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Speech Grading Criteria
Grading Criteria for Speeches
To receive a C on your speeches you must meet the following standards:
- The speech must be original.
- The type of speech presented must be appropriate to the assignment.
- The topic must be sufficiently focused and appropriate for the audience.
- The speech must fit the time requirements of the assignment.
- The speech must be presented on the day assigned.
- Main ideas must be supported with facts and figures, appropriate testimony, examples, or narratives.
- The speech must have a clear sense of purpose.
- The speech must have a clearly identifiable and appropriate design, complete with an introduction and conclusion.
- The speech must be presented extemporaneously.
- The speech must satisfy any specific requirements of the assignment, such as number of references, formal outline, or use of visual aids.
- The speaker must use language correctly.
To receive a B on your speeches:
- Satisfy all requirements for a C speech.
- Select a challenging topic and adapt it appropriately to your audience.
- Reflect a greater depth of research. For example, if two references are required for a C, the B speech must have three references.
- Clearly identify sources of information and ideas.
- Create and sustain attention throughout the speech.
- Make effective use of transitions, previews, and summaries.
- Use good oral style.
- Present your speech with poise.
To receive an A on your speeches:
- Satisfy all requirements for a B speech.
- Demonstrate imagination and creativity in topic selection and development.
- Develop and sustain strong bonds of identification among the speaker, audience, and topic.
- Consistently adapt information and supporting material to the experiential world of your audience.
- Reflect an even greater depth of research. For example, if three references are required for a B, the A speech must have four references.
- Demonstrated artful use of language and stylistic techniques.
- Make a polished presentation that artfully integrates verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
A D or F speech does not meet one or more of the standards for a C speech or
- It is obviously unrehearsed.
- It is based on biased information or unsupported opinions.