Persuasive Speech: A Question of Policy
TIME LIMIT: 6-8 minutes
OBJECTIVES:
1. To persuade my audience to create a living will; thus, convincing your audience that a specific course of action should or should not be taken.
2. To use effective methods of persuasion: building credibility, using evidence, using logical reasoning, and appealing to emotions.
3. To use effective delivery techniques, descriptive language techniques, audience analysis, and a variety of supporting material.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Your formal persuasive speech is designed to help you develop persuasive speech making skills. Your goal is to persuade your audience for or against a Question of Policy. Questions of Policy inevitably involve Questions of Fact and Questions of Value BUT Questions of Policy always go beyond both to decide whether something should or should not be done. In other words, Questions of Policy attempt to persuade an audience that a specific course of action should or should not be taken. You may seek either passive agreement or immediate action from the audience, both of which should include all three (3) basic issues of policy speeches – need, plan, and practicality.
REQUIREMENTS & EVALUATION CRITERIA:
1. You must have an audience of at least 6 people over the age of 16, including your camera operator. You should pan your audience before you begin your speech, begin your speech without stopping or splicing the video, then pan the audience again at the conclusion of your speech. Failure to have less than the required 6 audience members will result in failing the assignment.
2. A visual aid is required for this presentation. Practice with your visual aid ahead of time so it will fit smoothly into your presentation. See Chapter 13 for types of visual aids you can use.
3. Your speech should be effectively organized following one of the organizational patterns discussed in Chapter 16 of your text, outlined following formal outline format, introduced and concluded.
4. Your speech should be supported with plenty of supporting materials. Your examples, statistics, and quotations need to be cited in 1) your speech, 2) your speech outline, and 3) your bibliography. You must use a minimum of 5 total sources in your presentation. Be sure to: 1) verbally cite the original source of information (a database like Wikipedia or Ebscohost is NOT a source, but a compilation from many sources) including WHO the source is and why they are qualified must be cited in your speech, 2) include MLA or APA in-text citations in your Preparation Outline where the supporting material from the source occurs, and 3) include an MLA Works Cited or APA Reference List.
5. Your preparation outline must be prepared and typed following formal outline format. You may request your instructor to review a draft copy of your outline ahead of time.
6. Your speech must be delivered extemporaneously from brief notes. Do NOT prepare a speech manuscript; do NOT memorize a manuscript. Be sure your notes are clear, concise, brief, and easy for you to see while delivering your speech.
7. Include both your Preparation Outline and Speaking Outline in the folder link you share from Google Drive to the assignment. See Guidelines for Recording & Submitting Speeches for more detailed instructions. NOTE: In order for your speech to count as “on time” you must submit both your Preparation Outline and your Speaking Outline at the time you submit your video and by the due date on the calendar.
8. Practice your speech several times before you deliver your speech in front of your audience. Check the timing to know what will fit in the 6-8 minute time limit and make cuts as necessary.
9. After you submit your speech video, you should watch your video again, and complete the Persuasive Speech Self-Evaluation.
10. This assignment is worth a possible 200 points. Evaluation criteria include: Clear Persuasive Proposition, Introduction, Motivational Appeals, Credibility Appeals, Supporting Materials, Use of Transitions, Content Development, Logical Organization, Conclusion, Delivery, Audience-Centeredness, and Outlines.