Assignment 6: Self-Critique
Goals: This assignment is designed to provide the opportunity for you to evaluate
yourself as a speaker. Most of us are unaware of our own quirks and habits as speakers.
This assignment aims to give you the opportunity to evaluate your own speaking style,
structure and content.
Description: Your speeches have been recorded using Tegrity. You will view and
analyze your Informative Speech. To complete the assignment, you are required to
submit a complete full-sentence essay detailing your analysis of your speech. The essay
should be between 3 and 4 typewritten, double-spaced pages.
This must be an essay, not a series of questions and answers. You should write in full
paragraphs and support your analysis with examples from the recording when possible.
You will be evaluated with regard to grammar and writing style.
Your essay should address:
I.
your introduction.
A. How did you gain your audience’s attention?
B. What was your thesis statement? If it wasn’t clear, how could you improve
it?
C. How did you establish significance? Do you think it prompted your
audience to pay attention? If not, how could it be improved?
D. How did you establish credibility?
E. Did you include a preview?
II. your organization.
A. What organizational pattern did you use? Why?
B. Were your transitions effective? Why/Why not?
C. Did you use sources? How many? Did they support your arguments?
III. your visual aid.
A. What kind of visual aid did you use?
B. Did it enhance your speech? If so, how? If not, why not?
IV. your delivery.
A. What did you think about your overall delivery? Did you notice anything
that surprised you? Did you like your delivery? How could you improve it?
B. How was your eye contact? Was it consistent?
C. How was your body movement? Was it natural?
D. What did you think about your voice?
V. overall quality.
A. What did you do particularly well? What are your strengths as a speaker?
B. What were your main weaknesses?
C. What are three specific changes you will implement in your next speech?
Guidelines:
Grade Value:
Point Value:
Page Length:
Due:
5% of total graded work
50 points
3-4 typewritten pages
Week 12 (November 3 – 7)
Learning Outcomes: Assessment of this assignment will focus primarily on
measuring the following outcomes:
1. Evaluate public messages critically using reasoning skills.
2. Demonstrate the ability to research, analyze, and reason from evidence to create
logically sound arguments and conclusions.
Source: Nitcavic, Richard. Fundamentals of Public Communication (Workbook).
(2007). Ball State University.
Critique Sheet for the Informative Speech
Speaker: _________________________ Topic: __________________________________
INTRODUCTION (15 pts.): _____
0123
Gained attention and interest
0123
Introduced topic clearly
0123
Motivated the audience to listen
0123
Established credibility
0123
Previewed remainder of speech
COMMENTS & SUGGESTIONS
DISCUSSION (30 pts.): _____
012345
012345
012345
012345
Main points well organized/developed
Clearly focused topic
Originality of ideas
Language: vivid, clear, creative
012345
Identified with audience throughout
012345
Transitions: quality, points well identified
SUPPORTING MATERIALS (10 pts.): _____
012345
012345
Quality: credible sources
Quantity: enough supporting
CONCLUSION (15 pts): _____
012345
012345
012345
Reinforce theme
Summary clear
Sense of closure
DELIVERY (20 pts.): _____
012345
012345
012345
012345
Level of animation/confidence/dynamism
Gestures: effective, appropriate,
Voice clarity, vocal emphasis
Extemporaneous style and use of notes
GENERAL EFFECTIVENESS (10 pts.): _____
1
2
Inadequate
3
4
5
Poor
Satisfactory
6
7
Grade: _____
Time penalty: _____
Final grade: _____
8
Excellent
9
10
Superior