7 STEP PROCESS OF GIVING EDITORIAL COMMENTARY SPEECHES

Step One: Choose your topic Pick a topic reflecting recent news events. What are hot issues? What has recently happened? What are the latest controversies in the public arena?

Step Two: Make a thesis statement State your opinion about the topic. For example, “The United States has a moral obligation to send troops to the Middle East to combat ISIS.”

Step Three: Create points that support your thesis Take a moment and think up what would support your thesis. Write the points down on a sheet of paper, leaving room after each one so that you can add supports for them. Typically, your points will follow along the lines of the arguments you would want to present in a persuasive paper or speech.

Step Four: Develop support for your thesis Now, write down supports for your points. Write down short quotations, summaries of key points from your book, internet resources or notes that you have taken in class so you so you have support for your points. Have at least two supports for each point if you possibly can. Write down the supports.

Step Five: Write your introduction and conclusion Write down ideas for an introduction. Give a quick attention getter, state the thesis, tell why it is important to you and your audience. Write down a conclusion. Tie the speech together, build to a higher point and give it a sense of conclusion.

Step 6: Write your speech out Take your points and turn them into sentences that are complete and articulate Make sure you have smooth transitions Sandwich it between your introduction and your conclusion

Step Seven: Deliver your speech Practice your speech so that it fits within the time frame. This is important because your speech must be between 1:45 and 2 minutes. You will have a 15 second grace period at the end of your speech. If you go below 1:45 minutes you will lose one grade and if you go past your grace period you will lose one grade. Think about what you are saying; make corrections.