Assignment
To complete this assignment you will need to complete a short Rhetorical Criticism/Analysis of a speech.
I'm going to try to make your lives a little easier by providing you with three options for speeches that you can use...the links below are to the speeches on YouTube so pick one and give it a watch:
1. Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Address (15 Minutes)
2. David McCollough at Wellesly High School's Graduation (12 Minutes)
3. Ashton Kutcher at the Teen Choice Awards (5 Minutes)
If you really want to do a speech other than one of these three I guess I'm okay with that...but choose carefully or just keep it simple and use one of the above. Up to you.
Okay...let's keep this analysis simple. For whatever speech you choose, here's what you'll need to talk about for about a paragraph each:
1. What do you believe the general purpose of the speech was as defined in the text? Is it a clear choice or possibly a combination? What do you believe the specific purpose of the speech was? Do the two "match" for you in an effective/appropriate way?
2. How did the speaker use "ethos" or credibility in the speech? Did they do so effectively? Examples?
3. How did the speaker use "pathos" or appeals to emotion in the speech? Did they do so effectively? Examples?
4. How did the speaker use "logos" or argument in the speech? Did they do so effectively? Examples?
5. How effectively do you think the speaker used "language" in the speech? Was it a well-written speech? Examples?
6. Assess the speaker's delivery. Was this a well-delivered speech? How or why? Examples
7. Do you think the speaker did a good job considering audience and occasion in the speech? How or why?
8. What is your overall assessment of the speech?
Again, don't go overboard here. About a paragraph for each of the above questions should be more than enough. Try to use examples from the speech and content/terms from the book/chapter where and when you can...but remember that I'm also really looking for you to provide your own confident analysis of the speech as well.