Speech Appendix I Persuasive Speech The Assignment Prepare And Deliver The Assigned Speaking Day Five

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Persuasive Speech

The Assignment

Prepare and deliver, on the assigned speaking day, a five– to six–minute extemporaneous, persuasive

presentation. The purpose should involve either changing or strengthening the audience’s beliefs/attitudes

or shaping the audience’s behavior. The topic should relate in some way to issues within the world of

organizations, business, professions, and public policy. The presentation can persuade the audience to:

Buy Goods or services

Give Money or time

Act In a desired way

Think or Feel Positively or negatively about a topic

Consider A new or different viewpoint

Requirements

1. Include all materials discussed in class: effective analysis of the speaking situation, clear purpose,

2. Establish credibility as a speaker on this subject by demonstrating authority via position,

reputation, goodwill, integrity, knowledge, sincerity, and/or delivery.

3. Develop a thesis effectively by considering best placement of key ideas, making a one– or two–

sided presentation, optimal positioning in the body of effective material, forewarning, appealing

4. Use supporting materials to prove all necessary points.

Submit on the Day of the Presentation:

1. materials from all previous presentations

2. the evaluation form for this presentation

3. a neat, correctly organized outline including:

a. an audience analysis

b. written transitions

c. supporting material (label the type of support)

d. a complete list of references (at least three are required)

Adaptable Assignments:

Memo to Your Instructor

Student Performance Appraisal

The Acronym Speech

Public Service Announcement

Exploratory Speaking Assignment

Memo to Your Instructor*

Submit to your instructor a word–processed memo of approximately one page, introducing yourself. Use

formal memo format, as described in the Appendix of your text. Use subheadings in the body of your

memo. Cover the following three points:

1. Relevant personal information

Provide information about yourself that will help your instructor learn important information about

you. Include whatever information you think is significant. Areas you might cover include:

• personal interests that relate to the world of work.

2. Personal goals for the class.

Describe what outcomes would make this class a success for you. Don’t make up anything here:

3. Career goals for the class.

Look over the course syllabus your instructor has given you. Peruse the first chapter and the

Table of Contents of the text. Select three of four communication skills you believe you will

develop during this class. Explain how these skills could help you in the career you intend to

pursue. Give specific examples.

*Adapted from an assignment suggested by Ron Adler, Santa Barbara City College

Student Performance Appraisal

Writing a performance appraisal of their own class work, conduct, and contributions helps prepare

students for this inevitable assignment in their own careers. It also trains students to be more astute

observers of their own classroom performance. This activity can be conducted in several ways, depending

on goals and on the time an instructor wants to devote to it. It can be introduced as a term project with an

the assignment based on the students’ ideas. A third method is for the instructor to facilitate, but it should

allow students near total responsibility for brainstorming, reaching consensus on the desired

characteristics for class conduct, and creating and writing the appraisal assignment. Choose the method

that best matches your available time and goals.

Objectives. Students will be able to perform the following activities successfully:

1. Think critically about and define what constitutes effective classroom conduct.

2. Take responsibility for monitoring their own progress toward identified goals.

3. Practice and gain competence in using language effectively to describe their own

performance.

4. Periodically reflect on, monitor, and improve classroom performance.

5. Recognize, give concrete examples of, and build on their strengths.

6. Establish individual and common goals for classroom and individual learning.

7. Develop skills in presenting and discussing ideas and reaching consensus.

8. Improve group discussion and interaction skills.

Ask students to reflect and focus on, discuss, and debate what it means to be a professional or an ideal

member of the class. How would a good student conduct herself or himself? What are the traits that make

a student a competent class member?

An appraisal of “soft skills” may be less tangible, less measurable, and less subject to a numerical rating

Procedure

1. Describe the nature of performance evaluations as they are frequently used in business. Then, tell

students that they are going to be writing their own performance appraisal as a member of the

2. Ask students to think about the characteristics of an ideal/professional member of this class that

should be appraised. At this point, instead of Step 3, you could use one of these options:

a. Act as facilitator while the class brainstorms and then reaches consensus.

3. Using a modified nominal group technique, have students sit in groups, and ask each person to

silently write down five characteristics. Then have each member of the group report, and have the

group record the characteristics and discuss, redefine, reword, revise, rank–order, and come to a

consensus on five (or a number you designate) characteristics they could live with. At this point,

4. Have each group put its ideas on a transparency or large sheet of poster paper and present them to

the class. After all groups have presented their ideas, the class needs to come to a consensus on

whatever number of characteristics you’ve selected. You could ask the class to achieve a

consensus on three–to–six traits they all must use to evaluate themselves. An alternate (and easier–

to–achieve) method is to have the class agree on ten traits from which each student may choose

five for the basis of an evaluation. This is a good time to demonstrate facilitation skills. If your

writing; and (4) become more aware of what constitutes a performance appraisal.

Original lists looked like these:

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Pronunciation

Attitude

Gestures

Listening

Getting Point Across

Participation

Concise

Content

Attendance

Courtesy

Presentation

Enthusiasm

Gestures

Attention–Keeping

Self–Starter

Posture

Movement

Motivates Others

Resolves Conflict

Listens

Assignments on Time

Dress/Appearance

Projection

Involvement

Participation

Facial Expressions

Feedback to Others

Motivation

Shows Initiative

Constructive Criticism

Honesty

Eye Contact

Smiles

Attendance

Speaking at Audience’s Level

Is Prepared

Presentation Structure

Organized

Timeliness

Formality

Preparedness

Good Grooming

Compassion

Presence

Supportive/Respectful

Shows Interest

Promptness

Knows Material

Here is a sample of what one class designed as the actual assignment:

1. Attendance/Participation. Write a paragraph in which you appraise your attendance and

participation as a member of the class. Include factual information: statistics on the number of

2. Classroom Climate. Discuss your performance with regard to creating a positive classroom

climate. Using identifiable criteria from the text, compare your behaviors with those used to

create positive climates. Include both verbal and nonverbal behaviors. These paragraphs must

3. Listening. Discuss the development of your listening skills during lecture, class discussion, and

4. Portfolio of Ungraded Assignments. List the items in your portfolio: notes from videos, pop

quizzes, library research, notes from impromptu speeches, announcements, etc. What did you

learn from these materials? What progress do you see?

Along with this appraisal, keep a portfolio of your work: videotapes of speeches; self–evaluation of

The ACRONYM Impromptu Speech

At any point during the semester, students might distill what they have learned into an acronym. This

speech could also be assigned as a prepared speech. It could be used as a midterm or final review.

Depending on the variation used, this assignment may meet any of these objectives:

• To reduce anxiety about impromptu speaking

• To reinforce key ideas about public speaking

• To provide variety in impromptu speaking

• To encourage students to think creatively

• To synthesize information in a creative way

Procedure. This activity is useful as an impromptu speech or a speech assigned a class period in advance.

Ask students to think about how they would summarize some key ideas they’ve learned in the last

chapter, on a particular topic, or during the semester. For instance, after the chapter on delivery, you

might ask them to summarize key elements of delivery. Similarly, at the end of the unit on research they

can summarize key elements about research.

Variation # 1: Give students a specific audience to speak to, such as a group of new public speaking

students; elementary school students (for this audience, students should try to simplify and boil down

ideas; often helping them synthesize major elements); high school students; business professionals;

politicians; or foreign students.

Variation # 2: Write down different types of audiences on slips of paper, and let students draw their

audiences. In this way, students will be preparing similar content for different audiences.

Variation # 3: Use this to review a particular chapter: ideas about organizational patterns, types of

attention getters, delivery pointers, etc.

Variation # 4: Have students videotape themselves and bring the video to class; watch several a day

or all of them in one day.

Variation #5: At the beginning of the term, assign each student particular chapters to review. Have

five acronym speeches as review at the end of each chapter.

Variation # 6: Divide the class into small groups, and assign each group a topic. Let one person

deliver the group speech, or have students deliver it as a group, with each member taking one letter of

the acronym. This works well as an end–of–the–class-period review.

Samples

OASIS*

Organize your attitudes

Analyze the audience

Set goals

Integrate materials

Start your future

TEAM (what it takes to work

as a team)

Teamwork

Everyone

Attitude

Motivation

LUCK (what is needed to

organize a speech)

Language

Understanding

Clarity

Knowledge

Attributed to Roko Paskov, quoted on p. 50 in Wilder, C., 1994, The presentations kit: 10 steps for

Public Service Announcement*

Instructions to Students. Choose a service available to students at your campus: specific research

resources, escort service, counseling, career aids, registration by phone or online, cafeteria, Internet

access, campus bulletin boards (including electronic, bank machines, newsletters, health–center benefits,

tutoring, job hotline, etc.). Choose either one you have used or one that you will research for this

assignment.

Your announcement will have these basic parts:

Attention

Need

Satisfaction

Visualization

Action

SAMPLE*

Attention. (Student walks slowly to the front of the room, holding his stomach or head, pauses, looks

pained or sick.) Have you ever come to class feeling sicker than a dog?

Satisfaction. What can you do? First, don’t panic. And don’t necessarily turn around and go home. What

can you do? Visit the Student Health Center.

Visualization. Although you may not be the picture of health immediately, you can get relief for minor

aches and pains, and you can usually get immediate attention for stomachaches and headaches. Imagine

yourself feeling well enough not only to make it to class but to perform competently on that exam or

Public Service Announcement Instructor’s Notes

Objective: After completing this assignment, the following objectives should have been fulfilled:

1. To give students a positive speaking experience early in the term

2. To reduce anxiety about speaking

3. To increase student awareness of resources on campus that they may need and want to use

throughout the term

4. To introduce organizational and delivery principles in a minimum of class time

5. To give instructors a sense of the class’s ability to work independently, research information, and

deliver that information

Some variations for use early in the term:

1. If you want students to begin speaking before you’ve “covered” all the material, this assignment

is ideal, because they can read far enough ahead to do the assignment, and then have this

2. The mild “commercial” nature of this assignment brings out creativity and lightheartedness in

many students, so the experience can be positive rather than anxiety–producing. High–quality

presentations may also result from:

a. Staggering due dates. This allows more reticent students to see a few samples before

presenting their work. Because it is a one–minute presentation, there would be time to

3. Consider a pass/no–pass grade rather than a letter grade. This allows students to be creative

without worrying if it is exactly what you want. In addition, offering suggestions for

4. Students often find out things they didn’t know that can benefit them: security will unlock your

car; the Health Center does throat cultures; and shuttle buses run between campuses. If you have

a small campus and a large class, consider including both campus and community resources.

Exploratory Speaking Assignment

Deliver a four– to five–minute presentation on one of the following subjects:

1. Describe between two and five things you like best or least about a part of your current job. Be

sure to use stories and examples to add interest. In addition, use quotations, definitions,

2. Demonstrate a process or an article you used in a past or current job. The demonstration ought to

provide information that is useful for the audience. Be sure to use visual aids (actual objects,

photos, models, etc.) for clarity. In addition, use other types of supporting materials (quotations,

3. Give between two and five reasons why you have given your time and energy to work as a non–

salaried employee. Use supporting material to make your reasons clear, interesting, and

4. Explain to the class how to build and prepare a résumé. The discussion of building a résumé

should include ways of adding relevant work and volunteer experience to the student’s

background. The part on preparing a résumé should explain the different formats students may

follow. This presentation should follow a topical organizational plan.

Sign–Up. Choose a speaking date by signing your name on the sheet circulating through the class with the

dates selected for these assignments. It is your responsibility to choose the date and then to be prepared.

Reminders

1. Pick a focused topic you can discuss in some depth in five to six minutes.

2. Choose and develop the topic in a way that will appeal to the interests of your class members

3. Organize your speech according to the principles covered in the text. Choose a single, appropriate

organizational plan.

4. Support each main point with one or more of the methods described in the text.

5. Use an effective introduction and conclusion, as explained in the text.

6. Use an extemporaneous delivery style.

Materials to submit

On the day of your presentation, submit:

1. the evaluation form for this presentation, with your purpose, thesis, and organizational plan

2. a typed outline of the presentation.

Oral Research Report

The Assignment

Deliver a three– to five–minute presentation based on research that will be:

1. relevant to your career.

2. interesting to the class (the audience).

Choose a topic that we have discussed in this class. If you select a topic that we have not covered, obtain

my approval at least 10 days before the date of your presentation. In your presentation, you will expand

on what we have learned in class. Teach your classmates new and interesting information. You will

Sign–Up

Choose a speaking date by signing the sheet that will be circulated in the class with the dates listed for the

assignment. It is your responsibility to be ready to speak on the chosen date, or to arrange a trade of dates

with a classmate if it becomes necessary.

Hand–In

On the date of your presentation, submit the following materials:

1. A typed outline of your presentation that follows the format explained in the text and on the

2. A one–page rendition of all your PowerPoint slides (like the Slide Sorter view).

3. An annotated bibliography of the sources you used to develop this presentation. At least three

references are required. One of those references must be a non–Internet reference.

Sample Topics for Research Report

• Sexual discrimination in the field of________________

• Employment prospects in the 21st century

• Comparisons of prospects for employment, advancement, and salary in the field in

several geographic areas

• Creating the best resumes on the Internet

• New ideas for creating graphics with new technology

Oral Briefing from Interview or Article

Objective: Students will develop and deliver a briefing based on an article or interview.

Procedure: Students should select a topic of interest to them and prepare a briefing to present to the

class.

If students have done a career research interview (see the Major Assignments section of this manual),

Group Report

Instructors: This assignment exposes students to more material on business and professional

communication than a semester normally provides. Students will research and report on current topics in

business, prepare a handout for the class, and present an informative presentation to them. If you are

pressed for time, done in groups this assignment gives students experience in working in teams,

researching material, organizing and presenting a group presentation, and handling questions and

answers. In addition, all class members benefit from the content of each group’s presentation.

Plan A: Your work team has been assigned the topic checked below.

Plan B: Your work team must choose a topic from the list below to present to the class. You will be

asked to decide today. The first group to notify the instructor of their choice gets that topic.

Subsequently, a group that picks the same topic will have to make a second choice. The topics

include:

Resumes Online

Balancing Work and Family

Privacy at Work: Laws and Legal Issues

Email Etiquette

Negotiation: Crafting a Win–Win Solution

Performance Appraisals: How to Prepare and Perform for Yours.

Conducting Virtual Team Meetings: Guidelines for Success

Parliamentary Procedure: How to Use It without Getting Bogged Down

You will first need to work together to research your topic. You will need to use a minimum of six

sources and turn in an annotated bibliography (one per group). The bibliography may include books

authored by communication scholars or business professionals, newspaper articles, journal articles, ERIC

resources, Internet and Web resources, interviews, films, etc. You must use at least two sources that are

The presentations will be given to the class on (date); groups will do a dress rehearsal (with

video) and self–critique on (date).

Chapter Review Assignments

1. Round–Robin Chapter Review

Objective:

This activity actively involves students in reviewing chapter concepts prior to a quiz.

Procedure:

Divide the material that will be covered on the test into five or six sections of relatively equal

complexity. Assign each section to a group of students. Each group’s task is to take notes on their

assigned material so they can explain it to another student.

After groups have finished examining the material, form new groups. These new groups will be

Class Discussion:

After the new groups have reviewed every section of material, inquire whether there are any more

questions.

2. One–Minute Speech Concept Review

Objective:

This activity actively involves students in reviewing chapter concepts prior to a quiz.

Procedure:

Assign one review concept to each student in the class. The student’s task is to prepare a one– to two–

Class Discussion:

After each speech, correct any misstatements, elicit additional remarks about the concept, and inquire

whether there are any more questions.

Student Samples:

Sample Interview Schedule

Sample Interview Analysis

Sample Letter of Thanks for Interview

Sample Cover Letter

STUDENT SAMPLE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

Background Information

I will be interviewing Jake Williams, who is the community sports editor for Globe News. He also works

with students for the student newspaper at our college. Our interview will be conducted in the college

library. We both found this location to be convenient because Jake frequently visits there.

Interview Schedule

Opening

Hi! I’m Jessica Smith. Thank you so much for coming to meet me. As I mentioned in our e–mails, I am

Body

Background and Education

1. How did you get started in your profession? (primary, open)

a. What steps would you suggest others to take? (secondary, open)

2. Have you ever done any freelance writing? (primary, bipolar)

a. What would you suggest to someone who wants to explore that option? (secondary, open)

Thoughts on Journalism

1. What are some essential skills needed to succeed in your field? (primary, open)

2. Does the information in your articles come primarily from observation or interviews? (primary,

closed)

3. How do you create a connection with your audience in your articles? (primary, open)

4. What makes your job interesting? (primary, open)

5. Describe a typical work day. (primary, open)

6. What’s the most difficult thing about your job? (primary, open)

7. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned through your experience? (primary, open)

8. What type of hours do you work? (primary, closed)

9. How do you define personal time from work time, given that news is always happening?

(primary, open)

Clearinghouse Question

1. What other advice do you have for someone pursuing journalism? (primary, open)

Closing

STUDENT SAMPLE INTERVIEW ANALYSIS

DATE: XX/XX/XXXX

TO: Instructor’s Name

FROM: Jessica Smith

SUBJECT: Interview Project

I interviewed Jake Warner, who has been a writer at the Globe for the past seven years. I chose to

interview Jake to get more information about journalism reporting. Our interview took place in the

Background and education

“Read everything you can get your hands on!” This was some advice Jake had for me during our

interview. When I read, I will learn how different people tell a story. This will allow me to develop my

writing style. Once I develop that style, I should do my best to get my work published. Where it is

Journalism hours

Jake told me that as long as he’s been employed in the news industry, his job is always happening. His

hours are pretty much “all the time”, and deadlines are tight. He is the first to inform people of events

around them, so he must be ready to report at a moment’s notice. There are few 9–5 jobs in this industry.

Interview analysis

I actually had fun doing this interview. Jake was easy to talk to. I learned so much about journalism. I

About the career

Jake knows his work, and he is willing to share his information with anyone interested. Unfortunately, I

discovered that reporting full–time is not the job for me, because I am a stay–at–home mom and plan to

continue in that role. However, Jake and I discussed different options of freelance writing that I may like

to explore.

Jake taught me aspects of journalism that I couldn’t have found anywhere else. He informed me that

About the interviewing process:

What surprised me most was the time and planning it requires to conduct an interview that flows well. It’s

harder than most people think. I had written my questions ahead of time, but I hadn’t really practiced

saying them out loud. It seemed easy ahead of time to think about what I wanted to say and to envision

how the interview would go. But once we sat down and I started asking the questions, I realized it was

harder than I had originally thought.

Sometimes Jake would answer part of one of my later questions while I was asking him one of my

information, but it didn’t seem very organized. I ended up losing track and skipping a few of my

questions.

Hardest of all was to multitask. I tried to maintain eye contact with him, actively listen to what he was

Next time I conduct an interview I will become very, very familiar with all my questions so I can

orchestrate the interview better. I’ll practice them ahead of time with my husband, and I’ll say the

questions in shorter sentences, so it doesn’t sound as though I’m reading them from the paper. I will also

plan a definite closing statement like, “I think we’ve already run overtime, so I had better end this now.