SPCH 1311

Persuasive Speech: Preparation Outline and Works Cited Bibliography

 

 

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Perhaps the best way to assure proper completion of any speech is to carefully prepare a formal outline. Outlines allow you to test the relevance and scope of your information. Outlines allow you to check the balance of your points.

 

Learning more about your topic than you already know will not only add to your confidence when you deliver the speech, it also adds to your credibility as a speaker. Therefore you are to use a minimum of three research sources to develop this speech.

 

The preparation outline and documentation of research in a works cited bibliography counts as 20 points out of the 100 possible points on the informative speech grade.

 

WHAT IS A PREPARATION OUTLINE?

A preparation outline is a detailed overview of all of the points and information that you plan to give in the speech introduction, body, and conclusion. It is made by following standard outline rules that are overviewed on pages 324-326 in your text. In addition, Wittrup requires that you use COMPLETE SENTENCES in each point in the outline, not phrases or single words. This is what you are required to make and turn-in for this assignment.

 

Please do not confuse a preparation outline with a delivery outline. A delivery outline is the type of outline from which you should practice and deliver your speech. Delivery outlines are less formal and detailed.

 

 BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE PREPARATION OUTLINE

Your outline must have four sections:

 

 

SKELETON OF THE FORMAL SENTENCE OUTLINE

 

Here is a skeleton for a preparation outline.  Please follow this as a guide:

 

 

SPCH 1311 Persuasive Speech Preparation Outline

 

Name:____________________________

State Your Persuasive Goal: ______________________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________________

 

Introduction:

I.                   Attention: Write what you will do or say in the speech to secure attention

II.                Topic: Write what you plan to say to state your main purpose for speaking

III.             Reason to Listen: Write what you plan to say to establish the importance of the topic for the audience

IV.             Credibility: Write what you plan to say to convey your interest and/or experience in the topic

V.                Preview: Write what you will say to clearly preview the key ideas that you will cover

(Please note: The above information can be a word-for word written text of what you plan to say. The principles of outlining do NOT apply to the introduction part of your outline.)

 

Body:

As the body of the outline begins, so do the principles of standard outline format, detailed on pages 324-326 in your text. PLEASE USE COMPLETE SENTENCES, NOT PHRASES OR SINGLE WORDS. As much as possible to try to develop the body of your speech so that each point is balanced with others. In the perfect world, a balanced outline will be like this.

 

I.                   Clearly state the problem that concerns you

A.    Explain the nature of the problem

1.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

2.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

B.     Demonstrate how serious the problem has become

1.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

2.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

C.     Convince your audience that they are affected by the problem

1.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

2.      Supporting material(Cite research source)

 

(Write a transitional statement that uses internal review/preview to connect what you have just covered to your next point)

 

II.                Clearly state what you think can help solve the problem

A.    Explain what the solution is/how it works

1.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

2.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

B.     Provide proof that your solution is a good choice

1.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

2.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

C.     Show how the audience can be part of the solution

3.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

4.      Supporting material (Cite research source)

 

As we will discuss in class, you may have to have more development of some of these points than what is illustrated above. For example, if your audience does not know much at all about the problem you’ve selected you will need to elaborate more on that for them. Or, if you discover that you audience is skeptical about your solution working you may need to spend additional time proving that your solution can work and is a better option than some others.

 

Conclusion

             I.      Summarize: Write what you plan to say to summarize the key points that you made in your speech

          II.      Reemphasize the Central Idea: Think of a creative way to help us remember the essence of your speech goal. Write what you will say/or do.

       III.      Activate Desired Response: Write what you plan to say that will trigger the desired response that you are seeking from your audience

       IV.      Closure: The last thing you do or say should bring it all together. Write what you plan to say or do to accomplish this.

 

(Please note: The above information can be a word-for word written text of what you plan to say. The principles of outlining do NOT apply to the conclusion part of your outline.)

 

 

RESEARCH REQUIREMENT

For this assignment you are to reference a minimum of three (3) quality research sources. Highest scores will be awarded to those who go beyond the 3 source minimum. Please note: Failure to meet the minimum source requirement for this speech will result in a failing grade on the preparation outline/works cited portion of the assignment.

 

Google, Yahoo, and Wikepedia might be good starting points to begin your general review on the topic, but the type of information that I encourage you to find is best found through academic search engines. So please focus your research effort using the resources available to you through the ACC Library system. You will need your student ID number and password to be able to use some of the on-line data bases. Here is the link that takes you into the central database page:

 

“I can’t find anything on my topic”, is really something that we can’t say anymore in today’s information society. Information is there. It may however exist under headings and labels that aren’t easily accessible. So please also ask an ACC Reference Librarian for help finding information on your topic. Reference librarians have a lot of knowledge about how information gets archived and the labels to use for topic searches. They know many backdoors that are worth finding.

 

MAKING YOUR APA/MLA WORKS CITED PAGE  

You are required to submit a typed, scholarly works cited bibliography of your research sources, using either APA or MLA form. This should be attached to your formal speech outline. Here are three links that will show you how to complete a proper works cited bibliography using these formats:

 

DUE DATE:

Your preparation outline and works cited page is due at the beginning of the class period on the day that you are assigned to give your informative speech. Any submissions received after this time will be considered late and scored as such. See your syllabus for the late written work policy.

 

EVALUATION

The main bulk of the grade for the outline rests upon your ability to follow the principles of outlining for a preparation outline, and to include the information specified for the introduction and conclusion. Your works cited page must be done using proper form, and the degree to which you meet or exceed the minimum research source requirement, using quality research sources. The specific evaluation forms that I will be using will be posted on the course web page for your referral.