APPROVED TOPICS Media How should parents educate and control their children’s internet use? Should people delete their social media? Does violent and/or sexual media (including video games, movies, and online content) harm young people? Is gaming bad for young people? Should paparazzi photography be banned in either all cases or when it comes to children under 18? Are teen role models worse now than they were in the past? Why or why not? Health Overdose / Drug abuse How should we deal with mental illness? Health-at-every-size movement / Body Positivity / Obesity Homelessness / Poverty Energy Nuclear power Off-shore drilling Energy independence Biofuels Fracking Foreign Policy and the Military Military intervention abroad Trade policies and/or agreements Assistance to foreign countries Use of torture Women in combat National Defense Budget Science Cloning The Space Program Is it okay to genetically modify crops? Should we fear A.I.? Law & Crime Police and community relations Immigration policy Prisons / Solitary confinement Drug policy / “War on Drugs” Human trafficking Gun issues Environment / Animals Global climate change Pollution Access to clean water Animal testing Keeping animals in zoos or aquariums Is hunting okay? School Homework Sex education Zero-tolerance policies Inclusion vs. or self-contained classrooms Balanced calendar What can we do to combat grade inflation? What can we do to raise graduation rates? Is college worth it? Money and Work Taxes Campaign Finance Reform The National Debt College Tuition Minimum Wage Outsourcing Equal pay for women Maternity and paternity leave Family Issues Divorce Spanking Beauty pageants Should kids have phones?
BRAINSTORMING TOPIC: THESIS: Write down three arguments that support your position. Write down counter arguments (this is just for the sake of argument – you do not need to believe the arguments). Now, brainstorm ways to (politely) shut down the counter arguments in the middle column. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.
This website does not have too many ads, “click-bait” titles, or links that go to baloney like weight-loss stuff, celebrity gossip, or mindless top-ten lists. This article is NOT a slide-show article. This website looks professional and grown-up. The writing does not contain stupid mistakes, and the language is serious and mature. This site does not use a lot of bright/flashy colors and/or huge pictures everywhere. Is the article informative, not just opinion? YES / NO Does the author cite his or her sources through links or at the bottom of the page? Is the article filled with facts, statistics, and expert opinions? Web Evaluation #______ Author(s) -- if missing, skip this box Webpage/Article Name Website Publisher/Sponsor –find down at bottom of webpage Date Created – or copyright date if missing Date of Access Should we trust the author/publisher? YES / NO The author’s name is visible. If there is no author, the publisher is well known and respected. The publisher’s name is usually at the bottom of the page by a copyright symbol; you can also use to find the publisher (it will be labeled “Registrant Org”) The author is an expert in the field. Check this by reading the author information at the bottom or top of the article, in the “About” section of the website, or through using Wikipedia. Is this website respectable? YES / NO
Conclusion: Restate thesis and then give a “Call to Action” – inspire and encourage the audience to do something about this issue! Speech Delivery Tips Speed: Most people speed up when they are nervous. Before you go, relax by taking deep breaths and imagining yourself doing a great job. When practicing alone, your time should be 1 minute greater than the goal. You will speed up a little. Pause at appropriate times in your speech. Before and after each “paragraph” = good times to pause. Filler Words In your everyday life, practice replacing filler words like um, so, and like with a simple pause. During speeches, we end up using a lot of fillers when we are nervous. Take a breath instead. Volume If you’re soft-spoken, it’s okay, but you must speak with energy and passion so your voice will carry. On the flip side, no one likes to be shouted at. Pick a normal volume, and just project your voice. To project, breathe from your chest and speak from the chest (rather than from the head). Clarity If there are words in your speech you have trouble pronouncing, practice saying them correctly. Don’t mumble or slur words; imagine you are pushing words out of your mouth, and slow down. Eye Contact: Do not just read off your notes the whole time! Notes are not for you to read off your entire speech. They are for two things: 1) a very rough outline in case you get nervous and forget what’s next 2) exact quotes/facts and where they came from