Speech #1 Assignment: Storytelling (Comm 441)
For your first formal speech, you will prepare and deliver a speech that communicates something relevant
and compelling about yourself to your classmates. (Remember: Your audience is the one who determines
“relevant and compelling”!) Your speech should be organized around ONE central story that
communicates a clear purpose, relevancy, and interest to your audience. Since you will be talking about
yourself, this requires you to be sure that your speech purpose is clear (e.g., informative vs. persuasive)
and your message is accessible to your audience. As, why am I telling this story? What do I want my
audience to do with the information/experience I am sharing? Be sure this is clear in your speech!
Be sure to make your topic interesting and relevant to your audience and be sure that your organization is
such that we know where your story begins and ends as well as why you are telling it. Be sure that your
main points have similar support and level of detail and be sure your speech purpose is delivered in an
organized manner. Your outline is NOT required to be in full-sentence format – but you must turn in a
PHRASE outline (i.e., a keyword outline does not reveal the appropriate level of detail to warrant
understanding by someone other than yourself – so be sure I can follow your thoughts and organization so
that I can evaluate it appropriately). If you have any questions, please ask me well in advance of your
speech duedate and I am happy to talk more specifically about your individual case.
This speech and outline are worth a combined 50 points (Delivery = 30 points; Outline = 20 points)
Minimum Speech Requirements
– 4-5 minutes
o IMPORTANT: These are the penalties for not adhering within your designated speaking
timeframe…
 If you are OVER, you will be deducted 2 percentage points for every additional
30 seconds you talk beyond a 30 second window.
 Ex. If you talk for 5:45 instead of 5:00, you will be deducted 2
percentage points from your final delivery grade. So, if you received a
90% on your delivery grade, you will receive an 88% instead. You have
30 seconds “free” from penalty. So if you talk for 5:15 seconds, you will
be not be deducated points.
 If you are UNDER, you will be deducted 1 percentage point for every minute
you are under the minimum time requirement outside of a 15-second window.
 Ex. If you only speak for 3:30 seconds instead of 4:00, you will be
deducted 1 percentage point from your final delivery grade. If you spoke
for 3:50 seconds, however, you would be within your 15-second
window, and no deduction would be taken.
– 3-part framework (Introduction, Body, Conclusion) including transitions.
– Effective introduction and conclusion.
– Clear speech design pattern (topical, chronological, etc.) within the story you are telling
– Clear speech purpose (to inform vs. to persuade)
– Clear use of story to advance your speech purpose
– Extemporaneous delivery (no reading – use your phrase outlines appropriately!).
Outline Requirements
– Phrase outline to turn in for grading (does not need to be the same outline you speak from).
– Label parts of 3-part framework and transitions.
– Typed and proofread for grammar/spelling/sentence format
– Must use standard outline labels and indentation (no paragraphs disguised as an outline!)
– Each point (this includes main points and subpoints) should be only one phrase.
o Combined phrases should be broken up into separate points/subpoints!
– Must be turned in when your speech is delivered.