575 4 pages

Historical Speech Analysis Paper Exemplary Work Assignment - Rhetorical Criticism

Due Date: Refer to the syllabus

This speech is worth 200 points (100 points for the Writing Center meeting & 100 points for the paper) Students will select a culturally or historically exemplary speech. You will analyze the text of a historical speech of your choice and write a paper analyzing its use of the five canons of rhetoric – invention, arrangement, style, delivery and memory – which we discussed in class and is also covered in Chapter 2 of the textbook. When writing your analysis, consider the following questions:

1. What is the topic of the speech? What led this speaker to give that speech at that time? Who is the audience and what is the setting? Do some research to learn the context and current events of the day that the speech took place within. For example, what was going on at the time the speech was given and what was its purpose overall? What was the general purpose of the speech i.e. inform, persuade, entertain or commemorate? What was the specific purpose regarding cognitive effects, affective effects and behavioral effects. Be specific.

2. How was the speech organized? Could you identify the main points? How were the ideas connected? What were there transition statements? Be specific.

3. Address the style of the speech. Was the language casual or formal? Was it accessible to those we imagine were in the audience?

4. What delivery technique did the speaker use? Was that appropriate given the topic, the audience, the setting and the time period?

5. Do you think this was a successful speech? Did it accomplish its goals? If so, why? If not, why not?

Your goal is not to tell me what was in the speech – so and so said this - but to analyze and critically think about how what it is in the speech is, or is not, an example of the use of the 5 canons of rhetoric. For example you could write, MLK used the extemporaneous delivery technique in his “I Have a Dream” speech. This was appropriate because he was able to maintain some eye contact with the large audience and make use of hand gestures. Certainly you may quote the speech, but only to use that quote as an example of the use of one of the canons – to support your statement. If you need more help with this distinction, please ask me. Your analysis must be 3-5 pages, double-spaced. At the top of your first page list your name, the name of the speaker and the title of the speech. A cover page is not necessary. You must use at least 3 credible sources for this assignment. More is fine, less if not. The speech itself – in any format, like print and video – is one source. You need at least two others, like a newspaper or scholarly article, book or other source that addresses the speech in some way. Cite your sources using MLA style, both within the paper and at the end on a Works Cited page. (See the MCC library home page for an MLA guide). This assignment must be submitted via BlackBoard > Assignments folder > Historical Speech Analysis. The list of speeches from which you may choose this assignment will be distributed separately.