Writing Homework Help

Speech #2 is a classic informative presentation, which means that the main goal is to inform an audience about a topic. As such, your first task will be to pick a topic. Now, rather than just say “Pick any topic!”, which I’ve done before and which resulted in some interesting choices, I’d like to offer up the following 5 topic areas from which you can select:

Science/Technology

Medicine

History

Art/Literature/Music

Sports

Each of these topic areas is very broad, so you’ll need to narrow it down quite a bit. For example, you might focus on a particular historical event, or a significant technological advancement, or a noteworthy artist. In fact, one easy way to narrow it down is to focus biographically and talk about a person.

As this is an assignment that will involve doing research, please avoid any topic that would be more of a “how-to” presentation. For example, how to shoot a basketball, or how to make chicken soup. These kinds of topics are usually less academic in nature and involve the kind of demonstration that is harder to execute in a speech.

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

The primary purpose of informative speaking is to ensure the audience’s clear understanding of the ideas presented. The purpose of Speech #2 is to present a clear explanation of complex material to the audience. This is a scholarly endeavor which means you are required to do research and cite your sources. You should use various supporting materials, visual aids, and appropriate language to help make the speech clear and interesting to the audience. Above all, you should add something significant to our pool of knowledge.

The Topic areas for this presentation are: Science/Technology, Medicine, History, Art/Literature/Music, and Sports.

REQUIREMENTS:

Your topic should be informative and interesting to this audience. (Try to avoid telling us things that are common knowledge or that are trivial.)

The speech should be five to six minutes in length.

Delivery is to be extemporaneous, try to work from some speaking notes rather than reading from an outline/script.

The introduction and conclusion should be fully developed—that is, they should include the required elements.

There should be a definite, logical transition bridging each component of the speech.

Each main point should be clearly stated and developed.

Sources should be clearly cited in the speech itself, and in the outline using a standard academic format. Try to have between 2-5 credible sources.

Use at least one visual aid according to the guidelines presented in the text.

A typed, full-sentence outline (following the correct format) is required and should be submitted on the day of your speech. Here is a worksheet that you can use as a template to get started: Speech #2- outline worksheet.pdf