Informative
Speech
Handbook
Name: _____________________________
Period: _______
Topic Being Researched: __________________________________
WORDS TO THE WISE:
In order to not get lost in the shuffle, you have to keep up with us in
class and meet deadlines. If you get behind, it will be difficult for you
to get caught back up. Be here physically and mentally everyday that
we do this project.
Any plagiarism found in your paper will warrant a zero for the entire
project. You WILL NOT get an opportunity to redo your final draft. If
you earn a zero on this project, it will be impossible to pass the
quarter. I didn’t know will not be an acceptable excuse. Be smart.
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LET’S GET STARTED!!!!
Step One: Select a topic.
1. Remember to not choose anything too broad or impossible to cover adequately. Also remember to
choose something interesting, unique and relevant.
Step Two: Find 5-7 RELIABLE sources minimum.
1. We will be primarily using electronic sources to gather our information. However, you are welcome to
use books, newspapers or magazines if you so choose. There may be some in our library.
2. Make sure that the sources you are using are RELIABLE!!!! Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable source for
any research paper… ever.
a. How can I tell if my source is reliable? It can be a tough thing to determine, but there are some
basic guidelines you can follow:
i. Does the website look professionally done? It IS possible for a website to contain false
information even if it looks legitimate, but this can be a prime indicator if you are on the
right track. It can also go the other way – sometimes, university websites and other
legitimate organizations do not take the time to produce a high quality, professional
looking website. Do not rule out the possibility that a website is good simply based on its
looks. It is a good starting point but not all you should be looking for.
ii. Is the web information current? If there are a number of out-of-date links that do not work
or old news, what does this say about the credibility of the information?
iii. Does the information include a list of works cited? If the information is not backed up by
other legitimate sources, you need to determine what authority the author has in writing
the material. (i.e. Is the person an expert in the area? This question will require extra
searching by you.)
iv. On what kind of Web site does the information appear? As mentioned in the first piece of
criteria, anyone can make a website. Although it seems silly and like a waste of time for
someone to create a website containing false information, there are plenty of people with
too much time on their hands that do just that.
1. The following domain names generally indicate safe, legitimate and reliable
sources:
a. .edu - education sites
b. .gov - government sites
c. .org - organization sites
d. .com - commercial sites
e. .net - network infrastructures
2. You still have to be careful! There are exceptions to everything and there is
someone out there that will get a good chuckle if you present their false
information in a project or in front of a group of people.
3. In years past, students have had good luck with websites such as: barnesandnoble.com,
bookbrowse.com, bestsellers.com, and university websites as well as official websites of the authors.
4. Use search terms like: biography of ________________, author bio _______________, etc.
Step Three: Decide on three main topics.
1. After looking through the information that you have gathered, you need to decide which three topics
concerning your main topic can be most adequately covered.
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Step Four: Create a thesis statement for your paper.
1. Formulate preliminary thesis sentence: a statement that captures the main idea of your paper. Think
of it as a preview of what you will be talking about in the body of your paper.
a. How do I start a thesis?
i. Sometimes you can begin a thesis right off the bat without doing any research, other
times you need to do some research before you can decide on a thesis – especially
when you have little prior knowledge about your subject.
b. Why Should Your Essay Contain A Thesis Statement?
i. to test your ideas by putting them into a sentence or two
ii. to better organize and develop your argument
iii. to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument
c. Formula for a thesis statement
i. An overall guiding statement about your author + 3 main points.
Overall statement about my author: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
My three main points:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My preliminary thesis statement:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis approved by teacher.
Signature: ____________________________________
Date: __________________
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Step Five: Organize your information./ Create an outline.
Organize Information.
1. Number each of your articles 1-3.
2. Assign a highlighter color to each of your three main points about your author.
a. Example: pink = early life, yellow = inspiration behind writing, green = accomplishments and
awards.
i. __________ = __________________________________________________
ii. __________ = __________________________________________________
iii. __________ = __________________________________________________
3. Read through each article CAREFULLY. If you see information that could be used to support your
points, highlight it with the appropriate color.
a. DO NOT HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING. First of all, you can’t use everything in all of your articles.
You need to pick and choose what is useful and necessary and what is not.
4. This step is helpful because there are no notecards to keep track of and you do not have to keep
flipping back through all of your sources to find information when it comes time to using it.
Create an outline. (We did this with the comparison paper.)
1. You are probably used to starting with your introduction, but we are going to be doing things in a
different order – we are going to start with your supporting details.
a. You will need to supply 4-5 supporting details minimum per point to meet the length
requirement. You may end up with more, which is fine, but any less and you may not be
adequately supporting the point.
b. Using your highlighted articles, go through and organize information by taking pieces of
information that you highlighted and transferring them onto your outline.
i. Use your color coding to help you with this.Refer back to my color coding example
above. If I highlighted a fact pink, it was because it was about my author’s early life. This
piece of information would then be placed under the main point – early life.
1. JUST FOR THE OUTLINE, I want your information to be written down word for
word.
a. Reasoning – This way, when it comes time to use the information in your
paper, you will have options and will not have to constantly flip back and
forth between your outline and your articles. You will mostly be asked to
put information into YOUR OWN WORDS (you will still need to provide a
citation), but you will also occasionally use a direct quote from the article
with a citation.
2. After you have written out your fact indicate which article the information is from
(article 1, article 2, or article 3)
c. Make sure you are placing your facts in a logical and sequential order. (i.e. Things about death
should not come before things about childhood, etc.)
2. When you get done filling in your supporting details, you will work on your transition statements.
These will go in the Main Point blanks provided. They SHOULD:
a. Be complete sentences. Simply putting your topic at the beginning of your paragraph is not
okay.
b. NOT use transitions like “First…”, “Second…”, “Third…”, “Next…”, “Last…”, “Finally…”, or
“Then…” (You get the idea…. Don’t do it.)
c. Tie your last point to your current point somehow to create fluditiy.
d. Use transitional phrases at the beginning of the sentence like:
i. “Not only…”
ii. “Although…”
iii. “Though…”
iv. “Even though…”
v. “Just as…”
vi. “While…”
e. Your topic sentence for your first main point, DOES NOT NEED a transition phrase (especially
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not ones like “First...”, “For starters…” or “To begin with…” The first point is the easiest point to
write a topic sentence for because you can more or less just make an overall statement about
the point and start typing.
3. Once your transition statements are complete. You will go back and compose your introduction.
a. An introduction should have an attention-catching first sentence. We are going to avoid
questions.
b. Then you should provide a sentence or two that connects to your introductory statement.
c. Next, you should have some sort of statement that bridges between the last thing your were
talking about and your thesis statement. Needs to create a transition between what you were
discussing and your thesis statement so that your thesis statement doesn’t just appear to be
tacked on to the end of the paragraph.
4. Finally, you will compose a conclusion.
a. Make an overall concluding statement about your topic. Get rid of “In conclusion…” and “All in
all…” Instead use something like:
i. “As you can see…”
ii. “Clearly…”
iii. “Obviously…”
iv. “Certainly…”
v. “To be sure…”
b. Restate your three points in a new way.
c. Leave a final statement or two that leaves a lasting impression or highlights the importance or
influence that your author has had on the literary world.
d. DO NOT tells us how much you liked their books or whether or not you recommend them. This
is not a book review.
Step Six: Understand how to cite sources using paraphrasing and in-text
citations.
1. This might be something new to you but bear with me. Once you get it, it’s a piece of cake. It will take
some work, but you will be expected to cite your sources at all times. If you do not, you will
automatically receive a zero for your grade and will not be able to pass the quarter.
2. We will be using MLA citation.
3. Any information that was not prior knowledge, whether it is in your words or not, has to be cited.
4. Most of your paper will be in your own words.
a. You cannot just take a sentence and rearrange/substitute words. You need to rewrite the entire
sentence in YOUR OWN WORDS.
5. Do not use words that you don’t know or cannot pronounce.
6. Remember – since this is a SPEECH, all of your citations need to be done aloud. (According to, As
stated in, etc.)
a. These will be explained to you in detail and practiced in class. See pages 11 - 12.
7. This must be done correctly and you should pay very close attention when we are going over it in class.
Step Seven: Writing your rough draft.
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5.
Make sure you following the instructions for heading your paper.
Create a title.
Type your introduction as you have it on your outline.
Type your topic sentences as you have them on your outline.
Use the facts provided in your supporting details to create your body paragraphs.
a. Remember:
i. Most of your paper should be in your own words with the occasional direct quote.
ii. All information needs to be cited with out loud citations.
iii. Pay extra attention to punctuation when citing sources.
1. Use quotations around information that is word for word from the article, and
know where the periods go.
b. Make sure the information within your paragraphs flow and connect.
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i. You can’t just give a fact and immediately follow it with another without using some sort
of transitional phrase to connect the two.
6. Type your conclusion as you have it on your outline.
Step 8: Revising your Speech
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3.
4.
5.
Look over the comments and suggestions that have been made on your rough draft very carefully.
Make sure you understand what you are changing and why the change needs to be made.
Make sure you spend a lot of time going through and correcting your mistakes.
Your final draft should be polished and should have very few to no errors.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING GUIDANCE ON HOW TO
CORRECT YOUR MISTAKES.
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Guidelines/Tips For An Error Free Paper
Your paper should be typed, double-spaced, with 1” margins on all sides.
Indent paragraphs. There should not be any extra spaces in between paragraphs.
Font should be size 12 pt Cambria and NOT bold.
Final paper should be double-spaced. Command + A, Format->Paragraph->Spacing->Double
Number all pages, including the works cited page, in the bottom-center of the page. Your last
name should be in the top, right-hand corner of the page.
6. Do NOT use contractions:
a. gonna = going to
b. can’t = cannot
c. ain’t = is not (ain’t is not an acceptable word spoken or written…)
d. couldn’t = could not
7. Do not use the first-person when writing your essay. (Never mention yourself at all!)
8. Do not start or end your paragraphs with quotations.
9. Do not use abbreviations; write out the whole word.
a. Ex: two instead of 2, California instead of Cali.
b. Cause is not the same as because.
i. Cause means to cause something to happen.
ii. Because indicates that you are about to provide a reason.
10. Slang is not acceptable. Do not use “ya” or “u”place of “you” – it is only one extra letter so it’s
not going to take you that much longer to write. This is an essay, not a text message to your
best friend.
11. Subject/verb agreement. If you are referring to one person, or if you are referring
to more than one person, make sure your wording reflects that.
12. Watch out for using the appropriate form of a word. Ex: Their, there and they’re. Two, to and
too.
13. It’s okay to use the thesaurus, but do not overuse it – make sure you understand the word you
are using because not all words in the thesaurus properly match up to the context of the
sentence.
14. When editing, watch for common punctuation errors, grammar mistakes, typos, missing words,
and any other errors you have lost credit for in the past.
a. No random capital letters in sentences, but make sure that things that should be
capitalized, are.
b. Citations are punctuated correctly as went over in class.
15. Read through your paper!! Spelling/grammar check does not catch all mistakes. Even read it
aloud to see if it “sounds” like it makes sense.
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EXAMPLE SPEECH
Audra Corbit
Informative Speech
12/5/12
Mrs. Becker
Circus Freak Shows
“Step right up step right up boys and girls! Come and see hideous wonders of the freak show. We have
giants, living dolls, over weight women, monsters and elastic-skinned men!”
These characteristics would, by today’s standards, be undesirable, shunned and just plain scary to
the average person, but in the 19th Century, these outcasts were the faces of big-time show business at
circuses and carnivals across the United States. According to the November 2010 article “Strange and
Bizarre; The History of Freak Shows” found in History Magazine, the freak show was a phenomenon
started in Europe in 1844 when Tom Thumb, a 5-year-old boy who barely stood over two feet tall yet
claimed to be 11, was first introduced by circus extraordinaire P.T. Barnum. Due to the overwhelming
response received by Barnum’s first strange spectacle, he expanded his showcase of exhibits and the
freak show grew into a booming business, drawing gawkers, and oglers of all ages. Today, I will showcase
the mysterious world of the freak show by first revealing the background and authenticity of the shows,
next by sharing why the freak show was so appealing to audiences, and last, by putting some of the most
famous sideshow acts on display.
Today, these sideshows are almost unheard of, but as stated in the previously cited article,
“Strange and Bizarre; The History of Freak shows,” “It wasn’t until the 19th century that freak shows and
novelty acts caught the imagination of larger viewing public that were willing to pay for the opportunity
to witness human medical oddities.” According to the 2007 article “Freak Shows” from the National
Fairground Archive, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey’s Sideshow were very important for the
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small freak shows that were here in America. The people with these physical abnormalities created a
booming business solely based around their disabilities. As previously mentioned, the man behind all this
magic was P.T. Barnum, an American circus pioneer and entertainment business manager, who traveled
all the way to England from America with his latest sensation Tom Thumb. The website
fairgroundheritage.org.uk states in a 2006 article entitled “Freak Unique” that “The effect of Barnum on
the English showmen and the public was immense and many of the succeeding tricks like midget
weddings, births, and comic tricks can be traced back directly to him.” Because of his newfound interest,
small freak shows in America started to appear in 1829, along with the arrival of Chang and Eng, the
original Siamese twins. The same source goes on to say that the Victorian Era is often viewed as the
heyday of the freak show, and that the exhibits at this time were full of unsettling abnormalities unlike
audiences had ever seen. However, not all performers were “natural” freaks born with physical
deformities. Some were performance artists who had unusual talents such as fire eating, sword
swallowing, or full-body tattoos.
The freak show’s height of popularity came during a time of growing scientific and medical
advancements, and consequently, the public was naturally curious about unexplained oddities. However,
it often came into question whether these strange abnormalities were actually real or were instead just
fabricated to attract a crowd. Robert Bogdan, a professor of sociology at Syracuse University, says in a
2006 article titled “Who Were the Circus “Freaks”?” accessed at pbs.org, “The whole thing is a hype, its
not like these people didn’t have some physical abnormalities. Many did, but there was always a story to
go with it. This was show business.” False explanations were usually given for performers’ real
disabilities to create unique storylines that made them more appealing and more marketable to the
public. As the article “Who Were the Circus “Freaks”?” explains, “The telling of the tale was an essential
part of the show and consisted of wonderful and medically impossible reasons to explain to the audience
the history of the person they were going to see.”
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This period of time carried with it very few entertainment options for the general public. That
being said, the creepy, strange, and freaky, carried with it a curious appeal and attracted the attention of
many during the 19th Century. People found the idea of a medical mystery much more fascinating then
already diagnosed conditions. In fact, according to the 2010 article “Strange and Bizarre: The History of
Freak Shows”, many showmen refused to let doctors visit their sideshow performers, because they feared
that it would ruin the wonder surrounding their acts if all of their “secrets” were made known to the
public. The article goes on to say that “Their conditions would appear less mysterious or exotic if given a
medical definition and the public would lose interest.” For this reason, showmen would usually create a
new public identity and an accompanying story for their “freaks” in order to attract viewers. “Strange and
Bizarre: The History of Freak Shows” also reveals that the increasing interest in the sideshow was a
direct result of the new labor-intensive hours of growing industrial jobs during that time period. This
called for a fresh form of entertainment to take their minds off of the new hardships they faced, and for
just a minor fee, they could enter a world of medical wonders unlike anything they had seen before.
Over time, the public’s fascination for the sideshow only grew which in turn made stars out of the
strange characters they came to witness. According to the 2007 article, “Freak Shows” found in the
National Fairground Archive, Midgets were one of the more frequently advertised shows and were often
represented to viewers as being much older than they actually were. The presentation of human oddities
dramatically changed when the previously mentioned Tom Thumb, was first introduced and became one
of the most commonly known sideshow attractions. Barnum showcased Tom Thumb as an 11-year-old
who possessed such talents as instrument playing, singing, and dancing. The same source also mentions
that “Anita The Living Doll,” a female midget used in Barnum and Bailey’s Circus, was advertised to
audiences to look and act as a doll. In contrast, the article “Freak Unique” claims that the shows also
featured “Giants” such as Patrick O’Brien the Irish a Giant, who was a regular act at St. Bartholomew’s
Fair.
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Siamese Twins were also popular acts for this peculiar show business. The article “Freak Unique”
also introduces Violet and Daisy Hilton, twins who were conjoined at the rear and shared a combined
lower spine and common blood and nervous system. They were born to an England barmaid in 1908, and
just two weeks after they were born, they were sold to a Mary Hilton to be trained for entertainment in
the circus business. The girls’ performances consisted of them playing their own musical instruments and
dancing, and at the peak of their career, they were said to be making 5,000 dollars a week.
Haven’t shaved in awhile? No worries, because excessive body hair was another main attraction of
the freak show. According to “Freak Unique,” bearded ladies were some of the most popular attractions at
these shows. Among the most well-known of these bushy broads were Leonine the Lion Faced Lady, Alice
Bounds the Bear Lady, and Annie Jones, who was featured in Barnum and Bailey’s Circus. Although the
bearded lady stole the show, there were other hairy oddities attracting audiences. The 2012 article “Dog
Faced Boy, Four-legged Myrtle and The Man With Elastic Skin” found at dailymail.co.uk introduces us to
Fedor Jeftichew, more famously known as Jo-Jo the Dog Faced Boy. He suffered from a genetic condition
called hypertrichosis, which caused excessive hair growth and, as his name indicates, gave him an animallike appearance.
After opening your eyes to the circus side show and the legitimacy of such exhibits, explaining the
appeal of these peculiar specimen, and finally, putting the spotlight on some of the typical freak show
attractions, it is clear to see why the general public held such a fascination with tthose that were
physically unlike themselves. Freaky but fascinating, the abnormalities that these people possessed didn’t
always hold them back. In a time where medicine was still relatively primitive and those with physical
abnormalities were often shunned from mainstream society, sideshows gave people with deformations
and other conditions a chance to have a place in an otherwise un-accepting world.
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Name___________________________________________________________________
Informative Research Outline
TOPIC: __________________________________________________
PURPOSE: ________________________________________________
I) INTRODUCTION: _____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
II) BODY:
a. MAIN POINT #1: ____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
i. Supporting Detail #1: (Article # ____)
ii. Supporting Detail #2: (Article # ____)
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iii. Supporting Detail #3: (Article # ____)
Iv. Supporting Detail #4: (Article # ____)
v. Supporting Detail #5: (Article # ____)
b. MAIN POINT #2: ____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
i. Supporting Detail #1: (Article # ____)
ii. Supporting Detail #2: (Article # ____)
iii. Supporting Detail #3: (Article # ____)
Iv. Supporting Detail #4: (Article # ____)
v. Supporting Detail #5: (Article # ____)
c. MAIN POINT #3: ____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
i. Supporting Detail #1: (Article # ____)
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ii. Supporting Detail #2: (Article # ____)
iii. Supporting Detail #3: (Article # ____)
Iv. Supporting Detail #4: (Article # ____)
v. Supporting Detail #5: (Article # ____)
III) CONCLUSION: _____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
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