Suggested Speech Topics Spring 2020: Interesting Potential T
Suggested Speech Topics Spring 2020interesting Potential Topicsexplore
Explore these potential speech topics, categorized into informative and persuasive themes, along with guidelines for choosing and researching topics, and instructions for preparing speeches and visual aids.
Paper For Above instruction
The task involves selecting relevant speech topics, conducting thorough research, and preparing both informative and persuasive speeches. For each speech, students must identify potential topics, develop research questions, gather credible sources, and analyze various viewpoints. The assignment emphasizes critical thinking, clarity, coherence, and proper MLA formatting, including citations and works cited pages. Students will also create visual aids—PowerPoint slides—that include attention-grabbers, main points, visuals from credible sources, and concluding remarks. Additionally, students are required to write a reflective self-assessment analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies for improvement after recording and reviewing their speeches. The process aims to enhance public speaking skills, promote in-depth research, and foster effective communication by integrating research, presentation, and self-evaluation components.
Selected Topics and Research Guidelines
Students should avoid personal preference topics and focus on issues with provable and controversial aspects, such as the economic system, societal values, political questions, or cultural debates. For example, topics like "Edward Snowden: Patriot or Traitor" or "The 1%: Is Our Economic System Broken?" are suitable choices. When researching, students should formulate three targeted questions or phrases that facilitate effective searches and select at least three keywords or search terms. They should also include three relevant credible web links from their searches.
Research questions should be specific and researchable, such as "What are the main arguments for and against Snowden's actions?" or "What evidence exists to support claims about economic inequality?" The included web links should be from reputable sources, such as academic journals, established news outlets, or official reports.
Speech Purpose and Audience Benefit
For each speech, students need to define a clear general and specific purpose, such as informing the audience about a particular topic or persuading them to adopt a specific viewpoint. The chosen topic should benefit the audience and society by increasing awareness, fostering critical thinking, or encouraging action. Students should articulate how their speech contributes to societal knowledge or progress, providing a strong thesis statement that guides the speech structure.
Research and Content Development
Students are expected to draw from class readings, additional research, and credible sources, integrating quotations, statistics, and evidence into their speech. Proper MLA citations are required both in-text and in the works cited page. Each main point should be supported with sufficient proof, and contrasting viewpoints should be acknowledged and addressed to strengthen the argument.
Speech Preparation and Visual Aids
PowerPoint slides must be designed with a clear structure: an attention-grabbing opening slide with a relevant image or sentence, main point slides with bullet points and visuals from credible sources, and a strong closing slide with a memorable clincher and "The End." The work cited slide is for the instructor's review only and should include all sources and images used.
Outline and Self-Assessment
Students must submit a detailed persuasive outline following the provided guidelines, ensuring inclusion of introduction, thesis, body points, and conclusion, along with evidence and citations. After delivering the speech, students will analyze their performance in a reflective essay, discussing strengths, weaknesses, and future improvements based on their recorded speech. This reflective essay must adhere to MLA formatting and include specific insights drawn from their critique and self-evaluation.
Conclusion
This comprehensive process sharpens students' research skills, enhances their ability to organize and deliver persuasive and informative speeches, and encourages reflective learning, thereby strengthening overall communication competencies.
References
- Calderone, Julia. "Christopher Columbus brought a host of terrible new diseases to the New World." Business Insider, 12 Oct. 2015.
- Flint, Valerie I.J. "Christopher Columbus." Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jul. 2019.
- Frater, Jamie. "Top 15 Most Famous Native Americans." Listverse, 13 Jun. 2014.
- Kasum, Eric. "Columbus Day? True Legacy: Cruelty and Slavery." HuffPost, 11 Oct. 2010.
- Lowery, Malinda Maynor. "Why more people are celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day." PBS NewsHour, 14 Oct. 2019.
- Wilson, Rodger. Personal interview, 25 October 2019.
- Rousseau, Robert. "What are the different types of Martial Arts?" LiveAbout.com, 14 Apr. 2018.
- Ultimate Defense Studios. "Benefits of Martial Arts Training." Zulimate.com, 21 May 2013.
- Fighter321. "Real World Applications of Martial Arts." https://fighter321.com, 2013.
- Additional scholarly sources relevant to chosen topics should be included in your final research and citations.