Persuasive Speech Assignment

Your task is to write and present a persuasive speech about an issue of your choice. Your speech should present a
claim and to support it in a manner that persuades the audience that your claim is valid and worthy of consideration.

You should choose an issue that you are interested in and that you will be able to support with relevant external
sources. Some possible topics:

1) Healthy Food
Take a position that defends or challenges the claim that the government should take action (through increased taxes
on junk food, for example) to ensure that Americans make healthier food choices.

2) Social Networking Sites: A Bad Influence?
Take a position that defends or challenges the claim that social networking sites are harming teenagers social skills
and/or attention spans and that parents and schools should take action to prevent teens from overusing these sites.

3) Freedom of Expression in High School
Take a position that defends or challenges the claim that it is reasonable to suspend high school students for
expressing themselves too freely.

4) Juvenile Violent Crimes
Take a position that defends or challenges the claim that juveniles who commit violent crimes should be subject to
punishments as harsh as their adult counterparts.

5) Your own topic
Choose a topic of your own. You must choose a topic that is arguable (i.e. that others could disagree with you on) and
that you can support with various forms of evidence. Get the topic approved by me before you begin your research.

Requirements:
1) Rhetorical Appeals. Your speech must appeal to both your audiences reason and its emotions. Appealing to
your own credibility as a speaker (ethos) is optional.
2) Supporting Evidence. Your speech must include evidence from at least three different sources (we will
devote some time in class to library research). Evidence might include:
a. Facts and statistics
b. Quotations from credible authorities
c. Personal testimonies
d. Specific examples that demonstrate the problem you are addressing
3) Rhetorical Devices. Your speech must include at least three different rhetorical devices (rhetorical question,
analogy, parallelism, repetition, antithesis, or downplaying the negative). Each rhetorical device must be
marked and labeled appropriately on your typed, final draft.
4) You are not required to memorize your speech; however, your presentation should be polished well-
rehearsed, and you should make consistent eye contact with your audience.
5) Your speech should be 3-5 minutes long (or approximately 3 pages, typed, double-spaced).
6) On the day of your speech, you will turn in:
a. A typed, double-spaced copy of your speech, with rhetorical devices marked and labeled.
b. Rough draft of your speech (the one that was peer-edited).
c. Your argument organization chart and research notes.

Format




























Research
Use the Argument Organization Chart as a way to outline the main points of your speech and the evidence you will
marshal to support your points. Before you do this, however, you need to conduct some research. During the
research stage you should look for evidence that supports both sides of the issue so that you can present an
informed argument.

Questions to guide your research:

1)


2)


3)


Record notes from your research on a separate piece of paper. You can format it like this:

Notes (Statistics, Expert Testimony, Anecdotes) Source (include website name and date if applicable)


Hook your audience with a paragraph that presents a
personal perspective or anecdote on the issue you are
discussing. Clearly present your main argument (the
speechs thesis statement).

3-4 paragraphs that support your major claim.

Each body paragraph should make a claim in its topic
sentence provide at least two pieces of evidence to
support that claim, along with your explanation of how
this evidence supports your argument.


You must address potential counterarguments. You can
do this within the body paragraphs in which you make
your claims or in a separate body paragraph devoted
solely to anticipating counterarguments.


You must use at least three different rhetorical devices.
Conclusion Paragraph:
Present your closing thoughts on the issue.
Call reader/audience to action
Introductory
Paragraph
Body
Paragraphs

Requirements:
Evidence
Quotes from
authorities
Statistics/facts
Personal testimony
Specific examples
Hypothetical
situations

Analysis/commentary
on the evidence

Rhetorical Devices





Conclusion
Paragraph