Persuasive Speech Tips and Tricks-by Naomi Rockler-Gladen
Here are some tips for doing well in a public speaking class:
• Read the assignment sheets carefully. Public speaking instructors usually give very
specific criteria, including how many sources you have to include and how many
visual aids to use. Be sure you understand all the criteria and follow the instructions
carefully in your speech.
• Remember, delivery isn't everything. Delivery is how you use your voice and body
to present the speech to an audience. This is important. However, students sometimes
place too much importance on delivery and not enough on the content of the speech.
The speech needs to be well written and interesting.
• Choose interesting topics. Brainstorm to find interesting topics that haven't been
overused. Also, make sure your topic is appropriate for the assignment. If you're not
sure, ask.
• Practice. An absolute must. Practice your speeches at least three times before you
deliver them in class. I'm not kidding.
• Practice and time yourself. When you practice, make sure you're within the assigned
time limit. If you are not, fix your speech until you are.
• Write a great speech outline. Your instructor will require you to write a detailed
outline before you give your speech. This is not busywork! One of the biggest
problems students have with speeches is organization. Your outline will help you
organize your speech.
• Use great visual aids. First of all, your visual aids have to be easy to see and look
professional. But perhaps more importantly, your visual aids need to help convey the
ideas of the speech. A list of your three main points isn't a very useful visual aid
because it doesn't demonstrate anything.
• Speak loudly and slowly. By far, this is the most common problem that students have
with delivery.
• Unless you are told otherwise, do not read your speech word for word. Students
often do this because they are nervous. Unfortunately, reading a speech word for word
is a terrible way to establish good rapport with the audience.
• Use sources to increase your credibility. When you cite a source, be sure to tell the
audience who the source is and why your source is trustworthy. For example, if you're
giving a speech about lung cancer, say, "According to Dr. Jane Doe, Vice President of
the American Lung Association...."
• Give information and examples in your speech that the audience can relate to. An
example: when I taught in Minnesota, a student gave a speech about the need for better
public transportation, and she wanted to use an overhead of a traffic jam in California,
where she was from. I suggested she use a more local overhead. So she did, and showed
the class an overhead of a traffic jam on I-94, which ran through campus. Everyone could
relate.