping you concen-
trated on what you’re doing. If you become too casual and too
confident, your message may not be successful.
Visualization is one general method. Sometimes, people feel

perfectly comfortable practicing a speech at home or even
delivering it before a small group of friends. Then, when
What Do You Think Is Going to Happen?
When people are asked what they’re afraid will happen when
they get up to speak before an
audience, they often mention these fears:
n My mind will go blank.
n I’ll start trembling and shaking, or I’ll have an anxiety attack.
n I’ll do something embarrassing.
n I’ll freeze and won’t be able to keep talking.
n I’ll say something foolish that doesn’t make sense.
Of course, any of these things can happen to any of us at any
time. If they happened at home,
when we were surrounded by friends, we would laugh about it.
It’s the idea of having it happen

in front of an audience of strangers—or worse, people we want
to impress—that makes it
daunting!
This is why one of the age-old methods for dealing with the fear
of ridicule by an audience is to
imagine them in a less impressive position. Some people
imagine the audience as a room full
of monkeys. Others imagine the audience in their socks and
underwear. If a funny mental gim-
mick helps, why not use it? As you become more comfortable in
front of an audience, you’ll
rely on this method less and less.
Lesson 1 13
they’re confronted with a bigger audience in an auditorium or

arena, the sheer size of the venue feels overwhelming.
The key to preventing this surprise is to visualize the audience
every time you practice your speech. Don’t just focus on
yourself talking in an empty room or presenting your speech
to the wall. Picture the place where you’re going to deliver the
speech. Even if you’re fortunate enough to be able to practice
in the actual venue when it’s empty, be sure to imagine it
filled with people. When you perform the visualization process
correctly, your actual speech won’t differ much from the
practice.
The following are six effective methods that can help you
overcome your apprehension.
1. Allow sufficient time to prepare. A prepared individual is
more likely to do a good job than one who is unprepared.
This principle is true for just about any activity, includ-
ing speech making. Lack of preparation can make even
the most seasoned veteran nervous. An actor who gen-
uinely doesn’t know his lines is right to feel trepidation.
A politician who finds herself having to ad lib in front of
an audience without a prepared text may well notice
she’s got sweaty palms and tension in her throat. This
problem is easy to resolve: Be prepared. If you know

exactly what you’re going to say, your only task will be
to get your mind off yourself and on your message. Then
your fear will move aside.
2. Practice your speech aloud. A small percentage of the
people in the world are brilliant at improvisation. They’re
at their sparkling, creative best when they’re making it
up as they go along. Most people, however, benefit enor-
mously from practice. If you’re not able to improvise
easily, then with each practice session your speech will
become significantly stronger and more polished, and
your comfort level with the speech will rise. On the day
of presentation, you can settle into your speech like
snuggling into a cozy sofa. Even if the audience looks
scary, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to say, how
it’s going to sound, and how long it’s going to last. These
factors can be very comforting indeed.
Speech14
3. Choose an appropriate time to speak. As your textbook
mentions, when you can, it makes sense to speak at the
optimal moment. Whether you prefer to go first or last,

try to arrange it. There are other timing considerations
as well. In a seminar, for instance, you may sense that
a particular speaker will put the audience to sleep or
another speaker will be a hard act to follow because
that speaker is so funny and entertaining. If you have
the chance, pick your spot.
4. Use positive self-talk. Only you know what you would
find the most plausible and encouraging at the moment
before you speak. Platitudes and cheerful affirmations
work beautifully for some people. Other people are better
off if they simply counteract any negative self-talk that
might undermine them. Do what you can to encourage
yourself—before, during, and after your speech. You can
be your best ally or your own worst enemy.
5. Face the audience. You can make eye contact with only
one person at a time, but doing so makes the audience
very personal. For a few moments, there’s only you and
the woman in the second row or you and the guy with
the blue shirt and the warm smile. Scan the room and
let your eyes move across the audience from time to
time. If you’re feeling nervous, however, it can help to
return to a few individuals who look safe and supportive.

6. Focus on your message. You’re not just standing in front
of an audience to be gawked at. You have something to
say. No matter what kind of speech it is, you have a goal—
even if it’s just doing an assignment for a communication
course! There’s a reason why you’re making the speech.
Focus on that instead of on your nervousness. When
you’re concentrating on one thing (your message), it’s
difficult to think about something else (your fear and
nervousness).
Summary
To speak well publicly, it’s important that you know what
goes into listening well. Furthermore, you must understand
the four basic components of all communication.
Lesson 1 15
Getting your mind on the message will go a long way toward
helping you alleviate any fears of speaking before an audience.
Because it’s basically a fear of what will happen to you when
you speak, getting your mind off yourself is the best thing to
do. Remember what you want to say. You have something to

communicate. Think about doing that, and your apprehen-
sion will automatically recede.
Most of all, remember that you’re not alone. Speaking in
public is intimidating to many. Don’t forget that when you
master it. Not only will you have overcome your fear, but you
may also find yourself in the comparatively small percentage
of people who feel comfortable speaking in public and actually
enjoy it!
Self-Check 1
At the end of each section of Speech, you’ll be asked to pause
and check your understand-
ing of what you’ve just read by completing a “Self-Check”
exercise. Answering these
questions will help you review what you’ve studied so far.
Please complete Self-Check 1
now.
1. _______ conveyed in public speaking include both verbal and
nonverbal signals.

2. When something prevents listeners from receiving your
message, the message is said to be
distorted by _______.
3. Passing off information or work as one’s own is called
_______.
4. When you visualize public speaking as conversation, you can
reduce your _______.
5. Creating a hierarchy of behaviors leading up to a feared
behavior in order to overcome one’s
fear of speaking in public is called _______.
Check your answers with those on page 75.
Speech16
ASSIGNMENT 2: LISTENING
your textbook.

Listening
If you’re not used to listening well, it may be difficult for you
to imagine other people focusing on the message when you
speak. Remember that one of the best ways to overcome
apprehension is to get your mind on your message. That
becomes a lot easier when you train yourself to start listening.
When someone else is speaking, how closely are you listen-
ing? Hearing and listening have subtle differences. Hearing
is a biological process. Hearing, the job of your ears and
brain, is a component of listening. You perceive sound waves
through your ears and interpret them in your brain. However,
you may be hearing something while at the same time not
really listening to it.
Beyond hearing, listening is a process of also receiving a
message, constructing meaning from it, and then responding
to the spoken (or nonverbal) message. By making a habit of
listening more closely to what other speakers are saying,
you’ll develop skills for identifying the message in a speech.
By bringing awareness to the process of listening, you’ll also
come to appreciate how difficult it can be to listen. Ask your-
self what makes your mind wander when someone else is
speaking. Do you prefer listening to some types of things to

others? Is it easier for you to remember the message you’ve
heard if the speaker returns to the central point several
times? How long after a speech do you remember what was
said? The answers to these questions will be useful to you
as you create your own speeches.
The time you spend listening attentively to others will have
direct benefits to you. Not only will it improve your speech-
making process, it will also help to ease your apprehension
by giving you practice in getting your mind on the message.
Lesson 1 17
Elements of Communication
When you present a speech, you’re communicating with
your audience. This process of communication consists of
four essential elements:
n Message
n Sender (speaker)

n Receiver (audience)
n Feedback
Let’s look a little more closely at each of these four elements.
A message is an idea or information that’s transferred from
one person to another. When you give a speech, the content
of that speech is your message. Often, the way in which a
message is delivered communicates a great deal about the
importance or urgency of the information.
The sender is the person who creates the message and conveys
it to the audience. As a speaker, you become the sender of
the message.
The person (or persons) to whom you send a message is
commonly known as the receiver (or receivers). In the case of
a speaker, the audience is the receiver. More often than not,
speakers design their messages to pass on information to a
specific group of people. They tailor their messages to suit
the ages, background, needs, and other characteristics of
the target audience. Communication experts typically refer
to such characteristics as reference points. All senders and
receivers possess their own sets of reference points, which
determine how they express and understand messages.

Some of the more significant reference points include
n Educational background
n Personal values
n Family and childhood experiences
n Social and cultural customs
n Religious background
Speech18
The final element of communication involves the response
the receiver has to the message conveyed by the sender. This
response is typically referred to as feedback. One of the most
important functions of feedback is to ensure that the message
was understood accurately by the receiver. Feedback consists
of some type of message—whether verbal, nonverbal, or some
combination of the two—that’s returned to the sender.
When the receiver sends feedback, the communication

process is essentially reversed. The receiver becomes the
sender, and the sender becomes the receiver. Depending on
the type and complexity of the feedback, the original sender
may revise his or her message, stating it differently, more
specifically, or more clearly.
Of course, if the communication process functioned simply
and smoothly, misunderstandings and communication break-
downs wouldn’t exist. Unfortunately, obstacles constantly
interfere with the process. For example, a sender’s words
may not be understood by the receivers, or outside noises or
actions may distract the receivers’ attention (Figure 1). To be
most effective, you must develop both clarity and flexibility in
the way you communicate. In so doing, you can quickly learn
to adapt your messages to the receivers’ needs, expectations,
experiences, and ability to comprehend.
Sender
Message
Possible
source of
interference

Message
Feedback loop
Receiver
Sender’s
reference
points
Receiver’s
reference
points
FIGURE 1—Good communication requires that the speaker
adjust the message in response to
feedback.
Lesson 1 19

Summary
To speak well publicly, it’s important to know what goes into
listening well. Furthermore, it’s important that you understand
the four components of all communication.
Self-Check 2
1. The five steps of listening are _______.
2. The term for the ability to discern and judge is _______.
3. A(n) _______ culture is one that emphasizes the individual
and places primary value on the
individual’s goals.
Speech20
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 1:
NARRATIVE/PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE SPEECH

A narrative has a point. Usually, it revolves around some kind
of life lesson. Frequently, it involves lessons of right and
wrong.
A narrative/personal experience speech recounts an experience
you’ve had and the significance you’ve attached to it. For your
first speech assignment, you must prepare and present a
narrative/personal experience speech of three to five minutes.
Preparing the Speech
Use the following procedures to prepare your speech:
1. Select a goal for your speech.
a. Brainstorm ideas of topics you know something about
and which are important to you. For instance, if you
have a special pet that has made life better for you,
you might want to tell your audience about some of
the things your pet has done. If you had a science
teacher in high school that made an impression on
you, you might want to tell your audience about one
or two specific things that teacher did. If you had a
particularly fun job once, you might want to talk
about some of the things that made it fun.

b. Determine what kind of audience you’ll speak to, how
large it is, and what the occasion is. For example, if
you’ve chosen to talk about your experiences with
your pet, your audience could be members of a local
Humane Society gathered to discuss increasing adop-
tion of homeless pets. Alternatively, you could prepare
to talk to an audience of people who never owned a
pet before, who are simply trying to find out what pet
ownership is all about. If you’ve chosen to talk about
your experiences in science class, you could prepare
for a speech before a group of high school students at
a science fair, or for a group of teachers at an educa-
tional seminar. If you’re going to talk about a job you
Lesson 1 21
had once, your audience could be made up of people
who still work for the company, or it could be a group
of young people trying to figure out what they’re going
to do with their futures.
c. Develop a speech goal statement tailored to your audi-
ence. By this, we mean a single sentence that says

what you want your audience to know, believe, or do.
An example of a speech goal statement on an inform-
ative speech about animals could be, “I want people
to know how much fun I’m having with my dog
Charlie.” For a goal related to a speech about your
experience in history class, you might state, “I want
people to know how my teacher inspired me,” or “I
want teachers to know how to make the subject of
history more interesting.”
2. Gather, evaluate, and prioritize information to use in
your speech.
a. Even though you already know something about the
subject you’ve chosen for your speech, you’ll need to
compile additional information. Read other materials
and draw on others’ expertise.
b. Once you’ve compiled enough information and you
feel completely comfortable with the material or sub-
ject, determine which data seem legitimate, valid, or
otherwise useful for your purpose.
c. Decide which facts you absolutely want to impart to
your audience. Set aside superfluous information.

Nevertheless, don’t forget it exists—you may find it
valuable if anyone in your audience asks questions.
3. Organize your ideas by creating a well-structured outline.
a. Identify two to four main ideas you want your audience
to remember.
b. Combine your speech goal statement with these ideas,
and create a thesis statement.
c. Develop your main points.
d. Develop and outline the body of the speech. Choose
an organizational style: chronologically forward (or
backward), or some other fashion.
Speech22
e. Create an introduction that grabs the attention of the
audience, establishes for the listener some relevance,
and states your thesis.

f. Create a conclusion that summarizes your goal and
main points and gives the audience a sense of closure.
g. Compile a list of sources (similar to a bibliography).
4. Choose and prepare presentational aids.
a. Use aids if they help to clarify, emphasize, or dramatize
what you’re going to say.
b. Ensure that your aids use more than just words.
c. Ensure that any visual aids are large enough to be
seen by the audience. This specific size will be
dependent on how large your audience will be.
d. Ensure that any audio aids are easily heard.
e. Figure out how to incorporate the aids into the
speech. Where will you introduce a slide? When will
you change the slide? Will you keep the slide on the
screen throughout the speech, or will you shut it off
once you’ve spoken about the subject to which it
applies.

5. Practice your speech in front of friends or relatives.
a. Practice until you feel your wording is accurate,
clear, vivid, and appropriate. This process will be
accomplished through adjustments you make almost
every time you rehearse your speech.
b. Practice until you believe your delivery is intelligible,
conversational, and expressive.
c. Practice integrating your presentational aids until you
can do so confidently and smoothly.
d. Continue practicing until you can deliver it within the
time limit and without reading it.
6. Record the practice speech, and play it back to yourself.
a. Are you in focus?
b. Can you hear yourself clearly?
c. Are you making eye contact?

Lesson 1 23
Recording the Speech
Once you’ve reached the point that you’re satisfied with your
delivery, record the speech.
1. Begin the recording by reading the following sentence.
(Fill in the blank as you read.)
The audience I’m addressing for this speech is _______.
2. Pause for a few seconds (count to five in your head), and
then begin your speech.
3. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the
requirements for the assignment.
Submitting the Speech
To upload your speech for grading, follow the “Recording and
Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in the introduc-
tion to this study guide. The exam number for this speech is
05032100.

Evaluation Criteria
To grade the speech, your instructor will answer the following
questions:
n How well did the speaker identify with the audience?
n Did the speaker introduction get the audience’s attention?
n Was the information in the speech well organized?
n Did the speaker exhibit enthusiasm in the delivery?
n Did the speaker’s conclusion summarize the points in an
interesting or creative way?
n Was the speech three to five minutes long?
Grading Rubric
Your instructor will use the rubric on the following page to
grade your project.

Speech24
Grading Criteria Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor
Not
Shown
Opening format: The student
began the recording with
“The audience I am addressing
for this speech is ___.” The
student followed that line with
a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Narrative: The student had a
clear goal statement (Goal 1C).
The story had a clear begin-
ning, middle, and end (Goal 2).
The story made a point and
had two to four main ideas
highlighted (Goal 3A). The
student chose and followed

one particular organizational
style—refer to pages
135–144 (Goal 3D).
60–50 49–40 39–20 19–10 0
Introduction: The introduction
got the audience’s attention
(Goal 3E).
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speaking skills: The student
maintained appropriate tone,
pitch, volume, pace, and eye
contact, with minimal reading
from a script. The student formed
a bond between himself or
herself and the audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: If used,
presentational aids clarified,
emphasized, or dramatized

what was said, used more
than just words, and were
large enough to see (Goal 4A,
B, C). Any audio aid was easy
to hear (Goal 4D). All aids
were incorporated and intro-
duced smoothly (Goal 4E).
10–9 8–6 5–3 2–1 0
Appearance: The student’s
appearance was appropriate.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Length: The speech was 3–5
minutes long. (One point lost
for every 10 seconds over 5
minutes or every 10 seconds
under 3 minutes, up to 5 points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
Conclusion: The student’s
conclusion summarized his or

her points in an interesting
and/or creative way (Goal 3F).
5 4 3 2–1 0
ASSIGNMENT 3: PREPARING
AND PRESENTING A PUBLIC
SPEECH
your textbook.
You may be asked to give numerous kinds of speeches in
life. Examples include informational speeches, persuasive
speeches, welcome speeches, introductions, speeches of
recognition or nomination, tributes, eulogies, and accept-
ances. The most important guideline for writing any of these
speeches is that they should be well planned.
The canons of rhetoric, commonly attributed to Cicero 2,000
years ago, have long been the guiding rules of public speakers
and still hold true today. They are
n Invention—The speech has convincing content.

n Arrangement—The speech is well organized.
n Delivery—The speaker is fluent and confident, as well as
authoritative.
n Style—The speaker uses appropriate language.
n Memory—The speaker doesn’t simply read a prepared
script.
The occasion, or setting, for the speech guides much of your
plan, in particular your topic. Ask yourself
n What are the expectations of my audience? Are you
speaking to members of the American Legion who might
be expecting a patriotic theme? Are you speaking to a
church group that would expect a religious theme? Are
you addressing a group of scientists who would expect a
highly technical presentation?
n How large will the audience be? Will the speech be given
in a large hall or in a small living room? The answers to
these questions will drive your choice of presentation
materials and determine whether you need to use a

microphone.
Lesson 1 25
Speech26
n When will the speech be presented? A morning speech
will be different from an evening speech.
n Will the speech be the only agenda item, or is it going to
be one of several speeches given at the same event?
Where will your speech fall during the schedule? If your
speech is right after a meal, your audience may be
drowsy and you’ll need to put more effort into keeping
them interested.
n How long should the speech be? This is frequently a
matter decided by the organization inviting you to speak.
Nevertheless, the answer will determine just how narrow
your topic should be.

Self-Check 3
1. The first step in preparing a speech is to _______.
2. The kind of speech that seeks to influence attitudes is called
a(n) _______.
3. The three objectives of an introduction are _______.
4. The three objectives of a conclusion are _______.
Lesson 1 27
PODCAST
For your next speech assignment, you must create a five-
minute informative podcast for a website. A podcast is a
digital media file distributed over the Internet. The file can be
played back on a computer or an appropriate portable player.
Although you won’t actually be putting your file on a web-
site, you should prepare it as if you were going to do that.

Preparing, Recording, and Submitting
Your Speech
Use the following procedure to complete this assignment:
1. Search the Internet for a website on a topic that interests
you or on one with which you’re familiar.
2. Determine the topic for the podcast you’ll develop.
3. If necessary, gather information on your topic. If you
use outside sources, be sure to give them credit in your
speech.
4. Make a list of the main points you want to address.
5. Write your thesis statement.
6. Choose an organizational pattern, and then outline the
main points and subpoints of your speech. A speech can
be organized in many different ways. To ensure that the
audience can make the most sense of your speech, you
should choose from one of these four organizational
patterns:

n Time sequence: Ordering your speech chronologically
n Narrative order: Using a series of stories that contribute
to making a point
n Topical order: Presenting your material in general
terms and then following that with more and more
specific topics
n Reasoning: Using a logical approach or presenting
information in a format that says, “If this, then that.”
Speech28
7. Create a strong introduction and conclusion.
8. Prepare at least two presentational aids to use during
your speech.
9. Practice your speech in front of some friends or relatives.
Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If necessary,
revise your speech based on the input you receive.

10. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech and you’re satisfied
with your delivery, record the speech.
a. Begin the recording by reading the sentences below.
Fill in the blanks as you read.
The website for which I’m preparing this podcast is
_______ (give URL). The organizational pattern I’ve
chosen is _______ (time order, narrative order, topic
order, or logical reasons order).
b. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and
12. To upload your speech, follow the “Recording and
Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in this
study guide. The exam number for this speech is
05032200.

Your instructor will ask the following questions in grading the
speech.
n Is the speech aimed at the audience of the website?
n Does the speech clearly state the thesis statement?
n Is the speech developed according to the chosen organiza-
tional pattern?
n Does the speech have a strong introduction?
Conclusion?
Grading Rubric
grade your project.
Lesson 1 29
Not

Shown
Opening format: The student
began the recording with “The
website for which I’m preparing
this podcast is (URL). The
organization pattern I’ve chosen
is ___ (time order, narrative
order, topic order, or logical
reasons order).” This was fol-
lowed by a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Podcast: The student clearly
stated the thesis statement. The
student followed an organiza-
tional pattern: time sequence,
narrative order, topical order,
or reasoning. The student gave
credit for outside sources, if
appropriate (if credit isn’t
given, 5 points deducted).
60–50 49–40 39–20 19–10 0

Introduction: The introduction
got the audience’s attention.
The student aimed the podcast
at the site’s audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
contact.
5 4 3 2–1 0
5 4 3 2–1 0
Conclusion: The student’s
conclusion summarized the
points in an interesting and/or
creative way.

5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: The
student used two presentational
aids that clarified, emphasized,
or dramatized what was said,
used more than just words,
and were large enough to see.
If used, audio aids were easy
to hear. All aids were incorpo-
rated and introduced smoothly.
10 9 8 7–6 0
Length: The speech was 5
minutes long. (One point lost for
every 10 seconds over or
under 5 minutes, up to 5
points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speech30

ASSIGNMENT 4: SELECTING
YOUR TOPIC AND WRITING THE
THESIS
your textbook.
The only way to be certain that your speech will meet your
goals is to create an outline, listing your thesis statement
and the main points that defend and articulate that state-
ment. In this assignment, you’ll learn how to do just that.
You can be as creative as you wish in your delivery, but you
should have a solid outline to guide you through any speech.
Construct a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a one- or two-line summary of your goal.
While it can be difficult at first to summarize a speech in just
a few words, doing so forces you to narrow your focus to the
essentials. If you don’t do that, the speech may be rambling
and inadvertently leave out the most engaging things you had
wished to say!
Ideally, you’ll have about three to five main points to make
in a speech. To create your thesis statement, first summarize

those points and combine them. Then you can begin to develop
each point into a more comprehensive outline.
Outline the Body of the Speech
Once you’ve created your thesis statement, you’re ready to
develop an outline of the body of your speech. When you first
begin to develop your outline, you must decide what kind of
outline you’re going to use. A topic outline uses single words
or phrases in each point. A sentence outline uses complete
sentences for each point. You must be the one to determine
what type of outline to use. In fact, you may choose to use both.
You may begin with a simple topic outline and gradually
develop that into a sentence outline that gives a little more
information.
Lesson 1 31
In addition, you must decide how detailed you want your
outline to be. Here are three types you can use:
1. In a full-content outline, you’ll write out something that’s
very close to what you’re going to say about each point

in the outline. This method can be a very useful way of
developing your speech, even if you don’t memorize it
when you’ve completed it. Writing out a paragraph or
more under each point will help you see exactly how
much you have to say about each point and will give
you an objective view of the overall material.
2. In an abbreviated-content outline, you include short
summaries under each point. This method can also be
effective. If you know your subject matter extremely well
and don’t feel the need to write it out completely, an
abbreviated outline is ideal.
3. A brief keyword outline can be used at the beginning
and end of your speech preparation. As you develop the
speech, jotting down key words can help you explore
the most valuable points to make. Once your speech is
complete, you may create a refined keyword outline to
memorize or write down on a small card to take with
you as a reminder during the actual presentation.
Create Section Transitions and
Signposts
Transitions and signposts are necessary elements in any
good speech. Without them, your audience may not be able

to follow the sequence of your speech, or understand the
connections between your points. Transitions are words,
phrases, and sentences that show a relationship between
two ideas. To illustrate, let’s look at the following pair of
sentences that could use a transition:
We didn’t save enough money. We won’t be going on
vacation.
Possible improvements:
Because we didn’t save enough money, we won’t be
going on vacation.
Speech32
We didn’t save enough money; therefore, we won’t be
going on vacation.
This example is rather simple—A reader or listener would

surely understand the relationship between the two separate
sentences. However, the relationships between topics in a
speech may not be as obvious. Besides, the listeners shouldn’t
have to take unnecessary time to make the connections
between thoughts and ideas. The speaker has a responsibility
to show these relationships.
When you’re preparing your material for a speech, be sure
you clearly indicate the relationships between the points.
Indicate the relationships between
n Sentences in a paragraph
n Paragraphs in a section
n Sections in a speech
Transitions are important in any speech, but they’re especially
important in motivational speeches. Remember that the
purpose of a motivational speech is to influence the attitudes,
beliefs, values, and/or behavior of an audience. If the audience
doesn’t understand the relationships between your topics,
you’ll unlikely be able to persuade them to your side.
Adapting to Your Audience

as You Give Your Speech
From the beginning, communication is all about the audience.
From the moment of conception through the preparation and
even during the presentation itself, your mind should be attuned
to the audience. How can you communicate unless you’re
paying close attention to how your speech is being received?
These tips will help you adjust your speech as you go.
1. Be aware of and respond to audience feedback. People
rustling in their seats and whispering to each other
should alert you that something’s going on. The expres-
sions on their faces, their posture in the chairs, the way
they laugh (or don’t laugh) at your jokes, are all valuable
feedback.
Lesson 1 33
2. Be prepared to use alternative developmental material. A
good habit is to go to any speech you give with different
introductions and conclusions—especially when you’re
unsure what will suit the audience best. Maybe you’ve
planned to open with a joke, but when you arrive, the

tone of the room feels too serious for that. You may be
able to come up with something more appropriate on
the spot, but it never hurts to prepare ahead. In other
words, be prepared for contingencies.
3. Correct yourself when you misspeak. Any speech you
make will be far more effective if you correct yourself
rather than suffer in silence. An embarrassing mistake
can undermine your credibility and put distance between
you and the audience. When you acknowledge it, you
can restore the bond.
4. Adapt to unexpected events. Years ago, at a rock concert,
a fire broke out back stage. While it was being put out,
the performer crossed to the other side of the stage to
pull the audience’s attention away from the wisps of
smoke, sneaking out around the curtains. His quick
thinking helped prevent a panic. Your composure when
something unexpected happens can keep things under
control as well.
5. Adapt to unexpected audience reactions. Stand-up come-
dians often come armed with fallback lines to use when
their jokes flop. By saying something like, “I like to
throw in one or two jokes that aren’t funny, just to see

if you’re listening” or by making fun of the joke itself,
they alleviate the tension, and if they’re lucky, keep the
audience laughing.
6. Handle questions respectfully. During a speech, you may
be interrupted by questions, comments, or even heckling.
Before you run into any of these situations, give careful
thought to what you’ll say or do. Then, when the time
comes, you’ll be prepared.
Speech34
Self-Check 4
1. Another word for the “essence of the speech” is the _______.
2. Your specific purpose should be limited to _______ topic(s).
3. _______ is a technique designed to enable you to generate
many ideas in a relatively short
time.

Lesson 1 35
ASSIGNMENT 5: THE AUDIENCE
Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 5, pages 84–104,
in your textbook.
Communicating in Context
Communication is an exchange of information. That exchange
may take place between you and yourself, as you think some-
thing over; between strangers; between acquaintances or
friends; and between a speaker and a group. Communication
occurs in four different contexts:
1. Intrapersonal communication is communication that
occurs within one’s own mind. The prefix intra means
“inside” or “within,” so, intrapersonal means “within a
person.”
2. Interpersonal communication occurs between two people
with a personal relationship. Either the information
exchanged or the way in which it’s exchanged is affected

by that relationship. The prefix inter means “among” or
“between.” It can also mean “mutual” or “reciprocal.”
3. Small-group communication applies to communication to
a group of approximately 3 to 10 people. In a group of this
size, the dynamics are very different. A group of fewer
than 10 people doesn’t feel quite like an audience, while
a group of 50 does. Even if you stand before a small
group the entire time you make the presentation, your
experience is different. You’ll be able to look each of
these people in the eye and make a connection. That
isn’t always possible with larger crowds.
4. Public communication refers to communication with any
group of more than 10 people. In Ancient Greece, the
actors in plays by Sophocles had to be capable of pro-
jecting their voices to the back of the amphitheater.
Today, technology has made microphones so sensitive
that you could whisper on the same stage and still be
heard. Throughout history, though, speaking to large
audiences has required a different set of oratory skills.
Speech36

Public communication is the focus of this course. As you’ll
see, your ability to communicate will have a direct effect on
your success in life.
Public Speaking: An Audience-
Centered Process
Consider the audience. As a student of speech and later as a
presenter of speeches, make this statement your motto from
the beginning to the end of any speech—from the first spark
of an idea in your head to the final delivery to your audience.
Consideration of the audience is the guiding principle behind
all effective communication.
Ask yourself these questions before you prepare any speech:
n Who is my audience?
n Which elements of the setting should I take into
consideration?
n What personal qualities will make my speech more
effective?

n How can planning ensure that my audience isn’t bored?
n How can I help my audience understand my message?
Summary
As you develop your speaking skills, always keep in mind
that the audience is the focus of your work. The effectiveness
of any speech is largely determined by the audience. That is,
a speech that wouldn’t work at all for one audience may be a
perfect fit for another. A major skill of a great communicator
is an ability to speak directly to the people, to make them feel
that their time listening is well spent.
Lesson 1 37
Self-Check 5
1. The age, race, gender, religion, economic status, and values,
are all part of an audience’s
_______.
2. The larger the audience, the more _______ your speech is

likely to be.
3. The tendency to respond for or against an object, person, or
position is one’s _______.
4. Convictions in the existence or truth of something are called
_______.
5. Commonalities between your audience and you are also
called _______.
ASSIGNMENT 6:
PRESENTATIONAL AIDS
in your textbook.
Think about how you can present the most engaging speech
possible. What can you do to make it more vivid? How can
the way you say something help keep your audience’s atten-
tion? Visual aids can help make your speech come to life.
What sort of visual aids would make your information

clearer?
Types of Presentational Aids
You’ve probably heard the expression, “A picture is worth a
thousand words.” If this statement is true, then imagine what
a visual aid can do for a speech. Be cautious, however. Don’t
use visual aids just for the sake of having them.
With every year that passes, new options for presenting these
types of aids become available. For example, graphs have been
displayed on paper, chalkboards, marker boards, and screens.
Today, they can be presented on interactive displays.
Although technology evolves rapidly, people stay pretty much
the same. Therefore, the basic elements of presentation
remain the same, whether the aid itself is being presented in
low-tech or high-tech format.
Designing and Displaying Effective
Presentational Aids
As we’ve mentioned, you should not use a presentational aid
just so you have something to show during a speech. Some
topics may be better presented with no aids.

If you’re going to use presentational aids in a speech, remember
that these aids take time to design and create. If you want
your aids to look professional and present the information
in the best possible way, you must plan to put in the time
necessary to make them right. You must also make them
Speech38
large enough so that everyone in your audience can see and
read them easily. If an aid is too small for the audience to
read, all your hard work is for nothing.
Many speakers fail to consider the audience enough when
using visual aids. Advice such as displaying visual aids so
that everyone in the audience can see them may sound
obvious, but then again, you may have sat in an audience
in which the speaker put up a visual aid and then stood
right in front of it.
Summary
The visual or audio aids you use can enliven your speech and

make it memorable. As you decide which aids to incorporate,
your best guideline is to ask yourself, as always, “Who is my
audience?” What’s appropriate for one group won’t necessarily
work for another.
Let your audience be your guide—during your preparation and
during your presentation. Regardless of the goals of a specific
speech, your primary objective is communication. Plan your
visual aids to communicate your points to your audience in
the clearest, most interesting, and most entertaining way.
After you complete Self-Check 6, you’ll be almost ready to take
your Lesson 1 examination, which will cover the material
from Chapters 1–6 in your textbook. When you’ve finished
reviewing the material and you’re ready to take the exam,
go to your My Courses page.
Lesson 1 39
Speech40
Self-Check 6

1. The two types of testimony are _______.
2. When you use an analogy in a speech, you _______ two
things.
3. When you say something is not one way or another, you’re
defining it by _______.
4. Replicas of actual objects are called _______.
5. You should use a presentational aid only when it’s _______.
Rehearsal and Delivery
INFOMERCIAL
For your next speech assignment, you must prepare and
present a three-minute infomercial. An infomercial is a long
commercial that provides an extensive product or service
description and sales information. It’s like a documentary or
news program that highlights a specific product or service.

Although infomercials are generally 30 minutes to one hour
long, your infomercial should last only three minutes. Use
the following procedure to complete this assignment:
Preparing the Speech
Prepare your speech by following these steps:
1. Select a speech goal.
a. Brainstorm to select a topic. Choose a product or
service that you want to highlight in your infomercial.
Your choice may be real or imaginary. It can be some-
thing tangible (like a cell phone or a vacuum cleaner),
or it can be intangible (like a diet plan or financial
services).
b. Decide what methods you’ll use to inform your audience.
You can inform by describing, defining, comparing
and contrasting, narrating, and demonstrating.
Describing: Create an accurate and vivid verbal picture
of an object, geographic feature, setting, event, person,
or image. This approach usually answers questions
of who, what, and where. To describe something
effectively, explain features such as its size, shape,

weight, color, composition, age, condition, and spatial
organization.
Defining: Explain the meaning of something. Differentiate
it from similar ideas. Explain its history and its
function. Use synonyms and antonyms to give your
subject more depth.
L
e
s
s
o
n
2
L
e
s
s

o
n
2
41
Speech42
Comparing and contrasting: Focus on ways in which your
subject is similar to and/or different from other things.
For example, if you’ve chosen to talk about a new type of
pot scrubber, you might point out how much it resem-
bles another brand in capability, but point out how it’s
softer and less abrasive than that other one.
Narrating: This is essentially storytelling, and it can
be done using first person (I and we), second person
(you), or third person (he, she, and they). Orient the
listener by describing when and where an event
occurred. Introduce the important characters. Explain

the sequence of events. Recount a complication or
problem and how it was solved. Use vivid language.
Demonstrating: Show how something is done or how
something works. This showing can be done in just
a few steps, or it can be complex. Demonstrations
require you have expertise, so be sure to practice.
c. Understand your audience and adapt to it. Realize
that your audience will be made up of diverse mem-
bers. Analyze your audience members to assess their
familiarity with your topic. You should know what
your audience’s interest in your topic will be, so that
you can adjust your content to that audience. Before
you begin, be sure to determine how you’ll establish
your own credibility with the audience.
d. Consider how the occasion affects how you present
your speech.
e. Develop a speech goal statement.
2. Gather and evaluate the information you plan to use in
your speech.

a. Examine what you already know and where you need
additional information
b. Locate, evaluate, and select different sources. If nec-
essary, gather information on your product or service;
otherwise, make a list of the topics you want to men-
tion in your speech. If you gather information from
other sources, be sure to give them credit in your
speech. Use research cards to make notations of
your information.
Lesson 2 43
3. Organize, develop, and outline your speech.
a. Identify two to four major ideas you want your audience
to remember.
b. Combine your speech goal with your major ideas to
create a thesis statement with a main point preview.
c. Develop your main points.

d. Outline the speech body.
e. Create an introduction to get attention, establish
relevance for the listener, and state your thesis.
f. Create a conclusion that summarizes your goal and
the main points, and gives the audience a sense of
closure.
g. Compile a list of sources.
h. Review and revise the outline as needed.
4. Choose and prepare presentational aids.
a. Ensure your aids clarify, emphasize, and dramatize
your story.
b. Don’t use just words on your aids; use, for example,
pictures, charts, and graphs.
c. Ensure your visual aids are easily seen, and audio
aids easily heard. This consideration will depend on
the size of the auditorium or other place in which you
present your speech.

d. Determine when you’ll integrate your aids into your
presentation.
5. Practice your speech alone. Pay particular attention to
the language you use and the style of your delivery.
a. Practice until your wording is vivid, appropriate, clear,
and accurate.
b. Practice until your delivery is conversational and
expressive.
c. Practice integrating your presentational aids.
d. Practice until you can give your speech without read-
ing it or repeatedly referring to your note cards.
Speech44
Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If neces-
sary, revise your speech based on the input you receive.

7. Once you’ve rehearsed the speech and you’re satisfied
with your delivery, set up a time to record the speech.
Invite at least five people to serve as your audience.
Recording and Submitting the Speech
Before you begin, be sure to ask the person using the camera
to pan across the audience at some point during the speech.
1. Begin the recording by reading the following sentence.
Fill in the blanks as you read.
The method of informing I’m using for this infomercial is
_______ (description, definition, comparison and contrast,
narration, or demonstration), and the audience I’m
addressing is _______.
2. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then
begin your speech. Again, be sure the person using the
camera shows the audience at some point.

4. To upload your speech for grading, follow the “Recording
and Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in the
introduction to this study guide. The exam number for
this speech is 05032400.
Evaluation Criteria
To grade the speech, your instructor will answer the following
questions:
n How well did the speaker identify with the audience?
n Did the speaker make the information relevant to the
listeners’ needs and desires?
n Did the introduction get the audience’s attention?
Lesson 2 45
n Was the information organized according to the method
chosen (description, definition, comparison and contrast,
narration, or demonstration)?

n Did the speaker exhibit enthusiasm in the delivery?
n Did the conclusion summarize the points in an interest-
ing or creative way?
n Did the speaker use at least one presentational aid in
the speech?
n Was the speech three minutes long?
Grading Rubric
grade your project.
Speech46
Not
Shown

Opening format: The record-
ing began with “The method
of informing I’m using for this
infomercial is ___ (descrip-
tion, definition, narration,
comparison/contrast, or
demonstration), and the audi-
ence I’m addressing is ___.”
This statement was followed
by a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Infomercial: The student chose
a product or service highlighted
in an infomercial. The student
identified 2–4 major ideas,
developed those main points,
and organized the infomercial
according to the method cho-
sen. The student gave credit
for outside sources (5 points
lost if not).
65–55 54–50 49–40 39–20 0

Audience: The student had a
5-member audience and
panned into that audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
contact. The student exhibited
enthusiasm in the delivery.
5 4 3 2–1 0
5 4 3 2–1 0
Introduction and conclusion:
The introduction got the audi-
ence’s attention, and the
conclusion summarized the
points in an interesting and/or

creative way.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: The
student used one or more
aids that clarified, empha-
sized, or dramatized what was
said; had more than just words;
and were large enough to see.
Any audio aids were easy to
hear, and all aids were intro-
duced and incorporated
smoothly.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Length: The speech was 3
minutes long. (One point lost
for every 10 seconds over or
under 3 minutes, up to 5
points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0

Lesson 2 47
ASSIGNMENT 7: ORGANIZING
YOUR SPEECH
in your textbook.
You can be sure that your most attentive listeners will be try-
ing to identify your thesis and main points as you give your
speech. If they can’t focus on the points you’re making, they
may lose interest or feel there’s no point in listening.
The primacy-recency effect describes our natural tendency
to remember the first and last things in a series better than
the things that come in between. In a speech, the primacy-
recency effect means your introduction and conclusion are
likely to make more of an impression on your listeners.
Creating the Introduction
The goals of an introduction are to get the audience’s
attention, to establish listener relevance, and to identify
your thesis statement.

First impressions, as you may know, count for a lot. When
you make a speech, your audience will form a tentative opin-
ion within seconds after you begin. Your demeanor, tone of
voice, style of presentation, and countless nonverbal cues
contribute to that opinion. The way you choose to get the
audience’s attention makes an even bigger impression.
Some excellent ways to get attention at the beginning of
your speech include
n Making a startling statement
n Asking an interesting question
n Telling a fascinating story
n Telling a funny joke
n Sharing a personal story
n Reciting an inspiring quotation
n Doing a performance
n Creating suspense

Speech48
All these devices can be effective in getting your audience’s
attention. Once you have it, the vividness of your words, the
strength of your outline, the relevance of your main points,
and the effectiveness of your visual aids should work together
to sustain attention throughout your speech. The conclusion
will be your coup de grace.
Creating the Conclusion
The goals of the conclusion are to review the key ideas in
your speech and provide a sense of closure. Your introduc-
tion creates a first impression that may have lingered in the
minds of your audience. Your conclusion will give them
something to remember after your speech is over.
Two important elements of your conclusion are
1. A summary, which reviews the main points and repeats
the thesis

2. The clincher, which contains an appeal to action or vivid
imagery that reinforces the thesis
Develop several different conclusions, and try them out
before deciding which one you’ll use. If you have the opportu-
nity to give the speech to a practice audience, be sure to ask
them which conclusion they found most effective.
If you don’t have access to an audience for practice, record
your speech with different conclusions and make the choice
yourself. Watching a recording won’t give you complete objec-
tivity, but it will help you evaluate the speech from a different
perspective.
Lesson 2 49
Summary
Without a good outline, introduction, and conclusion, a
speech may be doomed before it starts. Only a well-organized
speech can meet its goal. However, no speech can reach its
goal if the introduction doesn’t get the audience’s attention in
the first place! When people aren’t listening, they’re unlikely

to hear any of the important points you make. Likewise, a
weak finish in the conclusion throws everything else away.
A summary and a clincher are exactly what you need to hold
it all together and make it work.
Common Mistakes in Conclusions
Try to avoid these common mistakes in your conclusion. They’ll
probably sound familiar
because it’s so natural to try them. However, they generally
don’t work well.
n Saying “thank you” instead of ending with a real clincher
n Apologizing by saying “I guess I’ve rambled on long enough”
or “Well, that’s all I’ve got
for now”
n Trailing off (also known as “ending with a shrug”)
n Making the conclusion longer than the speech
n Telling a joke at the end of a serious speech

n Saying stiffly, “In conclusion” or, “In summary”
n Leading up to a false conclusion, which makes the audience
think the speech is ending
when it’s not
Speech50
ASSIGNMENT 8: LANGUAGE
AND ORAL STYLE
in your textbook.
Speaking Appropriately
You may look great, you may have wonderful visual aids, and
your outline and content may be flawless. However, if you
use inappropriate language, you’ll lose your audience. Worse
yet, your audience may become upset and even angry.
Elements to Avoid

n Don’t use offensive humor.
n Don’t use hate speech.
Self-Check 7
1. When you select your main points, you should _______ them.
2. When you organize your main points into chronological
order, you’re using a(n) _______
pattern.
3. When you organize your main points into a cause-and-effect
pattern, you show the _______
connection between events and/or elements.
4. Words, phrases, and sentences that help a listener follow the
development of your thoughts or
arguments are called _______.
5. Faults found in introductions and conclusions include
_______.

Lesson 2 51
n Don’t use profanity or vulgarity.
n Don’t use marking to discriminate against anyone.
Elements to Include
n Do speak with immediacy.
n Do use “we” language.
n Do use only bias-free language.
n Do speak inclusively with generic language.
Speaking Accurately, Clearly, and Vividly
The phrase speaking accurately means conveying your mean-
ing so that everyone in your audience understands you.
Choose your words carefully. Be sure that your sentences
are grammatically correct and say exactly what you mean.

Speaking clearly is closely related to speaking accurately. By
using specific language, along with details and examples, you
can make the points in your speech clear. Part of speaking
clearly requires you to use words and phrases that every-
one in your audience understands in the same way. For
example, a young person speaking to a group of senior citizens
shouldn’t use the slang phrases more common to a younger
audience. The older audience wouldn’t understand. Be sensi-
tive to your audience, and choose your words carefully. As
you practice your speech, think about what you’re saying.
Ask yourself if it would be understandable for your audience.
Speaking vividly is essential to the kind of vibrant communica-
tion that can keep your audience listening. Consider ways to
include vivid language in your speech. Look for moments when
you plan to describe something to your audience, and then
ask yourself questions like these:
n What does it look like?
n What sound does it make?
n How does it feel?

n How does it taste or smell?
Speech52
If you can incorporate sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell
into your description, you’ll have made your description more
vivid for your listeners.
One of the best ways to speak vividly is to use figures of
speech.
One example of a figure of speech is a simile, a comparison of
dissimilar things using the word like or as. Try not to always
rely on common clichés, though, that are overly familiar to
most people. The best similes are often the ones you make
up yourself. Here are some examples:
n As loud as a dragster
n As wild as a grizzly
n Like sunshine to a daisy
n Like an orange peel tossed onto a desert road

Another helpful figure of speech is the metaphor, which
compares two dissimilar things without the word like or as.
However, you may have heard some atrocious metaphors
that made you wince. If a comparison seems foolish, silly, or
inappropriate, the metaphor (or simile) can actually work
against you. When you imply that one thing is like another,
it has to make sense to the listeners. Otherwise, you’ll lose
their interest. Most people have heard the metaphor of a
problem car being a “lemon,” but what if someone were to
say it’s a “broken tambourine”? The listeners would wonder
what the speaker meant. How exactly is a car like a broken
tambourine? That metaphor could become distracting and
pull attention away from the point the speaker is making.
The key to a good metaphor is to ensure the connection
you’re making is immediately clear to people. Creating a fresh
metaphor that people have never heard is effective only if it
makes sense quickly.
Be sure to keep your figures of speech short. Don’t go on
too long. If your listeners are really paying attention, they
may be distracted by inconsistencies in a long metaphor. Their
preoccupation with your figurative language could prevent
them from hearing the point you’re making.

Lesson 2 53
There’s a certain point at which every metaphor breaks down.
It may be hard to say how a problem car is like a broken
tambourine, but it’s not exactly like a lemon either. People
accept that metaphor because it’s come into common use
and makes sense to us easily, but there are far more ways in
which a car isn’t like a lemon than ways in which it is. So
don’t put too much emphasis on the figure of speech. That
would be like trying to make the seasoning the main course,
instead of the steak.
Another hazard to watch out for is a mixed metaphor, in
which two or more metaphors are combined, often with a
ridiculous and confusing effect. A mixed metaphor starts in
one direction and finishes in another. A mixed metaphor can
be so distracting that it can completely derail your speech
and undermine your credibility. Because it’s a sign of sloppy
thinking, your audience may wonder whether you’ve carefully
considered the other points you’re making. Here are a few
examples:

n You’re out on a limb without a paddle.
n You’re up a creek without a leg to stand on.
n If you spill the beans, you’ll open a whole new can of
worms.
n You’ve buttered your bread, now sleep on it.
Think it through. If you’re out on a limb, the lack of a paddle
isn’t your main problem. You might be “up a creek without a
paddle,” but “out on a limb without a paddle” doesn’t make
sense. When you choose a metaphor, stick with it. Better yet,
keep it as short as possible, so you don’t have to worry about
its wandering off into another figure of speech.
Beware of Clichés!
A cliché is an expression that’s been used so often that its
original power is lost. An example of
a cliché is “dead as a doornail.” Although this phrase was once
clear and vivid, it’s been used
so often by so many people, that it has become stale and empty.

Use clichés sparingly. Instead,
challenge yourself to develop your own expressions.
Try to keep your similes and metaphors fresh, without being so
eccentric or strange that your
listeners stop paying attention to what you’re saying and sit
with a distant gaze in their eyes as
they try to make sense of your figures of speech.
Speech54
Summary
When choosing the wording for any speech, consider the
audience you’re addressing. Are you tired of hearing that yet?
As you can see, the audience is your main consideration for
all the elements of your speech.
For example, the wording for one group may not necessarily
be appropriate for another. A metaphor that makes sense to a

group of senior citizens at a political rally may be completely
lost on a class of sixth graders studying politics, even though
the subject matter may be the same.
Above all, respect your audience. A casual speech in a formal
setting, off-color humor, and jokes that make fun of certain
groups of people are always out of place. If you show consider-
ation for your audience, they may well return the favor.
Self-Check 8
1. The objective meaning of something is the _______ meaning.
2. The meaning of a word that elicits some emotion is the
_______ meaning.
3. Looking at the word in terms of opposites or extremes is
known as _______.
4. A word that neutralizes something negative or assigns it a
positive nature is a(n) _______.
5. Rephrasing a statement about an idea is also called _______.

Lesson 2 55
ASSIGNMENT 9: PRACTICING
DELIVERY
in your textbook.
Characteristics of an Effective
Delivery Style
A great delivery can help to make up for a multitude of prob-
lems with a speech. A dynamic delivery can make a mediocre
speech fascinating. For the same reason, a drab delivery can
put your audience to sleep during the most interesting
speech. What did you notice about your tone on the podcast
you created? Was it conversational or formal? Was it ani-
mated or monotone?
Recording can help you detect the rise and fall of your voice.
It can also show you the effects of nervousness. Sometimes
nervousness makes you sound monotone. When you try to
suppress your nervousness, you inadvertently suppress your

voice as well! It can make you sound tense, stiff, and uncom-
fortable. Then, as your audience starts nodding off to sleep
because of the monotonous tone, you’ll feel even more
nervous!
Effective Use of Voice
No matter how good your speech is, no matter how well you
deliver it, no matter how animated you are, your speech will
fall on deaf ears if you don’t speak loudly and clearly enough
for your audience to hear and understand what you’re say-
ing. Of course, you don’t want to yell, but you must speak
loudly enough so that the audience can easily hear you. In
other words, they shouldn’t have to work at hearing your
message. If you in fact believe in your message, you want
your audience to hear it. If you don’t do this simple thing,
your audience may think that you don’t care enough about
what you’re saying. Being able to speak well—even if it’s only
with a small group—can help you succeed in your career.
Speech56
Effective Use of Body

Vocal expressiveness is essential to keep the sound of a
speech lively and interesting. Your body movements can
make your speech more visually engaging as well. It’s some-
times said that as much as 70% of our communication with
others is nonverbal. If that’s the case, you should consider
your body movements as one of the most effective avenues of
communication in your speech.
Appropriate facial expressions can add intensity to your speech.
However, too many facial expressions, or expressions that are
extreme, can make your audience pay more attention to your
facial expressions than to what you’re saying. The same
principle holds true for gestures, movement, and eye contact.
When all of these are in control, the effect is beneficial; out of
control, they’re distracting.
Methods of Delivery
Despite the benefits of practice, not every speech is designed
to allow for practice. An impromptu speech is one that’s
delivered spontaneously. For example, suppose you’re in a
meeting at work and your boss suddenly asks you to explain
the suggestions you have for improving production. You did-
n’t know you were going to have to do this, so the speech you

would give would be impromptu.
A scripted speech is one that’s carefully planned, prepared,
and written down for delivery. An extemporaneous speech is
also planned ahead of time, but it’s not completely written
down for delivery. Both scripted and extemporaneous
speeches allow you to practice, but in different ways. When
you practice a scripted speech, you practice every word,
because the entire speech is written down. An extemporane-
ous speech, in contrast, can evolve with every rehearsal,
because only the main points are written down.
Lesson 2 57
Rehearsal
The key to presenting a dynamic speech is practice! Everyone
needs practice. None of the polished, effective speakers you
hear have developed that level of success without practice.
Whether your speech needs a lot of work or sounds “pretty
good” from the start, practice will make it better. Be sure to
prepare your speeches well, and then save plenty of time to
rehearse! It can make all the difference.

Summary
Your voice and your body are valuable tools of communication
when you’re giving a speech. An expressive voice with
animated
gestures and good eye contact can keep an audience engaged,
even when the speech itself is less than interesting.
Whether you’re making an impromptu speech or delivering a
prepared speech, the audience is still the most important
thing to consider. You’re communicating with them, and, by
their responses, they’ll be communicating with you—whether
they’re leaving feedback for you on YouTube or showering you
with applause.
Self-Check 9
1. The primary drawback of memorizing your speech is that you
might _______.
2. Speaking without any advance notice or preparation is
_______ speaking.
3. The intensity of one’s voice is known as its _______.

4. The three major problems with articulation are _______.
5. Standing too close to your audience indicates a problem with
the _______.
Speech58
ASSIGNMENT 10: INFORMATIVE
SPEAKING
in your textbook.
We live in what’s known as an information age. Every day,
we’re
bombarded with information of all kinds through the media.
Sometimes the speakers are trying to persuade us to buy
something, but most of the time they’re also trying to inform
us—although the information is generally biased toward
making their product or service more appealing to us.
A quick search on YouTube under the keywords “informative

speech” brings up thousands of videos on subjects such as
computer viruses, auto insurance, torture, Indonesian leg-
ends, clay glazing, panic, the Smoky Mountains, identity
theft, anorexia, and Elvis. As you can see, there’s almost no
limit to the range of topics that can be spoken about in an
informative way.
The Nature of Informative Speaking
The goal of an informative speech is to help listeners increase
their knowledge of a topic so they can understand it more
thoroughly. An informative speech answers the questions
who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Even interesting information can be presented in an uninterest-
ing way. Nobody likes to listen to a long, dry, and boring
speech. Sometimes, the information in a presentation is
important and valuable, but the listeners don’t realize it,
because the speaker hasn’t explained its relevance to their
lives. The challenge is to keep your audience listening while
you give them the facts. Consider a speech on a period in
history. The speaker can just recite dates and events, or
that same speaker can relate the events of history as exciting
stories.

Lesson 2 59
Information, on its own, isn’t boring. It’s all in the way you
present it. Can you give your listeners a reason to listen to
you? Will you make the effort to tell your information in an
interesting, relevant way? For example, an audience may not
appreciate a speech full of formulas and calculations if they
don’t know how they’re relevant to their lives. In many cases,
the information may be highly useful, and the speakers need
to be adept at making the connections.
Characteristics of Effective
Informative Speaking
To be successful, an informative speech must have certain
characteristics.
An informative speech must be intellectually stimulating.
Even when you’re speaking about a topic with which your
audience is somewhat familiar, you can make the speech
more stimulating by adding depth and breadth.
Go deeper by explaining more about the subject than they

know. For example, most people know about squid, but do
they know that the colossal squid has the largest eyes in the
animal kingdom? Most people also know who Thomas Edison
was, but do they realize that the first phonograph records he
invented were made of tinfoil and could be played only a few
times? Bringing depth to your information will help keep it
interesting.
Likewise, you can add breadth by making wider associations
than your audience has heard before. Introduce the subject
from a new angle. Anything that gives it more range than
they’re accustomed to will feel fresher and more enlightening.
James Burke, a science historian, is famous for making con-
nections between scientific inventions and their effects on
history. His description of how the printing press led to
religious, political, and artistic revolution is an example of
bringing breadth to something as familiar as printing.
When you research your topic, be sure to look for ways to
add additional depth and breadth.
Speech60

An informative speech must be relevant. The relevance of
the information you’re presenting may be as obvious to you
as the relevance of math is to a physicist, but don’t assume
your audience sees the connection. Be sure to explain exactly
why they should care. What will this information do for
them? Spell it out.
An informative speech must be creative. Creative ideas
aren’t necessarily new ideas. Productive thinking can also be
considered creative. Like the quality of breadth, it introduces
the information from a new perspective. In The Millionaire
Next Door, Thomas Stanley and his colleagues interviewed
millionaires who lived much differently from the millionaires
portrayed on television or those living in busy urban areas.

These millionaires often drove surprisingly old cars and didn’t
make or spend their money in the ways people might have
assumed. As a result, they brought a new perspective to the
information collected from interviews for the book.
An informative speech must be memorable. Take some-
thing extra to the speech. You would think that anyone
preparing a presentation would do this, but curiously
enough, it doesn’t seem to occur to everyone. If you’re going
to make the effort to make a connection with your audience
and share information with them, be sure your listeners will
have heard something memorable by the end. Go further
than you have to go to simply complete the speech in the

allotted time or convey the correct information. Tell them
something new. Say it in an unusual way. Add a fascinating
fact. Make it special.
An informative speech must be diverse. Everyone has a
different learning style. Therefore, you must present your
information in a variety of ways, so you can accommodate
each person’s learning style as much as possible. Additionally,
diversity is essential for the sake of variety.
Don’t begin two sentences in a row in exactly the same way.
Be sure your illustrations, examples, humor, stories, charts,
gestures, intonation, eye contact, facial expressions—in short,
every element of your speech—demonstrates freshness and
variety. Wouldn’t you prefer to listen to a speech like that?

Your audience will appreciate it too.
Lesson 2 61
Methods of Informing
There are five top methods for conveying information:
n Describe it.
n Define it.
n Compare it.
n Narrate it.
n Demonstrate it.
To maintain diversity in each speech, be sure to use as many
of these methods as possible. It will help keep your speeches
more lively.

Summary
Whether they’re describing the speed required to break the
sound barrier, the mating habits of a flying squirrel, or the
marvels of a combination juicer/food dehydrator, informative
speeches educate. Because we live in the information age,
we’re constantly being informed about something. As you go
throughout your day today, take a moment to notice how
many speeches, presentations, commercials, announcements,
commentaries, and even conversations you encounter that
have an informative element. Keep in mind that some of that
information will be false. Even if a speech is informative, it
doesn’t mean you have to believe what you hear!
Speech62
ASSIGNMENT 11: THE
PERSUASIVE SPEECH
in your textbook.
A persuasive speech attempts to influence the attitudes,
beliefs, values, or behavior of the audience. To succeed, it

requires solid reasoning and/or a powerful emotional plea.
Carl Jung believed that some people are more easily swayed
by thoughts and others by feelings. Those who base their
decision on feelings often evaluate an argument by empathiz-
ing with the speaker or the situation. They try to imagine
how the argument would feel to themselves and the other
people involved. Those who base their decisions on thinking
tend to evaluate whether an argument is logical, consistent,
and likely to play out the way the speaker is describing it.
A proposition is a statement that expresses the position the
speaker takes in a persuasive speech. To make your presenta-
tion persuasive to as many people as possible, include a solid,
well-reasoned argument and a moving emotional rationale.
Self-Check 10
1. Showing an audience how to do something is best done with
a(n) _______ speech.
2. When you give a speech of low abstraction, you’re being
_______.
3. The _______ are the major subdivisions of the thesis.

Lesson 2 63
Constructing a Persuasive
Speech Goal
Initial Audience Attitude
Our brains are designed to help us reason. Even a small child
can sometimes quickly see a hole in an argument. If you hope
to persuade an audience experienced in everyday reasoning,
you’ll have to build a solid case. To do this, you must be aware
of the initial attitude of your audience, which can determine
whether they see your evidence as valid. If you know where the
audience is coming from, you can build your case accordingly.
Although any audience may have members in every category,
the
majority of the audience often falls in a similar place along this
spectrum. Knowing where their opinions lie will help
enormously.

If your audience is highly opposed to your position, you
probably won’t completely change their minds with one
speech. In fact, you’ll need to present your information with
care to keep their attention at all! Your best solution may be
to seek a slight change. Perhaps you can’t transform their
opinion, but you may be able to offer them a new perspective
or give them something to ponder.
An audience that’s highly in favor of your proposition will,
of course, be supportive. Your goal for a speech to this type of
audience may be to rouse them to take action on your mutual
beliefs or inspire them to raise their expectations about what
can be accomplished toward your mutual goals.
The most straightforward audience is the one that has no
opinion on your information. This type of audience gives you
an opportunity to persuade them to form an opinion in sync
with your own. Perhaps you’ll be informing them of matters
they’ve never considered, or you may be introducing them to
evidence that they’ve never heard. Your potential for persua-
sion in this situation is unknown, but open to any outcome.
Consider it a challenge!

Speech64
Ethos
Ethos is related to a speaker’s credibility—that is, the speaker’s
believability. If an audience doesn’t feel that a speaker has
credibility, they probably won’t be persuaded by that speaker’s
message.
Pathos
We care about things when we’re sufficiently involved to have
an emotional stake in them. Our involvement makes us take
everything about it more personally. Emotional appeals base
their arguments on things in which we have a personal stake.
The emotions evoked can be negative emotions—such as fear,
guilt, shame, anger, and sadness—or positive emotions— such
as happiness, joy, pride, relief, hope, and compassion. All these
emotions can help persuade your listeners to your point of view.
By including these elements in a speech, you can engage
powerful emotions as you persuade your audience with
n Vivid stories
n Startling statistics

n Personal relevance links
n Striking visual aids
n Descriptive language
n Dramatic vocal presentation (nonverbal elements)
n Dynamic physical presentation
Summary
Emotional pleas can be powerful forces for motivating people
to take actions. Political revolutions that have changed the
course of human history have often been spurred by highly
emotional speeches that compelled the listeners to act. In
daily life, all of us have been persuaded to take action out of
love and concern for our families, friends, and neighbors.
Lesson 2 65
Our involvement gives us an emotional stake in what happens.

Persuasive speeches speak to those emotions when they
create the motivation to act.
Even the most emotionally compelling speech must be based
on a solid foundation of reasoning. The appeal of emotion
should never override logic and common sense. A speaker
has an ethical obligation to present arguments that are free
from illogical and misleading information. Knowing how to
detect fallacies in reasoning is vital for both speakers and
listeners.
Self-Check 11
1. Arguments that focus on facts and evidence rather than on
emotions or credibility claims offer
the audience _______.
2. An image associated with some person, used to secure
approval, is a(n) _______.
3. Asking someone to agree with you because “everyone else is
doing it” is asking that person to
jump on the _______.
4. Appealing to your audience’s feelings, needs, desires, or

wants is going for the _______
appeal.
Speech66
PERSUASIVE SPEECH
For this speech assignment, you must prepare and present a
five-minute persuasive speech. Use the following procedure
to complete this assignment.
Preparing, Recording, and Submitting
Your Speech
1. Choose the topic for your persuasive speech. If possible,
choose something with which you’re familiar and for
which you have strong feelings. Your speech will be
much more persuasive if you’re personally involved in
the topic.

2. Depending on your choice of topic, determine whether
you’re reasoning with or motivating your audience.
Choose an organizational pattern for your speech.
3. If necessary, gather information on your topic; otherwise,
make a list of the points you want to mention in your
speech. If you gather information from other sources, be
sure to give them credit in your speech.
4. Prepare at least one presentational aid for this
assignment.
Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If necessary,
revise your speech based on the input you receive.
6. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech and you’re satisfied
with your delivery, record the speech.
a. Begin the recording by reading the following sentences.
In this persuasive speech, I will be _______ (reasoning
with the audience or motivating the audience). The
audience I’m addressing is _______.

b. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and
Lesson 2 67
8. To upload your speech, follow the instructions in the
Introduction to this study guide under “Recording and
Uploading Speech Assignments.” The exam number for
this speech is 05032500.
Evaluation Criteria
Your instructor will ask the following questions in grading
your speech.
Reasoning Speech
n How well did you identify with your audience?

n Did your introduction get the audience’s attention?
n Was the information organized according to the pattern
you chose (statement of reasons, comparative advan-
tages, criteria satisfaction, or refutative pattern)?
n Did you clearly state your persuasive goal?
n Did you support your goal with good reasons and sound
evidence?
n Was your speech clear of fallacies of reasoning?
n Did your conclusion summarize your points in an inter-
esting and/or creative way?
n Did you use at least one presentational aid?
n Was the speech five minutes long?
Speech68
Motivating Speech

Study GuideSpeechByDonna BeechReviewed ByJos.docx

Study GuideSpeechByDonna BeechReviewed ByJos.docx

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