Speech

Jeremy Simpson

09/23/2019

Dr. Lucas

ENG 112 872 AC

Speech

Some research that I have conducted in the past would include many things from different courses, even directly from English III last spring. Conducting research as well as organizing it and presenting it is something that I have always enjoyed, especially if the subject is about one of my interests. Research assignments are something that I have always excelled at academically.

I have always enjoyed doing research on controversial topics, such as politics and government. In my English II high school class that I took last spring, we were assigned a speech on any topic we felt inclined to choose and we had to present the speech to the class. Afterward, we voted on each other’s speeches based on how we as speakers presented ourselves, our collected evidence, and how we presented our message to the class. The topic I chose was government and politics. I decided to name my speech “America Is Superior.” Of course, this was opinion based and most of the audience disagreed with my perspective. However,  I thought if I could gather pertinent evidence and present my theories effectively during my speech the audience might take my opinions into consideration. For this topic specifically, I was tasked with gathering a decent amount of evidence and being able to persuade an audience. Writing all of this information really enlightened me a great deal. The assignment taught me how to organize material and be a persuasive force to an audience. It also taught me a lot about politics. On page 281 of the Norton Field Guide, it states, “we write in order to figure out what we think.” This resonated with me in the fact that gathering evidence and writing relevant information in a clear and organized manner does lead to being able to persuade an audience.

To conclude, I have conducted multiple kinds of research and it is very important how you organize as well as present your research. I also learned some things while reading the Norton Field Guide such as the quote I used earlier about learning while you write which is what happened to me while writing my speech. I learned more than I bargained for about my argument as well as the other side of the topic. The knowledge I gained enabled me to view both sides and strengthen my argument to the point that I actually persuaded others to my side.

Citations

Bullock, Richard, et al. Chapter 25: “Writing as Inquiry.” The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook. 5th ed. Norton, 2019. pp. 281-284. PDF.