Literature Homework

PERSUASIVE SPEECH Outline

TOPIC: Financial literacy is essential.

Instructions

Step #1: General Purpose

The first step in getting ready to research a speech is to determine your general purpose.

That means... are you informing or persuading?

Answering this question will determine:

·

. if your topic "fits" that type of speech

. directs you to the type of sources you will use

. determines what type of outline you'll use

For the purposes of this module, we'll focus on the  general purpose of informing.

Step #2: Specific Purpose

Specific Purpose refers to your topic.

Now that you know what type of speech you'll be giving, you are ready to pick a topic.

Example:  To inform the class about the film director Steven Spielberg.

Consider:

·

. A fact-based topic (place, person, thing - animals, medical diseases, event in time).

. Focus - don't pick a topic that is... 

2. Too Broad : Texas history would be too broad to cover in 5 minutes. 

2. Too Narrow:  History of blackbirds located in Downtown Dallas would be too specific.  It would be hard to find credible information written about this topic.

2. Too Personal:  Uncle Joe would be too personal and for most of us, it would be hard to find fact-based, credible outside sources about our friends and family.

2. Too Persuasive:  Stay away from hot, controversial topics (drunk driving, riding DART).  These topics are more persuasive, so keep that topic for your persuasive speech.

Feel free to explore library database for topic ideas. Your instructor can help you focus your topic.

You'll be using a variety of information types and sources.  In fact, you'll be required to use:

·

. Informative speech - your approved topic: 3-4 database sources + 3-5 visual aids

. Persuasive speech - your approved topic: 3-4 database sources + visual aid(s)

NOTE:  some instructors will require more than 3 databases sources.  Make sure to ask your instructor what their minimum requirements are

Step #3: Write a THESIS statement

Your Speech Thesis Statement includes:

·

. General Purpose

. Specific Purpose (your topic)

. 3 main points

What are 3 main points?

·

. 3 main points are how you will break your topic down into 3 specific sub-topics.

You might brainstorm over how you want to break your topic down OR you might explore the databases to see how they break the topic down. 

For example, your textbook breaks each chapter down into sections - each of these sections would be a "main point".

Example:   I will inform you about Steven Spielberg’s early life, hightlights of his career, and his family.

General Purpose:  I will inform you

Specific Purpose: Steven Spielberg

3 Main Points: early life, highlights of his career, his family

TIP:  You can use synonyms for "inform you" - talk about, discuss, let you know about...

Step #4: Finding Good Information

After forming your thesis statement, GATHER INFORMATION.

Our Library offers a variety of information sources. Why use Library sources?

·

. they are credible, reliable sources of information

. free acess 24/7 - to newspapers, magazines, journals, and eBooks - at your fingertips!

. quick access to THOUSANDS of fact-checked news, magazines, journals, eBooks and more!

. many credible sources are not FREE online - they are free to you from any Library - the rest of our life!

As you find information in the databases, EMAIL OR DOWNLOAD the information to yourself.  That gives you access to the information later.  You might find better information later... but you also might not!

How To Get Started:

Check out the  Library homepage  > Database (articles) AND the  Speech Research Guide .

Either choice will give take you to a page that lists good database choices.

Search the databases for relevant information:

·

. Sometimes you can find all of your information and pictures in ONE ARTICLE but to show credibility, you’ll want to use  SEVERAL ARTICLES– even if just to verify the same information! 

. You can get ALL of your articles and pictures from ONE DATABASE!  One database may contain thousands of articles and pictures.

. If you can't find what you want in the database you are in... try another.  It's like shopping for information!

As you find information, EMAIL or DOWNLOAD.   Then you will have access to the information later! Email or download too much rather than not enough  information - you can always delete later.

Look for information that will provide:

·

. Attention-getter  to open with impact

1. Examples: a startling fact or statistic, expert quote, an anecdote

. C onnect to your audience...

2. Motivating the audience to listen to what you have to say

2. Examples: a personalizing statistic or a story that helps the audience “see” how they PERSONALLY could be affected

. Body of the speech -  3 main points

3. Gather 2 or more credible, reliable supportive pieces of evidence for  each main point

3. Find 5-10 sentences to support each main point

3. Examples : testimony, definitions, statistics, expert quotes, examples

. Conclusion

4. A memorable thought or impact statement

. Visual support  (for PowerPoint).

5. Examples: images, charts, graphs

Information Sources

·

. You are required for ALL speeches to use a minimum of 3 database sources as the primary sources of information.

. You will attach an in-text cite to each item in your speech outline, indicating which source that item came from. If you don't do this, you are plagiarizing!

. You will attach an in-text cite to each of your PowerPoint pictures.

Image Sources

·

. Many of the library databases include images.

. Google Images is not a source! It is only a "highway" to a source - you MUST click on the image and track down it's source. You MUST be able to prove that the source is credible and not a personal blog or that the image was not stolen without permission from another website.

. The library has links (under the topic PICTURES) to credible photo sources.

Feel free to  Ask a Librarian  for help - either in person or virtually.

Step #5: Giving Credit to Your Sources

Give credit to your sources – create your WORKS CITED as you gather your information.

Check out the Library  MLA Citation Guide  and  APA Citation Guide .

NoodleTools  - creates and alphabetizes your citations AND stores your notes!

 Step #6: Create an OUTLINE

Your outline is a summary/keywords of what you will say in a speech, in the order you will say it.

As you summarize your information/notes into the outline, make sure to put the source of statistics, quotes, etc., in parenthetical quotes.

Example: According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States (Holohan).

Step #7: Create a VISUAL AID

Do not rewrite your speech in PowerPoint or Google Slides. Your viewers can read faster than you can talk!

A speech visual aid should contain pictures - not slides containing lots of text!

As a guide, limit the entire PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation to less than 15 words.  Your instructor will tell you what their "word limit" is.

Keep the audience interested by including a picture that  enhances what you are saying but doesn't  replace what you are saying.

Step #8: Give your SPEECH

Practice with your outline - highlight keywords/facts so you know what to say.

TIP:  Put a microwave on 5 minutes.  Look at the microwave as you practice your speech.  This will help you feel comfortable looking up without reading from your outline.  It will also help you "time yourself" to insure you have enough or not too much information.