Source Requirements
You need a minimum of eight sources for your speech research. You will be expected to document these sources in an either MLA or Chicago-style bibliography when you submit the final draft of your speech, so be sure to keep track of them carefully as you conduct your research. (If you need help formatting your bibliography, please consult your Hacker guide or use an electronic citation manager like NoodleTools.)
Although your speech advisor can offer guidance, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that your sources are reliable and objective. Look for articles in major, well-respected publications (e.g., The New York Times, The Washington Post) and/or that are written by someone who has special expertise in the subject area.
Click here for advice on using online sources wisely.
If you need help locating sources or evaluating their credibility, please consult Mrs. Paul in Batten Library. I am here to help!
Attributions
The faculty members who grade your speech will be listening for evidence of good research. Remember that your audience does not have the benefit of reading your speech, so the scholarly apparatus of footnotes, bibliographies, etc. that we usually use to cite our sources is not available to them. Instead, use attributions to indicate where your evidence is coming from. Aim for at least one attribution in each body paragraph.
Limit how much you say in an attribution. You do not need to tell your audience the title of a newspaper article, for example (this is a common misconception that wastes valuable space in your speech!). Instead, focus on communicating the credentials of the publishing entity or the author in order to establish expertise.
If you cite a research study or a poll, tell your audience who/which organization conducted it and when, plus other information that is relevant to your topic.
Examples of good attributions:
Dr. James Gerard, Professor of Anatomy at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, noted in an August 2023 article in The New York Times...
According to a January 2022 National Institutes of Health study of 1200 adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease...
Examples of poor attributions:
In a May 3, 2021 article in The Virginian-Pilot newspaper entitled “Things I Learned from My Uncle,” Margaret Smith states...
In a survey of 5000 Americans, 600 of them said...