Your Speeches

Marshall Ganz and Public Narrative

Marshall Ganz is a senior lecturer in leadership, organizing, and civil society at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.  Ganz reminds us that we are story-telling and story-loving creatures, driven largely by coherent, personal, and relatable narratives, which can create positive social change. 

Begin by learning more about Ganz's work and his Public Narrative initiatives:

• Working Narratives Organization

• The Public Narrative Participant Guide  

• A lecture by Ganz at the Resistance School (recommended, not required)

Your Speeches for this Class

In the spirit of Ganz's work on employing narrative for social change, this class will structure our three main speeches around the following framework: story of self, story of us, story of now:

Your first speech, your Story of Self, will run 2-3 min on Apr 11.  Recall from Marshall Ganz's Public Narrative Project that a Story of Self is a personal story that shows “why you were called to what you have been called to.”  Everyone has a story about an experience that called them to do what they do or care in the way that they care.  Note that a story of self isn't a recited resume/list of titles nor does it require disclosing your deepest secrets; rather it's the experiences that have shaped your values and reasons for caring about an important issue or idea.  It's so we can "get you."  It's why you're here.  Please see my sample Story of Self as I wrote/revised it to hit the 3-min requirement.  Note the elements of a crucial turning point, audience connection, and "why am I called." 

Craft and practice your Story of Self.  You will be evaluated on the following:

1. Did you prepare and practice this presentation?  Were you prepared by class time?

2. Did you grab our attention and begin w/ poise and confidence?

3. Did you use notes in a careful and professional way?  Sufficient eye contact?  Not just reading?

4. Did you have minimal verbal fillers? 

5. Did you have a polished, confident, varied voice?  Purposeful movement and gestures? 

6. Did you speak at a steady rate?  Not too fast/slow?

7. Did you follow the parameters described above?  Establish speaker credibility?  Shared relevant, specific experiences that help us understand your concerns/values?  Appropriate for a professional setting?

8. Did you relate to the audience in a meaningful way, both verbally (with specific statements) and nonverbally (with rapport)?

9. Did you hit the time requirement?  This one is crucial.

10. Did you give this speech assignment a hearty try?

Answering yes to most or all of these questions results in full credit: 75/75.  Students who do not deliver a hearty try, severely miss the time requirements, use dehumanizing language about groups of people, or are clearly unprepared will not pass this presentation.  

Your 2nd Speech should model many elements of a Story of Us, and be delivered in the form of an Informative Symposium Presentation (4-6 min) on Apr 29 & May 2.   Note these sample presentation materials for this assignment: sample outline, Civility and Emotions (by Kendra) and/or sample outline, Frida Kahlo by Sara Wagner.

Now is your chance to present your own informative presentation where you'll teach us about a relevant social/community issue and/or you'll explain something to us in a new and compelling way.  Think back to your Story of Self and what is important to you.  How can you teach us more about that topic?  Note that you are NOT calling us to believe something new about that topic, or calling us to act in a meaningful way; rather you are reporting on something, teaching us something we don't already know. 

Demonstrate your credibility on a topic, organize your ideas carefully, and connect with your audience intentionally (verbally and with nonverbal rapport).  Without calling us to act (which is reserved for persuasive presentations), give us examples of why we should care about your subject.  Answer this: what does this speech information have to do with me, Average Audience-Member?  Here is where specific "you" or "us" language can be helpful.

For this presentation, you will be evaluated on these fifteen benchmarks:

1. Did you prepare and practice this presentation?  Were you prepared by class time?  Visual aids were thoughtfully prepared and executed?

2. Did you grab our attention and begin w/ poise and confidence?  Did you state a clear thesis early on and preview your ideas?

3. Are your main ideas clear throughout the speech?  Is the speech easy to follow and well organized?  Clear transitions?

4. Did you verbally cite three credible sources?  This one is crucial (-5 pts for e/ missing source).  Did you cite images used?

5. Did you use notes in a careful, professional way?  Sufficient eye contact?

6. Did you have minimal verbal fillers? (um, uh, so...)  Did you have a polished, confident, varied voice?

7. Did you speak at a steady rate?  Not too fast/slow?

8. Did you move and gesture in a thoughtful, purposeful way?

9. Did you follow the parameters described above?  Shared relevant, specific experiences that help us understand your topic/community issue?  Didn't try to persuade? 

10. Is the content of this presentation appropriate for a professional setting?

11. Did you relate to the audience in a meaningful way, both verbally (with specific statements) and nonverbally (with rapport)?  Did you do this throughout the speech (not just at the very beginning)?

12. Did the audience report that they learned something valuable from your presentation?

13. Did you hit the time requirement of 4-6 min?  This one is crucial, too.  You may be awkwardly cut off if you run over 6 minutes and lose 1 pt for every two seconds over/under the timeframe.

14. Did you close and recap with a clear conclusion?

15. Did you submit a final outline and APA style works cited page with this presentation?  Note that I will not grade a speech without an accompanying outline and works cited page.

Answering yes to most or all of these questions results in full credit: 100/100.  Students who do not deliver a hearty try, or who severely miss the time requirements, use dehumanizing language about groups of people, or are clearly unprepared will not receive full credit and/or may be encouraged to try again.  If your informative presentation is severely lacking or needs significant improvement in one of these 15 benchmarks above, you may be deducted 5 points from the whole speech for each benchmark.  You will be deducted 5 points for each missing verbally cited source.

Don't forget to rely on the strength of your team for this project.  Seek feedback from your teammates on this whole process, and definitely let me, Kendra, know how I can help!

Note that there is no group grade associated with this assignment.  You are working in teams to support each other; the quality of your teammate's work will have no impact on your evaluation.  

NOTE: First-Version Outlines for These Presentations due by Apr 25.

Trying to figure out a topic?  Consider one of these types of classically informative presentations:

• a history of...

• a biography of...

• how something works

• how to do something

• a comparison between...

Also note that, depending on your topic AND your audience, you'll want to pick a sturdy organizational pattern for your informative material:

• topical (the paradox of emotions in civil dialogue and how you can think about and regulate your own)

• chronological (a biography of Denise Altvater, from childhood trauma and injustice to present-day activism)

• cause and effects (The Gulf of Maine temps rise and ocean acidification increases)

• spatial (a historical account of the Maine Freedom Trail, from Portland, to Malaga Island, Phippsburg, to a possible Underground Railroad site in Fort Kent)

Make your 1st-version outline a solidly completed submission, with all the elements of a good speech:

• a snazzy intro / attention-getter

• a clearly stated thesis and preview

• a statement of your credibility

• audience-centered language: "you," "we," "us"

• a logical organization pattern with clear transitions

• clearly cited research (3 verbally cited sources minimum) and APA style works cited page

• content that runs for 4-6 min  

RECALL THIS SAMPLE Good/Bad/Ugly Outline and an accompanying video explanation.

This 1st-version outline will be evaluated based on (1) hitting the due date deadline and (2) completeness.  Full credit (50/50) will be awarded for fully developed outlines and demonstration of quality research/the start of a works cited page.  Half credit (25/50) will be awarded for sloppy, incomplete outlines, but at least you've started.  No credit (0/50) will be awarded for missing the deadline of submitting a 1st-version outline.  This is one of those rare assignments where if you miss the boat for turning something in, you can't receive credit for it.  You should still submit a 1st-version outline before you deliver your speech so that you can seek feedback on the overall presentation (which is worth more), but you won't be able to receive credit for the outline w/o a valid excuse.

Note that you'll resubmit a final outline with a fully formatted APA style works cited page on the day you deliver your presentation if you have made significant changes to your presentation outline.

Your 3rd and final speech: Your Story of Now (5-7 min)

Now it's really showtime (May 27 & 30)!  Now is your chance to change our minds and call us to ACT.  Think back to your Story of Self and Story of Us.  How can you now call us to believe something new about that topic, or call us to act in a meaningful way?  You've established great credibility in our class with your story of self, and we have a great foundation of knowledge from your Story of Us Informative Presentation.  Now, what do you want us to go out and DO TODAY?  This is incredibly exciting, and with the opportunity for persuasion comes great power and responsibility.  Recall what you've learned about ethical communication and public speaking.  How will you balance ethos, pathos, and logos?  How will you avoid demagogic rhetoric?  How will you "speak to the elephants" of the skeptical members of your audience?  

Recall the difference between a question of

1. fact (Climate change is causing the Gulf of Maine to warm and acidify at unprecedented rates.)

2. value (The Gulf of Maine is the most beautiful & economically important coastline in need of protection in the whole country.)

3. and policy (The Maine State Legislature should invest $4M in climate research and restoration measures to reverse the temperature and acidification trends in the Gulf of Maine–call your representatives today!)

Your goal is to advocate for some sort of policy.  It's not enough to get us to just tacitly agree with you; what do you want me to go out and do today that will have a wider social/community impact.  You may include elements of question-of-fact and question-of-value (depending on your audience, of course) but that will not be your primary purpose.  What policy should we advocate?  How can you call me to act in the urgency of your Story of NOW?  Where is the locus of action (right here in my community or thousands of miles away), and how can I still do something?  

Here are some examples of how you can call your audience to action:

• sign a petition

• donate $

• volunteer your time

• vote for/against a policy/candidate

• write a letter of support

• write a letter to the editor

• follow or participate in a social media campaign

• learn more at a website

• sign up for more information/newsletter

• attend an event/rally coming up very soon

• pledge action

• contact a governmental or institutional representative (like a state rep or a college chancellor)

Once you've thought about your audience and begun some research, start to consider the structural pattern that makes sense for your speech: problem-solution, problem-cause-solution, comparative advantage, Monroe's Motivated Sequence, Nancy Duerte's what is-what could be.

Demonstrate your credibility on a topic, organize your ideas carefully, and connect with your audience intentionally (verbally or with nonverbal rapport).  Now let's get to outlining your persuasive, urgent Story of Now!

See this sample outline that would complete Kendra's theme of topics on emotional intelligence and interpersonal communication:  Thesis Statement:  Give kids and young adults the resources and opportunities to practice difficult interpersonal communication, thus empowering them to be fully fulfilled relational partners and engaged citizens.  Review that sample outline and note how this speech calls for a specific policy and is structured mainly by a problem-solution-call to action format.  (Sorry it's so UMaine-focused.).  We'll review these sample student persuasive speech outlines in class as well.  Note that your first-version persuasive outlines are due in class on or before May 20 and will be evaluated just like your Story of Us Informative first-version outlines (full credit, half credit, or no credit based on completeness by the deadline).

For this presentation, you will be evaluated on these fifteen benchmarks:

1. Did you prepare and practice this presentation?  Were you prepared by class time?

2. Did you grab our attention and begin w/ poise and confidence?  Did you state a clear thesis early on and preview your ideas?

3. Are your main ideas clear throughout the speech?  Is the speech easy to follow and well organized?  Clear transitions?

4. Did you verbally cite three-five credible sources?  This one is crucial.  Did you cite any images used (optional)?

5. Did you use notes in a careful, professional way?  Sufficient eye contact?

6. Did you have minimal verbal fillers? (um, uh, so...) Did you have a polished, confident, varied voice?

7. Did you speak at a steady rate?  Not too fast/slow?

8. Did you move and gesture in a thoughtful, purposeful way?

9. Did you follow the parameters described above?  Persuaded about a specific policy and called us to a specific, doable action?

10. Is the content of this presentation appropriate for a professional setting?   Thoughtful language and balance of ethos/pathos/logos?

11. Did you relate to the audience in a meaningful way, both verbally (with specific statements) and nonverbally (with rapport)?  Did you do this throughout the speech (not just at the very beginning)?

12. Did your audience report that they were persuaded?

13. Did you hit the time requirement of 5-7 min?  This one is crucial, too.  You may be awkwardly cut off if you run over 7 minutes (1 pt off for every 2 seconds over/under).

14. Did you close and recap with a clear conclusion?  With a clear call to action? 

15. Did you submit a final outline and APA style works cited page with this presentation?  Note that I will not grade a speech without an accompanying outline and works cited page.

Answering yes to most or all of these questions results in full credit: 100/100.  Students who do not deliver a hearty try, severely miss the time requirements, use dehumanizing language about groups of people, or are clearly unprepared will not receive full credit and/or may be encouraged to try again.  If your persuasive speech is severely lacking or needs significant improvement in one of these 15 benchmarks above, you may be deducted 5 points from the whole speech for each benchmark.  You will be deducted 5 points for each missing verbally cited source.

Don't forget to rely on the strength of your class colleagues for this project.  Seek feedback from your classmates on this whole process, and definitely let me, Kendra, know how I can help!  You got this!  Persuade us!

NOTE: First-Version Outlines for These Presentations are due May 20 or earlier.

This 1st-version outline will be evaluated based on (1) hitting the due date deadline and (2) completeness.  Full credit (50/50) will be awarded for fully developed outlines and demonstration of quality research/the start of a works cited page.  Half credit (25/50) will be awarded for sloppy, incomplete outlines, but at least you've started.  No credit (0/50) will be awarded for missing the deadline of submitting a 1st-version outline.  This is one of those rare assignments where if you miss the boat for turning something in, you can't receive credit for it.  You should still submit a 1st-version outline before you deliver your speech so that you can seek feedback on the overall presentation (which is worth more), but you won't be able to receive credit for the outline w/o a valid excuse.

Note that you'll resubmit a final outline with a fully formatted APA style works cited page on the day you deliver your presentation if you have made significant changes to your presentation outline.