Assignment: Persuasive ExtemporaneousSpeech Requirements

A persuasive speech is one in which you attempt to convince your audience to agree with your position and/or take some action. This speech requires library research. An extemporaneous presentation is delivered from a speaking outline that occupies one or two 4x6 index cards. This speech is NOT read or memorized. The speaking outline is created from a comprehensive working outline. This type of speech teaches you to think critically and to organize your thoughts with cogency. When developing your working outline, consider the following parts: introduction, mainpoints, transitions, support, and conclusion. Effective persuasive speeches meet the following requirements:

Basic Requirements:

1. Choose and narrow a persuasive speech topic. A persuasive speech centers on an audience's attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior. Get your instructor's approval for your topic.

2. Determine your specific speech goal. Remember that your specific goal identifies what you hope to accomplish in the speech. When you speak to persuade you act as an advocate. You attempt to affect listeners' attitudes, beliefs, values or behaviors.

3. Develop your one-sentence thesis statement and determine your persuasive proposition as a question of fact, value, or policy. A question of fact argues that something is true or not true. A question of value argues the worth or morality of something, making a judgment about what is good or bad, right or wrong. A question of policy advocates a specific course of action that you believe needs to be taken. Decide if you are seeking passive agreement (questions of fact or value), or immediate action (question of policy).

4. Conduct library research on your topic and gather supporting evidence from at least threecredible sources. You may use onecredibleinternet source. All sources should be evaluated for validity and reliability. Please remember that many excellent sources of information are not available online, but can be found in books and journal articles located through library search engines.

5. Organize the body of your speech in the required outline format using the organizational framework you chose to arrange your main points. Support the main points of your speech with your research and provide both parenthetical citations and oral attribution for all sources. Include appropriate transitions.

6. Make strong arguments in support of your topic using sound research. Adapt the speech to the needs and motivations of the audience and demonstrate the persuasive appeals of logical argument (logos), emotional appeal (pathos), and credibility (ethos).

7. Develop an introduction that gains the audience's attention, reveals your topic and relates it to the audience, builds your credibility, states your thesis statement, and previews the main ideas to be developed in the body.

8. Develop a conclusion that restates your thesis statement, summarizes your main points, motivates the audience to respond, and brings memorable closure to your speech.

9. Incorporate appropriate visual aids that enhance the persuasive appeal of your speech and help the audience follow your arguments. (If you choose to use PowerPoint, please submit a copy of your slides along with your outline. If you use other printed aids, scan and email separately.)

10. Submit your speech outline as indicated in the instructions. Type the outline in complete sentences; double spaced in 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font; using proper outline format; and free from spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. List all sources on the separate "Resources" page(s) using APA citation format.

11. Deliverand recordyour speech extemporaneously, not read or memorized. Use oral citations for your resources in your presentation. Speak from your note cards, not from your complete outline. If the speech is read or memorized, your grade will be reduced.

12. Time your speech so that you speak between 4-6 minutes. Speaking more or less will reduce your grade.

Persuasive Speech Outline

(NOTE: Do NOT include instructions in your outline. They are provided to help you create your outline.)

General Purpose: To persuade

Specific Speech Purpose: To persuade my audience _________ (fill in what you want to accomplish. What do you want your audience to do or to believe?).

Thesis Statement:

Type of Claim:

Organizational Pattern:

(Add others as appropriate for your organizational pattern.)

Begin the second page of your outline on a separate page by placing the cursor after the last sentence in the first page and pressing the Ctrl Enter keys.

NOTE: In addition to the above page one, your complete outline will begin on the second page and will include the following information: an INTRODUCTION, BODY (with all supporting points), CONCLUSION, and Transitions using the following format. Begin the second page of your outline on a separate page by placing the cursor after the last sentence in the first page and pressing the Ctrl Enter keys at the same time.)

INTRODUCTION

Transition

BODY

I. First main point

A. First supporting point

1. first sub-point
2. second sub-point

B. Second supporting point

1. first sub-point
2. second sub-point

Transition

II. Second main point

A. First supporting point

1. first sub-point
2. second sub-point

B. Second supporting point

1. first sub-point
2. second sub-point

Transition

CONCLUSION

(Add other main points and supporting points as appropriate for your organizational pattern.)

(Begin your list of sources on a separate page by placing the cursor after the last sentence in your outline and pressing the Ctrl Enter keys.)

Works Cited

Place the words "Works Cited" at the top of the page. Center in the line by placing your cursor on the "W" and pressing Ctrl E keys at the same time. Cite sources in APA format.)

Remember:

Include a transition between the Introduction and the first main point, between each main point, and between the last main point and the Conclusion.

Refer to the handout titled "Persuasive Speech Requirements" to complete your final outline.

Outline format:

Remember that the outline must have between two and five main points, and points must be in at least pairs, e.g., every upper case A must have at least an upper case B, and every number 1 must have at least a number 2, etc.