Find a speech given to a live audience to critique. Due to COVID-19, attending a large speaking event may be unadvisable; therefore, if needed, find a good substitute online of at least 10 minutes in length.
Suggestions (live if safe):
A special-event lecture on campus or elsewhere
A guest speaker in one of your classes
A training class
A campus tour
Suggestions (online):
Ted Talks (ted.com) work well for this assignment. Link to Ted Talks Website (Links to an external site.)
Rick Steves has good travel lectures. Link to Rick Steves’ Website (Links to an external site.) (Not to be confused with his television episodes or videos with voiceover. Look for the lectures where he or one of his staff is on stage.)
Write an essay critiquing the speakers performance. Demonstrate a solid understanding of the elements of effective public speaking.
Make sure your essay is well-written (introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph; proofread for errors; plenty of examples).