For this assignment, you are asked to inform your audience about a custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol through description of the details that will acquaint your audience with the details, back-story or history, stages or steps, of the object, process, event or concept you choose to talk about. For example, you might actually demonstrate a certain tradition, such as making sugar skulls to honor the dead, or you could go into the history of this practice in Latin American cultures.
In choosing what custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol you will discuss, remember your audience and consider what they already know about your topic. You should focus your speech on what they might not know so that your speech will be truly informative. What can you teach us? Secondly, it is always best to start with yourself; so choose something you already know about/use/believe/do yourself or at least have an interest in learning more about. If you are interested and engaged in your topic it will go a long way in getting your audience to listen to you.
You must highlight this custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol with at least 2 visual or presentation aids to support your contentions for the usages you discuss. These visual representations might include: historical timelines or other information that provides more information about your topic; scenes of a tradition in action or a symbol in use, an actual example of a symbol; a demonstration of a custom or tradition in action, or a symbol in use; etc…These visual aids should be incorporated into the presentation itself (i.e., not be superfluous).
In order to effectively inform us on your topic, you will need to include at least 3 sources that help you to context your custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol and support your description. You may use web sources, as well as other textual sources (books, articles, online databases, etc…); just make sure that your web sources are legitimate and reputable. You might also include the testimony of experts on your topic, as well as the lay testimony of people who might provide personal information about their use, practice, or belief of your chosen custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol. Don’t overlook the power of other’s personal experiences as a way of informing us of the value and power of these cultural forms. Any outside sources you use or people you interview should be properly cited in the body of your speech and include Works Cited at the end.
SPEECH ORGANIZATION
You should have between 3-5 main points you develop for this speech. Consider what organizational pattern works best to lay out your ideas. (EX: A Chronological arrangement if you are showing us the development of a tradition/custom, superstition or symbol over time, or showing us the steps of a custom/tradition or use of a symbol. EX 2: A topical/categorical arrangement of the various contexts in which a symbol or superstition occurs. ECT…)
Organize your topic into a 4-6 minute speech, including time to demonstrate or show us your visual aids. .
A successful speech will have three components:
Introduction- brief; creates interest in the audience; previews your topic and main points you will tell us
Body- narrative that describes the custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol (longest section); 3-5 key points you want to highlight about your topic with relatively equal weight in terms of the development of your sub points and supporting material (examples, quotes, etc..)
Conclusion- summary of importance of your topic; what your audience should take away in terms of the main points you’ve developed to describe your custom/tradition, superstition, or symbol. And the overall significance we can gain in knowing more about this topic.
TIME LIMIT
You have 4-6 minutes. No more. No less. I am not a drill sergeant when it comes to time limits, however your speech will suffer some if it is dramatically under- or over-time. Moreover, I will ask you to stop or conclude any speech which is more than a minute over-time. Please be considerate of your classmates in properly rehearsing your speech to ensure it fits the time frame. Proper outlining will help this immensely.
OUTLINES
As stated in the syllabus, all speeches require an outline to be turned in before you speak. For this speech, you will create your own full sentence/phrase outline: complete with general purpose, specific purpose, thesis statement, introduction, body, conclusion, all transitions, and works cited. Organize your thoughts clearly by: developing an attention grabbing introduction; organizing your main points, and deciding what kind of visual representations and sources you’ll incorporate where; what transitions will work between main points; and how to sum up your main points and end with a strong closing statement.
OTHER GRADING CRITERIA
Speeches are graded according to their relative weight in the course.
In particular, your speech must be delivered EXTEMPORANEOUSLY.
This means it is: well rehearsed; using ONLY a few note cards or key words to move from one idea to the next; exact wording is chosen at the time of delivery. (You should not and WILL NOT use a full sentence outline or any kind of script to give your speech, because you will end up reading it.)
Other factors I will consider for this speech include:
Delivery- clear in terms of vocal rhythm, pattern, rate and volume; utilizing frequent eye contact with the audience; no distracting physical delivery (posture, movement); good use, in terms of timing and technique, of your object in the demonstration(s) and of any other visual representation(s) used to highlight the other use(s) you discuss.
Content-has a recognizable division among the main points you develop and their relative equal weight; a speech of description.
Organization-has a recognizable introduction, body (with 3-5 main ideas/sections) and conclusion
In terms of your use of 3 sources, you will be expected to cite them in your speech delivery, as well as listing them at the end of your outline in a Works Cited page. Just as you put other’s words in quotes in a paper, and tell your reader who said what, you should tell us who gave you your information, form where and make clear when something is not your own words.
You MUST have you 2 visual aids while delivering your speech and refer to/use them during the speech so the audience has a visual connection to what you describe. When you practice your speech, practice using/discussing your visual aids, in terms of your use and timing (as well your other bodily movements, gestures, emphases, and vocal expression) into your speech from the beginning. This is a FULL BODY experience. Just practicing the words in your head won’t be enough to feel comfortable, so say it OUT LOUD and with your WHOLE BODY engaged.
You MUST submit the outline before you begin speaking.
AND AGAIN, ONE FINAL NOTE…
Mistakes will be made, but the more prepared you are, the easier it will be for you to move on and get through your speech. Remember, everyone is at least a little nervous about doing this. If you have any problems, please come and talk to me about your speech.
Rubric
Informative Speech Rubric (1)
