I need assistance with speech-writing

tannii · Post by **tannii** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:24 am

I'm going for this ... Youth of the Year thing, and I need to write a 5-minute speech. I have two and a half weeks to do it, and I just need a few ideas to get me going. It can be on any topic that interests me, and it's recommended I stay away from politics, religion and sex.

So. I need ideas. I am experiencing a complete mental blank. I just need a topic and/or a few ideas/suggestions to motivate me.

Thanking you in advance.

Gowerlypuff · Post by **Gowerlypuff** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:34 am

That just about covers everything..
What do you know? What is important to you (you could talk about what it means to be important to someone) I know you're sciency, how about something on that?

tannii · Post by **tannii** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:52 am

I really do not know. I just want people to suggest something ... something I could ramble on about for 5-minutes. Preferrably something I don't have to do research on

What would interest you guys? What would you write a speech on? I need inspiration!

lifedeath · Post by **lifedeath** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:04 pm

What exactly is this speech you have to do???

Prospero · Post by **Prospero** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:12 pm

A speech without thinking and research is just as bad as eating an omlette without eggs.

How about giving a brief biography of a famous painter?

Or a particular art form?

Maybe a prediction on NASA's future endeavors?

Or how society can be improved...

so many topics.

lifedeath · Post by **lifedeath** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:18 pm

The fututre of videogaming?

tannii · Post by **tannii** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:40 pm

Think of a persuasive speech. *Kind of* like that. I'm mostly talking about something and giving my opinion on it.

how society can be improved...

Something like that, with the idea that I can talk about it and have an opinion on it. It doesn't have to be anything really, really serious though. Teenage issues, perhaps? I'm struggling so much with this!

lifedeath · Post by **lifedeath** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:47 pm

Death Penatly...Is it right?

Of course no....

(then be silent for 4 minutes and 55 seconds)

Accer · Post by **Accer** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:48 pm

It's really helpful if you pick a topic that feels close to you personally somehow. Anybody can do a little research and whip out a very dry 5 minute speech. Pick something that definitely has relevance in your own life, it might help you *a lot* when you actually give the speech.

If there’s some specific teen issue that you feel has a lot of relevance in your life, go for that.

chaos42 · Post by **chaos42** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 1:06 pm

my only suggestion is to try to pick something different from what everyone else may do yet not obscure enough that the judges wont be able to connect with you...

I was in a contest once on the greatest invention and I figured that they would be flooded with your standards (fire, computers, antiseptics, etc) and they were. I did mine on Spam. I packed it full of WWII references and the like. Actually did quite a bit of research into that one...

Now do I think that Spam is the greatest invention ever? No....But did I win the contest? Yes....Why? Origionality, persuasiveness and quality. My theory on thing like this is that what I did was strange enough to get their attention and done well enough to keep their attention....The hook is only good enough to grab them at the beginning...Unless you have the follow through you'll still lose them...

Now this topic would most likely not be suitable for what you are working on but I just though I'd offer some pointers....

kaiju01 · Post by **kaiju01** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 5:30 pm

Write it on SPAM!

mikehendo · Post by **mikehendo** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 5:44 pm

[quote="lifedeath";p="272912"]Death Penatly...Is it right?

Of course no....

(then be silent for 4 minutes and 55 seconds)[/quote]

But, what if it is right

She needs to say somethign of actual value when she stands up there or she will get a big fat F for a grade..

Seir · Post by **Seir** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 6:58 pm

Tips on speech?

It's been awhile since I've given a speech and it's even been longer since when I took speech in school. But I hope what I'm about to say can help.

First of all, know your audience. Know what would interest your audience and write about that. For instance, you wouldn't give a speech about Raves to an audience of 90 year-old men and women. Nor would you deliever a speech about the evils of alcohol to a bunch of drinkers in a bar. Think about what interests your peers and write about that. Do some soul searching, the answer could be as simple as what the current crackdown on peer to peer users could mean to you guys. Know your audience and yourself.

Second, delivery is just as important as content. You say that you're giving a five minute speech? Okay, well be sure find a way to grab the attention of your audience withint the first *thirty* seconds or else you might run the risk of loosing them. You need an attentnion grabber. One of things that Mark Twain used to do was akin to:

"SEX! SEX! SEX! AND MORE SEX!!!!............

Now that I have your attention I would like to talk to you about the current state of our economy."

I'm not saying that you have to take this example literally, but just remember, that attention spans can be low and you need a way to hook your audience in.

((I know I've drifted far from the original point of helping you get a topic, but I guess I've gone into my teaching mode. Sorry about the floodgates rushing))

"What we need here is emotional content." -Bruce Lee, "Enter the Dragon"

Finally, remember that when delivering your speech, if you sound like dead wood, then everyone will fall asleep no matter how interesting it oculd be. You could be delivering a speech about the sex positions that Paris Hilton used in her infamous video, but if you sound like Ben Stein (Bueler? Bueler?) you'll loose them.

Anyways, here are some topics that you could possible deliver a speech on:

-Video Games being the latest tool for corrupting the youth. Long ago it was jazz music, then it was comic books, then it was rock and roll, now videogames are being accused of corrupting minors.

-the whole "controversy" at the Super Bowl half time show. You coudl write about the stunt itself, or about how something as trivial as a flash of someone's bosom is getting so much coverage. (In my opinion, I'm glad that this is the first time a naked member of the Jackson family hasn't traumatized the kids.)

-How boys of girls of various ages view dating.

-Better educational tools? Textbook learning or experience? Repitition or application?

Hope anything I wrote helps.

MissCheetah · Post by **MissCheetah** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:14 pm

How about dealing with some of the less political environmental issues in Australia such as invasive non-native species (rabbits, cane toads, etc),water usage, alternative power-tied in to global power/resource usage, recycling, etc. Those tend to be good for grabbing attention but not as touchy as say the immigration issues.

Another topic is education. I know little of your system and the issues there...but it is an option. A speach that requires a bit of research really does tend to make a better impression.

Imperator Severn · Post by **Imperator Severn** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 8:21 pm

Speak on the life and times of Lucius Septimius Severus.

Have your people call my people, and maybe I'll pretend to think about doing an interview, stringing you on for weeks, before finally blowing you off to watch "Three's Company" reruns.

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