Requirements and Rubric

For this element of the writer's workshop you are required to write a speech. The final product should be 3-4 pages typed, double spaced. Before you begin, consider these steps:

  1. Consult and consider the Sample Work on this page
  2. Revisit the Sample Work that we looked at as a class and the notes that we took
  3. Revisit, consult, and consider the ideas you've been gathering in your Writer's Notebook. Look to it for inspiration
  4. Begin your writer's process (plan, draft, revise...)
    • You can use the Resources below to help you get started or if you encounter writer's block. They are there to help you.
    • As you go, consult the rubric, so you are mindful of how your speech will be evaluated.

Models and Notes

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion in speaking. The art form has been studied systematically since the Ancient Greeks. One way to approach rhetoric is with Aristotle's concept of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Rhetorical Techniques

Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Another source
Purdue Online Writing Lab

Ethos: credibility
Pathos: emotional connection to the audience
Logos: logical argument


Three Presidents, Three Speeches about Using Military Force


Sample Work

Follow the links below to sample speeches.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have Dream Speech
John F. Kennady's Inaugural Address
Malcom X's The Ballot or the Bullet
Obama's Speech on Race: "A More Perfect Union"


Speeches on Social Justice
American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches

Resources