Speech 3—Analyzing a Famous Speech
For your third speech, you will analyze and evaluate the rhetorical techniques of a famous speech and then share your findings with the class. Follow these six steps
to prepare and present your speech:
1. First, select a famous speech.
The speech should be long enough that you can effectively review and study it. Ideally, the speech should be available both in text (written) and in video (recording
of the speech). This way, you can play a short segment of the speech to the class. However, if you want to select an older speech (one that is not on tape), you may do
so.
I need to approve the selection of your speech. I want everyone to do a different speech—and the selection is first come-first serve. In other words, if someone has
already selected the famous speech that you had planned to do, you will have to select another speech.
Sources for famous speeches
You could find a speech on one of these sites:
• YouTube
• Ted Talk
• http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html (video and written text)
• http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/previous.htm (written text only)
• http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/ (written text only)
• http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0878601.html (presidential speeches—text only)
2. Next, consider the rhetorical elements you will use to analyze your speech.
These rhetorical elements will form the structure and body of your speech—and should be stated in your thesis statement. Select approximately three of the following
rhetorical elements that you will focus on when evaluating and presenting your speech:
Historical Context When was the speech given? What was happening at the time socially, culturally, and politically—and how is that reflected in the speech?
Rhetorical Context How do the four elements of the rhetorical situation impact and influence each other (i.e., speaker, audience, speech, occasion)? You might
look at how the occasion impacted the speaker and the speech, or how the audience influenced the speech and speaker. The goal is to find relationships among these four
areas.
Rhetorical Triangle How would you evaluate the speech’s ethos, logos, and pathos? Here you would look at the speaker’s credibility, the logical reasoning of the
speech itself, and the emotion conveyed in the speech and speaker.
Introduction What types of introductions are used, and are they effective?
Thesis Is the thesis clear, effective and strong? Is it stated or implied? Is it clearly followed throughout the body of speech?
Organization How is the speech organized? And do the main points follow the thesis? Is it clear and easy to follow? Is it logical?
Writing Strategies What are the main writing strategies used and are they effective? (Strategies include narration, description, comparison/contrast, argument,
etc.)
Stylistic Elements What stylistic elements are used in the speech, and are they effective?
(i.e., metaphor, simile, signposting, parallelism, antithesis, alliteration, anaphora)
Delivery Is the speech delivered well? How would you evaluate vocal inflections, gestures, facial expressions, tone, personality, etc.?
Conclusion
What types of conclusions are used and are they effective?
Reception How was the speech received, and what impact did it have? Does the speech still have cultural and/or political significance today?
3. Then, begin your formal research
You need to have, in addition to the speech itself, at least three other sources. These sources
can include comments from experts and historians about the speech or speaker and any other information you may need to complete your analysis. Consider the following
sources: scholarly/peer-reviewed, print (periodicals, books, reference works), and Web sites.
At least two of the sources must be mentioned in your speech presentation (oral footnotes).
Your bibliography must be annotated in APA format. This means that on your References page you will not only cite the sources but also include a four- to five-sentence
summary of the content of the source and how it was useful in your research and writing. This summary must be in your own voice and words. Copying library abstracts or
blurbs from a database or the backs of books is not permissible. This exercise should take no time at all if you have done your work honestly.
4. Now you are ready to write the preparation outline.
The outline should be typed and double spaced between each point (not every line)—and it should not exceed two pages. (See template included in this packet). The
outline is due in hard copy in class on Thursday, July 14. We will have a peer review in class that day.
Outlines must be in 12-point type, in outline format, and, again, double spaced between each point. Thoroughly proofread your writing for spelling, grammar and
punctuation errors.
All late outlines lose 20 percent of the points off the top.
After your peer and I review your first preparation outline, you will write a revised, final draft of the preparation outline. Then, you will create your presentation
outline, which you will use when delivering the speech.
5. Include a Visual Aid
This speech should have a visual aid. Ideally, it would be best to show a short clip of the actual speech. No more than two minutes of your speech should be the video
clip (the total time of the speech should not exceed eight minutes). The clip, ideally, should be played during the end of your speech.
If you wish, you could show a couple of video clips of the same speech at different times during your presentation; however, you would need to have the clips prepared
beforehand. You cannot take time during the presentation to look for speech excerpts.
6. Presenting the Speech
Speeches will be presented Thursday, July 28.
In addition to giving your speech, you will hand in four other documents: your revised preparation outline, your presentation outline, your References page, and the
Expectations sheet.
Speech 3 Total Points—130 points
• Preparation Outline 1 20 points
• Preparation Outline final draft 10 points
• Presentation Outline 10 points
• References 10 points
• Expectation Sheet 10 points
• Speech Presentation 70 points
Speech 3 Expectations
Credibility: (Why are you giving this speech? This must be stated in the introduction.)
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Emphasis Line: (What line in your speech will you intentionally deliver in a different way?)
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Pathos: (What will you say that will make us feel something, that will move us?)
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Passion: (What can you do to deliver the speech with volume, energy and passion?)
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Simile/Metaphor: (What comparison will you make in a vivid way that will impact our senses?)
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Speech 3 Rubric—Famous Speech
Speaker ___________________________________ Topic ________¬¬____________________
Introduction _____ (12) COMMENTS
_____ Starts with a formal intro. and smiles (2)
_____ Speech starts with good volume and energy (2)
¬¬_____ Speaker starts with a smile (2)
_____ Credibility with subject is clear (ethos) (2)
_____ Effectively engages audience from the start (2)
_____ Has substantial information and sets up thesis well (2)
Thesis _____ (6)
_____ States three-five main points (3)
_____ States slowly and clearly (3)
Body _____ (18)
_____ Signposting and main points are clear (easy to follow) (2)
_____ Main points have balance (2)
_____ Main points have sufficient supports (2)
_____ Main points are logical (2)
_____ Text of famous speech is cited throughout speech (4)
_____ Simile or metaphor is used (2)
_____ First oral source—aside from famous speech (spoken slowly and clearly) (2)
_____ Second oral source—aside from famous speech (spoken slowly and clearly) (2)
Delivery _____ (18)
_____ Speech is not read/speaker doesn’t depend on notes (3)
_____ Speaker obviously practiced the speech (3)
_____ Eye contact is good–looks at entire room equally (3)
_____ Volume is loud and clear (no mumbling) (2)
_____ Pace is good—speaker doesn’t rush (2)
_____ Emotion and passion are effectively used—speaker moves audience (3)
_____ At least one line delivered in a different way (with emphasis) (2)
Visual Aid _____ (6)
_____ No more than two minutes of famous speech is shown (3)
_____ Clip/s are set up well, appropriately used, and enhance (not distract from) speech (3)
Conclusion _____ (10)
_____ Prepares audience for the ending–not abrupt (2)
_____ Summarizes thesis/speech clearly (not verbatim) (2)
_____ Is substantial—thorough (2)
_____ Audience is now excited about topic as well (2)
_____ Successfully informs and educates audience (2)
Total Points ________/70 Scale: A–70-63 B–62-56 C–55-49 D–48-42 F–41-0
(The revised preparation outline, the presentation outline, and the References page are due the day of your speech presentation.)
10 Types of Introductions Identifying with the Audience, Identifying with the Occasion, Stating the Purpose, Stating the Important of the Topic, Startling
Statistic, Narration, Analogy, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Humor
11 Types of Conclusions
Summarizing, Narration, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Making a Personal Reference, Warning, Remedy, The Challenge, Call to Action, Utopian Vision, The
Inspiration
11 Writing Strategies Narration, Description, Illustration, Process, Definition, Classification, Comparison/Contrast, Argumentation, Cause and Effect, Reporting,
Evaluating
7 Supporting Strategies Personal Experience, Common Knowledge, Direct Observation, Examples (brief, hypothetical, anecdote), Documents, Statistics (rates of change,
experiments), Testimony (factual and opinion)
8 Types of Supporting Materials Memory, Interviews, Books, Reference Works, Periodicals (general, special, technical), Newspapers, Government Publications, Electronic
Supporting Materials
9 Stylistic Techniques Signposting, Parallelism, Antithesis, Alliteration, Metaphor, Simile, Gestures, Smile, Vocal Inflection (not monotone)
Metaphor: the comparison of two different things by speaking of one in terms of the other.
Unlike a simile or analogy, a metaphor asserts that one thing actually is another thing, not just like it.
• From Stettin to Trieste, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Sir Winston Churchill
• The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans. John F. Kennedy
Simile: comparison between two different things that have something in common, using like, as or seems.
• My love is like a red, red rose. Robert Burns
• We’re going to go through them like crap through a goose. General George Patton
Signposting: effectively previewing points and/or summarizing points so that the speech is easy to follow.
• Previewing: First, I will discuss this, and then I will discuss that.
• Summarizing: So you can see by this information that…etc.
Parallelism: a figure of balance identified by successive words or phrases with the same or very similar grammatical structure.
• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to
assure the survival and the success of liberty. John F. Kennedy
• Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn. Benjamin Franklin
Antithesis: figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are used in consecutive phrases or sentences.
• We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Reasonable men adapt to the world. Unreasonable men adapt the world to themselves. G.B. Shaw
• That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong
Alliteration: repeats the same sound or letter at the beginning of several words in sequence.
• Let us go forth to lead the land we love… John F. Kennedy
• We want no parlay with you and your grisly gang who work your wicked will. Churchill
Anaphora: repeats the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases or sentences.
• But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation
and the chains of discrimination.
One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity… Martin Luther King, Jr.
• But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground . . . Abraham Lincoln
Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words
• …the steady spread of the deadly atom
Consonance: repetition of consonant sounds within words or ending words
• …whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall…
Anastrophe: transposition of normal word order
• Ask not what your country can do for you…
Name
Class
Date
SP 3 Preparation OL1
I. Title: (creative—approximately five words)
Introduction
First, select two types of introductions from this list: Identifying with the Audience, Identifying with the Occasion, Stating the Purpose, Stating the Important of
the Topic, Startling Statistic, Narration, Analogy, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Humor
I. _______________ (type): one sentence explanation
II. _______________ (type): one sentence explanation
III. Summary: Summarize the speech you are discussing, including when it was given, and what it is, overall, all about.
IV. Thesis: One sentence with your three (or more) main points.
Body
I. First, (complete sentence).
A. One complete sentence.
B. One complete sentence.
C. One complete sentence.
1. Phrase. (sub-sub points are optional)
a. Phrase. (sub-sub-sub points are optional)
II. Second, (complete sentence).
A. One complete sentence.
B. One complete sentence.
C. One complete sentence.
III. Finally, (complete sentence).
A. One complete sentence.
B. One complete sentence.
C. One complete sentence.
Conclusion
Select two types of conclusions from this list: Summarizing, Narration, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Personal Reference, Humor, Warning, Remedy, The Challenge,
Call to Action,
The Inspiration, Utopian Vision
I. _______________ (type): one sentence explanation
II. _______________ (type): one sentence explanation
Note the following—the outline should:
– be typed and double-spaced between points (not every line)
– not exceed two pages
– include the two sources that will be your oral footnotes
(put the sources before the quote or information)
– analyze the speech in present tense, as you would do in literature
– have clear, simple sentences (don’t overload sentences)
– have one point per sentence
Your Name: _______________________________________________
Research Source List—Speech 3
Use this as a guide to write your References page/s
Source one: ___________________________________________________________
What is the source about (one clear sentence):
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How would you evaluate the source—fair, effective, biased, unbiased, thorough, etc.:
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How do you plan to use the source in your speech:
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Source two: ___________________________________________________________
What is the source about (one clear sentence):
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How would you evaluate the source—fair, effective, biased, unbiased, thorough, etc.:
_____________________________________________________________________
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How do you plan to use the source in your speech:
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Your Name: _______________________________________________
Research Source List—Speech 3
Source three: ___________________________________________________________
What is the source about (one clear sentence):
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How would you evaluate the source—fair, effective, biased, unbiased, thorough, etc.:
_____________________________________________________________________
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How do you plan to use the source in your speech:
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Source four: ___________________________________________________________
What is the source about (one clear sentence):
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How would you evaluate the source—fair, effective, biased, unbiased, thorough, etc.:
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How do you plan to use the source in your speech:
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Sample Annotated References Page in APA
For your speech, you need to have at least three sources. Two of the sources should be mentioned in your speech. Along with your preparation and presentation outlines,
you need to hand in a References page. Make sure you name and the speech title is at the top left-hand corner of this page.
An annotated bibliography (or References page) includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources you have used. The annotation is approximately four
sentences and should include these three elements:
1. Summarize the source—tell what it is about (1-2 sentences)
2. Assess the source—tell the value of the source, if it was, for example, useful, reliable, scholarly, biased, etc. (1 sentence)
3. Reflect on the source—tell if the source helped you in your research and how
(or if) you plan to use it in your speech (1 sentence)
References
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York:
Henry Holt and Company.
In this nonfiction book based on the journalist’s experiential research, Ehrenreich
asks if it is possible for an individual to live on minimum wage in America. He concludes
that it is hard for anyone with a mortgage and family. The author is unbiased in his
reporting and thoroughly supplements his experiences with scholarly research.
This source confirmed other research I had gathered, and I used a quote from Ehrenreich
for my introduction.
Name
Class
Date
SP3 Preparation OL1
Title: Dressed to Kill
Goal: The goal of my speech is to inform the audience about how sweatshops worldwide are devastating to child workers.
Introduction
I. Rhetorical Question: Do you know where the clothes you are wearing were made?
II. Startling Statistic: An estimated 250 million children ages 5 to 14 are forced to work in sweatshops worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
III. Thesis: Sweatshops are dehumanizing to children because of the low pay, long hours, and deplorable working conditions.
Body
I. First, sweatshops pay children terribly low wages.
A. In Bangladesh, the average worker’s hourly wage is 13 cents an hour, which is the lowest in the world.
B. The highest pay is about $1 an hour, which is still well below poverty.
C. For most of the children, the pay cannot support their basic needs for food and shelter.
II. Children are forced to work long hours with little or no breaks.
A. Children as young as 6 years old can work up to 16 hours a day.
B. Children rarely are given breaks to eat or relax.
C. Because of the long hours, children have no time to receive an education.
III. Children are forced to work in unhealthy and unsafe environments.
A. Some children work with dangerous chemicals such as pesticides with their bare hands.
B. Children usually lack the proper equipment, clothing and training to do their jobs.
C. Children also must endure verbal and physical abuse.
Conclusion
I. Remedy: America needs to help this problem by taking three key steps: stop buying from businesses that use sweatshops, use social media to expose businesses
that employ child workers, and petition your state representative to pass legislation banning sweatshops.
II. Rhetorical Question: How many more children will never see their 15th birthday because they have died from working in sweatshops?
Sample Presentation Outline
Name
Class
Date
SP3 Presentation OL
Introduction
I. Your clothes?
II. 250 million children/5-14
III. Sweatshops are dehumanizing to children because of the low pay, long hours, and deplorable working conditions.
Body
I. First, low wages.
A. Bangladesh, 13 cents/hour
B. Highest, $1/hour, still poverty
C. Can’t afford food/shelter
II. Second, long hours—no breaks.
A. SIMILE: As young as 6—16 hours/day—like an American adult works
B. No lunch or breaks, like being in the desert without water
C. No education
III. Unhealthy/ unsafe environments.
A. Dangerous chemicals/pesticides with bare hands
B. Lack proper equipment, clothing and training
C. EMPHASIZE LINE—SAY SLOWER: Verbal/ physical abuse
Conclusion
I. America needs to help this problem by taking three key steps:
1. Boycott businesses
2. Expose on social media
3. Contact state representative
II. How many more children will never see their 15th birthday?
