If you are passionate about the environment, then write about environmental issues, or write about the impact of technology on medicine, if that is what you are passionate about. Make sure your topic fits the parameters of the assignment. Choosing a topic you are passionate about will make writing, rehearsing, and giving your speech much easier.
If the websites are all saying the same thing about your topic, the information should be valid and reliable. If they are not, then keep researching your topic until you find consistent information.
Check the publication dates for the books you reference. Always use the newest version of a book possible, as it will have the most up-to-date studies and research.
Additionally, take note of any opposing opinions. This way you can briefly address and rebut them in your speech. Save the links to your Internet sources in a Word document so you can refer back to them at a later time if you need to.
For example, if you are writing about plastic pollution in the ocean, break your speech up into causes, effects, and solutions. If you are writing about the effect of globalization, organize your speech around the positive and negative effects of globalization.
For example, if you are giving a speech about the effects of plastic pollution on the ocean, start with a fact that most people believe about plastics in the ocean. Then, share something that will shatter that belief. Anything shocking, odd, or absurd will grab your audience. If you are giving a speech about the effects of global population growth, open up your speech with an interesting fact like, “If all the people in the world stood in a line, the line would be long enough to reach Mars. "
Use 3 to 4 hours to memorize a 20 to 30 minute speech. Memorizing your speech in front of the mirror will help you observe your movements and vocalizations so that you can incorporate the ones you like into your final presentation.
For example, write down the beginning of a sentence, a statistic, an important fact, or a word that will jog your memory.
Show your audience that you are excited about your speech by smiling before you begin, as well as throughout the speech.
Also remember to pause and take a breath throughout your speech, especially if you feel like you are talking to fast. Pause at the end of sentences, or pause after saying an important point.
For example, if you ask a rhetorical question, emphasize the last part of the question, or the word “you” to get your point across. Also emphasize main ideas, and the beginning of a new paragraph or section of your speech.
Think of your speech as a series of conversations with different members in the audience. If you find yourself getting nervous looking at people, try looking a little above their heads, instead. This way, you’re still looking out, but you can focus on what you’re saying instead of on other people’s expressions.
Remember, while a few seconds may seem forever to you, it is only a few seconds to your audience. If you really feel like you’re taking too long to collect yourself, tell your audience, “I really want to get my facts straight, so I’m going to read this part verbatim,” and refer to your script.
Once you’ve finished, thank your audience, pause for any applause if appropriate, then take your seat.
