PRESENTATION SPEECH OR THE “HOW-TO” SPEECH
An extemporaneously delivered, 4-5 minute speech in which you explain something, or some activity to
us.
You are to do no research for this speech; instead drawing upon your personal knowledge of something.
Choose something that you can teach us to do. Past speeches have included topics like:
- How to get good customer service in a restaurant - How to make a really good homemade smoothie
- How to hit a good putt in golf
- How to be like Martha Stewart and still be liked
- How to get started kite boarding
- What it’s like to go Skydiving
- How to go on a cheap vacation over Spring Break - What I learned from being a cheerleader
- What I learned from playing competitive tennis - Understand the basics of lacrosse
You will then need to organize your thoughts into the correct speech and outline format. We will go over
how to do this in class.
PRESENTATION TOPICS
NAME: _________________________
Please provide a 2-3 sentence rationale why each is a valuable topic. You will not be allowed to
turn in your outline or give a speech on an unapproved topic.
FIRST CHOICE:
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
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SECOND CHOICE:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
THIRD CHOICE:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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OUTLINE FORMAT (PRESENTATION & INFORMATIVE SPEECHES)
** Must be double-spaced!
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
I. INTRODUCTION
A. (Attention getter)
B. (Reason to listen)
C. (Speaker Credibility)
D. (Thesis Statement)
E. (Preview) First I’ll talk about…. Then…. And finally….
II. BODY
A. (Main point one)
1. Subordinated point one
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
2. Subordinated point two
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
(Transition) Write out what you are going to say as a transition
B. (Main point two)
1. Subordinated point one
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
2. Subordinated point two
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
(Transition) Write out what you are going to say as a transition
C. (Main point three)
1. Subordinated point one
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
2. Subordinated point two
a. Subordinated point a
b. Subordinated point b
III. CONCLUSION
A. (Review) Restate thesis and review main points. Main point A. Main point B. Main
point C.
B. (Reason to remember)
C. (Tie back to attention getter)
SAMPLE PRESENTATION SPEECH OUTLINE
(this example is helpful for your presentation and informative outlines in this class)
Student Name
Presentation Speech
Brown
Month Day, Year
The Game of Paintballing
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the exciting game of paintballing
I. Introduction
A. (Attention Getter) How many of you played cops and robbers or ran around the
yard playing with pretend guns when you were kids? Now that you’re older, like me,
some of you might want to make the game “more real”, but you don’t want to give or
receive injuries that last forever. Playing paintball solves this problem because the action
is unlike anything you have ever experienced, unless of course you have participated in
the real thing. After the first few shots whistle over your head or splatter next to your
cover, your perceptions of war and playing guns will completely change. Instead of a
kids’ game, it becomes all out war.
B. (Reason to listen) Paintballing is a very exciting game and can be played by most
people. Besides being very fun, it teaches you team skills, and is a great form of exercise.
It combines all the elements of adventure that most people like and once you try it you will
want to keep doing it because the thrill is hard to find any other place.
C. (Speaker Credibility) I have been playing paintball for about a year and before that
I spent a lot of time researching the game. I wanted to fully understand it because I don’t
have a lot of money to invest in a bad decision. Since then, I’ve played quite a bit and have
learned a lot from other players.
D. (Thesis Statement) Today, I will teach you some of the basics of paintballing, so
that you understand it, and have an idea of what you’re getting into if you decide to try it.
E. (Preview of Main Points) First, I’ll talk a little about what the game itself. Then,
describe some of the equipment you’ll need and where you play it. Finally, I’ll talk about
the benefits of playing paintball.
II. Body
A. (First main point) First, paintballing is considered an “outdoor participation sport”
that emerged about 15 years ago.
1. It is a combination of the childhood games "tag" and "hide & seek," but is
more challenging and sophisticated. Although there are many different game
formats, typically a group of players will divide into two teams to play "capture the
flag."
a. The object of the game is to go out and capture the other team's flag while
protecting your own. While you are trying to capture a flag, you also try to
eliminate opposing players by tagging them with a paintball shot from a special
airgun called a "paintgun."
2. Games run from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the field and
the number of players.
3. The number of players on each team can vary from one or two, five or seven
or ten, to over 1,000 on a side, limited only by the size of the playing field.
4. Like I said, paintballing has been around for about 15 years. In that time, it
has grown to the point where millions of people play it all around the world! –It’s truly
an international game.
(Transition: So, that’s an idea of what paintball is, now I’ll talk about where you play it and the
equipment you need.)
B. (Second Main point) In order to play paintball, you need some specific equipment and
an area specially designed for it.
1. You are expected to play paintball in specially-designated fields.
a. In San Diego, there are many fields. I know about “Weekend Warriors”
and “Mr. Paintball.”
i. Each of these fields has 10 to 15 courses with referees and rules.
b. I have a big hill behind my house so my friends and I usually paintball
up there, but I’m sure it’s illegal.
2. The basic equipment you’ll need is a mask, a gun, paintballs and camouflage
clothes, if possible.
a. (VISUAL AID) Here’s the mask and gun that I use. Both of them cost
me about 140 dollars. There are all different kinds and different prices. For
example, masks can cost up to 100 dollars alone, and super high-tech guns can
cost into the thousands of dollars.
b. The guns fire the paintballs by using carbon dioxide, or some other
compressed air or gas… so you’ll have that tank with you, too.
c. (VISUAL AID) Paintballs are these round, pretty thin-skinned capsules
with gelatin colored liquid inside it. They look like vitamin capsules or bath oil
beads.
i. The stuff inside paintballs is non-toxic, and it washes off
with soap and water… and if you’re worried about the environment, it’s
biodegradable.
ii. They come in all different colors and when you get hit,
they split open and leave a bright "paint" mark on you. If you get hit, you’re
out of the game.
iii. Getting hit hurts just a little while, then it goes away.
(Transition: So that’s a little about the equipment and locals fields, now I’ll talk about what you
can get out of this sport)
C. (Third Main Point) Besides being a fun game, paintballing helps build teamwork skills
and it’ll get you into shape.
1. Many offices and businesses plan paintballing trips as a way to relieve some of the
office stress and help co-workers learn how to work together.
a. It gives them a chance to take out some of their frustration on each other in a safe
environment.
2. I have played sports all my life, but paintballing is one of the most strenuous I have
ever encountered.
a. For example, behind my house is pretty hilly and by the I run up and down it, I’m
exhausted. After a couple of hours your entire body aches and most of it isn’t
from hits.
b. This is unlike any other sport, because you’re not only running, sliding and
diving… you have to worry about being shot and shooting others, the entire time.
III. Conclusion
A. (Review) Okay, so we’ve gone over some of the basics of paintballing so that
you might have a better understanding of it. We talked a little about game in general, then
we looked at some of the equipment you use, and where you play it. And we finished by
looking at the benefits of playing paintball.
B. (Reason to remember) Paintballing is a sport all of you can play with a little
practice. Many people like it because it combines many different elements of the outdoors
like hiking, exploring and mock fighting.
C. (Tie Back to Attention Getter) Paintballing is a way to get back to the simple days of
playing guns with friends and getting away from the real world for a few hours.
PRESENTATION OUTLINE CHECKLIST
_______ Size 12 Courier or Times New Roman font
_______ The outline has proper subordination and structure.
_______ Full sentence outline (but the speech should not be written out).
_______ Transitions between main points.
_______ Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation.
_______ The outline must be typed, double spaced, and stapled.
_______ The Evaluation Form must be stapled to the FRONT of the outline.
_______ The title of the outline, your name, the date, the class and time, and my name should
appear on the first page of the outline.
_______ Label each section of the outline
PRESENTATION OUTLINE EVALUATION FORM
Name_______________________ Topic_____________________
Introduction (10 pts)
Attention Getter
Reason to Listen
Speaker Credibility
Thesis Statement
Preview of Main Points
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
Body (15 pts)
Organization of Main Points
Proper subordination
Use of transitions
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
4
Conclusion (6 pts)
Review Main Points
Reason to Remember
Tie Back
Organization/Structure (9 pts)
Proper Outline Format, Labels
Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation
Stapled, Double Spaced, Typed
Total Possible: 40
Deductions:
No eval sheet (2 pts)
Total Score______________
5
5
6
6
PRESENTATION SPEECH EVALUATION FORM
Name: _________________________
Topic:
___________________________________
Score
INTRODUCTION(5POINTS)
Attention Getter
Reason to Listen
Speaker Credibility
Thesis Statement
Preview/Sign Posting
BODY (10POINTS)
Main Points
Quality of Information
Smoothness/Flow
Transitions
CONCLUSION (5POINTS)
Review of Main Points
Reason to Remember
Tie Back
DELIVERY (20POINTS)
Eye Contact
Use of Note
Cards/Dependency
Rate of Speaking
Volume/Projection
Language Articulate,
Clear/Vocal Variety
Verbal Clutter/Verbiage
Distracting Habits
Hand
Gestures/Movement/
Posture
TOTAL POINTS
40
TOTAL SCORE
Comments
Time grading criteria: 4-5 minutes
Under 3:00
10 points off
3:00-4:00
up to 5 points off
5:00-6:00
up to 5 points off
6:00 cutoff point-no points for material not
covered