Topic: 1. Should high school students be allowed in college classrooms?

COM231 -- Persuasive Speech – (25%)

Students will develop and deliver a 7 to 10 minute persuasive speech on a controversial topic. The purpose of the speech is to persuade, not simply to argue. To be effective, you must deal with oppositional arguments in a fair and convincing way. Good persuaders do not ignore the opposition, nor do they simply attack the opposition, they engage the opposition’s arguments in an even-handed way. The speech outline will be organized using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence which is discussed on page 190 in the textbook. At this point you should select your top two choices for a topic from the list below. Topics will be approved as they are posted online. Once a student has selected a topic, that topic will be closed. Students will then craft a speech based on research and their beliefs and opinions about the issue. For now, identify topics of interest and begin thinking about what you want to persuade the audience to do in regards to your topic.

· Speaking time length: 7-10 minutes extemporaneous delivery with a Q & A after the speech (Q&A not counted as part of the speaking time). Each student will have a minimum of 15 minutes (and a maximum of 20) at the podium for the combined speech and Q & A.

· Q & A required. Hold a 10 minute Q & A at the end of your formal speech. You should initiate the Q & A by asking if there are any questions (online students – prepare your audience beforehand; you may even give them questions to ask you about your topic). Follow the protocol in Appendix B in the textbook to conduct your Q&A – your instructor will grade on use of the protocol.

· An APA bibliography of ten or more sources is required.

· Review the speech topics and rank your top 2 choices. It is advisable to select a topic you have a strong opinion on in order to give a convincing presentation. The purpose of a persuasive speech is to change or reinforce the audience's response to a controversial issue. Students must clearly advocate a position, and structure an argument for a particular viewpoint, using various sources to support your argument. Students are expected to convince the audience to alter their beliefs, attitudes or behavior about the topic. Your selection of supporting data is very important as you will have no more than 10 minutes to give the speech.

Topic for the Persuasive Speech:

1. Should high school students be allowed in college classrooms?