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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

Boost your speech skills

Enhance your public speaking with personalized coaching tailored to your needs

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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• 5 Famous Speeches To Help you Learn English

• Posted on 16/06/2021
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: Famous Speeches , Listening , Listening Comprehension , Resources to learn English , Speaking

Everyone likes listening to inspiring speeches. Gifted speakers have a way of making people want to listen and take action to change their lives.

But speeches aren’t just interesting because of their content. They are also great tools to help you improve your English.

Listening to a speech and taking notes can help you develop your comprehension skills. Repeating the words of the speaker allows you to improve your pronunciation. And writing a summary can help you practise your spelling and grammar.

To help you get started, we’ve found 5 famous speeches to help you learn English.

1. Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement Speech

Steve Jobs was no doubt a great speaker. Millions around the globe were enchanted by the presentations that he gave for Apple as the company’s CEO.

However, he wasn’t just known for speeches related to product launches , like the iconic 2007 speech where he introduced the iPhone . He’s also known for inspirational speeches, like the one he gave in 2005 at a Stanford Commencement ceremony.

In this speech, he addresses the graduating students of Stanford University. He starts by saying that he never actually graduated from college. This makes for an honest and heart-warming speech . For nearly 15 minutes, he talks about his life, telling stories that are funny, relatable, and emotional. He also offers tips for students to apply to their own lives.

Why is it good for learning English?

Jobs uses simple language and speaks in short sentences. He clearly pronounces every word so it’s easy to understand and mimic. Also, this video comes with big subtitles that make the speech even easier to follow.

2. Greta Thunberg: 2019 UN Climate Action Summit Speech

At just 18 years old, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is one of the most well-known speakers of our time. Some of her speeches have even gone viral on social media. And her powerful words have been repeated thousands of times on climate strike placards around the world.

In one of her most moving speeches, Greta Thunberg addresses world leaders at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in New York. She challenges them for not taking action to fight global warming and ensure a future for the younger generations.

“How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she says.

Greta’s speech is a lesson in how to express yourself on a variety of environmental issues like climate change. It’s full of lots of useful vocabulary. Plus, the subtitles will help you to understand any complicated language!

3. Will Smith: Speech About Self Discipline

You probably know Will Smith as an actor. He’s played a wide variety of characters – from a police officer in Men in Black to a single father in The Pursuit of Happyness . But did you know that he’s also a great motivational speaker?

A few years ago, a video featuring Will Smith talking about the secret to success went viral on YouTube. In it, he talks about mastering self-discipline as a way to achieve your dreams.

“You cannot win the war against the world if you can’t win the war against your own mind,” he says.

As an actor, Will Smith has a clear and compelling voice, which is easy to follow. Some parts of this talk also sound improvised so it’s great for practising natural speech. It’s also excellent listening practice for understanding an American accent. And there’s lots of slang which you’ll have to guess from the context.

4. Emma Watson: Gender Equality Speech

You may associate Emma Watson’s name with Hermione Granger, the quirky and smart witch from the Harry Potter movies. When she’s not chasing evil wizards, Emma Watson campaigns for real-world issues such as gender equality.

In one of her most famous speeches, which she gave at a special event for the UN’s HeForShe campaign, Emma Watson talks about feminism and fighting for women’s rights. In particular, she explains why neither of these should be confused with ‘man-hating’.

While the actress’s voice is pleasant and calming, the issues she talks about are thought-provoking and will leave you thinking long after this short, 4-minute speech.

This talk is great for helping you get used to a southern English accent. It can also give you some essential vocabulary about a relevant topic. Look out for uses of the passive voice in her speech, and write down those sentences to practise this grammar structure.

5. Benjamin Zander: The Transformative Power of Classical Music

Benjamin Zander is the musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also a well-known motivational speaker who loves to share his love for music.

In his 2008 TED talk, he found an engaging way to talk about classical music to people who know nothing about it. As you can see in the video below, he switches between speaking and playing the piano. And, he isn’t afraid to tell a joke or two.

This speech is a bit more of a challenge than the ones described above. Benjamin Zander speaks fast and in a conversational style, using many examples and short stories to tell his tale .

However, the pauses he takes to play the piano give you time to take some notes. Write down any unfamiliar words you heard him say so you can look them up later. If you’re having trouble understanding him, you can always turn on the subtitles.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Gifted (adj): talented.

To enchant (v): to captivate.

Launch (n): a product release.

Heart-warming (adj): emotional.

To go viral (v): something spreads quickly on the internet.

Placards (n): cardboard signs.

Moving (adj): emotional.

Compelling (adj): captivating.

Quirky (adj): interesting and different.

Thought-provoking (adj): something interesting that makes you think a lot about the topic.

To switch (v): to change.

Tale (n): story.

To look something up (v): to search for a piece of information in a dictionary or online.

adj = adjective

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How To Write A B2 First Formal Email/Letter

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 01/06/2021

8 Resources To Help Beginner English Learners

• Posted on 23/06/2021

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Speech Structure: The Complete OBC Guide

What makes a great speech? The content, of course, but also the structure. All great speakers overlay their content on a well-known structure. 

Your speech structure is the glue that binds your points together. Without it, you cannot really have the impact you desire to have on the audience.

The beauty of this is that a good structure is so subtle it is almost invisible. Its effectiveness is only evident in its impact.

Speech writing can be intimidating for some, however, we have incorporated plenty of speech examples to get a complete understanding. We aim to explain a proper structure that can be applied to any of your speeches.

There are four things you need to keep in mind about this:

Table of Contents

What is the purpose of your speech?

Can too much content be harmful, who is the audience, informative speech, persuasive speech, argumentative speech, demonstration speech, humorous speech, strong statement, visual prop or demonstration, personal anecdote, problem or strong statement, summary on writing your introduction:, credibility, cause and effect:, problems and solutions:, lucky number three, summary on writing your body:, call to action, inspirational, key takeaway, summary of writing your conclusion:, meta description:, picking the right topic.

The content of a speech can largely determine how the audience receives it. For this, you will need to accurately assess who is going to be listening to your speech. There are some questions you need to ask before sitting down to write this speech.

Do you intend to introduce a concept or argue on a controversial topic? Is your purpose of imparting knowledge or guiding the audience through a demonstration? It is essential to have your intentions cleared; otherwise, you can risk creating a speech with no direction.

We understand that as daunting as speaking can be, it is, at the same time, fascinating. When you pick a topic that you are passionate about, it is easy to find yourself packing the speech with all kinds of information. However, in doing so, you can overwhelm your audience.

There is such a thing as too much information. You need to make sure that whatever information you do include is impactful and influential. Aim for something short but memorable. Pick one takeaway message and gear your speech towards that objective.

While it is vital to pick a topic that interests you, it is equally important to make sure that it can grab the audience’s attention. What is the target demographic for your speech? What is the setting for this speech? Is it a particularly controversial topic?

This is important because as humans, most people are likely to be more interested in your presentation if it benefits them somehow. At the same time, you have to consider the setting.

For instance: an office setting would not be the right setting for a controversial social speech. If your speech includes demonstration and requires volunteers, you need to ensure that this is an audience willing to participate.  

Do you understand the various types of speeches?

Before you pen down your presentation, stop to wonder whether you understand the different types of speeches. Understanding what kind of speech you are going for can help you better structure it for maximum efficiency:

An informative speech intends to explain complex topics to your audience by providing engaging information. This can include objects, events, procedures, and more. It is better if you pick a topic that you are interested in so that your enthusiasm shines through.

When you give an informative speech, you are merely trying to educate your audiences about a particular topic. You refrain from becoming too argumentative as it might come across too strong for your listeners. If this is the type of speech you intend to give, you can check out 100 Informative Speech Topics and Ideas to make your job easier. 

A persuasive speech intends to convince the audiences of your viewpoint. It uses compelling points to sway the listener’s opinions. The primary purpose of this type of speech is to affect the audiences’ thought process and persuade them to think about changing how they feel about a topic.

Some examples of a persuasive speech can be a politician’s speech, an animal activist’s speech, and so on. As you can see, the goal here is to persuade and obtain something ultimately. A politician might want to sway your vote in their favor, whereas ani activist has a cause that they’d like to advocate for.

If this is the type of speech you intend to give, you can check out 237 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics and Guide to better plan your speech.

An argumentative speech is more or less a persuasive speech. However, a persuasive speech does not always have to be argumentative. The purpose of an argumentative is to alter how the audience views a subject. 

Changing the audience’s opinion is not an easy job. This is why you need to not only pick a persuasive topic but also believe in it. You need a strong claim along with irrefutable points to support it. 

The best argumentative speeches utilize issues relating to current events. You can see this in the media in the form of mostly social, ethical, political, or religious arguments. Your arguments should make use of logic and realistic examples. Some examples of this type of speech can be: Dress codes shouldn’t be mandatory, Space exploration is a waste of money, etc.

If you’d like to see more topic ideas for an argumentative speech, you can browse the 200 Argumentative Speech Topics and ideas: A Complete Guide . 

A demonstration speech, true to its name, demonstrates to the audience how something works. This type of presentation is more common for high school or college students. It makes use of props and useful body language to properly guide the audience through an activity.

This type of speech can fall under informative speech as you are informing the listeners on a task. While this type of speech is considered a basic speech, it is an excellent way to practice your expository speaking.

If this is the type of speech you’d like to give, here’s a list of 279 Demonstration Speech Topics and Ideas: A Complete Guide , so that you can better perfect your speech.

A humorous speech is the perfect light-hearted solution for adding a fun twist to your speech. This type of presentation aims to entertain the audience. A humorous speech can incorporate any of the above examples. It is, thus, very versatile. And what’s more? You get to have just as much fun delivering it!  

The thing to keep in mind with this kind of speech is that you need to pick a proper topic. You intend to garner a joyful response to its best not to pick a sensitive topic. To help you out, you can browse the 300 Funny Speech Topics to Tickle Some Funny Bones! to structure your humorous speech.

Writing the Introduction (Opening)

The introduction of your speech is vital to the success of your speech. It is what sets the tone of your entire speech. It determines whether or not you grab the attention of the listeners. You will get only one chance to charm your audience and make sure they follow the rest of your speech.

So, how can you make this happen? There are a few different ways you can approach this:

Asking a question is an excellent way to grab your audience’s attention. It piques their curiosity and ensures that they will listen to get an answer to said question. The question can be either rhetorical or literal. For instance, “Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to live in a world without technology?” or “Have you ever felt broken-hearted?”.

Either the audience resonates with your question, or it generates curiosity. This is also a great way to get some audience participation. If you say, “With a show of hands, how many of us here have tried to change our habits and failed?” you can not only garner interest but also physically get the audience invested in your speech.

A question is a great way to get your listeners thinking about your topic while introducing your topic, all in a matter of seconds!

A strong statement is also an excellent way to create a compelling introduction. You must know Martin Luther King’s iconic, “I have a dream.” The intensity that radiates from that sentence immediately captures an audiences’ attention and creates a commanding presence.

Similarly, an excellent example of this type of opening is from Larry Smith’s speech. “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.” This immediately generates intrigue and curiosity. That’s what you’re going for.

This statement does not have to just be cold facts. It can be a part of a personal story as well. For instance, the statement “Last week, I found out that my childhood friend got in a car accident” is bound to create a powerful silence. If your speech has such a strong emotive statement, you can use it in your introduction to engage your audience better.

Another helpful tip that goes with a strong statement in silence. Give your listener’s a chance to absorb the statement that you have put in front of them with a couple of seconds of silence before diving in further.

A prop can be a fantastic addition to your speech. Not only does it help emphasize your point, but it also helps the audience stay focused on your speech. Props are especially good for a demonstrative speech. Or you can simply incorporate demonstrations as part of your speech.

Body language speaks much louder than words can for us humans. This is why using colorful bags, a deck of cards, colored papers, etc. can be so effective as an opener for your speech. Once, I attended a speech where the speaker brought a heavy bag and simply set it on the table, talking about the bag. The audience was hooked, waiting eagerly till the end to find out what was in the bag.

A quotation can be the perfect way to capture your audience’s attention. It also helps set a tone for the speech that is to come. The quote you pick can be a well-known saying such as “They say all that glitters is not gold, well I beg to differ.” Doing so, you can ignite curiosity.

Similarly, you can also quote a person or a publication and tie it to your speech. For instance, for a motivational speech, you can take the example of someone like Bill Gates- “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” When you use a quote from a big name, you will definitely get people wanting to hear and learn more.

Humor is always a great tool to have in your arsenal. A good icebreaker can warm the listeners up to you and make them more receptive to the rest of your speech. Humor is a very endearing trait for a skilled speaker. Some ideas for your opening can be:

“It’s the funniest thing. As I was coming up to the stage, I began thinking we actually have quite a lot in common. None of us have a clue about what I’m going to say!”

“I know we are all busy, and I want to honor your time. So I will make sure to be accurate and brief, no matter long it takes me.”

The great thing about using humor is that it works on your audience subconsciously. You seem at ease with yourself and radiate confidence. You have to remember that for humor to be effective; it has to be effortless. If you seem unsure about your lines, the audience is sure to pick up on it.

A strong statistic will always add validity to your speeches. Presenting the audience with irrefutable facts backed up by a strong source is a surefire way to gain credibility. It can also add gravity to the scale of the issue that you want to draw attention to. 

However, it is easy to overdo things when it comes to numbers. It can be tempting to add strong statistics to the rest of your speech as well. But remember, the strongest points are ones that linger in an audience’s mind. If you give them too many numbers, none of them will stick out in their heads, and they are bound to feel lost.

Some examples can be: “Look to your right. Now, look to your left. One in three women and one in four women are known to have suffered physical violence. A statement like this not only ignites awareness but also physically makes your listener feel involved in your speech.

An anecdote is a short story taken from your life itself. The story usually adds to the theme of your story. Short and light-hearted anecdotes can add a lot of enthusiasm and charm to your speech. However, you don’t have to make them humorous. Even more, touching stories can be equally, if not more engaging.

When used correctly, a personal anecdote makes for the perfect introduction that draws your listeners towards your central message. Not only does it create empathy, but it also sparks interest. If you don’t have a personal anecdote itself, you can go for a third-person anecdote that speaks to you as well.

Opening with a problem can make for a strong opening. This method generates interest and keeps the audience listening with the promise of an upcoming solution. Try to aim for a problem that caters to a wider demographic for a higher relatability.

Problems that relate to current events can have a better draw. For instance: “Why should remote working be implemented even after quarantine?”

In a similar vein, a powerful statement can be an excellent way to capture your audience’s attention. A statement, when paired with silence, can make for an effective tool. Example: “The top 20% of our society makes 80% of all the money. Would you like to be part of this 20%? If so, I’m going to give you some pointers on how you can align yourself in that direction. Does that sound like something you might be interested in?”

• Your opening plays a big role in whether or not you can grab your listener’s attention straight off the bat.
• Give your audience a reason to pay attention by clearly stating the purpose of your speech.
• If you are giving a speech regarding a field you have some experience with, remember to establish credibility early on.
• Give a short highlight reel of your main points.
• Quotations or powerful statements are a great way to catch the audience’s attention.
• Including current events or statistics will make your speech seem more relevant to a wider range of listeners.
• Asking a question will get your audience more involved and add intrigue to the rest of your presentation.

Structuring your content (Body)

The body of your speech will hold all of your main points. Since this is the longest section of your speech, you need to ensure that it is interesting enough to keep everyone’s attention. Depending on the objective of your speech, you will need to add examples, opinions, and facts to back up your points. What helps during this time is proper organization.

Here are some things you want to keep in mind while drafting the body of your speech:

No matter how much you believe in your point, you still need to give your audience a credible reason to take your word for it. This can be done by adding examples, detailed descriptions, statistics, and so on. Always remember to credit the source when using a statistic. You can also add a strong testimonial to add a touch of personalized support if that applies to your objective.

Transitions

When you have a lot of content packed into your speech, transitions become vital to the effectiveness of your speech. You can consider these as points of a refresh in your speech. Here, the audience can reengage and follow along more attentively. 

The best transitions are always invisible. They can seamlessly add flow to your speech without giving any indication of such to your audience. There are many ways to incorporate this into your speech. 

Some examples can be:

A connective transition is where you reiterate a previous point and introduce a connecting point. The way this method works is that it rehashes an important aspect while relating it to what’s next.

The most effective way to use this is in a problem/solution module. This is where you begin by stating a problem and transition towards a solution.

Example: Now that we’ve understood the various negative effects of junk food, let me tell you how we can plan a better diet to combat obesity.

When you do this, you are providing a summary of the problem and swiftly leading them towards a solution. If you jump straight to the next section, it can feel rushed. Besides, pauses are another important element of speech delivery.

Keywords, as the name suggests, have a certain draw to them. These are words that are central to the theme of your speech. Repetition is a very effective tool in conveying your message. 

For instance: If your speech is about the scarcity of running water in rural communities, you can draw attention by repeating the factors that cause this issue. Doing so will also let you explain in better detail these factors while keeping your audience hooked to the main theme.

Content Approach

Depending on your speech, there are various ways to approach how you frame your content. We all know that content is king; however, without the right approach, it’s easy for your message to get lost along the way. This is why it’s so important to keep your subject matter relevant and interesting. Make sure the content is as compact and concise as you can make it. Some of the methods by which you can ensure this is as follows:

Cause and effect is a great way to present your ideas. This method works best for explaining events and consequences or results. Make sure to include all the appropriate details to add emphasis. The element of ‘what’s next’ is what keeps the audience hooked to your speech. As you unfold a cause and follow it with the effects, it will feel both interesting as well as rewarding to your audience.  

Problem and solution is a speech method as old as time. But it is so because of its reliability. This approach works best for a motivational speech. This type of speech intends to address a problem and offer a systematic solution that benefits the listeners. It is also a common approach for pushing an audience to buy into a service or product. You pose a problem and then offer a solution, including a whole package. Make sure the solution you offer is versatile so that it applies to a wider range of people, thereby increasing appeal.

A narrative approach is excellent for anybody who wants to sharpen their storytelling skills. The important ingredients for a narrative speech are chronology and a simple organization pattern. Typically, any story will have a beginning, middle, and end. Going in order, with smooth transitions will make your story easy to follow. 

This type of speech is most effective for presenting events, life lessons, experiences, rituals, and personal beliefs. Try to stick to the core of the story without too many unnecessary details. Just because a narrative includes storytelling does not mean it can’t have an end goal. For instance: a personal experience of failure might be a great story of caution for the listeners.

The most important thing for a successful narrative speech is build-up. You want your audience to be invested, to care about what comes next, to raise the stakes so that when you provide the conclusion, it is that much more effective. You must always ask yourself, “What do I want the audience to remember after this speech?”.

The best way to write this would be to outline a sketch of events that are relevant to your narrative. After that, you can think about the best way to escalate the stakes. Remember that eye contact is an important visual medium in a narrative speech. It will help your audience connect better to your story.

The number three is impactful. Even the general structure of a speech is divided into three parts: Opening, Body, and Conclusion. When you want to make a point that people remember, you should consider splitting it into three, where the first two act as a build-up while your final point brings the unexpected impact.

The best thing about this method is that you can apply it to just about any kind of speech. This, in fact, adds more structure to your speech and makes it more easily digestible. The key ingredient here becomes balance and transition. Make sure you focus on all three elements of your story equally, so it does not feel rushed. Add in a seamless transition to make your story structure seem effortless.  

• Make sure you have designed your content to suit your audience.
• Divide your body into easily digestible sections so that your main points come across clearly.
• Stress on keywords and clever repetitions to drive your point home.
• Work on your transitions to establish clear sections but a seamless switch to keep your listeners hooked.
• When using facts or statistics, always back it up with a credible source.

Closing your speech (Conclusion)

The conclusion is vital to the success of your speech. This is the parting thought that you will be leaving your audience with, so you have to make sure that it’s a good one. The conclusion is where you reiterate your key point. This is why there is so much importance put on a conclusion to be powerful enough to stay in your memory.

Here are some possible ways you can approach your conclusion:

A call-to-action refers to a statement or material that intends to encourage the listener or viewer to take the initiative. It can also be considered as instruction as it usually directs the audience towards something. 

The most effective way to approach this is to manage both your energy as well as your tempo. While it is essential to maintain a clear and well-enunciated speech throughout, when you reach a conclusion, you are going to want to speed up just a little bit. 

What this does is add a sense of urgency to the message that you are giving. Similarly, higher energy makes the audience resonate and respond equally. They will associate this high energy with your message and remember your speech for longer.

Some examples of this can be: “As we can see, the effects of depression can be life-threatening. So I encourage each and every one of you to go home today and reach out to your friends, talk to them and open up a platform where they know they can come to talk to you for anything. Because you’d rather hear their problems than hear about their death.”

For speeches that are over 5-6 minutes long, the audience can sometimes lose track of the earlier points. This is why it is necessary to summarize your main points before you leave the stage. You don’t have to take them through the entire story, but make sure you include the keywords that trigger in them the memory of that portion. 

You can do this by saying something along the lines of “Let me briefly run you through what we discussed” or “So, we talked about three main things today.” This not only does a great job of reiterating and reconfirming your main points but also signals to the audience that you are drawing towards the end of your presentation.

Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Even though you might be well familiarized with your speech, it is safe to assume that most of the audience is hearing it for the first time. For this reason, you need to drive your point home by essentially drilling it into their minds. Now, you can’t simply repeat the central theme over and over as that isn’t an effective strategy. But there can be an art to repetition as well.

You should aim to rephrase and reinforce your central idea as you conclude your speech. Don’t go for a word-for-word repetition, but aim to reframe your key themes and arguments. Paraphrasing, in this way, makes sure that you capture the essence of your speech without running the risk of boring your listeners with identical sentences.

We don’t even need to look too far for examples of this method. In Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, he used this method of repetition paired with a rising momentum to create impact. Repetition works best when it is subtle and works on the listeners subconsciously.

Ending your speech on a light note is a great way to brighten moods and make sure the audience remembers your message. Your joke can also be a good way to repeat your central message. If you do decide to end with a humorous story, remember to carve out more time for it. Make sure your conclusion doesn’t distract from your main message.

Some people tend to get too excited and give away the upcoming punchline. Remember that the most effective humor approach is one you don’t see coming. How you can add the subtlety to your conclusion is by following this formula:

Set up – pause – Build up – pause – Punchline

Motivational conclusions are always an upbeat way to close your speech. You will be leaving the stage on high energy that is sure to be contagious. This also ensures that your audience will be taking a piece of your conclusion with them, making sure that it is not only memorable but also useful.

There are many ways to approach an inspirational closing. You can go with an anecdote, a quote, a poem, and so on. The purpose is to give a push, to add strength, to ignite a can-do attitude. 

The trick to a powerful inspirational speech is emotion. Humans are excellent at empathizing. If you can adequately emote throughout your story, adding drama into your storytelling, then it is bound to have a more substantial effect. Vocal variety can also be an excellent element for this. Alter your tempo to weave excitement into your story. You can also use smart pauses to add more intrigue. 

Your facial expressions play a significant role in how the audience receives your speech. Whether it is a sad or happy story, make sure that your face conveys it. It can be addictive to have the audience’s attention like this, but don’t get too greedy. Remember to end on your highest note, leaving a lasting impression. 

There are many types of speeches out there. For instance: you might think that a humorous speech is just that: humorous. But think again. All the best speeches have at least one key takeaway.

A takeaway message is quite similar to an inspirational conclusion. The question you have to ask yourself is this: What is the purpose of my speech? Even if you’ve got a fantastic anecdotal story to share, you have to remember that the audience will always wonder what they are getting from the speech. That will be your takeaway.

For an effective conclusion, you have to step back and overview your speech. From your introduction to the body, what is the message you are trying to convey? Make sure your conclusion reflects it. For example: if your speech is about a drowning story, you can probably try to include what you could’ve done and how the audience can avoid being in a similar situation.

A call-back is a fun twist to add to your conclusion. There is a reason why a circle is one of the most pleasing shapes; it gives you a sense of completion. Even if you aren’t aware of it, it works on your mind subliminally. An effective way to conduct this method is to find a way to tie your ending to your introduction.

You can understand a call-back as a reference. It doesn’t have to be limited to just the introduction; you can reference the body of your speech as well. This not only makes for a great repetition tool but also adds a feeling of completion into your presentation.

However, you should pick something that the audience can connect to. This helps create a special and unique bond as if it were an inside joke just between you two. 

• Signal your audience when you’re drawing to your conclusion.
• Add trigger transitions like “In conclusion,” “In summary,” “That brings us towards the end,” and so on.
• Try to end on a high note with something memorable.
• Write your conclusion last so that it complements your introduction.
• Try to paraphrase your words without repeating the same words over and over.
• Your audience is more likely to remember your speech if you end with something useful to them or with a call to action.
• Leave on an attention-grabbing note. 

Wrapping Up:

A speech typically has one of four purposes: to inform, to entertain, to instruct, or to persuade. To deliver an effective speech, you need to first make sure you understand what your objective is. Then, you can follow our guidelines to construct a solid structure and deliver a well-rounded and impactful presentation. Now that you know how to create an effective speech structure, you are ready to dominate the stage!  

The best speech structures are invisible and effective. Learn the tips and tricks to deliver the perfect opening, body, and conclusion and wow the stage.

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Literary Techniques for your Speech, with Examples Analyzed

March 2, 2021 - Dom Barnard

Planned use of language has a major impact on how your speech is received by the audience. Saying the right words at the right time, and in the right way, can achieve a specific impact.

Use language to achieve impact

Careful use of language has produced many powerful speeches over the years. Here are a few literary devices you can employ for your next speech.

Rhetorical Questions

Start your next presentation with an open question. It engages the audience and gets them thinking about your speech early on. Use questions throughout and leave pauses after, letting the audience think about an answer.

Pause at the Right Moment

This adds impact to sentence just before or after the pause. This is a good literary technique to use for the key message of your speech. Don’t be afraid to wait 3-5 seconds before speaking, adding maximum impact to your words.

Messages and words are remembered best in groups of three. The power of three is used in all aspects of speaking in public and by the media. Couple words in groups of three with alliteration for maximum impact, such as “They grew up with a long, lasting, love for each other.”

Repeat the Key Point

A technique used frequently by politicians, a word needs to be said on average 5 times before the audience begins to take in what is being said.

Dramatic Contrast

Contrasting two points, such as “Ten years ago we had a reputation for excellence. Today, we are in danger of losing that reputation.”

For additional literary techniques, check out these links:

• Stylistic Devices (Rhetorical Devices, Figures of Speech)
• BBC Literary Techniques

Spend time planning which of these language techniques you will use in your speech. You can add these in after your first draft of the speech has been written.

Two great speeches analyzed

1. martin luther king – i have a dream, transcript snippet.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

Literary devices and techniques used

Anaphora  – Repetition of the “I have a dream” phrase at the beginning of each sentence.

Metonymy  – The phrase “The let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia… Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee… Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi“, King uses these well-known racist locations to enhance his point.

Hyperbole  – King uses the words ‘all’ and ‘every’ many times, exaggerating his point, “when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city”

Alliteration  – used throughout the speech, alliterations add a poetic quality to the speech, for example this sentence “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Amplification  – King repeats many of his points a second time, with greater emphasis and explanation the second time, “America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.”

Speeches which mastered literary techniques

• Martin Luther King, Jr. – I Have A Dream
• Winston Churchill – We shall fight on the beaches
• John F. Kennedy – Inaugural Address
• Margaret Thatcher – The Lady’s Not For Turning
• Barack Obama – The Audacity Of Hope
• Elizabeth Gilbert – Your Creative Genius
• J. K. Rowling – Harvard Commencement Address

For addition detail on these speeches, check out  this article  on speeches that changed the world.

2. Winston Churchill – We shall fight on the beaches

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end.

We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.

We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

And if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

Anaphora  – The repetition of the phrase “we shall fight” can be seen in the transcript snippet. This adds dramatic emphases on the words he is saying in these paragraphs.

Alliteration  – Churchill uses repetition of letters to emphasize the dark time Europe was in, “I see also the dull, drilled, docile, brutish masses of the Hun soldiery plodding on like a swarm of crawling locusts” and “your grisly gang who work your wicked will.”

Antistrophe  – The repetition of words at the end of successive sentences, “the love of peace, the toil for peace, the strife for peace, the pursuit of peace“.

Hypophora  – Churchill asks various questions and then answers them himself, “You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air” and “You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word, it is victory”.

Rule of Three  – Churchill uses this literary technique in many of his speeches, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning” and “Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few”.

Easy to use literary techniques for your next speech

Rhetoric Question

Start your next speech with a rhetoric question – “Who here has used a virtual reality headset?”

Repetition of Phrase

Repeat a key phrase around 5 times throughout the speech, the phrase should be short – “Virtual reality is changing the world”.

Use the Rule of Three

Emphasize a product or service by describing it with three words – “Our software is faster, cheaper and easier to use”. For greatest impact on your audience, combine this with alliteration.

Ask a question then immediately answer it – “How many virtual reality headsets were sold last month? Over 2 million.”

• Speech Topics For Kids
• How To Write A Speech

How to Write a Speech: A Guide to Enhance Your Writing Skills

Speech is a medium to convey a message to the world. It is a way of expressing your views on a topic or a way to showcase your strong opposition to a particular idea. To deliver an effective speech, you need a strong and commanding voice, but more important than that is what you say. Spending time in preparing a speech is as vital as presenting it well to your audience.

Read the article to learn what all you need to include in a speech and how to structure it.

Table of Contents

• Self-Introduction

The Opening Statement

Structuring the speech, choice of words, authenticity, writing in 1st person, tips to write a speech, frequently asked questions on speech, how to write a speech.

Writing a speech on any particular topic requires a lot of research. It also has to be structured well in order to properly get the message across to the target audience. If you have ever listened to famous orators, you would have noticed the kind of details they include when speaking about a particular topic, how they present it and how their speeches motivate and instill courage in people to work towards an individual or shared goal. Learning how to write such effective speeches can be done with a little guidance. So, here are a few points you can keep in mind when writing a speech on your own. Go through each of them carefully and follow them meticulously.

Self Introduction

When you are writing or delivering a speech, the very first thing you need to do is introduce yourself. When you are delivering a speech for a particular occasion, there might be a master of ceremony who might introduce you and invite you to share your thoughts. Whatever be the case, always remember to say one or two sentences about who you are and what you intend to do.

Introductions can change according to the nature of your target audience. It can be either formal or informal based on the audience you are addressing. Here are a few examples.

Addressing Friends/Classmates/Peers

• Hello everyone! I am ________. I am here to share my views on _________.
• Good morning friends. I, _________, am here to talk to you about _________.

Addressing Teachers/Higher Authorities

• Good morning/afternoon/evening. Before I start, I would like to thank _______ for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts about ________ here today.
• A good day to all. I, __________, on behalf of _________, am standing here today to voice out my thoughts on _________.

It is said that the first seven seconds is all that a human brain requires to decide whether or not to focus on something. So, it is evident that a catchy opening statement is the factor that will impact your audience. Writing a speech does require a lot of research, and structuring it in an interesting, informative and coherent manner is something that should be done with utmost care.

When given a topic to speak on, the first thing you can do is brainstorm ideas and pen down all that comes to your mind. This will help you understand what aspect of the topic you want to focus on. With that in mind, you can start drafting your speech.

An opening statement can be anything that is relevant to the topic. Use words smartly to create an impression and grab the attention of your audience. A few ideas on framing opening statements are given below. Take a look.

• Asking an Engaging Question

Starting your speech by asking the audience a question can get their attention. It creates an interest and curiosity in the audience and makes them think about the question. This way, you would have already got their minds ready to listen and think.

• Fact or a Surprising Statement

Surprising the audience with an interesting fact or a statement can draw the attention of the audience. It can even be a joke; just make sure it is relevant. A good laugh would wake up their minds and they would want to listen to what you are going to say next.

• Adding a Quote

After you have found your topic to work on, look for a quote that best suits your topic. The quote can be one said by some famous personality or even from stories, movies or series. As long as it suits your topic and is appropriate to the target audience, use them confidently.  Again, finding a quote that is well-known or has scope for deep thought will be your success factor.

To structure your speech easily, it is advisable to break it into three parts or three sections – an introduction, body and conclusion.

• Introduction: Introduce the topic and your views on the topic briefly.
• Body: Give a detailed explanation of your topic. Your focus should be to inform and educate your audience on the said topic.
• Conclusion:  Voice out your thoughts/suggestions. Your intention here should be to make them think/act.

While delivering or writing a speech, it is essential to keep an eye on the language you are using. Choose the right kind of words. The person has the liberty to express their views in support or against the topic; just be sure to provide enough evidence to prove the discussed points. See to it that you use short and precise sentences. Your choice of words and what you emphasise on will decide the effect of the speech on the audience.

When writing a speech, make sure to,

• Avoid long, confusing sentences.
• Check the spelling, sentence structure and grammar.
• Not use contradictory words or statements that might cause any sort of issues.

Anything authentic will appeal to the audience, so including anecdotes, personal experiences and thoughts will help you build a good rapport with your audience. The only thing you need to take care is to not let yourself be carried away in the moment. Speak only what is necessary.

Using the 1st person point of view in a speech is believed to be more effective than a third person point of view. Just be careful not to make it too subjective and sway away from the topic.

• Understand the purpose of your speech: Before writing the speech, you must understand the topic and the purpose behind it. Reason out and evaluate if the speech has to be inspiring, entertaining or purely informative.
• Identify your audience: When writing or delivering a speech, your audience play the major role. Unless you know who your target audience is, you will not be able to draft a good and appropriate speech.
• Decide the length of the speech: Whatever be the topic, make sure you keep it short and to the point. Making a speech longer than it needs to be will only make it monotonous and boring.
• Revising and practicing the speech: After writing, it is essential to revise and recheck as there might be minor errors which you might have missed. Edit and revise until you are sure you have it right. Practise as much as required so you do not stammer in front of your audience.
• Mention your takeaways at the end of the speech: Takeaways are the points which have been majorly emphasised on and can bring a change. Be sure to always have a thought or idea that your audience can reflect upon at the end of your speech.

How to write a speech?

Writing a speech is basically about collecting, summarising and structuring your points on a given topic. Do a proper research, prepare multiple drafts, edit and revise until you are sure of the content.

Why is it important to introduce ourselves?

It is essential to introduce yourself while writing a speech, so that your audience or the readers know who the speaker is and understand where you come from. This will, in turn, help them connect with you and your thoughts.

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Writing a speech

Topic outline.

The purpose of a speech is often to inform or persuade an audience. 

Speeches are usually written to be spoken directly to an audience and can be used to entertain, influencing the listeners that the viewpoint of the speaker is correct. 

Speeches can also be used to encourage the audience to take action or to change their behaviour in some way; for example, to join a particular school club or society, or to recycle more. 

The ways you use language and vocabulary when writing the words of a speech will depend on the audience and the purpose you are writing for; for example, in a speech to a group of teachers and parents giving your views on a recent proposal, formal language is most appropriate.

• think about the audience that the speech is for  – are you giving your speech to a group of people you know, or do not know, or a mixture of both? If you know your audience well, you may be able to relax a little, but a speech is still a formal kind of talk and would usually not include slang
• whether your audience are likely to disagree with what you say – you will need to consider any possible objections and deal with them. Use language carefully to make objections seem less significant; for example, using phrases like ‘A few people may still think, however’
• the reason you are giving this speech and how you feel about this topic  – try to imagine the words of your speech as you would speak them out loud. Your tone of voice must match your message, so choose words that appeal to the emotions of your listeners. Focus on what you want your audience to know and feel by the end of your speech
• how to engage your listeners  – f or example, you might use inclusive words or phrases like ‘we’, ‘all of us’ and ‘our’ to make your listeners feel that you are all on the same side.
• Plan where you want to finish your speech and how you will get there before you start writing – t h e structure of a speech is usually in three parts. For example: 
• An opening that grabs your audience's attention and makes the overall topic of your speech clear  – for example, pose a question to the audience where you can predict the answer.
• A well-structured, supported and developed argument –  for example, to support your argument you might use real life examples or anecdotes.
• A powerful conclusion  –  for example, group your final words or ideas in threes to help make them memorable or end with a thought- provoking question or image and thank your audience for listening.
• Organise your ideas into paragraphs as appropriate – this will help you to develop and support your points convincingly, to build your argument and/or offer a full explanation of a particular point of view.
• S how the connectio ns between ideas in sentences and paragraphs  –  where a new point or idea follows on from what you have already said you might use linking words or phrases such as, ‘in addition’, ‘likewise’ or ‘similarly’.
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• Earth and space

Speech Writing: Introduction with Examples

What is a speech.

• A speech is a formal address delivered to an audience.
• It always has a purpose. It aims to convey the purpose with logically connected ideas.
• Speech writing is a method of telling a thought or message to a reader using correct punctuation and expressions.

While writing a speech we should concentrate on the three ‘ C’ s.

Your speech should be clear, concise, and consistent .

• Clear: The speech should be simple and easy to understand.
• Concise: It should not be too long. Generally, the word limit is 150-200 words. But it may vary.
• Consistent: The speech should be logically in order.

Let’s see the format of speech writing.

It contains two parts.

Title: Give a good title to the topic while writing a speech.

Content: The content section is divided into 3 subparts.

• Introduction

1. INTRODUCTION:

Start greeting the audience with the phrases like:

• Respected Sir/Ma’am
• Dear students
• Good morning, everyone

Share your personal introduction in one or two lines.

Then write in brief what is the theme of the speech.

• Explain the topic in detail.
• Be clear and specific about your thoughts.
• We can use 3 techniques while writing a speech.

Advantage & Disadvantage

Cause & Effect

Problem & Solution

Let’s learn them in detail.

Advantages & Disadvantages:

• Tell the advantages and disadvantages of the thing.
• Example: If the topic is ‘online education’, you can write its benefits and side effects.

Cause & Effect:

• Write why it is happening or the cause of the thing given in the speech.
• What is its effect on society?
• Example: If the topic is ‘ pollution ’, you can write its cause and effect on the earth.

Problem & Solution:

• Discuss the problem and write the proper solution to it.
• Write the need for that thing in your daily life.

3. CONCLUSION:

• Conclude the speech by giving an overall view or summary.
• Add the specific action you want the audience to do right away.

Some important things you must keep in mind while writing a speech.

• Figure out the primary point of the speech.
• Identify the audience who will listen to the speech.
• Give proper support and structure to the speech.
• Make sure to use correct punctuation while writing.

Sample of Speech:

Good morning respected principal sir, all the teachers, and my dear friends.

Today we have gathered here to celebrate the Teachers’ Day.

First, I would like to wish all my respected teachers a very happy Teachers’ Day. Thank you for being

our backbone and support. Teachers play a big role in building the character of students. They give

us knowledge and help in achieving our dreams. They are our guiding spirits and role models.

Teachers help in building the character of students. Teachers plays an important role in the education

of students, society, and country.

On behalf of all students, I would like to thank all the teachers for their tireless efforts they make to give us knowledge and shape our future.

Another Example of Speech :

Write a speech on “Importance of Education” which you will deliver in your school.

Good morning respected teachers and my dear friends.

      I am Linda studying from grade 3.

The topic of my speech is ‘Importance of Education’. I would let you know all about the value of education and its contribution to our lives.

      Education helps us to remove doubt and fear of challenges in our lives. We can say it is a tool that keeps us happy and give courage to fight in difficult situations. We need education to make ourselves confident and to be aware of equality. It makes us self -dependent. Education shape us for the future challenges in life. It helps you to earn money to fulfill the basic need of life.

If we are not properly educated, we may face challenges in some situations. Education is not about gaining knowledge only; it means learning the ways to be happy and social life.

      My dear friends, education is like a healthy food that nourishes us both internally and externally. It gives us confidence by developing our personality. We should help others as well as ourselves to be educated and contribute to the development of the society.

      Thank you!!!

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IN THE REALMS OF ENGLISH

Speech Writing

Mastering the art of speech writing: craft compelling messages  .

Welcome to our Speech Writing Hub, where the art of communication takes center stage. Here, we unlock the secrets to crafting captivating and impactful speeches that leave a lasting impression on your audience. Whether you're a student, a professional, a public speaker, or simply seeking to improve your communication skills, our expert guides and resources will equip you with the tools you need to excel in the world of oratory.

What is Speech Writing? 

In the realm of oratory, where words hold the power to sway hearts and minds, there exists a craft known as speech writing. This art form, honed by the skilled and eloquent, involves the meticulous crafting of Speech writing, a captivating art form, serves as a conduit for expressing the depths of one's thoughts to a receptive audience, skillfully weaving together the power of words. In the realm of written expression, the art of crafting a speech bears a striking resemblance to the noble pursuit of essay writing. Yet, one must acknowledge that the tone of a speech diverges from that of an essay, for in the realm of oratory, one's paramount objective is to captivate the hearts and minds of the assembled audience. 

In the realm of oratory, success is but a fleeting possibility, attainable only when one possesses a profound comprehension of the very essence of their discourse. It is imperative to grasp the purpose that lies at the core of one's speech, for it is this purpose that will guide the orator towards triumph. Equally crucial is an intimate understanding of the audience that will bear witness to the orator's words, for it is through this understanding that a connection, a bridge, can be forged between speaker and listener. 

Time, too, plays a significant role in the art of oration, for the duration of the speech must be carefully considered and meticulously planned, ensuring that the message is delivered with utmost precision and impact. And finally, the manner in which the speech is delivered holds the key to captivating the audience's attention, for it is through this delivery that the orator can weave a tapestry of words, emotions, and ideas, binding the audience to their every utterance. 

Thus, it is only through a profound understanding of these elements that the orator can hope to truly connect with their audience and leave an indelible mark on their hearts and minds. In the realm of crafting a flawless speech, one cannot deny the overwhelming sense of trepidation that often accompanies such a task. However, fear not, for there exists a steadfast and unwavering ally in the form of the proper speech-writing format. This tried and true structure, when adhered to with unwavering dedication, shall never fail to deliver the desired impact upon an audience.

Engage, Persuade, Inspire: The Power of Speech Writing 

[Section 1: Why Speech Writing Matters]

Discover the Significance of Effective Speech Writing - In this section, we explore the immense impact a well-crafted speech can have on your audience. From inspiring change to influencing decisions, speech writing is the key to conveying your message with clarity and conviction.

[Section 2: Understanding Your Audience]

Speak to Hearts and Minds: Tailoring Your Message - Learn the art of audience analysis and how to tailor your speech to resonate with different groups. Understand their needs, interests, and expectations, enabling you to create a meaningful connection with every listener.

[Section 3: The Anatomy of a Great Speech]

Building a Solid Foundation for Your Message - Discover the essential elements that comprise an exceptional speech. From crafting a compelling introduction that hooks your audience to developing a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impact, we'll guide you step-by-step through the process.

[Section 4: The Power of Storytelling]

Weaving Emotion and Relevance into Your Speech - Unleash the power of storytelling to captivate your audience and make your message unforgettable. Learn how to incorporate personal anecdotes, case studies, and relatable narratives that resonate with your listeners.

[Section 5: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos]

Persuasion in Every Word - Master the three pillars of persuasive communication: ethos, pathos, and logos. Understand how to establish credibility, evoke emotions, and present logical arguments that compel your audience to take action.

[Section 6: Overcoming Speech Writing Challenges]

From Writer's Block to Stage Fright - Encounter common obstacles in the speech writing process and gain practical tips to overcome them. Our resources help you conquer writer's block, build confidence, and deliver your speech with grace and poise.

[Section 7: Inspirational Speech Examples]

Learning from the Great Orators - Dive into famous speeches throughout history and contemporary masterpieces that have shaped the world. Gain insights from renowned speakers and observe how they skillfully utilized speech writing techniques to move and inspire millions.

[Section 8: The Art of Delivery]

Captivate Your Audience on Stage or Online - A great speech is not just about the words; it's about delivery too. Uncover the secrets of effective public speaking, body language, and harnessing technology to make a memorable impact on your listeners.

[Section 9: Resources and Tools]

Empowering You with Speech Writing Resources - Access a treasure trove of speech writing templates, sample outlines, and other valuable tools to streamline your creative process and elevate your speeches to new heights.

[Call to Action]

Elevate Your Speech Writing Skills Today - Join our community of passionate communicators and take your speech writing skills to the next level. Stick to this web-page for exclusive updates and access to premium content. Together, let's craft compelling messages that inspire change and make a difference.

Format of Speech Writing Here is the format of Speech Writing: 

• introduction: address the audience, tell them about yourself, and then continue to present the subject. , • body: present the subject in detail, discussing its essential characteristics, benefits and negatives, if any, and so on. , • conclusion: closure of your speech, tie up the issue, and give your audience something to ponder about , let's take a closer look at each component of the speech writing format: , introduction , following the compliments, the introduction is critical to reassuring your audience that you have something useful to contribute. the following elements must be included in the introduction: , • a brief preview of your topic. , • define the outlines of your speech. (for example, i’ll be talking about…first..second…third) , • begin with a story, quote, fact, joke, or an observation in the room. it shouldn’t be longer than 3-4 lines. (for example: “netaji subhash chandra said once…”, or “this topic reminds me of an incident/story…”) .

This is also a crucial portion since your audience will judge whether or not the speech is worth their time. Maintain a truthful, entertaining, and persuasive beginning. 

Your body includes all of your speech's main points. With the information, create a logical flow chart. 

For example, if your speech is on waste management, divide the material into sub-paragraphs for your convenience. It might comprise the following: 

• What is Waste Management? 

• Major waste management strategies 

• Waste management benefits 

• Waste management importance 

When you talk about benefits and briefly move between ideas, your speech seems disorganised and confuses your audience. 

Conclusion 

The conclusion should be a moment that the audience remembers. It may be a reminder, a call to action, a synopsis of your speech, or a narrative. "It is up to us to decide the fate of our home, the earth, by beginning waste management in our personal spaces," for example.

After ending, express your appreciation to the audience for their time.

"Thank you for being an amazing audience and offering me your time," for example. "I hope you took something away from this speech."

How to Write a Good Speech? 

Writing a good speech is an art that takes considerable organisation and thought. Your advice on how to write a decent school speech is quite useful. Here's a summary of those suggestions, as well as some extra information to help you produce a successful and entertaining speech:

1. Public Speaking Speech Sandwich: Your speech's start and finish are critical. Begin with a great opening statement to capture the attention of your audience, and conclude with a memorable closing statement that creates a lasting impact. People are more likely to remember the start and ending sections of a speech, so make them important.

2. Use Concrete Facts: Research your issue thoroughly and provide particular facts and statistics to back up your points. Concrete information improves trustworthiness and increases the overall effect of your message.

3. Rhetorical Techniques and Humour: In order to engage your audience and make them think, use rhetorical tactics such as thought-provoking questions. Humour is an effective strategy for keeping your audience engaged and responsive to your message. However, make sure the humour is suitable and pertinent to the subject.

4. Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience's demographics, interests, and degree of understanding. Make your communication relevant to them by using language and situations they can connect to and comprehend.

5. Plan As a result, structure your communication logically and coherently: Begin with an introduction that presents the subject and establishes the tone for the rest of your speech. Organise the major body of your speech into distinct points or parts with a seamless transition between them. Finally, make a powerful and compelling concluding remark.

6. Timing Yourself: Be mindful of the time allotted for your speech. To keep your audience's attention, keep your speech brief and focused. Rehearse your speech and time it to ensure it fits within the time limit.

7. Practise and Rehearse: Delivering an effective speech requires practise. Rehearse in front of a mirror, with friends or family, or record yourself to detect flaws. Practise can also enhance your confidence on the big day.

8. Emphasise Delivery: It is crucial to remember that how you give your speech is just as significant as what you say. To keep your audience engaged and interested, use proper body language, gestures, and voice diversity.

9. Use Visual Aids (as needed): Depending on the environment and subject, visual aids such as slides, props, or movies may augment and enrich your speech.

10. Be yourself: Be yourself throughout the speech. Allow your individuality to shine through, and talk about your issue with passion and conviction.

11. Timing Yourself is Important: An important aspect of your speech is to time yourself. Don’t write your speech that exceeds your word limit. Here’s how can decide the right timing for your speech writing: 

• A one-minute speech roughly requires around 130-150 words 

• A two- minute speech requires roughly around 250-300 words 

Remember that practise and preparation are essential for making an effective speech. You can write an engaging and successful school speech that connects with your audience by following these suggestions and customising them to your individual scenario.

Speech Writing Samples 

Everybody owns a cell phone, but not everyone has the right manners to talk on the phone. Write a speech of not more than 250 words educating the people of your colony about cell phone etiquettes.

[Opening] Good morning/afternoon, respected teachers, and fellow students of Class 10. Today, I stand before you to address an essential topic that affects each one of us in this modern age—the importance of cellphone etiquettes. In a world where nearly everyone owns a cellphone, it becomes crucial for us to learn the right manners of using this powerful tool responsibly and respectfully.

Mindful Usage : Our cellphones provide us with immense connectivity, but it's vital to remember that we are not alone when using them. Whether in public spaces or at home, be mindful of your surroundings and refrain from disturbing others with loud conversations or notifications.

Silence is Golden : Imagine being in a quiet classroom or during a family gathering when a loud ringtone disrupts the peace. Let's make it a habit to keep our phones on silent or vibrate mode in such situations, to avoid unnecessary disturbances.

Respect Personal Space : Avoid using your cellphone in situations where it might intrude on someone's personal space or privacy. This includes during important conversations, meetings, or while studying with friends.

Texting Courtesy : When communicating via text, be clear, concise, and respectful. Avoid using excessive abbreviations or emojis in formal communications, and be patient while waiting for a reply.

Keep It Private : Remember that not everything needs to be shared on social media or group chats. Respect the privacy of others and think before posting or forwarding messages, pictures, or videos that might be inappropriate or hurtful.

Limit Screen Time : Overusing cellphones can lead to negative effects on our physical and mental health. Be conscious of your screen time and strike a balance between online and offline activities.

No Distractions during Class : As students, it's essential to give our undivided attention during class hours. Avoid texting or using your phone in the classroom to fully engage in learning.

Emergency Calls Only : In case of an emergency, your phone can be a lifesaver. But please, do not misuse this privilege and avoid making unnecessary calls during important occasions or gatherings.

[Conclusion] Let us be responsible digital citizens and showcase our impeccable cellphone etiquettes. By following these simple guidelines, we not only show respect to others but also uphold our values as responsible members of society. Let's use our cellphones as tools for connection, learning, and inspiration while setting an example for others to follow.

Thank you for lending me your ears, and together, let's embrace courteous cellphone usage and make our world a better place.

[Closing] Once again, thank you, and have a wonderful day ahead!

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2. You have to deliver a speech in the morning assembly on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the 21st century, in India. We gave him the title of ‘the Father of the Nation’, yet we appear to remember Gandhiji’s life-work and his sacrifice for his motherland only on two days of the year—30 January and 2 October. Politicians give speeches at public gatherings, the film ‘Gandhi’ is telecast on a couple of TV channels, but in our daily lives we think it unnecessary to follow his example. Write the speech in about 150–200 words, describing Gandhiji’s contribution to our country

Respected Principal, teachers, and dear fellow students,

Today, I humbly present myself before this esteemed gathering to delve into the enduring significance of the venerable Mahatma Gandhi in the contemporary era of the 21st century, particularly within the intricate tapestry of India. In contemplating the illustrious figure that is Mahatma Gandhi, one cannot help but ponder the curious phenomenon that surrounds his legacy. Though rightfully bestowed with the esteemed title of "the Father of the Nation," it appears that the remembrance of his extraordinary life and profound sacrifices is confined to specific memorial days, such as the solemn 30th of January and the revered 2nd of October. As politicians eloquently expound their rhetoric and the celluloid masterpiece 'Gandhi' graces the airwaves, it behoves us to introspect and ponder the extent to which we wholeheartedly embody the profound tenets of Mahatma Gandhi in our quotidian existence.

Mahatma Gandhi transcended the boundaries of being a mere historical figure, for he embodied the essence of a visionary. His indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to his ideals propelled him to the forefront of leadership, guiding our nation through a profoundly transformative era. His indelible mark on our nation was unmatched. He fervently advocated for the principles of non-violence, truthfulness, and communal concord. The resounding echoes of his profound message on self-reliance and self-sufficiency reverberated through the hearts and minds of countless individuals, igniting a fervent desire to partake in the noble cause of freedom and dedicate themselves to the arduous task of constructing a sovereign India.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the 21st century, the enduring relevance and indispensability of Gandhian values persist. In this tumultuous era, rife with strife and discord, the profound wisdom of his teachings on non-violence and tolerance resonates with unparalleled significance. As the world grapples with the relentless onslaught of conflicts and divisions, his timeless principles offer a beacon of hope and enlightenment. Now, more than ever, we are compelled to heed his profound insights and embrace the transformative power of peace and acceptance. The alignment of his focus on simplicity, sustainability, and environmental consciousness with the imperative to confront the pressing ecological challenges of our time is nothing short of impeccable.

The enduring relevance of Gandhiji's profound philosophy of inclusive growth, wherein the utmost priority is bestowed upon the welfare of the most destitute and marginalised, cannot be overstated. It serves as an invaluable tool in our ongoing battle against the persistent socio-economic disparities that continue to plague our society. With an unwavering focus on the advancement of rural development and the empowerment of local communities, his resounding emphasis resonates with the clarion call for a self-reliant and resilient India, poised to confront the myriad uncertainties that pervade the global landscape.

As the vibrant and spirited youth of this great nation, it is incumbent upon us to pay homage and steadfastly uphold the timeless principles espoused by the revered Mahatma Gandhi in the very fabric of our daily lives. Let us embark upon the noble pursuit of non-violence, weaving its essence into the very fabric of our interactions. With unwavering commitment, let us embrace the virtues of truth and honesty, allowing them to permeate every facet of our existence. And in our collective endeavour, let us ardently strive for the harmonious coexistence of all within our community. Let us, as conscientious individuals, remain ever cognizant of the profound influence we wield over the environment, and let us, in turn, strive unwaveringly towards the noble pursuit of sustainable living. Let us, as catalysts of profound transformation, ignite the flames of positive change, bestowing upon marginalised communities the power to transcend their limitations and actively participate in the advancement and prosperity of our great nation.

The teachings of Mahatma Gandhi transcend the boundaries of time, casting an eternal glow upon the nation and serving as a steadfast beacon of guidance. Let us not restrict the remembrance of his legacy to a mere couple of annual occasions but rather endeavour to assimilate his profound principles into the fabric of our everyday existence. In this manner, we bestow homage upon the esteemed progenitor of our nation, not solely through verbal expressions but through tangible deeds and endeavours.

With utmost gratitude, I extend my appreciation for your unwavering attention, dear audience. Let us embark on a collective endeavour, a noble pursuit, to embody the essence of Gandhian principles in the vast expanse of 21st-century India. May we, as individuals, rise to the occasion and become the luminous torchbearers, illuminating the path towards a brighter future, guided by the timeless wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi. With a resounding cry of "Jai Hind!" and fervent patriotism and allegiance to my beloved nation.

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  3. Wheelchair Warriors, Sanjana, Vipul and Atul, have been suffering from a debilitating disease— muscular dystrophy—for almost three decades. The symptoms started appearing when they were in their early teens. But disability has not dampened their spirit. It has only made them more determined. You are deeply moved by the above report. You realise that physically challenged people can also play a constructive role in society. We should neither underestimate nor ignore them; and we should definitely not pity them. We must give them the opportunity to prove themselves. Give a speech during the morning assembly urging your schoolmates to understand people like Sanjana, Vipul and Atul.

Ladies and gentlemen, teachers, and my dear schoolmates,

Today, I stand before you with a message that is close to my heart, a message about the indomitable spirit of three extraordinary individuals – Sanjana, Vipul, and Atul. These incredible individuals have been battling a debilitating disease, muscular dystrophy, for nearly three decades. Their journey has not been easy, but their perseverance and determination have been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Often, when we encounter physically challenged individuals, we might be tempted to feel pity for them. We might think that their lives are full of struggles and limitations, but let me tell you, that is far from the truth. Sanjana, Vipul, and Atul have shown us that disability is not a hindrance; it is not a barrier to leading a fulfilling life or making valuable contributions to society.

In fact, they are not defined by their disabilities; they are defined by their strength, their courage, and their passion for life. Despite the challenges they face daily, they have chosen to embrace life with open arms and never let their circumstances dictate their destiny. They have shown us that they are not mere recipients of sympathy; they are warriors – the "Wheelchair Warriors" – fighting to achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Let us take a moment to reflect on the lessons we can learn from them. First and foremost, they teach us the value of resilience. Life is not always fair, and it can throw unexpected obstacles in our path. However, it is how we respond to these challenges that define us. Sanjana, Vipul, and Atul have demonstrated the strength to rise above their adversities, and we can draw inspiration from their courage to overcome our own obstacles.

Secondly, they remind us that each person is unique and has something valuable to offer. Just because someone has a physical limitation does not mean they lack talent or potential. In fact, they might possess skills and talents that we have yet to discover. By acknowledging and respecting their abilities, we create a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Moreover, by understanding the struggles faced by people like Sanjana, Vipul, and Atul, we become more empathetic individuals. Empathy is the key to fostering meaningful connections and building a supportive community. When we put ourselves in their shoes, we gain a deeper appreciation for the challenges they confront daily.

As a school, it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone feels welcome and valued. We must create an environment that celebrates diversity and embraces all individuals, regardless of their physical abilities. Let us pledge to treat each other with kindness and respect, and let us actively include and involve everyone in our school activities and events.

I urge all of you to remember that disability does not define a person's worth. We are all capable of achieving greatness if we believe in ourselves and receive the support and encouragement of those around us. Let us be the support system that Sanjana, Vipul, Atul, and others need to thrive.

So, my dear friends, let us stand together as a united school community, recognizing the strength and potential of every individual, regardless of their physical challenges. Together, we can make a difference by being more understanding, inclusive, and compassionate towards one another.

Thank you for listening, and let us strive to be better individuals and a better community, where everyone is given the opportunity to prove themselves.

Empowering Voices: Relevant Speech Topics for Indian School Students

These topics cover a wide range of important issues that are relevant to the lives of students in class 10, 11, and 12, and they can spark meaningful discussions and create awareness on various subjects that matter in the Indian education system.

The Importance of Environmental Conservation: How Small Actions Can Make a Big Difference

Mental Health Awareness: Breaking the Stigma and Promoting Well-being

Digital Literacy: Navigating the Online World Safely and Responsibly

Empowering Youth Voices: Encouraging Student Activism and Engagement

Gender Equality: Promoting Inclusivity and Respect in Schools and Beyond

The Power of Mindfulness: Cultivating Inner Peace and Focus in a Fast-paced World

Financial Literacy: Building a Strong Foundation for a Secure Future

Sports and Physical Fitness: Balancing Academics and Health for Holistic Development

Embracing Cultural Diversity: Celebrating India's Rich Heritage and Traditions

Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Nurturing Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills

The Impact of Social Media on Society: Striking a Balance between Virtual and Real Life

Overcoming Exam Stress: Strategies for Effective Time Management and Stress Relief

Cybersecurity and Online Safety: Protecting Yourself and Others in the Digital Age

Career Exploration: Discovering Passion and Pathways for Future Success

Responsible Voting: Empowering Young Voters to Participate in the Democratic Process

Building Strong Interpersonal Skills: Nurturing Relationships and Communication

Promoting Volunteerism: The Joy of Giving Back to the Community

Promoting Healthy Relationships: Understanding Consent and Respect in Relationships

Art and Creativity: Expressing Yourself through Various Art Forms

Sustainable Development: Taking Actions to Ensure a Better Future for All

SOME INSPIRING SPEECHES OF THE GREAT PERSONALITIES OF ALL TIME 

VIVEO COURTESY GOES TO ALL THE RESPECTIVE YOU TUBE CHANNELS AND WEBSITES.

Sudha Murty's tribute to wives of entrepreneurs:

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Dr. Shashi Tharoor's most Viral speech 

Marlon Brando  an Mark Anthony from Julius Caesar

15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

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Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

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Speech Writing

Speech Examples

20+ Outstanding Speech Examples for Your Help

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Public speaking can be daunting for students. They often struggle to start, engage the audience, and be memorable. It's a fear of forgetting words or losing the audience's interest.

This leads to anxiety and self-doubt. Students wonder, "Am I boring them? Will they remember what I say? How can I make my speech better?"

The solution lies in speech examples. In this guide, we'll explore these examples to help students create captivating and memorable speeches with confidence.

So, keep reading to find helpful examples!

• 1. Speech Examples 
• 2. Tips to Write a Good Speech

Speech Examples 

Talking in front of a bunch of audiences is not as easy as it seems. But, if you have some good content to deliver or share with the audience, the confidence comes naturally.

Before you start writing your speech, it is a good idea that you go through some good speech samples. The samples will help to learn how to start the speech and put information into a proper structure. 

Speech Examples for Students 

Speech writing is a huge part of academic life. These types of writing help enhance the creative writing skills of students.

Here is an amazing farewell speech sample for students to learn how to write an amazing speech that will captivate the audience.

Below, you will find other downloadable PDF samples.

Speech Examples for Students

Every school and college has a student council. And every year, students elect themselves to be a part of the student council. It is mandatory to impress the student audience to get their votes. And for that, the candidate has to give an impressive speech. 

Here are some speech examples pdf for students.

Speech Examples For Public Speaking

Speech Examples About Yourself

Speech Examples Short

Speech Examples For College Students

Speech For Student Council

Speech Examples Introduction

Speech Example For School

Persuasive Speech Examples

The main purpose of a speech is to persuade the audience or convince them of what you say. And when it comes to persuasive speech , the sole purpose of speech becomes more specific.

Persuasive Speech Example

Informative Speech Examples

Informative speeches are intended to inform the audience. These types of speeches are designed to provide a detailed description of the chosen topic. 

Below we have provided samples of informative speech for you.

Informative Speech Example

Informative Speech Sample

Entertainment Speech Examples

Entertainment speeches are meant to entertain the audience. These types of speeches are funny, as well as interesting. The given speech samples will help you in writing an entertaining speech.

Entertainment Speech Example

Entertainment Speech Sample

Argumentative Speech Examples

Making a strong argument that is capable of convincing others is always difficult. And, when it comes to making a claim in an argumentative speech, it becomes more difficult. 

Check out the argumentative speech sample that demonstrates explicitly how an argumentative speech needs to be written.

Argumentative Speech Example

Demonstration Speech Examples

The demonstrative speeches are intended to demonstrate or describe the speech topic in depth. Get inspired by the demonstrative speech sample given below and write a captivating demonstrative speech.

Demonstration Speech Example

Demonstration Speech Sample

Motivational Speech Examples

Motivational speeches are designed to motivate the audience to do something. Read out the sample motivational speech given below and learn the art of motivational speech writing.

Impromptu Speech Examples

Impromptu speech writing makes you nervous as you are not good at planning and organization?

Check out the sample impromptu speech and learn to make bullet points of your thoughts and plan your speech properly.

Graduation Speech Examples

Are you graduating soon and need to write a graduation farewell speech?

Below is a sample graduation speech for your help. 

Wedding Speech Examples

“My best friend’s wedding is next week, and I’m the maid of honor. She asked me to give the maid of honor speech, but I’m not good at expressing emotions. I’m really stressed. I don’t know what to do.”

If you are one of these kinds of people who feel the same way, this sample is for you. Read the example given below and take help from it to write a special maid of honor speech.

Best Man Speech Examples

Father of The Bride Speech Example

Speech Essay Example

A speech essay is a type of essay that you write before writing a proper speech. It helps in organizing thoughts and information. 

Here is a sample of speech essays for you to understand the difference between speech format and speech essay format.

Tips to Write a Good Speech

Reading some famous and incredible sample speeches before writing your own speech is really a good idea. The other way to write an impressive speech is to follow the basic tips given by professional writers. 

• Audience Analysis: Understand your audience's interests, knowledge, and expectations. Tailor your speech to resonate with them.
• Clear Purpose: Define a clear and concise purpose for your speech. Ensure your audience knows what to expect right from the beginning.
• Engaging Opening: Start with a captivating hook – a story, question, quote, or surprising fact to grab your audience's attention.
• Main Message: Identify and convey your main message or thesis throughout your speech.
• Logical Structure: Organize your speech with a clear structure, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Transitions: Use smooth transitions to guide your audience through different parts of your speech.
• Conversational Tone: Use simple, conversational language to make your speech accessible to everyone.
• Timing: Respect the allocated time and write the speech accordingly. An overly long or short speech can diminish the audience's engagement.
• Emotional Connection: Use storytelling and relatable examples to evoke emotions and connect with your audience.
• Call to Action (if appropriate): Encourage your audience to take action, change their thinking, or ponder new ideas.
• Practice Natural Pace: Speak at a natural pace, avoiding rushing or speaking too slowly.

So, now you know that effective communication is a powerful tool that allows you to inform, persuade, and inspire your audience. Throughout this blog, we've provided you with numerous examples and invaluable tips to help you craft a compelling speech. 

And for those moments when you require a professionally written speech that truly stands out, remember that our team is here to help. We can rescue you from writer's block and deliver an outstanding speech whenever you need it.

With our professional essay writing service , you can be confident in your ability to communicate your message effectively and leave a lasting impact. 

So, don't hesitate – place order now and buy speech that will truly captivate your audience.

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Speechnotes is a powerful speech-enabled online notepad, designed to empower your ideas by implementing a clean & efficient design, so you can focus on your thoughts. We strive to provide the best online dictation tool by engaging cutting-edge speech-recognition technology for the most accurate results technology can achieve today, together with incorporating built-in tools (automatic or manual) to increase users' efficiency, productivity and comfort. Works entirely online in your Chrome browser. No download, no install and even no registration needed, so you can start working right away.

Speechnotes is especially designed to provide you a distraction-free environment. Every note, starts with a new clear white paper, so to stimulate your mind with a clean fresh start. All other elements but the text itself are out of sight by fading out, so you can concentrate on the most important part - your own creativity. In addition to that, speaking instead of typing, enables you to think and speak it out fluently, uninterrupted, which again encourages creative, clear thinking. Fonts and colors all over the app were designed to be sharp and have excellent legibility characteristics.

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• Speech Writing /

Speech on Personal Hygiene in English for Students

• Updated on  
• May 22, 2024

How often do you wash your hands or take a shower each day? Your answer reflects your level of concern for personal hygiene. Personal hygiene involves keeping your body free of germs. This includes washing your hands, taking showers, covering your mouth or nose while sneezing, and more. In this discussion, we will cover a speech on personal hygiene, exploring all its important aspects.

2 Minute Speech on Personal Hygiene

Why is personal hygiene.

1. Regular Handwashing: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing. 

 2. Shower or Bath Daily: Cleanse your body with soap and water daily to remove sweat, dirt, and bacteria. 

 3. Oral Hygiene: Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss daily, and use mouthwash to maintain good oral health.

 4. Trim Nails: Keep your nails short and clean to prevent the buildup of dirt and bacteria.

 5. Wear Clean Clothes: Change your clothes daily and wear clean undergarments to maintain hygiene and prevent body odour. 

 6. Hair Care: Wash your hair regularly with shampoo and conditioner to keep it clean and healthy.

 7. Proper Toilet Habits: Always wipe from front to back after using the restroom to prevent the spread of bacteria. 

 8. Properly Dispose of Waste: Dispose of used tissues, sanitary products, and other waste properly to maintain cleanliness and prevent the spread of germs. 

 9. Healthy Diet: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support overall health and hygiene. 

 10. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support bodily functions, including maintaining healthy skin. 

A.1 Hygiene refers to the habit of keeping our bodies germ-free. Hygiene is crucial to stay fit and live a healthy life. Good hygiene practices lead to better health outcomes and improves our overall quality of life. This includes better physical health, fewer days lost to illness, and enhanced mental well-being due to reduced stress about health issues.

A.2 Hygiene refers to behaviours that can improve cleanliness and lead to good health. 

A.3 Hygiene practices, such as sanitation and personal cleanliness, play a crucial role in preventing the spread of diseases. The scope extends to global health initiatives, epidemiology, healthcare system improvement, and health equity.

Popular English Speech Topics

For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

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• Open access
• Published: 22 May 2024

Collaborative reflection and discussion using the narrative medicine approach: speech acts and physician identity

• Shanshan Li   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0006-2816-6389 1 ,
• Libo Zhong 2 &
• Yaping Cai 3  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  651 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Medical humanities

Narrative medicine has become a meaningful solution to promote medical students’ professional and personal growth. However, there is a lack of study on how students benefit from the narrative medicine approach when developing identities. This study aimed to establish and implement an integrated English reading and writing curriculum based on collaborative reflection and discussion using the narrative medicine approach, exploring how students presented and constructed physician identities by performing speech acts. First-year undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine were recruited. Collaborative reflection and discussion were conducted in the integrated course involving 14 pieces of medical-related narrative works, along with essential elements that guided the students to engage in classroom activities. In the following analysis, the qualitative analysis software NVivo was used to identify the main speech acts and their frequency to analyze students’ perception and recognition of different physician identities. Our analysis presented 33 major speech acts and revealed their frequency and characteristics, which we summarize in five interrelated physician identities. The fine-grained analysis showed how these identities were influenced by the narrative medicine approach, which provides enlightenment for supporting students to develop their professional identities. Another unique contribution of this study was to present the teaching basis and essential elements in an integrated humanistic curriculum. The results helped clarify the relationship between speech acts and physician identity and suggested that collaborative reflection and discussion using the narrative medicine approach improved the humanistic component that was in short supply in medical education through its interdisciplinary advantages, thus promoting professional identity development that can lead to higher-quality medical and emotional care.

Introduction

Physician identity is “a representation of self, achieved in stages over time during which the characteristics, values, and norms of the medical profession are internalized” (Cooke et al. 2010 ). Many medical education commissions and associations encourage medical educators to ensure the ongoing development of appropriate professional behaviors for students in medical and health professions because the cultivation of physician identities, including professional values, actions, and aspirations, is the backbone of medical education (Cooke et al. 2010 ). Medical students with a professional identity are more confident in what they do as doctors, which affects their relationships with colleagues, patients, professional groups, and society (Monrouxe, 2010 ). They show concern for ethical principles and a willingness to interact with patients and co-workers to achieve professional growth (Cruess et al. 2002 ).

One of the reasons for the difficulty in professional identity development can be found in medical education, for it has become a source of biased teaching and learning (An et al. 2008 ). The students are trained to excel in medical and treatment technology, while social value and humanistic aspects of medicine are excluded (Ferry-Danini, 2018 ; Thibault, 2019 ). Medical educators have criticized “dehumanization in medicine” by calling on doctors to be scientific in their way of thinking as well as to learn to conduct ethical analysis and moral judgment (Amin et al. 2021 ; Pellegrino, 1984 ; Serodio et al. 2016 ). Therefore, academic attention should be paid to medical humanities. It is necessary to make educational suggestions for cultivating future doctors who pay more attention to patients.

As a theoretical and operative approach, narrative medicine plays a role in interdisciplinary learning from medicine, education, and humanities. Narrative medicine’s innovative model includes training in close reading and reflective writing. On the one hand, by reading virtual records of possible clinical situations, medical students are trained in the four essential abilities of attention, representation, reflection, and affiliation (Charon, 2005 ). Therefore, they can look outward at patients and inward at themselves (Langellier, 2009 ). On the other hand, medical students may not only gain emotional benefits (e.g., empathy) but also understand the patient’s experience and spiritual journey of themselves in career growth (Charon, 2008 ). In addition, using narrative medicine as a medical education tool includes potential benefits such as the perception of ethical challenges (Daryazadeh et al. 2020 ), identification with peers and broader professional communities (Lukolyo et al. 2019 ), and enhanced communication and reasoning skills (Welch and Harrison, 2016 ). Evidence from the structured model for narrative-based medicine interventions has shown that collaborative reflection and discussion further enrich the teaching strategies of close reading and corresponding reflective writings (Balmer and Richards, 2012 ; Milota et al. 2019 ). Opportunities are created for medical students to promote reflective thinking and their awareness of professional identity, thereby influencing their learning of professionalism (Huang et al. 2021 ). Close reading, reflective writing, sharing, and discussion help students have a broader view of patients and diseases in clinical practice, understand what the physician profession means, and comprehend the discourse of medicine and the society it serves (Charon, 2001 ). Students can think, act, and feel like a doctor under the positive influence of narrative medicine.

More attention has been put on the effects of narrative medicine interventions in recent years. There are many studies on its implementation for students during clinical practice, such as cultivating professionalism (Huang et al. 2021 ), its impact on patient care (Chretien et al. 2015 ; Fioretti et al. 2016 ), and increasing a sense of empathy (McDonald et al. 2015 ). It has also applied to teachers, helping them reflect in a unique space and gain support for their professional growth (Balmer and Richards, 2012 ; Holdren et al. 2023 ). Few studies have been conducted on how medical students in pre-clinical years benefit from the narrative medicine approach when developing identities. Pre-clinical students’ professional identity as preliminary doctors has not been fully developed (Park and Hong, 2022 ). Therefore, students need to perceive humanistic values and construct a professional identity for their future careers by having a rich knowledge of medical humanities, strengthening their ability to reflect and discuss with others, and enhancing listening, interpreting, absorbing, and imaginative skills (Miller et al. 2014 ).

Therefore, the study focuses on narrowing the gap in humanities education for pre-clinical students who lack sufficient opportunities to develop their professional identity and clarifying to what extent students externalize humanistic literacy into virtual clinical practice. We encourage students to integrate reading and writing practice into narrative medicine. Apart from improving English reading and writing abilities, with collaborative reflection and discussion (CRD) using the narrative medicine approach, students can also pay more attention to the reflection on medical-related stories, think about the attitudes, emotions, and values of the characters, gaining an awareness of professional identity. CRD refers to students inspiring and complementing each other through self-examination and peer interaction to generate new ideas, usually in the form of group and classroom discussions. This study designed a 32-week English reading and writing course to explore what physician identities students may develop from the analytical perspective of speech acts in the CRD corpus. Our study focused on the following questions:

(1) What are the repeated speech acts in CRD using the narrative medicine approach? How about their frequency?

(2) What physician identities do medical students develop through repeated speech acts?

Study design and context

This curriculum innovation experiment was conducted during the 2022–2023 academic year at Hangzhou Medical College in China. Based on the theory and practice of narrative medicine, an integrated English reading and writing curriculum was designed to explore how to adapt English teaching to medical education to avoid traditional grammar and vocabulary teaching. In our preliminary study (Zhong, 2021 ), we negotiated the main challenges and participatory changes involved in such an integrated course. As an implicit goal of medical education, professional identity is often taught in reliance on humanities, such as Ethics and Psychology. It is also the implicit teaching goal of this innovative curriculum partly because the characteristics of language learning help researchers to observe the relationship between students’ perception of physician identity and their language use and partly because the interdisciplinary characteristics of the integrated course help students improve their ability to explain and reflect on medical behavior from the stories and their ability to use metaphors and symbolic tools for future medical practice which may bring practical benefits to their identity transformation (Jones, 2013 ).

Participants

Fifty-six first-year undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine from the same class participated in this research. The usual duration of their studies was five years. In addition to electives, the participants studied seven basic courses like Psychological Health Education, six specialized courses like Topological Anatomy, and had a two-week clinical clerkship. None of the participants took courses related to narrative medicine. All participants provided written informed consent before participating in the study.

Narrative medicine was introduced into the weekly English reading and writing course, which was compulsory for the participants. The teacher used the narrative medicine approach to organize reading and writing activities with the explicit goal of nurturing the ability to read and write in English to improve communicative skills and the implicit goal of developing an awareness of physician identity. The medical-related texts were selected from the successful experiences of narrative medicine researchers and our preliminary study to cater to the needs of general medical students. The participants were divided into groups of five to six students to participate in CRD, the basis and teaching elements of which are described as follows:

CRD is based on a series of curriculum activities (Table 1 ). First, students understood the theoretical background of narrative medicine and the analysis methods of narrative works and simulated the process of narrative reading and writing. The focus was to give students a preliminary understanding of narrative medicine, laying the foundation for CRD. Then, we encouraged the medical students to adopt the narrative medicine approach, read and discuss narrative works in groups and with the class, engage in reflective writing, and share and comment on their writings with peers. The purpose was to promote medical students’ better understanding of their feelings and attitudes toward patients and doctors and of peers’ reflective discourse.

The essential elements of CRD were set according to the principles and teaching framework of narrative medicine based on the previous studies of Charon et al. ( 2016 ) (Fig. 1 ).

The arrows in the left panel reflect two contexts (i.e., close reading and reflective writing) involved in the three phases; the upper box in the right panel refers to the four elements of close reading centering on the goal of raising the awareness of physician identity through CRD; the lower box in the right panel refers to the four elements of reflective writing centering on the goal of exploring the physician identity through CRD.

After the students interpreted and absorbed the information through close reading, one researcher trained in teaching narrative medicine guided the students to engage in CRD around the four elements of narrative reading (Charon et al. 2016 ): time, space, metaphor, and voice. The aim of CRD in English reading was to encourage students to be aware of the role of medical staff in society and organizations.

The corresponding writing tasks enhanced students’ reflective ability. The subsequent CRD created a reflective space wherein students could explore the dimension and depth of narrative works and involved the following elements: reflection that helped students notice and shape their perceptions of medical behavior and organizational behavior; comment on the patient’s illness experience that helped construct empathy; and discussion that encouraged students to share their writings focusing on the understanding of plot, situation, illness, and death. The teacher provided supportive and non-judgmental mentoring and helped students develop an awareness of professional identity through interactions.

Data Sources

The corpus source is 24 CRD from October 2022 to June 2023 (Table 2 ). One of the researchers guided the students to engage in 24 CRD in the classroom; the other two took turns observing and recording the discussions via stenography, with a focus on students’ speech acts.

Fourteen pieces of medical-related narrative works were discussed (Table 3 ). The identities mentioned and discussed by the students include doctors, patients, patient’s relatives and friends, nurses, judges, and so on. All the discussions were tape-recorded. We transcribed the tape recordings into the corpus from which identifiable personal information was hidden.

Data analysis

Analytical perspectives.

The analytical perspectives are “speech acts” and speech acts as “acts of identity.” Although there are many analytical tools for communication and conversation in medicine, such as the Roter interactive analysis system (Roter and Larson, 2002 ) applied to general clinical practice, speech acts analysis is a more direct and effective tool to analyze the CRD of medical students in the field of education.

Speech Act Theory, an important pragmatic theory, suggests that human language is not simply a combination of “sound and meaning” and that language can produce behavior because if the speaker says something meaningful and acceptable, his words will have a behavioral result. Austin ( 1975 ) called the behavior “speech acts” (SA) and divided it into three categories: the locutionary act is the act of speaking words, phrases, and clauses, expressing literal meaning through syntax, vocabulary, and phoneme; the illocutionary act is the act of expressing the speaker’s intention, which means people carry out specific acts when speaking, such as informing, ordering, and warning; the perlocutionary act has the consequences or changes brought by utterances. We focused more on the illocutionary act, as it is more conventional for us to judge and distinguish from the other two acts as connected with the production of effects in certain senses (Austin, 1975 ). For example, “She can read some poems” in our study implied the speaker’s intention that the doctor can recommend this patient to read poetry, and it revealed the student’s perception of physician identity on this occasion. The classification and examples of the illocutionary act provide us a reference to an analysis: Austin ( 1975 ) divided the illocutionary act into five categories; Searle ( 1979 ) further classified them in greater detail. Besides, a person can also realize the same intention through different locutionary acts, but there are often some typical expressions. In our study, speech acts were conducted within speech events (Hymes, 1968 ) in which medical-related works were discussed, so descriptions and explanations could be made to understand students’ attitudes and values.

All speech acts are “acts of identity”—linguistic behaviors contribute to constructing complex identities (Walters, 1987 ). “Identity” refers to an individual identifies with a social group, such as ethnicity, race, and class, containing two meanings: one is that an individual can be identified as a member of a social group while the other is that an individual regards himself as part of a group. These “acts of identity” emphasize the structural impact of social groups and are limited and influenced by contexts and situations within the class in our study. It included the identity that an individual student readily chose in communication, presenting and constructing important identities by repeatedly performing some SA in their discourse.

Analytical process

Our analysis began with familiarization of the data, where we re-read, made notes, and added comments on the content of classroom discussions to identify recurring SA as students used them through reading and writing activities. Reviewing these preliminary records of SA, all authors collaboratively identified descriptive codes to develop our first cycle coding. These initial codes, including SA of close reading and SA of reflective writing, were intended to capture our perceived fragments of an association between SA and physician identity within the teaching framework of CRD. Using the software NVivo, we then applied the first cycle coding scheme, coded independently, generating various codes and having regular discussions about these codes. We generated codes at the locutionary act level, for example, literal meanings that had typical expressions to realize intentions, and at the illocutionary act level, exploring students’ intentions (for example “his needs should come first” indicated doctors should prioritize patients’ needs). This step was used to examine how students’ SA over different narrative works revealed their physician identity. We refined the second cycle coding scheme by sharing coding to illustrate the relationships among CRD elements, SA, and physician identity, and then collaboratively defined the second cycle codes. To address reliability issues, the team discussed a section of the initial coding of the data conducted by Shanshan Li to modify and refine our coding definitions as the team negotiated conflicts in applying the coding scheme. We then applied the second cycle codes, building nodes classified by theme, and supplemented, merged, revised, and finalized the coding. For example, the sub-node of “reflect on how to help the ill” was placed under the tree node of “medical behavior” when it was initially coded, but after our in-depth discussion of the data, it was placed under the tree node of “illness and death.” We finally calculated the frequency of repeated SA, namely, how many CRDs contained the repeated SA. Based on these SA, we analyzed students’ perception and identification of physician identity.

Reflexivity

The stenography of all lessons made by two authors was allowed to capture real-time experiences by minimizing all authors’ voices. The writing assignments students handed in allowed for the validation of CRD fragments. All authors checked transcripts with original audio files to ensure data accuracy and met regularly to engage reflexively in reviewing data from multiple perspectives and challenging interpretations that may result from potential biases. Diversity in the research backgrounds of the authors limited personal or disciplinary bias: Shanshan Li was trained in English language and literature at the bachelor’s level and educational sciences at the master’s level, and Libo Zhong was trained in English language and literature at the doctoral level. Both work as teachers and researchers in undergraduate medical education and conduct research projects on narrative medicine. Yaping Cai works as a professor in education with expertise in curriculum theory and boundary crossing. All researchers have experience in qualitative research. Trustworthiness was addressed by collaborative interrogation of our perception of data derived from diverse positionalities and by rigorous analytical steps. The research was approved by the institutional review board and followed ethical approvals.

SA and frequency

Many characteristics can be seen in Table 4 . Some SA appeared with high frequency in 24 CRD, which shows a distinct feature of the narrative medicine approach. For example, the SA of “focus on the time and speed of illness process (1)” appeared in 22 out of 24 discussions. SA with a percentage higher than 70% can be considered to be the most repeated parts of CRD, including “focus on the time and speed of illness process (1),” “analyze the patient’s physical changes (4),” “identify the different voices (6),” “know the attitude of the patient (13),” “understand the plot and situation deeply (15),” “increase the level of empathy (19),” “attention to details of illness and death, such as word choice (22),” “reflect on what kind of attitude doctors should have toward the patient (29),” and “think about communication and connection (32)”.

The frequency of SA varies widely, but it is not easy to distinguish which SA is necessary for students to use in CRD. One reason may be related to the contextual differences. If the narrative works provided the context in the first person of the patient, students need not “confirm that the patient is aware of the illness status (2)”; if there were no apparent conflicts in attitudes or interests, students need not “rank the wishes of the patient and others (14)”. The examples demonstrate that although some SA seems important, the narrative works do not guarantee the necessity to use them. The perspective of thinking also influences the choice of SA. For example, “give spatial information in a region (5)” and “identify the voices that influence the patient (10)” were usually not directly related to the medical knowledge that aroused students’ interest, but were often proposed by the teacher who guided the discussion. Students may choose SA that seems related to their major, or the one that is easier to identify from the elements of CRD. As a rough estimate, SA with a frequency of more than 60% (bold in Table 4 ) is necessary for CRD.

Physician identity

Based on the frequency of SA and the CRD corpus, we summarized the main physician identities as follows.

The spokesperson for the patient’s wishes

Students noticed that when patients did not clearly state their wishes for subjective or objective reasons, doctors should take the initiative to inquire and presume the patient’s wishes from the details. The identity of the spokesperson can be seen in confirming that the patient is aware of the illness status (2), presuming the patient’s wishes (11), knowing the attitude of the patient (13), ranking the wishes of the patient, and others (14), and being aware of the rights and interests of the patient (17). Students tried to analyze the patient’s wishes while taking notes of other people. Even when the patient did not express any wishes, the students speculated about his possible expression based on his educational background and life experience. When patients and doctors choose different medical options, students realize that they need to communicate with the patients (32), prioritize their wishes (14), and consider inviting their relatives regarded as people who know them best to participate in medical decisions (10).

Example 1a: The doctor’s objectivity and the patient’s suffering (CRD on How the Poor Die )

Student: Based on all we know about him (10), he would refuse cupping therapy (11). But his resistance had no effect (15), and he suffered too much (19).

Teacher: Did Orwell say anything? Why did you make this judgment?

Student: He knew he was seriously ill (2), but he didn’t want to be treated like the No. 57 patient (13) whose belly is the only valuable part to the doctor and interns (15). I think the doctor should ask for Orwell’s permission (32).

Student: Case teaching is inevitable, but the way the doctor performed was not beneficial for Orwell (17).

Teacher: What did he do for Orwell?

Student: Ask him to take fundamental drugs. But I’m afraid the doctor wanted to take him to the autopsy room after he died (14, 15).

Teacher: What did Orwell expect?

Student: His needs should come first (13, 14). If possible, any of his relatives or friends should also be there to help (10).

After closely reading How the Poor Die , the students identified that patients in free wards were treated with no dignity, and presumed Orwell’s wishes based on his life background and experience in public hospitals (11). After reviewing the details, they confirmed that he knew the illness status (2). The student perceived that the treatment chosen by the doctor or the medical institution did not necessarily correspond to the rights and interests of the patient (17). Therefore, after examining the doctor’s medical behavior in the story (15), they knew the patient’s attitudes by checking the medical context (13) and found that the wish of the patient was different from that of the doctor (14). The students were aware that, in diagnosis and treatment, the doctor should ask patients and their relatives about their wishes, putting the patient’s wish first in the ranking process (14).

The students found the hybrid identities of doctors challenging; they viewed the doctor as a scientist and researcher who should take a distant and objective attitude when communicating with the patient; on the other hand, they realized it was far from the patient-centered concept required by the clinical practice as it showed no respect for the patient. The students wrote in reflection (Example 1b): “This is a story told from the patient’s perspective as if to warn us what should be the first concern of a doctor (12,15)”; “Scientific descriptions and research are important, but ignoring the emotional demands of patients can lead to doctor-patient conflicts (9) and undermine doctors’ efforts to respect patients (17).” The students tried to understand complex expressions and the plot in the stories (12,15), coming to a consensus that, by inquiring and presuming the patient’s wishes, doctors not only prioritize the patient’s rights and interests (14,17) but also protect doctors’ safety by avoiding possible risks (29).

The guide for patients in the face of illness and death

Most students learned about different diseases and their consequences for the first time by reading a novel or watching a movie. They read detailed descriptions of the illness and tried to understand patients’ psychological states like emotions, perceptions, and expectations. Therefore, the physician identity as a guide was developed in CRD as the students learned how to help patients increase courage in the face of illness and death, and how to advise on possible arrangements as the disease got worse. It can be seen in focusing on the time and speed of illness development (1), examining how patients experience sick time (3), analyzing the patient’s physical changes (4), accepting and promoting the concept of palliative care (23), raising the issue of caring for patients (25), suggesting arrangements or activities (27), and paying attention to the patient’s hobbies or the final wishes (28).

Example 2a: Noticing, finding, and advising arrangements (CRD on Breathe )

Student: In just ten minutes of the film, Robin was infected with the polio virus and paralyzed (1), with only a slight head movement (3,4). It’s so sad (19).

Student: Without a ventilator, he would die in two minutes (1,4).

Teacher: So what is the narrative focus of Breath ?

Student: It’s about how they faced the disease (12). It’s good for them to do everything they can, leaving no regrets (27). What the doctors can do is trying to keep death from coming too soon (25).

Student: But Robin was lucky (19). Diana took care of everything with the help of their friends (25). Relatives can do more than doctors (25).

Teacher: What happened then?

Student: He finally decided to say goodbye to the world (1,13) because relying on the ventilator for such a long time made his lungs extremely susceptible to infection (1,4).

Student: At least he saw his son growing up. It may be what he wanted most (13,28). The near-death stage should not be prolonged (23). If I were Robin, I would do the same (19).

In Example 2a, the elements of “time” and “space” (1,4) were discussed several times as students constantly found new details of the progression of the disease and the physical changes of the patient. The students empathized with the loss of the patient’s health (19), tried to know the best that the doctor and caregivers could do in different stages of illness (25), noticed the patient’s final wishes (28), and accepted and promoted the concept of palliative care (23). By directly observing the dynamic changes of the disease and the patient’s experience of illness, the students proposed the arrangement (27) concerning emotional care and finally accepted and respected the patient’s decision to say goodbye to the world (13). Students developed an understanding of the doctor’s responsibility as a guide for patients. In the CRD of reflective writings (Example 2b), students realized that doctors need to communicate with patients on the topic of illness and death (32), reflect on what kind of attitude doctors should have toward the patient (29), and guide patients to vent their feelings when they are in sickness:

Example 2b: Guide patients to think about illness and death

• I think what the author wants to say is that the meaning of death is letting life explode more brightly in an increasingly limited time (12,15). Death is not a negative existence; it’s a “good night.” If we convey such positive emotions to the patient (29,32), it is also a form of medical help and treatment (16). (CRD on Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night )

• When the doctor informed the patient of the bad news, he encouraged the patient to face reality bravely rather than using technical terms (32). I was deeply impressed by his solicitude. A doctor’s verbal language can help a patient calm down and encourage him (16,29). (CRD on What the Doctor Said ).

The students’ SA were often targeted, usually from doctors’ perspectives, such as informing diagnosis, body language, medical or life advice, and palliative care. Students can understand that the doctor should be with the patient in the face of illness or death as their guide during medical treatment.

The listener for multiple voices

The students often searched for medical knowledge related to the narrative works and briefly exchanged information with peers (33) to prepare for a better understanding of diverse voices. They identified different voices (6), confirmed the speaker’s rights and obligations (7), noticed the gap between the speaker and the listener (8), and observed the effects of the speaker’s encounter with the listener (9) to understand all the voices in the story. Through deeper reading and writing, they noticed the patient’s difficulties (26) and communication issues (32). Students were thus able to ensure that all voices were taken into account in the virtual medical context and realized that they should listen to multiple voices before taking responsibility for healthcare decisions.

Example 3a: An understanding of all voices (CRD on the Children Act )

Teacher: Adam’s parents were supposed to know Adam best (10). What choice did they make?

Student: They would refuse blood transfusion because of religious beliefs (6).

Teacher: So what choice did others make?

Student: The hospital filed a lawsuit, so Fiona decided to force blood transfusions (6).

Teacher: We seemed to ignore Adam’s wishes (11).

Student: He refused the treatment (13).

Teacher: What did he say? Why did you make this judgment?

Student: He would accept blood transfusion treatment (11) because Fiona had become his new faith (15). But when he wrote or talked to her, Fiona thought it was not her job (6,26), so he refused (13).

Student: Fiona did not listen to Adam’s story (8). She ignored Adam’s emotional needs (7). There’s a big gap between them (8,26).

Teacher: But she finally changed. Do you know why?

Student: Her conversation with her husband showed that she had changed (9). If she had changed earlier, the result might have been different (29,32).

The students discovered the hidden voices between the lines and the intricate background behind them. The student first pointed out that Adam had leukemia and briefly shared relevant medical knowledge, noting that it should be a recurrent case (33). After identifying the voices of Adam, his parents, the court, Fiona, and her husband (6), they pointed out that Fiona, as a professional, refused to listen to Adam (26), which prevented the patient’s voice from being heard, and that she did not fulfill her duty as a listener (7,8). As a result, the students shared an in-depth reflection on Adam’s refusal of blood transfusion (9), which prompted them to think about how to communicate and connect with others as doctors (32). One student shared his writing excerpts in the class (Example 3b): “When Adam wanted to talk to Fiona, what Fiona thought about was the proprieties and dignity of her professional identity (26,32). Children are vulnerable. In addition to the physical well-being, we must provide them with spiritual well-being (29)”.

Different voices that need to be heard by doctors also arise among students who presume they are doctors. In the 22nd CRD on You Don’t Know Jack , many students believed that Jack patiently listened to each patient’s words and understood their wishes and interests, so making euthanasia legal was acceptable. However, some expressed concern about the technical aspects of communicating with the patients and understanding their choices and wishes. They finally concluded that doctors should pay attention to all the voices, on which they could make prudent healthcare decisions.

The Empathizer who offers love and help

Some SA showed students’ empathy for patients’ emotions like pain and loneliness. Being an empathetic doctor who can offer love and help to patients was also what medical students realized when developing the awareness of physician identity. The identity of the empathizer can be seen in their new or changed knowledge to help the patient (16), their perception of the patient’s experience (18), an increased level of empathy (19), an increased understanding of the elderly and the seriously ill (20), and reflection on how to help the ill (24). The discourse in Example 4 came from the 3rd CRD about how people help each other to overcome difficulties together.

Example 4: Giving care, love, and empathy to patients (CRD on The Way We Live Now )

• There are no words warning visitors of the possibility of infection now. It’s hard to imagine what it was like for him to live in an environment of discrimination before such changes happened (19).

• During his hospitalization, he began to keep a diary, recording his feelings since he was diagnosed with AIDS, and writing down his regrets (3,15). Will it be of great help if we encourage patients to read or write poems or diaries to vent their feelings or get inspiration (16,24)?

• He may think he was alienated and isolated (18), but the doctor was kind, patient, and optimistic about his condition (15). Good qualities such as respect, compassion, and companionship are valuable for the patients (16,24).

The students analyzed from all perspectives: how “his” lover, friends, the hospital, and doctors were concerned about his illness in different ways. They focused on how to provide “him” with continual love and assistance. The above SA with strong empathy included open-ended questions (“What it was like for him to …?”) and more implied questions (“Is it of great help if …?”). Such emotional insights left room for reflection and reminded students to offer love and help to patients. “Good qualities … are valuable” is not only the affirmation of the doctor’s medical behavior but also an invitation for all future doctors to give care and empathy to the patients.

The reflective doctor who reinterprets the process

To develop the ability to describe the clinical process in non-technical language, the students learned to describe the causes and effects, disease progression, and the care process, reinterpreting and thinking reflectively based on “time and speed of illness process (1),” “spatial information (5),” “complex and metaphorical expression (12),” “the plot and contextual situation (15),” and “details of illness and death such as word choice (22).” The students explored the way they reinterpreted the process in the discussions, which may contribute to their reflection on illness, diagnosis, and death:

Example 5a: Reinterpretation of the story (CRD on The Masque of the Red Death )

• During the plague (1), the king welded the bolt and reveled inside the castle, leaving people to die outside (5,15). The strike of midnight (1) suggested his death (12). “Red” (12,22) is the color of blood from killing all people (12), but behind the masque was empty. Does it indicate that the king was not killed by the “Red Death” but by his ruthlessness and brutality (12)?

Through reflection and discussion, students noticed something they were unaware of and re-understood the complicated information. Sometimes, they invited their peers to pay attention and listen to their reflections (30), and they responded to the invitations (31). In this process (Example 5b), the students often examined their reinterpretations from a distance or from the point of view of another student to verify whether their perceptions were accurate and adequate:

Example 5b: The dilemma of oncologists (CRD on Wit )

• She reviewed her life in the hospital bed (3), talking to her father, first teacher, students, and “us” in the classroom (5). Passing away with the teacher reading her favorite childhood story (1,3) was the best send-off she could have imagined (28). I felt a deep sadness (19). I think oncologists love cancer cells more than patients because the former is the victor and the strong (15). Do you agree (30)?

• It’s true that doctors should be calm, objective, and rational, but most also have compassionate hearts. Sometimes, patients only need someone to be with them (16,19).

Some students took great pride in their reflective writings and were adept at capturing what they saw in narrative works and sharing it with others (30); some commented on their peers’ concerns and reinterpretation (31). They responded to the call of the suffering patients and tried to understand what the doctor should do to echo the call.

While most medical-related narrative works provide opportunities for medical students to improve their level of empathy and sense of humanistic literacy (Milota et al. 2019 ), the students often have little support in systematically considering how they might utilize theory and knowledge of narrative medicine to influence their perceptions as a doctor and maintain an awareness of self-reflection with the help of peer-learning in the school context. Integrating CRD using the narrative medicine approach into the teaching of medical humanities, we intentionally targeted the professional identity development of medical students as the implicit teaching goal, leveraging the tool of speech acts to reveal students’ SA and their frequency. By intentionally enhancing the listening, interpreting, absorbing, and imaginative skills of the students through close reading and reflective writing, we summarized the physician identities from the CRD corpus—the spokesperson for the patient’s wishes, the guide for patients in the face of illness and death, the listener for multiple voices, the empathizer who offers love and help, and the reflective doctor who reinterprets the process. Through the analysis of SA frequency and CRD corpus, we summarized some speech acts and explored the process of students’ reflection and discussion. The above analysis and our work on curriculum integration provided implications for supporting medical students’ professional identity development.

First, a sustained commitment to providing students with poetry, novel, and film narratives related to illness and death while utilizing literary texts to discuss is imperative for developing students’ abilities to reflect on medical contexts and physician identities. Previous studies have shown that the fictional world created by narrative works may expand students’ knowledge of self and others and of self and the world around them, regardless of the limitations of time and space, which is conducive to professional identity development and the effective prevention of job burnout (Oyebode and Pourgourides, 1996 ; Charon, 2000 ). As for the physician’ss identity as the spokesperson, many SA show that medical students presumed, confirmed, and respected patients’ wishes; they tried to understand the patients and thought about how to communicate with them rather than being objectively alienated researchers. CRD supported by the narrative medicine approach helped students acquire the tacit knowledge that cannot be obtained from books: students can recognize that doctors should prioritize patients’ interests and wishes to avoid risks that may take place between doctors and patients. For another example, reflection and observation of the dynamic changes of disease deepen their understanding of life and death, training themselves to be the guide for patients in the face of illness and death, which may bring a new point of view for their future clinical practice.

It can be assumed that these narrative works imperceptibly convey ethical and moral values through CRD, inspiring students to think deeply about the process of diagnosis and treatment and re-understand patient narratives and the role of doctors. By targeting the creation of reflective space and positioning CRD as an opportunity to co-construct group identity, medical students can engage in the process of conceptual change (Sinatra and Pintrich, 2003 ) that promotes professional identity development. The study also confirmed the previous research results that narrative-based medical education has a positive impact on the cultivation of professional identity (Miller et al. 2014 ).

Second, guidance for medical students on the recognition of balance and interrelation among different physician identities is necessary. It can improve their sensitivity to medical situations and their capacity to find possible cause-and-effect relationships. Furthermore, the guidance can facilitate the students to identify the signal of what actions a doctor should take at some point and thus make more well-rounded judgments and diagnoses.

The interrelated physician identities as the listener for multiple voices and the empathizer who offers love and help, both of which reflected the benefits of using the narrative medicine approach—attention, reproduction, and affiliation (Charon, 2005 ): by focusing on the patients and their illness experience, listening to multiple voices in and out of the illness stories, sharing and discussing reflective writings, in the process being able to increase the understanding of the ill and re-understand the patients’ viewpoints and behaviors; attention and reproduction spiral into an affiliated relationship between the patient and the future doctors, medical students can understand the patient’s wishes and difficulties, empathize with them by examining their behavior and thoughts in the whole process, and tend to become reflective doctors who reinterpret the medical stories. This study illustrates that CRD using the narrative medicine approach may promote a more systematic and comprehensive understanding of physician identity among medical students. However, some studies have also pointed out that maintaining the steady development of these understandings through continuous training is also crucial (Xue et al. 2023 ).

In addition, we recommend that engaging in collaborative learning should provide more opportunities for students to repeatedly use some SA to develop an awareness of different physician identities, especially high-frequency SA as they are easier to identify from the elements of CRD. If the teacher guides the students to an in-depth discussion of the plot and situation, they must be prepared to understand discourse, mental activity, silence, metaphor, and implication of the virtual medical story. Therefore, speech acts with high repetition, such as “know the attitude of the patient” and “understand the plot and situation deeply,” are useful to explain more accurately their views and attitudes towards patients, diagnosis, and treatment, focusing their attention on the physician identity that they were unaware of—doctors who listen to patients’ description of pain or who are good at observing details. Students can be trained as reflective doctors who reinterpret the medical process by using frequent SA like “focus on the time and speed of illness,” “analyze the patient’s physical changes,” and “observe the effects of the speaker’s encounter with the listener.” Students can develop the habits of paying attention to the patient’s emotional demands rather than only focusing on the scientific description and morphological characteristics of the disease by repeatedly using SA such as “presume the patient’s wishes” and “pay attention to the patient’s hobbies or final wishes,” so the great decline in empathy levels may not occur. Students’ speech acts are not merely a reflection of the objective world, because language users are engaged in social activity while conveying information, creating a perspective filled with specific meanings, thus revealing their social identity (Gee, 2014 ). This study can be used as a non-linear model to consider how to expand SA through CRD, thereby encouraging more diverse identities of being a doctor, which may challenge the scientific learning experience these future doctors are very familiar with in their daily study and work.

Finally, we also recommend that encouraging students’ participation in the context of close reading and reflective writing be imperative for developing the capability of making the implicit learning of physician identity explicit for medical students by using the tool of language and literature. Influencing factors include the support for the ability of students to notice and negotiate different perceptions of the virtual medical stories, and the selection of narrative works. On the one hand, by organizing activities involving collaborative learning and reflective learning like CRD, students can discuss what they perceive from the role of a doctor, such as attitudes, behaviors, and values, through negotiation as critical peers. Isolated reflections and learning experiences can be challenging and uncertain without conceptual change processes, resulting in fewer opportunities for generative learning (Sinatra and Pintrich, 2003 ). Medical students can be provided the opportunities to feel what the group feels, mitigating some of the risks of interpersonal relationships brought about by critical friendship (Swaffield, 2007 ). On the other hand, considering that narrative works are reading materials and discussion contents, teachers should select narrative works and corresponding English versions that meet students’ English levels. By targeting medical narratives with sufficient details and ethical dimensions as opportunities for reflective and collaborative learning, teachers can help students engage in elaboration and description processes that improve narrative skills (Charon, 2008 ), constituting a valuable source of the implicit learning goal of professional identity for students in interdisciplinary environments.

Limitations

First, there were few interdisciplinary collaborations among different medical majors and few collaborations with experts who have diverse experiential and academic expertise that may occur in clinical practice. Introducing such collaboration may act as a catalyst for critical reflection on physician identity, resulting in producing a more comprehensive understanding of SA. Second, our study only investigated pre-clinical students, so further study can focus on the interns to produce more exciting ideas. Third, since there is no systematic and theoretical guidance for the selection of medical-related narrative works, we relied on the successful experience of narrative medicine researchers and our previous teaching experiments. Further research can be conducted on teaching contents and syllabi. Finally, it lacks an assessment of the long-term effects of the integrated curriculum and repeated use of SA, which may have implications for transferring the positive characteristics from classroom settings to clinical practice contexts to maintain sustainable development of professional identity.

The results of this qualitative study illustrated the benefits and value of the CRD approach based on narrative medicine theory and helped clarify the relationship between the frequent use of some SA and different physician identities to promote the professional identity development of medical students. This study used close reading and reflective writing adopting the narrative medicine approach to guide students in collaborative reflection, and in evaluating and discussing doctors’ clinical behaviors and patients’ experiences within the teaching framework of the integrated course, thereby bringing potential benefits for medical students’ personal and professional development.

Thus, many humanities courses with interdisciplinary strengths in medicine and literature, including English reading and writing, create conditions for teachers to use the narrative medicine approach through CRD to encourage students to view illness stories with humility and empathy and reflect on the attitudes, emotions, and values of healthcare professionals. Students can thereby gain an awareness of professional identity that may lead to higher-quality medical and emotional care. It is low-cost and easy to implement. Teachers can build a CRD corpus when implementing an integrated curriculum by collecting SA data to understand how the implicit goal of professional identity development is achieved. It is relatively simple and can be updated over time. We must give priority to favorable conditions, such as the selection of medical-related narrative works conducive to CRD, and the construction of teaching teams to achieve the desired results.

The fact that most Chinese medical schools have a requirement to learn English is more conducive to developing CRD using the narrative medicine approach in interdisciplinary courses. Although change is necessary in language courses that seem to have nothing to do with medicine, it is particularly vital in changing teaching methods and establishing the implicit goal because traditional instructional practices often fail to use medical-related works to influence students’ perception of physician identity. Traditional grammar and vocabulary teaching is not enough as it is divorced from the actual needs of medical education. Therefore, by integrating curriculum and updating teaching methods, the study tries to narrow the gap in medical humanities education for pre-clinical students and provides some references for professional identity and professionalism.

Data availability

Due to conditions on participant consent and other ethical restrictions required by the funder and the medical school, the datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available. If you have any database data requirements, please contact the corresponding author of this study.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Teaching Commission of Hangzhou Medical College under Grant number XJJG202216.

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Shanshan Li substantially contributed to the conception, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, drafting, and critical revision of the paper. Libo Zhong substantially contributed to the conception, methodology, data collection, data analysis, review, and editing of the manuscript. Yaping Cai was involved in the data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the research.

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Li, S., Zhong, L. & Cai, Y. Collaborative reflection and discussion using the narrative medicine approach: speech acts and physician identity. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 651 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03046-w

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Oxymoron Figure of Speech

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Oxymorons aren’t just a quirk of the English language; they’re a powerful figure of speech that can make your writing more compelling. These unique phrases bring together conflicting ideas in a way that adds depth and intrigue to your prose. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a newbie, understanding how to use oxymorons can make your text pop. For a more detailed understanding, you can explore these oxymoron examples from various sources.

What is an Oxymoron Figure of Speech? – Definition

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two seemingly contradictory or opposite words or ideas to create a new, often complex meaning. For example, phrases like “jumbo shrimp” or “deafening silence” are classic oxymorons that invite readers to explore the tension between the conflicting concepts. If you’re interested in how oxymorons are used in literature, you can check out this article on oxymorons in literature .

What is the best Example of an Oxymoron Figure of Speech?

One of the most iconic examples of an oxymoron in literature is “O brawling love! O loving hate!” from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” This line perfectly encapsulates the conflicting emotions of love and hate, creating a complex emotional landscape that resonates with readers even today. For those who enjoy poetry, you might find oxymorons in poetry equally fascinating.

100 Oxymoron Figure of Speech Examples

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• Deafening Silence – William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Living Dead – George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”
• Original Copy – Common parlance
• Act Naturally – Oxymoron in common speech
• Passive Aggressive – Psychological terminology
• Alone Together – Title of a book by Sherry Turkle
• Seriously Funny – Stand-up comedy jargon
• Small Crowd – Reported by news outlets
• Virtual Reality – Tech industry term
• Same Difference – Colloquial expression
• Old News – Common phrase in journalism
• Random Order – Mathematical term
• Found Missing – Police reports
• Awfully Good – Popular critique term
• Minor Crisis – News headline
• Growing Smaller – Economic terminology
• Clearly Confused – Educational language
• Exact Estimate – Construction jargon
• Freezer Burn – Culinary term
• True Myth – C.S. Lewis writings
• Only Choice – Philosophical discussion
• Open Secret – Political term
• Rolling Stop – Traffic terminology
• Paid Volunteer – Nonprofit sector
• Jumbo Shrimp – Culinary arts
• Liquid Gas – Scientific term
• Constant Change – Business jargon
• Passive Resistance – Social activism
• Plastic Glasses – Eyewear industry
• Bittersweet Symphony – Song by The Verve
• Controlled Chaos – Military term
• Definite Maybe – Everyday conversation
• Civil War – Historical events
• Crash Landing – Aviation term
• Actively Waiting – Customer service jargon
• Terribly Pleased – British colloquialism
• Negative Growth – Economic reports
• Tragic Comedy – Shakespearean plays
• Detailed Summary – Academic papers
• Lesser Evil – Political debates
• Cautiously Optimistic – Media interviews
• Painfully Beautiful – Art critique
• Virtual Community – Online platforms
• Harmless Lie – Moral dilemmas
• Random Pattern – Design term
• Unbiased Opinion – Journalism ethics
• Seriously Joking – Social interaction
• Quiet Riot – Band name
• Passive Income – Financial planning
• Old Boys – Elite social clubs
• Ill Health – Medical reports
• Awfully Pretty – Fashion industry
• Walk-on star – Theater term
• Definite Possibility – Scientific jargon
• Pretty Ugly – Pop culture phrase
• Known Secret – Espionage term
• Passive Leadership – Management studies
• Silent Scream – Horror genre
• Advanced Basics – Educational curriculum
• Fuzzy Logic – Computer science
• Larger Half – Common expression
• Holy War – Religious text
• Restless Sleep – Sleep studies
• Same Opposite – Philosophical discourse
• Living Fossil – Paleontological term
• Recorded Live – Entertainment industry
• Student Teacher – Educational field
• Brief Speech – Public speaking
• Genuine Fake – Art forgery
• Constant Variable – Mathematical terminology
• Passive-aggressive – Psychological studies
• Minor Miracle – Religious discourse
• Friendly Fire – Military terminology
• Growing Smaller – Environmental context
• Organized Mess – Personal description
• Original Spin – Political jargon
• Partially Complete – Project status
• Soft Rock – Music genre
• Liquid Solid – Physics term
• Rising Fall – Market trends
• Accurate Rumors – Gossip circles
• Seriously Silly – Children’s books
• Tight Slacks – Fashion paradox
• Controlled Freedom – Political studies
• Qualified Success – Career lingo
• Working Vacation – Corporate culture
• Virtual Friend – Social media term
• Light Darkness – Religious texts
• Fresh Rotten – Food quality
• Painful Pleasure – Emotional complexity
• Quiet Noise – Sound studies
• Sad Smile – Emotional state
• Dry Humor – Comedy style
• Active Retirement – Lifestyle choice
• Complex Simplicity – Artistic expression
• Planned Spontaneity – Social dynamics
• Thoughtless Consideration – Moral dilemma
• Brave Coward – Character analysis
• Blind Sight – Metaphysical discourse
• Near Miss – Aviation reports

Parody Oxymoron Figure of Speech Examples

Dive into the amusing world of parodies where oxymorons play a pivotal role in heightening humor and satire. These contradictory yet compelling phrases are key to crafting parodies that are not only entertaining but also intellectually stimulating.

• Act Naturally – Source: Comedy Skits
• Seriously Joking – Source: Satirical Articles
• Awfully Good – Source: Parody Songs
• Same Difference – Source: Comedy Shows
• Virtual Reality – Source: Tech Parodies
• Organized Chaos – Source: Political Parodies
• Passive-Aggressive – Source: Social Commentary Memes
• Original Copy – Source: Artistic Parodies
• Small Crowd – Source: Theater Performances
• Known Secret – Source: Spy Parodies

Oxymoron Figure of Speech Examples for Class 10

Incorporate oxymorons into your class 10 syllabus to make learning more engaging and multi-dimensional. These phrases help students develop analytical skills while appreciating the complexities of language.

• Deafening Silence – Source: Literature Textbook
• Open Secret – Source: Social Studies
• Passive Resistance – Source: History Book
• Tragic Comedy – Source: Drama Class
• Liquid Gas – Source: Science Textbook
• Bittersweet – Source: Poetry Assignment
• Freezer Burn – Source: Home Economics
• Civil War – Source: History Lessons
• Controlled Chaos – Source: Philosophy Discussions
• Living Dead – Source: English Literature

Oxymorons in Various Contexts

Oxymorons captivate us by marrying contradictory terms into one fascinating expression. This figure of speech is a staple in both literature and everyday language, offering intriguing complexity within simple phrases. Recognizing and understanding oxymorons can enrich your reading experience and elevate your own writing. For a lighter take on the subject, you might enjoy these funny oxymorons .

What Do Oxymorons Represent?

Oxymorons are not mere quirks of language; they are a robust literary tool that embodies paradox and complexity. When two contradictory words are placed together, an oxymoron often captures a more profound truth or complexity that either word couldn’t achieve independently. They are particularly useful in exploring dichotomies, highlighting contradictions, or adding a layer of depth to your thoughts and expressions.

For instance, in the term “deafening silence,” the oxymoron is used to express a silence so intense that it feels almost loud or overwhelming. This helps in capturing the essence of a situation that is too complex to describe with a single word or phrase. So, oxymorons serve as compact vessels that contain within them multifaceted ideas, making them ideal for both literary and everyday usage.

Oxymorons are not mere quirks of language; they are a robust literary tool that embodies paradox and complexity. When two contradictory words are placed together, an oxymoron often captures a more profound truth or complexity that either word couldn’t achieve independently. They are particularly useful in exploring dichotomies, highlighting contradictions, or adding a layer of depth to your thoughts and expressions. If you’re interested in the emotional depth that oxymorons can offer, you might want to read about emotional oxymorons .

What is an Oxymoron Figure of Speech for Kids?

An oxymoron for kids is essentially a simplified version of the complex figure of speech we commonly encounter. Teaching oxymorons to kids can be both educational and entertaining, helping them appreciate the richness and complexity of language at an early age. For more on this, you can visit oxymorons for kids .

Let’s take the example of “bittersweet.” At first glance, “bitter” and “sweet” seem like complete opposites. But when you taste dark chocolate, you realize it’s both! Here, the oxymoron serves as a wonderful introduction to the complexities of flavors, emotions, and situations kids might face. Hence, introducing oxymorons at a young age can serve as a building block for critical thinking, language development, and even emotional intelligence.

In summary, oxymorons for kids aren’t just child’s play; they’re a gateway to a more nuanced understanding of language and life itself.

How do you write an Oxymoron Figure of Speech? – Step by Step Guide

Oxymorons can add depth and nuance to your writing or speech, but how do you craft the perfect oxymoron? Here is a simple, step-by-step guide to help you master this intriguing figure of speech. If you’re looking for a more comical approach, you might find these comical oxymorons interesting.

Step 1: Identify the Context

Before you start, understand the context in which you intend to use the oxymoron. Knowing the theme, subject, or tone can guide you towards choosing a fitting oxymoron.

Step 2: Brainstorm Opposing Concepts

List down words or phrases that are inherently contradictory but could make sense when put together. For instance, “deafening” and “silence” are opposing ideas, but they work in unison to describe an overpowering quietness.

Step 3: Test the Pairing

Before finalizing, see if the words you’ve chosen truly create an impactful oxymoron. The terms should bring a new layer of meaning when combined.

Step 4: Use it in a Sentence

An oxymoron is most effective when it fits naturally into a sentence or phrase. Test out your oxymoron in a full sentence to check if it enhances your point.

Step 5: Review and Revise

Read the sentence out loud or get a second opinion. Make any necessary revisions to ensure the oxymoron adds value to your communication.

Tips for Using Oxymoron Figure of Speech

While oxymorons can be engaging, using them too frequently can lessen their impact. An oxymoron should be pertinent to the subject you are discussing. A misplaced oxymoron can confuse the reader or listener. For more everyday examples, you can check out everyday oxymorons .

Tip 1: Don’t Overdo It

While oxymorons can be engaging, using them too frequently can lessen their impact.

Tip 2: Keep it Relevant

An oxymoron should be pertinent to the subject you are discussing. A misplaced oxymoron can confuse the reader or listener.

Tip 3: Aim for Subtlety

Sometimes the most effective oxymorons are those that aren’t immediately obvious but require a second thought to fully grasp their complexity.

Tip 4: Use in Titles or Headings

Oxymorons catch attention and provoke thought, making them excellent for titles, headings, or slogans.

Tip 5: Experiment with Variations

Don’t hesitate to modify or coin new oxymorons that suit your purpose. Innovation can make your writing truly stand out.

By incorporating these tips and following the step-by-step guide, you can proficiently utilize oxymorons to enrich your writing or speech, adding layers of meaning and drawing your audience into a deeper engagement with your work.

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• Professional

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Harrison Butker’s commencement speech: Wives should stay at home. His mom’s a medical physicist

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As such, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker was given a platform to express his views as the commencement speaker at Benedictine College .

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Butker took shots at gender roles, abortion, President Biden and Pride month during his Benedictine address. Now the NFL appears to be distancing itself from the 28-year-old.

“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement emailed to The Times. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

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At Benedictine, Butker told the male graduates to “be unapologetic in your masculinity” and congratulated the female graduates on their “amazing accomplishment.” He went on to tell the women that he “would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

Butker then told those women that “my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on this stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.”

Butker — whose mother, Elizabeth Keller Butker, is a medical physicist at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, where she’s worked since 1988 — then started getting choked up.

“I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me,” Butker said, “but it cannot be overstated that all my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”

That statement was met with 18 seconds of enthusiastic cheers and applause. Butker continued praising his wife and her role in their family.

“She’s the primary educator to our children. She’s the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and a father. She is the person that knows me best at my core and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we both will attain salvation.”

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During his opening remarks, Butker stated that “things like abortion , in vitro fertilization , surrogacy , euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media, all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder.”

He also said that Biden “has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”

At one point, Butker mentioned the word “pride” — then clarified that he wasn’t talking about “the deadly sins sort of Pride that has an entire month dedicated to it, but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify Him.”

The comment, a jab at the LGBTQ+ community that celebrates Pride month every June, received a few chuckles from the audience.

When Butker finished his address, the crowd rose for an ovation. Susannah Leisegang , a former Benedictine track and field athlete who graduated Saturday with a degree in graphic design, said she was among the handful of people who did not stand.

“Some of us did boo — me and my roommate definitely did,” Leisegang said in a video she posted on TikTok . “There was a standing ovation from everyone in the room, except from me, my roommate and about 10 to 15 other women. You also have to keep in mind this was at a Catholic and conservative college, so a lot of the men were like, ‘F— yeah!’ They were excited. But it was horrible. Most of the women were looking back and forth at each other like, ‘What the f— is going on?’”

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Leisegang pointed out that she is 21 and has a job lined up in her field.

“Getting married and having kids is not my ideal situation right now,” she said. “So, yeah, it was definitely horrible and it definitely made graduation feel a little less special, knowing I had to sit through that and get told I’m nothing but a homemaker.”

Other members of the graduating class who participated in the ceremony have shared a variety of opinions on Butker’s speech. Elle Wilbers, 22, a future medical school student, told the Associated Press she thought Butker’s reference to the LGBTQ+ community was “horrible.”

“We should have compassion for the people who have been told all their life that the person they love is like, it’s not OK to love that person,” she said.

Kassidy Neuner, 22, who plans to teach for a year before going to law school, told the AP that being a stay-at-home parent is “a wonderful decision” but “it’s also not for everybody.”

“I think that he should have addressed more that it’s not always an option,” she said. “And, if it is your option in life, that’s amazing for you. But there’s also the option to be a mother and a career woman.”

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ValerieAnne Volpe, 20, who graduated with an art degree, told the AP she thought Butker said things that “people are scared to say.”

“You can just hear that he loves his wife,” Volpe said. “You can hear that he loves his family,” she said.

Butker has not commented publicly since the address. His previous social media posts are being used by people leaving comments both blasting and supporting his remarks. Heavy.com reports that all images of Isabelle Butker have been removed from her husband’s X and Instagram feeds in recent days.

Benedictine has not publicly addressed Butker’s controversial statements and did not immediately respond to multiple messages from The Times. The college’s social media feeds have been flooded with angry comments regarding Butker’s speech, and the comment section for the YouTube video of it has been disabled.

An article on Benedictine’s website about the commencement ceremony had initially referred to Butker’s speech as “inspiring.” The uncredited piece includes a reworked version of Butker’s “homemaker” quote that does not include that word, with no indication that the quote had been altered.

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The Chiefs did not respond to a request for comment from The Times. Tavia Hunt, wife of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt , appeared to express her support for Butker in a lengthy Instagram post Thursday.

“Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children,” she wrote. “Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion. Let’s celebrate families, motherhood and fatherhood.”

Gracie Hunt, 25, one of Clark and Tavia Hunt’s three children was asked about Butker’s speech Friday on “ Fox & Friends .”

“I can only speak from my own experience, which is I had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up,” Gracie Hunt said. “And I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision but for me in my life, I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings to be who we are.”

Asked if she understood what Butker was talking about, Hunt said, “For sure, and I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.”

A change.org petition calling for the team to release the kicker because of his comments has received more than 185,000 signatures. Eight petitions supporting Butker appear on the site as well. One has more than 11,000 signatures while the rest have fewer than 800 each.

The Chargers poked fun at Butker on Wednesday in their schedule-release video, which is modeled after “The Sims” video game. In the video, Butker’s likeness is shown baking a pie, scrubbing a kitchen counter and arranging flowers.

should we REALLY make our schedule release video in the sims? yes yes yesyes yesyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesyes yes yes yes yesye yes yes yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/MXzfAPyhe8 — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 16, 2024

The official X account for Kansas City also appeared to attempt putting a humorous spin on the matter, posting a “reminder” that Butker lives in a different city Wednesday night before deleting it and posting an apology .

Earlier in the week on X, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas appeared to defend Butker’s right to express his views .

Grown folks have opinions, even if they play sports. I disagree with many, but I recognize our right to different views. Nobody should have to stick to anything. Varied and shall I say—diverse—viewpoints help the world go round. — Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) May 14, 2024

I think he holds a minority viewpoint, even in this state and the bordering one. I also believe more athletes, if freer to speak, would stand up for the voices of many marginalized communities. I hate “stick to sports” when used to muzzle Black athletes. I’m with consistency. — Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) May 14, 2024

Last year, Butker gave the commencement address at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, advising the graduates to “ get married and start a family .”

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College of Arts & Sciences

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John Michael Kilgore, a senior majoring in professional and technical communication in the Department of English, completed an internship with Oyova. (Photo courtesy of Kilgore)

English student polishes technical writing skills interning with local software development company Oyova

• Anna Mayor, USF College of Arts and Sciences
• May 20, 2024

Accomplishments , Community Engagement

USF College of Arts and Science senior John Michael Kilgore originally came to USF to pursue a degree in physical therapy, but instead found his calling in professional and technical communication (PTC) in the Department of English .

He’s already put those skills to the test in his recent internship with the Florida-based software development company, Oyova Sofware, LLC .

John Michael Kilgore interned at Oyova’s St. Petersburg office. (Photo courtesy of Kilgore)

“Writing and digital design are my strong suits, as opposed to science and math, which the lack thereof became a significant factor in my decision to pursue this major,” he explained. “I am very passionate about communications, marketing, and writing, all of which are large parts of this major. Essentially, I enjoy the work it entails and find myself to be quite proficient in much of it already, so I really think it’s the ideal degree for me.”

Also minoring in astronomy , Kilgore is set to graduate this upcoming Fall semester and was set on finding an internship focused on technical writing.

He discovered the opportunity to intern with Oyova through the assistance of Dr. Michael L. Shuman , professor of instruction and director of internships in the Department of English.

His semester-long spring internship with Oyova, located at their St. Petersburg offices, put him front and center for writing and designing deliverables for clients.

“I most often wrote blog posts, but I also designed case studies, infographics, and even a custom 15th anniversary logo for one of their clients, Alpha-Omega Training & Compliance (AOTC), that is being used by them right now!” he said.  

Designing the custom logo has been a highlight of his experience. 

“I loved every part of the design process and was amazed to see that not only was I given such an incredible opportunity to create a logo for a client, but that AOTC is actually using the logo that I designed,” he said. “Digital design is something I am very passionate about, and for a real company to use something that I made, that I put so much hard work and thought into, makes me incredibly proud and happy.”

The internship went so well that Kilgore said Oyova has decided to keep him around as an intern through the end of the year with hopes to possibly offer him a full-time position upon graduation.

“My major in English (PTC) ties into this internship in that the work I am doing is the same work I have been learning how to do in my classes and is also the same work I'll be doing in my career after I graduate,” he said. “It's enhancing what I'm doing as an intern by allowing me to get valuable experience doing the work my major is preparing me for so that once I graduate, I'll be much more prepared to enter the workforce with the knowledge, proficiencies, and experience I've gained.”

John Michael Kilgore (right) with his internship supervisor Brandon Smith at Oyova. (Photo courtesy of Kilgore)

“What I've enjoyed most about majoring in English has absolutely been the amazing people I've met and achievements I've made through my work in the major. Over the course of my time as an English PTC major at USF, I've been quite fortunate to learn from so many outstanding professors who are kind, friendly, insightful, and are just as passionate about professional and technical communication as I am,” he said. “The work I've done is all work that I'm proud of and often serves many practical uses outside of the classroom as well, such as my portfolio website and the work I've done redesigning the internship program website in my capstone class. It all has made majoring in English an incredible and highly enjoyable experience.”

After graduating, Kilgore hopes to work in the communications and marketing field in the Tampa Bay area.

“Wherever it is I end up, I'm excited to get started!” he said.

Learn more about majoring in Professional and Technical Communication at USF.

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• Accomplishments
• Community Engagement

About CAS Chronicles

CAS Chronicles is the monthly newsletter for the University of South Florida's College of Arts and Sciences, your source for the latest news, research, and events at CAS.