Persuasive Speech Assignment

Persuasive speeches are meant to appeal to the audience’s attitudes, beliefs, and values about an issue in question and to sway listener’s to the speaker’s point of view. Persuasive speech goals include: influencing an audience’s beliefs or understanding about something, influencing an audience’s behavior, and/or reinforcing audience members’ existing attitudes, beliefs, or behavior so the audience will continue to possess or practice them.

Successful persuasive speeches attempt to influence audience choices, limit alternatives, and seek a specific response.

After completing the persuasive speech, students should be able to:

• Learn the fundamentals of speech preparation including audience assessment, topic choice, organization, and the use of supporting materials

• Learn the fundamentals of researched persuasive speeches

• Comprehend the impact of relevance within public speaking and how it shapes speech development and delivery

• Learn the fundamental components of effective speech introductions and conclusions and then formulate each within a given speech

• Create and incorporate effective visual aids in an oral presentation

• Demonstrate effective delivery techniques using good vocal skills, such as voice and articulation, verbal skills, such as vocabulary and use of imagery, and nonverbal skills, such as gesture and eye contact

Your task is to prepare a 7 to 10 minute persuasive speech on a topic of your choice. Students will submit 5 potential speech topics, at which point the instructor will select two. Students can then decide between the two instructor-approved topics. Speech topics must be preapproved to avoid penalty points. Remember that a good persuasive speech has some element of controversy (appropriate to the classroom), addresses the opposing side, and has a specific call to action. Refer to the grading rubric for a detailed description of the components that should be included in the speech.

• Presentation Aids: You are to use at least one presentation aid in this speech. You may incorporate a video into the speech, but it may not exceed one minute in length.

• Secondary Research: You are to cite a minimum of three credible print sources in this speech. Sources should also be cited in the text of your outline and in the reference list of your outline.

• Outline: You are to turn in a detailed outline with your speech. See the provided outline template for more details.

• You must have an audience for this speech of at least five people, age 16 and up. Speeches with no audience will not be graded. Please show the audience on your video before and after the speech.

• View the video submission guidelines before submitting your speech.