PERSUASIVE SPEECH
TIME: 7 Minutes
ASSIGNMENT: In this final speech, you will share and substantiate your perspective about an
idea or an issue of importance to you. You will also TAKE A STAND on this issue and invite
your audience to act, change their mind about, or better understand this topic.
This speech is your opportunity to utilize the combination of skills and experience you have
acquired throughout the course. This speech is also a chance for you to develop a better
understanding of and find support for your attitudes, values and beliefs. In all, this presentation is
your opportunity to experience first hand how change occurs in society – through the voice of
individuals.
GUIDELINES:
Pay close attention to the following when preparing your speech:
o Clear thesis: What is your perspective?
o Introduction: attention-getter, relevance to audience, thesis statement, preview.
o Conclusion: signal end of speech, summarize main points, decisive close.
o Supporting materials: include a minimum of five source citations throughout your speech.
Support each main point with a variety of supporting material: examples, statistics,
testimony, narratives, definitions. All five of your sources must be printed. For this type
of speaking, books and newspapers are often the best sources to turn to.
o Quality of argument: Rational? Logical? Compelling?
o Typed, proofread formal outline.
o Required to use PowerPoint as visual aid (must email to instructor before speech)
o References Page: 5 sources, typed and following the 6th edition of the APA Style
Manual. Must all be PRINTED sources (you can access originally printed sources online
through library databases, etc. in which case they will count as printed).
o Delivery: Your delivery will count more for this speech. You should have eliminated
verbal fillers, have little to no fluency hiccups, make eye contact for 75% of the speech,
have vocal variety (rate, pitch, volume), and appropriate gestures.
o Practice, practice, practice!!! (6-10 times)
CRITERIA FOR A GOOD FINAL SPEECH:
Important: A good idea, it matters to society, it is interesting to you as the speaker and you
make it interesting and relevant to the audience by telling them why this topic effects them.
Cogent: A good argument, invitational, evidence based, a clear and warranted claim.
Clear: Easy to follow, well organized, appropriately signposted, complete.
Well presented: Conversational, interactive, articulate, respectful.
Lasting: MEMORABLE!
(You are expected to have mastered speech organization, so this speech will be strictly graded on
substantiation of argument, quality of argument and support, oral citation of sources, delivery)
Persuasive Speech Ideas:
These are only meant to give you some ideas. It would be great if you came up with a new topic
or at least a new spin on an old topic
You should spend much time thinking about your topic area. You want to make sure it’s broad
enough to get some good research, but narrow enough to be manageable. You also want to make
sure that you can make it relevant to the audience and that it’s a current topic that people are
discussing and debating. You may not want to choose a topic that you are extremely passionate
about because that may interfere with your ability to complete the assignment according to the
guidelines. You want to care about your topic, but you also want to be able to approach it in a
way that’s going to make people want to listen to you without your personal politics/emotions
taking over.
Illegal immigrants’ children should get certain benefits of citizenship
Become an organ donor
Children should have health insurance provided
School dress codes are beneficial
It should be free and legal to download more digital products like music and books.
U.S. is addicted to driving
Foods with high fructose corn syrup should be taxed and regulated.
No dogs in cemeteries
The American public needs more critical thinking skills in relation to the media.
Pit bulls are discriminated against
There is a link between pornography and sexual assault
Need to learn second language early
Stem cell research has positive effects
Cell phones have negative effects
We need more comprehensive sex ed
Higher ed funding should not be cut
Legalize Marijuana
The president should be decided by Popular vote instead of electoral college
Mandatory Driving Classes
Circuses mistreat animals
Local businesses and products are superior to chain stores and should be supported more.
Need more available contraceptives for teens
Mandatory minimum sentences for drug possession should be reformed to make room for violent
offenders in our prisons and jails.
Aid to Africa is not effective
Overpopulation is a serious problem and there should be limits on human reproduction.
Diet is more important than exercise
Overfishing is a problem
The lottery in Colorado should pay for in state college tuition for qualified students
Prostitution should be legalized and regulated at the state level.
Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime/ Capital punishment is….
Student athletes should have more scholarships available to them.
Funding for athletics at colleges should be reduced to provide more academic scholarships.
Free trade is more harmful than helpful.
Africa is portrayed incorrectly and unfairly by the media.
Cosmetic and toiletry products should not be tested on animals.
Sex education should be mandatory in middle school.
Genetically engineered foods should be banned.
Musicians do not have a social responsibility to be role models.
The drinking age should be lowered to 18.
Television violence negatively effects children.
Parents with obese children should be charged with child abuse.
Homeschooling negatively effects students/positively effects
The separation between church and state needs to be more strictly enforced.
Dog racing is inhumane and should be banned.
Supreme court justices should be elected rather than appointed.
Beauty pageants are degrading to women.
Students use social networking sites like Facebook irresponsibly and should be more careful
about how they present themselves.
People should eat more whole foods.
The two party political system in the United States is bad for democracy.
Police interrogation tactics are not strictly regulated enough which leads to mistreatment.
Too much emphasis is put on four year colleges and universities, and instead some students
should be encouraged to attend two year trade/technical schools.
People shouldn’t start college until two years after high school.
Persuasive Speech Preliminary Idea(s) Homework Assignment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Review the assignment guidelines.
Write at least TWO ideas for your persuasive speech and bring them to class on the due date.
Start your ideas with “I believe….” and make sure that your stance on the issue is clear.
Your ideas should be one sentence long and should be straightforward and concise.
Persuasive Speech Finalized Idea Homework Assignment:
Now that you’ve received feedback from your professor on your preliminary persuasive speech
idea(s), it’s time to narrow it down to one. Just like in the previous assignment, write down your
final idea as one sentence that begins with “I believe…”
Persuasive Speech References Assignment:
In order to make sure you’re on the right track with your outside research, you will need to turn
in a list of potential sources. Remember you need a minimum of 5 sources, and all of them need
to be printed sources. Sources like general encyclopedias, dictionaries, or books of quotations,
etc. cannot count toward your five sources. Strive to find credible, scholarly sources.
1) Review the requirements for sources for the assignment and then begin to research.
2) Use the library’s homepage and/or go to the library to find sources:
- Use databases to search for journal/newspaper/credible magazine articles
- Use the library catalog to search for books
- Ask a reference librarian for help if you get stuck.
3) Try to find sources that are dedicated to what you’re addressing in your speech, not a source
that only has one sentence or one paragraph that is relevant to your topic.
4) Find more than the 5 you will need because some may be more helpful than others and some
may need to be eliminated. Remember that good research takes skill and time. Good research
also keeps your audience interested, makes your speech memorable, improves your
intellect/analytic skills, and, of course, your grade.
5) Type up a list of at least 5 sources to turn in:
- Format your sources according to APA guidelines (or you will lose points)
- Put them in alphabetical order
- Follow the guidelines for typed assignments in the syllabus.
5) I will give you feedback to make sure you’re on the right track.