Selecting a Topic
Topic Selection Through Self Reflection
Objective: During the 45 minute class period, the student will learn how to choose a speech topic that is interesting to him/her and is appealing to his/her audience.
Materials: Interview sheets are needed for this activity.
Steps:
1. Pair students into groups of two.
2. Explain the process: Each student will interview their partner and record his/her responses. After the interview process is completed, students will suggest a potential speech topic based on their partners response and what they (as an audience member) find to be an interesting speech topic.
3. Handout interview sheets to each student.
Results: Students should take home their own responses and their partner’s suggestions to use as a guide to choose their own speech topic. After choosing a topic, students will prepare a list of questions to research. Students need to bring their topic and questions to class and should be prepared to share their topics and at least three research questions with the class. Remind students to choose a topic that interests them and will also appeal to their audience.
Danielle Helzer
06/05/07
Selecting A Topic
Taking Mental Inventory
Objective: After completing this lesson, the student will be able to effectively select a speech topic that is interesting to him/her and relevant to the course.
Materials: The students require only pen and paper. You’ll need a chalk board/dry erase board or an over head projector.
Steps:
1. As one large group, have the students name the books, plays, poems, or short stories they’ve completed in class this semester.
2. List these items on the board.
3. Ask the students to silently finish the following sentences in their notebooks. Write each one on the board as you read it, and pause between each to allow the students time to fill in the blanks.
The text or author I found to be most perplexing this semester was definitely ___________ because________________________.
The text or author I related to most was ___________________ because_____________________________________________________.
When we read __________________, I was intrigued because
__________________________________________________________.
Our discussion of _________________________ made me want to know more about _______________________________________.
When we read __________________________, it reminded me of ________ because _______________________________________.
If I were stranded on a desert island, one text/author I would definitely take with me would be _______________________ because __________________________.
If I live to be 100 years old, I’ll never read ____________________________ because _______________.
4. Tell the students to consider their reactions and responses to each of the questions.
Ask if there was a text that came up more than once, or if there was a question for which the answer could have been much longer. A possible topic should emerge.
Results: Students should take these questions and responses home to act as a guide in selecting their speech topics. For next class, have them return with an idea for a thesis statement, a brief rationale concerning why this topic is relevant and interesting, and a few research questions.
Jon Flanagan
09/05/07
Searching Through the Web
Using an Idea Web to Discover Topics
TOPIC: Choosing a Topic
OBJECTIVE: Given the outline for an idea web, the student will be able to successfully brainstorm, write, and choose topics and subtopics for future speeches.
MATERIALS: Pen/pencil and paper. Instructor may use white/chalk board for example of drawing.
STEPS:
1. Ask students to think about things they like to do, what they do well, what interests them, what perplexes them, popular media, and things that interest their audience etc.
2. Have students draw four ovals on their paper.
3. Have students pick four of those ideas and put them in the ovals on their paper.
4. Ask students to come up with two to three ideas about those four things and write them down under each circle.
5. Tell the students to pick three ideas that really interest them from those subtopics.
6. Tell the students to break those three subtopics into two or three more topics.
7. Have students work with a partner to discuss their ideas.
8. After a few minutes discussing have students pick three topics that are their favorite.
9. Have students take turns listing their topic ideas to see that all have something to work on.
RESULTS: Students will take these topics home to look at and possibly change. Students should bring the next day, a specific topic, a thesis statement and the three main points to cover in their first speech assignment.
Amanda Davidson
Fall 2009
Brainstorming
OBJECTIVE: Students will have an understanding of brainstorming and will be able to use it in a group setting or individually.
MATERIALS: One large paper bag, one smaller bag for each group and a few assorted items.
STEPS:
1. Explain to the class that they need to come up with a theme for a party to be held for the new speech team members. Have each student write down as many ideas as they can for the theme. Do not set a time limit.
2. After a few minutes, or when you can see that there is not much writing going on, survey the class and see how many ideas were generated.
3. Explain to the class that this was an exercise in brainstorming. Discuss the rules of brainstorming. See handout.
4. As a class, brainstorm ideas for speeches.
5. Have the class play the murder mystery game and brainstorm solutions to present to the class.
RESULT: Students will brainstorm ideas for a persuasive, informative, and entertainment speech.
Brainstorming
There are no bad ideas since each idea could lead to another that may be even better.
Don’t make any negative comments about someone else’s idea. Use their idea to jump off in another direction.
Have a designated scribe.
Make sure someone (or even two people) are writing down all the ideas. In the moment, someone might say something terrific that you won’t recognize until later. Write them on the board so others will use them as stepping stones.
Help everyone to participate.
Make sure everyone is comfortable sharing their ideas.
Set a time limit for your brainstorming.
Be aware that during brainstorming, there will be a natural lull in the answers after a few minutes. If you keep going and let their brains keep working, then the really creative ideas begin.
Try for as many ideas as possible.
You can always sort through the ideas later to find the best ones.
Murder Mystery Game
Have everyone dig something out of their backpack, purse or pocket at the beginning of the class and tell them they will get the item back at the end of class. It doesn’t matter what it is but they must not let anyone else see what they are giving. Have a few items ready in case there are some students that don’t or won’t contribute. Collect the items in a large bag. Divide the items into bags enough for each group, with at least four items per bag. You can put an extra item in each bag if you want. Give each group a bag and tell them that the CSI team has found these clues at the murder scene. One of the clues leads to the victim, one to the murderer, one is the murder weapon, and one is the reason for the murder. Each team must then brainstorm to decide which item is which, and create a presentation for the class. After fifteen minutes, they must then make their presentations.
Kim Hauschild
Fall 2009
Eureka!
Invention
Objective: Students will learn new and innovative ways to brainstorm for a suitable speech topic.
Materials: None
Steps:
1. Explain invention and how it began. Be sure to tie in Aristotle and ‘logos’ (what is to be spoken, not how it is to be spoken).
2. Tell students that invention is the first step in choosing what to say. In other words, it’s determining a speech topic.
3. On a sheet of paper, have students make a large circle with five lines protruding from it (similar to a sun with rays). In the middle of the circle, have students write their name.
4. On the ‘rays,’ have students list their favorite hobby, their favorite holiday, a descriptive adjective of themselves, a characteristic they like about themselves, and their favorite relative.
5. Explain to the students that good speech topics need to something that they are interested in (which is most often part of their lives).
6. Explain to the students that these ‘rays’ can act as potential topics for constructing a speech
Results: Students can be assigned to come up with other events, sports, or hobbies that interest them.
Grant Campbell
Summer 2005
Invention
Objective: Students will learn how to find a speech topic through self-reflection and brainstorming.
Materials: Invention handouts
Steps:
1. Discuss definition and origins of invention.
a. Invention is the system or method used for the discovery of arguments in Western rhetoric.
b. Comes from the Latin word inventio meaning “invention” or “discovery”.
c. The first of the five canons of classical rhetoric that concern the crafting and delivery of speeches (the others are dispositio, elocutio, memoria, and pronumtiatio).
d. Aristotle was a proponent of invention.
e. Connected to logos; invention is used to generate the ideas that will support your assertions.
2. Distribute self-reflection/brainstorming hand out, which will ask students to list items such as the following:
Three interesting things about myself:
My hobbies include:
My favorite relative is___________ because:
Jobs I’ve had:
Pets I’ve had:
Professions or careers I am considering:
Three favorite authors/books:
Three favorite movies/directors:
Three favorite bands:
Three favorite sport teams:
If I could spend tomorrow doing anything, I would:
Recent news topics I found interesting were:
If I could vote in the next presidential election, I would for__________
because:
3. Explain that the ideas they’ve listed can help them select a good speech topic.
Result: Each student should take his/her self-reflection/ brainstorming sheets home and consider which topic he or she would like to write a speech about. They should then formulate a topic sentence or thesis to turn in.
Jon Flanagan
Fall 2007