Writing For Publication: The Informational Speech Group Project: Day 2

The Informational Speech Group Project

From last class you should have:

brainstormed in your journal a list of topics that you'd like to learn more about or topics that interest you. (we did this together in class!)

After brainstorming we found another person in the room who had at least ONE of the same topics written in their journal as you did.

From the lists you and your partner generated, choose one subject with your partner. This is your speech topic. You do not have to choose the topic that you originally shared with your partner!

You may have begun to research. Once you decided on a speech topic with your partner, you will spend some time finding out the following:

A. what is it?

B. where does it come from or what is its history/culture? (or what are its component parts?)

C. why is it important? (to you, to us, to the country, to the world, etc.)

D. How does it affect us or how is this topic relevant to our lives? (why should your audience care to learn about this topic?)

SUPER IMPORTANT: An effective informational speech deals with information that your audience DOES NOT KNOW already. This information should be RELEVANT or IMPORTANT or CONNECT to your audience's life.

It is sometimes necessary to narrow or broaden your topic. If you are too broad, your audience may misunderstand what your point is (or if your information is too general, your audience will likely already know some or all of it--and therefore will be bored). If you are too narrow, you may alienate or frustrate or bore your audience, as what you are speaking about has no relevance or importance to the audience. Strike a happy medium.

RESEARCH:

Writers do a lot of research. This skill is necessary for you to be successful in this artistic field. Let's practice. Use the questions above to help guide your research. Keep track of the information or resources you read. You will need this information for your works cited page.

When you find your answers, make sure you cite the website, author, speaker, or writer of your source. This is called gathering sources. You will need at least 3 sources that you write up on a works cited page to turn in when you deliver your speech.

You should work with your partner and divide tasks. Try breaking down a topic into parts that make up the whole. Or give each group member a question to answer (what is it, for example? or why is it important?) You do not have to sit next to each other to research. Before the end of class come back together with your partnership and discuss further action that must be taken.

By the end of THIS class, you should have completed the following:

1. Researched a topic (gathered at least 1-3 sources)
2. Write your speech together. Break your speech down into 2, 4, or 6 parts. You and your partner will be required to share the responsibility of speaking to the class during your section of the speech. Use an outline to identify what parts you will have to cover in your informational speech.

NOTE: You may find if you write a paragraph containing each new idea or point (or writing a paragraph for each question posed in detail) you will have enough speech to fill 3-7 minutes.

3. Support your speech by being specific. Use facts and quotes and stories (anecdotes) to illustrate or describe your main ideas or opinions. Use the research you conducted and embed it into your text. This is attributing your sources. If you borrow information from another writer, a website, or article you must give that person or thing credit.
4. Create an MLA works cited page for your speech. Your MLA formatted works cited page will be due when you deliver your speech (probably next week some time). See handout to help you.

FAQs:

Q: How much time do I have to present?
A: Please keep your presentations between 3-7 minutes. As long as you've explained what it is and why it's important, we get the idea. Realize that very, very short presentations may not be thorough enough. I want to see high school grade work. Any project that goes beyond 7 minutes will be cut off and given a penalty to its grade. Any presentation that is not at least 3 minutes in length will receive the same penalty. Use your phones to time yourself when you practice. If the speech is too short, you will have to add to it. If the speech is too long, you will have to cut some of it.

Q: When is this project due?

A: We will most likely deliver the speeches next week.

Q: How am I going to be graded?
A: Your presentation will be graded on how informative the project is, what it communicates, how prepared you are in presenting the speech, your physical presentation with attention to volume, pacing, enunciation, energy, effort, & eye contact, and how well done the research and writing was. Remember that along with the presentation (the speech), you are required to turn in a works-cited page (in MLA format)

Q: So what is research? Isn't that just copying someone else's work and passing it off as mine?
A: No. Please record any sources that you use for your presentation/project. Write down website addresses and authors of these sources to include them in your works cited page. In your speech or during your presentation, it is important for you to cite the sources you use. If you borrowed an idea from someone, give them credit for it. For example: According to..., or _____ writes/states...., or In a comment posted by..., or writer/critic/author/artist/musician/reporter/etc. suggests/writes/states/mentions/posits/argues/believes, etc.

ANY REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE/LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT COMMON KNOWLEDGE MUST BE CITED OR GIVEN CREDIT.

How do I set up a works cited page for MLA Format: (see left hand side of the webpage for specific details depending on the source you are using...!)