Term Paper: Critical Speech Analysis

Concept:

The goal of this assignment is to demonstrate effective critical thinking skills and understanding of course concepts by applying relevant knowledge to the analytical study of a publicly-presented speech.

Students will seek out a speech text to study and compose a paper exploring the qualities of the speech as a piece of public oratory.

To complete this paper, you will do the following:

1) Find a speech to analyze. It can be a speech by any person, from any time period. It can be taken from a textual printing of the speech (as one would find in a book), an audio or visual recording, or a live, in-person observation. If you do intend to write about a live observation, please make some form of recording of the speech for reference purposes.

2) Study the speech. Read is many times over. Watch/listen to it again and again. Internalize it, study it, and makes notes as you do so.

3) Conduct a critical analysis with some of the following questions in mind:

• What was the context under which this speech was presented? Who delivered it? When and where? For what audience and to what purposes/goals?

• Was the speech, in your opinion, good or bad? Was it both? What did the speaker do effectively, and what could they have done differently to create a better speech?

• Was the speech effective at achieving its intended communication outcomes? Why or why not?

• How were you personally affected by the speech? Were you personally affected by it? Why/why not?

• Why is this speech important/significant? Why did you choose to study and write about this particular speech?

4) compose a paper of no fewer than 8 pages and not to exceed 12 pages (not counting your cover/reference pages and appendix).

Make reference to relevant concepts from your course text where applicable.

Your paper should contain a minimum of 8 cited references.

• Your paper should be typed in 12 point font, in a standard academic font (Times New Roman, Arial, etc.), double-spaced and with standard-sized margins.

• Your paper should be formatted according to a standard academic (MLA or APA) style. You will not be graded extensively on formatting, but if the instructor is unable to properly read and comprehend your work due to an excessively mis-formatted paper, it may not be graded at all.

• Your paper should be clearly structured and organized. Papers should have a clear into section which gains the reader's attention, includes a statement of thesis for your paper, and previews the main points that you will be discussing. Papers should also have a clear conclusion section which summarizes the main points of the essay, re-states your thesis, and leaves the reader with a memorable final statement.

• Your paper should begin on the very top line of page one, with a single standard indentation to begin each new paragraph.

• Your paper should include a title page with the following information: Your name, COMS 1300 (and your section number), Fall 2012.

• Your paper should include a running header on every page with the same information as the title page, as well as the current page number. (Remember, title page, references and Appendix don't count!)

• Your paper should include a "References" section including all sources cited within the paper.

• Your paper should include one "Appendix" section, containing a copy of the speech that you selected to analyze. This can be submitted in the form of a printed text or permanent audio/visual link to the speech on the world wide web. This will not be counted toward the minimum length nor against the maximum length of your paper.

Some Helpful "Do"s and "Don't"s:

DO consider the questions posed above...and more! Create the primary points for your paper based on your own point of view when observing and studying your speech.

DON'T write a simple list of answers to the questions presented above as the main body of your paper.

DO have an opinion. Tell me what you think is goodand what is bad about the speech. Some speeches might be considered masterpieces of oratory. Others might be total train-wrecks. Many speeches have both good and bad qualities.

DON'T just give the reader a "recap" or summary of the speech's content. Instead, refer to speech content where relevant in order to provide the reader an understanding of your points and demonstrate examples that support the arguments/opinions that you present.

DO remember: The goal of this paper is not to study what, exactly, the speaker said, but rather how/why they said it in this way.

DON'Tover-stuff your paper with lots of fluff and filler. Make firm assertions in your criticism based on qualitative analysis.

DO use this speech as an opportunity to study something you're interested in. Speeches are given publicly every day in all walks of life, and have been for a long, long time.

Interested in politics? We're in the middle of a hotly contested election cycle.

Interested in history? There are great reference texts like the Penguin Book of Historic Speeches(which is part of a larger series including speeches of the 20th century, the Civil War, and other significant periods in American and world history).

Find a speech presented by somebody in a field that you care about. The passion with which you study and write translates directly to the interest level that reader is likely to have in your work.