Editing Public Speaking (Summer 2019)/Advocacy Speech (section)

=== Be serious in your efforts to be heard ===
This speech is a unique opportunity to stand in a public area and demand attention. People will literally stop in their tracks and listen to your argument. The implication here is that it had better be a good argument and you had better be serious about your argument. I’m not saying that there can’t be humor in your speech, but that you should be serious about your topic and your intent. In the past, I have been discouraged when I see students playacting instead of speaking. They get out there and scream and render their garments, but it feels disingenuous. Alternatively, students simply stand there and read their notecards. Both actions miss the point of the assignment, which is to actually engage an audience of strangers with your honest and serious arguments. It is difficult and potentially embarrassing, but if you really commit yourself to being heard as a serious and engaging speaker, you will get so much from this assignment.