PERSUASIVE SPEECH

Purpose: The goal of this speech is to choose a current events topic and deliver a persuasive presentation to our class. This is a persuasive speech where you will argue in favor or against your topic. You will attempt to challenge our class to change or maintain a specific way of thinking or acting. This is an individual speech. Informing audiences about new ideas and concepts is all well and good, but for ages, public speaking has been used for another purpose: persuading audiences to take action. From politicians to teachers to leaders of social movements, persuasion is used to educate and motivate. For this 7-8 minute presentation, you will deliver a persuasive speech about an issue related to our everyday lives. Your topic should be creative and somewhat controversial. The topic you choose will depend on your interests, but it should be relevant, professional, and significant. Many students in the past have chosen to research an issue of sustainability (“Going Green”) or issues of social justice. Your Small Section Instructor must approve your topic prior to your speech date. You should consider current events, issues that affect the lives of you and your classmates, and/or concerns you consider to be problems in need of a solution. Explore the issues facing your community or San Diego State to get a sense of what’s both relevant to your peers and worthy of a 7-8 minute presentation. Consider both local and global issues: topics like raising tuition to increase the number of classes, the parking problem on campus, trolley transportation, the use of recyclable materials on campus, or other broader topics (health care, immigration, free college). Your solution should leave the class with an action step that they can do on their own. You should be prepared to persuade your audience to do something that they can enact (and actually do) upon leaving the classroom (List dates of next event, provide a website to donate money, contact info to write a leader on this topic, create your own fundraiser, or follow a twitter/facebook account). 1. Things to consider when selecting a topic: • Pick a topic you are passionate about! This will help you be successful in delivering your speech. • For everyone’s sake, please do not select a topic that is overused (exercise, eating healthy, smoking, death penalty, testing on animals). • Select a topic that is appropriate given the length of the speech. • The topic should be sensitive to the demographics of the audience based on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, age, sex, etc. 2. We will discuss the format in Large Lecture and Small Section; you should use the Stock Issues format for writing your outline/speech. Please see the Persuasive Speech Outline Handout on BB for additional information, particularly page 3 or Chapter 15 PP. 3. You are allowed to use 1 note card for this presentation (3x5, front and back is ok). 4. Your outline needs to be typed, double-spaced, and in 12 point font. It will be submitted to turnitin.com through your Small Section BlackBoard site. Outline & Speech Requirements: 1. Within your outline and speech, you must use examples and facts. 2. You must use at least 1 expert quotation and at least 1 statistic; they must be introduced with a verbal footnote in the speech. 3. Minimum of 6 references must be cited in the outline. The sources can be: websites, magazines, academic /science journals, books (online and paper/hard back), and newspapers. You cannot use Wikipedia or dictionary.com as 1 of your references. A list of your references will be turned in APA format with your outline. 4. You must site your 3 of your references in the speech. You can do this by saying: “According to Fisher, ‘1 out of 3 people who…”. These are called verbal footnotes. 5. You must use the Stock Issues format to organize your outline and speech (Problem, Causes/Barriers, and Solution) (See outline handout and the Chapter 15 PP on Persuasive Speaking). 6. A presentation aid must be utilized at an appropriate time during the speech. A presentation aid may include graphs, pictures, props, models, charts, and/or objects. PowerPoint can be used, but it should be used sparingly (more pictures and less words). You can show a video, but it cannot be longer than 60 seconds. 7. You should dress professionally and/or appropriately. Your clothes should not distract from your presentation. 8. Obviously, I will grade the strength of your argument as well as how you deliver your speech. 9. Outline is worth 50 points. Speech is worth 100 points. Recording your Speech: You will also be responsible for recording this speech, uploading it to Connect, and completing a self-reflection. You may record your speech on a smart device such as an i-Phone, i-Pad, Android phone, tablet, laptop, or camera with recording capabilities. If you do not have a recording device, try to team up with a friend in your small section who has a recording device and you may help each other. Prior to recording, you should read the Student Guide to Recording and Uploading Videos to Connect. This guide can be found on BlackBoard. Once you have recorded your speech, it will be your responsibility to upload the video to McGraw-Hill/Connect. If you have trouble uploading your video, first reread the above mentioned guide. If this does not help, contact the McGraw-Hill/Connect Help desk at 800-331-5094 or email www.mhhe.com/support. Self-Reflection: For this speech, you will review your speech on McGraw-Hill/Connect and complete a self-evaluation. The self-evaluation will be due within a week of your speech presentation. Please note: no speech grade will be given until a self-evaluation has been completed. You are required to make three time-stamped comments about your delivery and content. This self-reflection is worth 20 points. In this presentation, you will learn the following Student Learning Objectives: 1. Choose and narrow a topic appropriately for this audience. 2. Generate a well-reasoned argument for this occasion. 3. Assess the strength of relative supporting evidence. 4. Create content in the Stock Issues format for an appropriate audience and purpose. 5. To demonstrate effective vocal variety and nonverbal communication (gestures and movement) skills. 6. To create a connection with the audience through competent eye contact. 7. To demonstrate confidence and energy throughout the presentation. 8. To utilize appropriate language for the purpose and audience. 9. To effectively adapt to various public speaking situations and circumstances. 10. To gain public speaking experience with effective use of presentation aids. 11. To create a persuasive message on a relevant, current events topic. 12. To utilize rhetorical proofs as a means of persuasion (ethos, pathos, logos). The rubric of how you will be evaluated in your speech is also on BB. IT SHOULD BE PRINTED OUT AND BROUGHT TO CLASS THE DAY OF YOUR SPEECH. Be sure to review that rubric to gain insight into how you will be graded on this speech. If you have any questions, please contact your Small Section Instructor. Do not forget: Practice, Practice, and Practice. Good luck and have fun with this assignment.