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 realworld 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