Writing a Speech

1. Writing a Speech

2. Organize! • Plan Your Speech • Write Your Speech • Practice Your Speech • Present Your Speech

3. 1. Plan Your Speech What’s The Purpose? Inform: You need to educate your audience and prepare an informative speech – Collect a lot of details!!! Persuade: Are you arguing a point? If so, your main job is to develop a convincing & logical argument Demonstrate: Do you need to show how something is done? If so, you need to put together a clear, step-by-step explanation

4. What is your subject? • Know your subject:You need to know (or own) your subject. Become your person! • Choose the right subject:Make sure your subject meets the requirements and purpose of the assignment • Choose a specific subject:Stay focused on your subject. Is it specific enough to cover in the time allowed?

5. Collect Interesting & Important Details • Use your memory:Is your speech based on a personal experience? Jot down the details, facts, and feelings you remember • Talk with people:People are good sources! Discuss your subject with people who know about or have an interest in it • Experience:Trying out your subject is good for demonstration speeches • Library & Internet:Use books, magazines, pamphlets, videos, newspapers, and web sites

6. 2. Write Your Speech Have an Attention-Getting Speech • The beginning of the speech must grab the listener’s attention AND tell what the speech is about. Suggestions are: • Ask a question • Give a surprising fact • Tell an interesting or surprising story • Ask listeners to imagine something • Repeat a famous quotation

7. Include a Convincing Main Part • Turn each fact or detail into an interesting, smooth-reading sentence • Explain or describe each part of your topic clearly. You want your audience to follow along easily and enjoy what you’re saying • Support your point of view with facts and reasons

8. Have a Strong Ending Your ending should be just as interesting s the beginning. Suggestions are: • Tell one last interesting fact or story • Explain why the topic is important • Sum up the most important ideas in your speech • Share a final idea that will keep the topic in your listeners’ thoughts • End with a famous quote

9. 3. Practice & Present Your Speech Make a Final Copy • Type or neatly write your speech in pen • Do not use abbreviations • Number each page/note card to help keep things in order • Make font easy to read while you present

10. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE • Start practicing your speech at least 4 days ahead of time • Practice by yourself at first. Record yourself, if possible • Then, practice your speech in front of others • Practice until you know your speech inside and out

11. Present Your Speech • Stand straight and tall • Speak loudly and clearly • Take your time & use your voice to add color and interest to your speech • Look up as often as you can • Use your hands in a planned way • Keep your feet firmly on the floor. Don’t sway from side to side • Show interest in your topic all the way through your speech

12. What is plagiarism? • Using the ideas, opinions, information, organization of materials, video clips, sounds, images, pictures or words of another person without acknowledging that the material is not your original work. • Copying without giving credit • Paraphrasing or summarizing without giving credit

13. Citing Sources Every source you use you need to write down where you received the information • Use handout to cite sources for books, newspapers and magazines, encyclopedias, world wide web, and an article on an online resource • Use the Mill Pond Library web page to help cite your resources • http://easybib.com/ http://westborough.ma.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=11311&sc_id=1161009191