In-class Assignment
Speech Preparation
1. Selecting a Speech Topic
For many students choosing a topic is one of the hardest things to do in this class. You are not the only one who is having trouble selecting a topic. I would suggest that you start brainstorming possible topics. It may help if you brainstorm with a friend or family member that knows you well. Start with your . What do you like to do? What do you do well? Your brainstorming session will, hopefully, get you a list of possible topics.
A great speech starts with a great topic. It is so important that you select a topic that interests you, and you believe will interest your audience.
Write down 3 possible topics to use for your Introductory Speech:
1.
2.
3.
Once you have a topic, or list of topics, ask yourself the following questions:
Am I interested in this person?
Will I enjoy researching this person?
Will I enjoy talking about this person and sharing my information with my audience?
Will my audience be interested by my person?
Am I passionate about this person?
* If you can answer yes to all of the above questions then you have selected a great person for you and your audience. *
2. Audience Analysis
One of the most useful strategies for adapting your topic and message to your audience is to use the process of identification. It is essential to select a topic that you know well, that you feel comfortable with, or that you have a strong interest in. Once that step is completed, you need to consider the audience as you develop and shape your topic. It is essential to present your message (speech) from the audience’s point of view.
Consider the following questions when adapting your topics and messages to a particular audience:
What do you and your audience have in common?
How are you and your audience different?
What ideas or examples in your speech might your audience identify with?
How can your topic or the information benefit your audience?
What is your audience’s amount of interest in or attitude toward your person?
What might they want to know or need to know about your person?
Can you list specific demographical information that pertains specifically to your audience, such as:
Age:
Education Level:
Gender Mix:
Cultural Background:
Ethnicity:
Group Membership:
Other:
How will looking at this information help you adapt your message specifically to your audience?
A Federalist representative democracy requires both personal responsibility and social responsibility of its citizens through personal involvement in the democratic process and the understanding that there are many interests to consider in a democracy. Both personal responsibility and social responsibility may be reflected in the process of voting.
Please write a 2-page essay discussing whether and how a) the act of voting is the personal responsibility of every citizen, and b) citizens have a social responsibility to consider how his or her individual vote will affect the diverse interests of the broader community.
The essay should be written in Times New Roman, 12-point font, one-inch margins, double-spaced, with college level grammar, structure and spelling
