Assignment 8

Instructions

As with Presentation Analysis #1 (Module 1), students will select two presentations from TED.com, comparing both an informative and persuasive speech.  Write a 2-3 page paper comparing and contrasting the two presentations and speakers.

Be sure to include the TED speech titles and speakers' names in your paper.

• STEP 1: Compare and contrast the presentation skills of both speakers:
  • What presentation skills did the presenters have? What skills could they use work on?
  • Which speaker was more effective? Why?
• STEP 2: For the informative presentation, answer the following:
  • What was the speech topic?
  • How was the presentation structured, i.e. Topical, Chronological, Spatial, etc.?
  • What did you learn about the topic that you did not know before the speech? Is that knowledge useful to you? Why?
  • What do you feel was the presenter’s biggest strength?  What was the presenter’s biggest weakness?
• STEP 3: For the persuasive presentation, answer the following:
  • What is the thesis or main idea of the speech?
  • Does the speaker persuade you to agree with their point of view and/or to take the action they desire? How?
  • What do you feel was the presenter’s biggest strength?  What was the presenter’s biggest weakness?
• STEP 4: How well did you listen, answer the following: 
  • How well did you listen for content?  
  • Did the speech hold your attention? Why or why not?
  • Identify one specific technique from this week’s readings, which you could cultivate to improve your listening skills.   

Your paper should be in APA format, with both in-text citations and references. 

• Your assignment should be approximately 500 words in length (typically, two double-spaced pages.
• Your assignment should include a title page and a reference list page, and be completed in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, with appropriate header, page numbers, one-inch margins, and meet all other requirements of APA Stylebook.