Activity One: Structure and Argument
Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the organizational structure of the speech.
2. Identify and explain at least two major arguments in the speech
Activity:
As public speaking students, you understand the importance of structure in making quality speeches. You have learned several organizational patterns that help you make coherent, evidence based arguments. Hopefully, you have observed how helpful organizational structure is, especially for newer speakers. Something you have also observed is that there is a lot of speaking that happens outside of the Public Speaking classroom that does not necessarily follow the same rules for outlining that we use in the classroom. Nonetheless, there is an organizational structure in every single speech you hear.
To begin, let’s consider how “A Creative Protest” is organized. In order to do this, identify
the following:
the general purpose of this speech
the specific purpose of the speech
the introduction
each main point with its supporting argument of the speech (note that one main point may include more than one supporting argument)
the transitions between main points (which you should locate between main points and their supporting arguments)
the conclusion
Now that you can see the structure more clearly, consider whether or not this resembles any organizational structure with which you are familiar either from a classroom setting or another setting such as a debate, group meeting, religious event, or political speech. Do you recognize this form of structuring ideas and arguments in public speaking? If so, what similarities have you seen in other places? If not, how might this kind of structure enhance another kind of speech? What did you learn from examining the structure that you might be able to implement in your own speaking?
Bonus activity:
Somehow pursuing the main point they are most interested in to find out if King said it another time, or to find out what news of that day may have compelled him to say those specific things?