Mock Public Address Speech Write-up Mock Speech Write-up: You will be writing a 3-5 minute persuasive public address speech focusing on a current issue in society. You will not be giving the speech; you will just be writing what you would say. You will be writing the speech in essay format (APA style, 12-point font, Times New Roman). Your speech should be about 3-5 pages in length. You will be graded on the rhetorical strategies, the reasoning/argument of your persuasive claim, as well as the writing, grammar and punctuation.

1. Select an issue that you have encountered in our school, community, state, or nation. Write this issue at the top of your paper.

2. Below the issue, write down thoughts and feelings you have about it. Determine your position on it.

3. Write your position statement. A position statement is like a thesis statement. It

identifies the issue and your position on it in one sentence. For example: As Americans, we must take action against (or for) the issue of_______ because of ________________, __________________, and _________________.

4. Identify your audience. Although you will be presenting to our class, you should

think about what group of people is your real-world audience. Answer the following questions, and then identify the group of people that is your real-world audience. After answering these questions, write down your real-world audience.

a. Who is affected by this issue? b. Who might be in a position to influence the results of this problem? c. What might this audience already know about the issue? d. What views or opinions might this audience already have? e. What misconceptions might they have? f. What details or words might appeal to this audience’s emotions? Reasoning?

5. Your purpose is to persuade the audience; however, you need to consider what you want the audience to do as a result of listening to your speech. Answer the following questions, and then identify the secondary purpose of your speech.

a. How do you want your audience to feel about the issue afterwards? b. What action do you want them to take?

6. Planning for Your Speech…What are you going to say?

Your speech must have at least one of each of the following persuasive techniques.

a. Logical Appeal — Facts, statistics, and well-reasoned arguments b. Ethical Appeal — Argument based on widely accepted beliefs and values

c. Emotional Appeal — Uses anecdotes (stories) and loaded words (words with strong connotations) to bring about strong emotions in the audience

7. Simple Formula for Writing Persuasive Speeches

A. INTRODUCTION
 “Tells your audience what you are going to tell them” and establishes the foundation for your speech. 
A good Introductio map’ for the journey. For a Persuasive Speech an Introduction consists of

o Attention-Getter: A statement that gains the attention of the audience and

makes them believe that this issue is relevant to them. Please, do NOT use a rhetorical question here. Instead, think of your intro like a funnel. Your thesis (in this case, your position statement) is the narrow part and you slowly broaden out from that to a broad statement that applies to many, in not all, people.

o Bond > Link-to Audience: Identify a personal connection in the audiences’

life, i.e. their use of the ‘device’ or system, or their emotional experience (grief and sorrow, happiness).

o “Credentials” of Speaker (Credibility): Demonstrate how you are an

‘expert’ through your own use, experience or study.

o Destination / Position Statement: State clearly why you are speaking at this moment. State your Goal, Thesis or what you expect as an Outcome. State your Destination. An example may be … “This evening/today I am here to convince you that…. is the most effective way to do business today.”

o Explain my Map to my destination > Preview of Speech: Briefly outline

what you will cover in your persuasive speech. This is where you will…”Tell what you are going to tell them”.

o Transition: A transition is how you move from one section or point to the

next. It is a linking idea. You could say…”Let’s begin by…”, “Let’s start with…” or I prefer “Let’s consider…”

B. BODY of your Speech
 The Body of your speech is where the detail is found and is best contained in THREE points (you can have more, but don’t confuse your audience). For a Persuasive Speech, this is where you will … “Tell them”

o Main Point #1: State Point 1, State Reason, Give Example, Restate point

o Main Point #2: State Point 2, State Reason, Give Example, Restate point

o Transition: Create a linking statement to Point 3

o Main Point #3: State Point 3, State Reason, Give Example, Restate point

o Transition: Create a linking statement to the Conclusion, i.e. “Let’s

summarize…” or “Can we consider these main points…”

C. CONCLUSION
 “Tell them what you have told them”

o Again state your destination >Restate outcome or thesis.

o Restate main points: State Point 1, State Point 2, State Point 3

o Call-to-Action: e.g., “I encourage you to …”, “Let’s all contribute …” , “… sign now …”, “make a decision now to be involved …”

o Decision-Maker (Clincher – optional): “Coming around is the petition…” “Being passed from the rear is a bag for your contribution to this noble cause, dig deep…”

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