Demonstrative Speech Assignment

 

I use the demonstrative assignment as a diagnostic.  I’m interested in learning where you are as a speaker.  I expect every student to come to me with different skills and abilities.  The objectives for this assignment are for a student (1) to demonstrate a familiar process, (2) to use the major structural features of a speech (i.e., introduction, body, conclusion) to organize his/her speech, and (3) to select and narrow a topic.

 

     Your task is to:

 

     (a)  Orally present a step-by-step demonstration (i.e., baking cookies, buying shoes, washing a pet, renting a movie, getting ready for class, hunting).

 

     (b) The speech should be at least 5 minutes in length.

 

     (c)  Create the message so that it contains:

 

          (1)  An introduction which (i) gains the attention of your audience, in a manner

          relevant to your topic and (ii) contains a thesis statement in which you tell your

          audience precisely what you are going to talk about.

 

          (2)  A body which has at least 5 steps which are clearly identifiable and supported.

 

          (3)  A conclusion which summarizes what has been said and brings the speech to

          a  satisfying close.

 

Example Outline

 

Demonstrative Speech Evaluation Form

 

Speaker's Name

 

1.  Did the INTRODUCTION effectively gain the audience's attention?

 

2.  Was the THESIS STATEMENT clearly stated?

 

3.  BODY

    Were the steps clearly distinguishable?

    Were the points well supported?

 

4.  CONCLUSION

    Did the conclusion summarize the speech effectively?

    Did it end the speech satisfactorily?

 

5.  How was DELIVERY?

 

6.  Was the speech at least 5 minutes in TIME?