Newman 10H
This I Believe
Speech and Essay Project
Due Dates: Rough Draft for the purposes of speech practice – Monday, November 24, 2014
Final Draft – Monday, December 1, 2014
Hard Copy in class
Speech in class (using notecards only)
Final Draft to turnitin.com by 7:20am
Task 1: Write an essay about your personal beliefs according to the original Edward R. Murrow invitation, and
following the style and format of the many examples we have listened to and read.
For this assignment, you will need to:
1. Establish a core belief which drives your perspective on and choices in the world.
2. Explain this belief in an essay of at least one page, maximum two pages (between 400 and 550 words.)
a. Your explanation can take whatever form you see fit, but it should state the belief, explain your
belief’s tenets, and explain how you came to hold that belief (through personal anecdotes,
experiences, observations, etc.)
b. Your essay should be written in the positive – explain what you do believe, rather than what you
do not.
c. Your essay should be somewhat formal and seek to effectively reach audience members using
imagery, details, and specifics, but should use language that is, at the same time, natural to you.
3. See the original invitation for more specifics on the expectations.
Task 2: Deliver your “This I Believe” essay as a speech in class.
For this assignment, you will need to:
1. Partially memorize your “This I Believe” essay, as you will be allowed only notecards with bullet
points to use as notes during your speech.
2. Speeches will be no longer than your essay, and thus should be between two and three minutes.
3. On the day of the speech, you will submit your final draft, rough draft(s), and notecards.
Task 3: Submit your “This I Believe” essay to thisibelieve.org.
1. We will complete this together in the library in class at the conclusion of the unit.
When you submit your assignment, please attach the following documents in the following order, 1 being the
top of your pile:
1. Rubric with your name
2. Hard copy of Final Draft of Written Portion
3. Hard copy of Rough Draft of Written Portion
See the attached rubric for grading scales and expectations for this assignment.
“This I Believe” Rubric
Essay [100 points]
Attention-Getter
[15 pts]
Claim / Purpose
[25 pts]
Organization
[25 pts]
Appeal to Audience
[15 pts]
Mechanics and Style
[20 pts]
Effective
Partially Effective
Not Effective
Effective use of attention getting strategy
(quote, statistic, question, story, etc.) to
capture listeners’ attention and to introduce
topic. Attention getter is relevant and
meaningful.
Clearly, explicitly formulates some form
claim or thesis statement early in essay
which reveals author’s own original
viewpoint and beliefs. Thesis statement
identifies topic and encompasses/previews
main points or purpose, is engaging, and
unique.
Uses an effective organizational pattern for
the essay purpose. Main points are clearly
distinguished, and supporting details are
clearly relevant, supporting the main points.
Transitions are smooth and coherent, and
essay as a whole flows well to achieve the
author’s purpose.
Use of somewhat relevant attention getting
strategy, but does not adequately capture
audience attention or lead to desire outcome.
No attention getting strategy was evident,
or attention getting strategy had no clear
or relevant connection to topic and/or
speech purpose.
Thesis is implied, although not explicitly
stated. Topic is identified, but main points are
not clearly previewed, purpose may not be
totally clear, or belief seems mundane,
common, or unengaging.
No thesis statement (implied nor explicit).
Main points are not clearly identified,
audience unsure of direction of essay, or
of author purpose.
General organization or structure seems
adequate, but main points are not clearly
distinguished from supporting details, or it is
unclear how supporting details are relevant
to main points. There is a logical flow to the
essay, but transitions are weak or unclear,
and it takes work to understand or uncover
the author’s purpose.
Author may make some choices that reveal
the topic’s relevance to the audience’s own
needs, interests, and/or experiences, but
choices may be accidental, or not carefully
thought out. Essay is relatable at times, but at
a whole the audience struggles to find the
author’s viewpoint and how they relate to it.
Essay has few errors in grammar and
mechanics. Essay demonstrates a writing
style that is somewhat unique and somewhat
engaging, though at times may be unoriginal
or repetitive. Choices in the use of literary
devices are sometimes apparent, but seem
somewhat haphazard, careless, or ineffective.
There is an illogical structure, or a lack of
organization entirely – it is difficult to
discern the different parts to the essay
(introduction, body, conclusion.) Ideas are
not coherent, supporting details are
absent or irrelevant, and author’s purpose
is completely obscured or absent.
Author makes conscious choices in their use
of topic, supporting details, literary devices,
and rhetorical appeals that reveal the topic’s
relevance to the audience’s own needs,
interests, and/or experiences. Essay is
relatable while still expressing author’s own
unique viewpoint.
Essay is free of errors in grammar and
mechanics. Essay is written in the author’s
unique, personal style which both expresses
their individuality, strengthening their ability
to express personal belief, and draws
audience in. Conscious choices were made to
adopt a personal, engaging writing style
through diction, figurative language,
imagery, and other applicable literary
devices.
Topic and/or details seem irrelevant or
unrelated to audience. No attempts are
made to connect with audience.
Essay contains numerous or excessive
errors in grammar and/or mechanics.
Essay demonstrates a lack of conscious
effort on the part of the author to adopt
an engaging writing style, and is difficult to
read and understand, repetitive, and/or
carelessly written.
Speech Delivery [80 pts]
Effective
Partially Effective
Not Effective
Eye Contact
[20 pts]
Consistently and effectively used eye contact to
establish rapport with audience. Inconspicuous
use of speaker notes and effective use of
scanning to established an expanded zone of
interaction.
Conspicuous use of speaker notes. Seems
disengaged from audience for noticeable
periods of time.
Reads speech from notes/manuscript.
Avoids eye contact with audience. Only
occasional and sporadic glances.
Body
Language
[20 pts]
Expressive, dynamic, and natural use of gestures,
posture and facial expressions to reinforce and
enhance meaning. Body language reflects
comfort interacting with audience.
Stiff or unnatural use of nonverbal
behaviors. Body language reflects some
discomfort interacting with audience.
Limited use of gestures to reinforce verbal
message.
Body language reflects a reluctance to
interact with audience. Distracting
movement and/or use of self-adaptive
behaviors.
Voice
[20 pts]
Natural variation of vocal characteristics (rate,
pitch, volume, tone) in Standard English to
heighten interest and match message
appropriately.
Limited variation of vocal characteristics.
Use of rate, pitch, volume and tone seemed
inconsistent at times.
Monotone or inappropriate variation of
vocal characteristics. Inconsistent with
verbal message.
Fluency
[20 pts]
Appropriate pronunciation, enunciation, and
articulation. Lack of noticeable vocalized fillers.
Few noticeable errors in pronunciation,
enunciation and articulation. Minimal use
of vocalized fillers.
Excessive fluency errors interfered with
message comprehension. Excessive use of
vocalized fillers.
Student Self-Assessment Score: _________ / 180
Final Score _________ / 180
Name: