Specific Speech Purpose
Answer Key.
- This one is okay. The subject matter is clearly
informative, and it is well-focused.
- The subject matter of this SSP is a value judgment--an
opinion--and hence can not be "understood." The
GP should be "To Convince." The SSP should be
"The audience member will agree that
Nebraska is the Team of the '90s."
- The GP is correct, but again understand should be
replaced by a "convince-verb", and the action
should be specified to the audience member (not
"some people..." but The audience member
will consider...
- Stick to One purpose--either join OR feel. Since
you won't fell until you've joined, the best bet is to
make this a speech to actuate [The audience member will
join . . .] then make the feeling part the Central Idea.
- Change the vague conviction [The audience member will see
why anyone . . .] to a direct actuation [The
audience member will vacation in . . .]
- Specify what the audience member will know. [The audience
member will be able to play mah jong.]
- Cut the GP to a specific category [To convince.]. Then
specify what we WILL do instead of a vague expression of
what we will not do [The audience member will support the
anit-terrorist legislation.
- The GP may or may not be right. We can't tell, because as
yet there is no SSP. There is in its place a Central Idea
(and a stupid one at that!). How should the audience
member who is psychotic enough to believe this respond?
That response would be the SSP.
- Go one more level of specificity. The audience member
will go to Space Camp. And make the GP To Actuate.
- This depends on to whom you are talking. If you are
"preaching to the converted" then it is a
speech to inspire, but the SSP should reflect that [The
audience member will remember... or something like that.]
If you are speaking to the not-yet converted, then it is
a speech to convince [The audience member will believe
that . . .] or a speech to actuate [The audience member
will accept Jesus as . . .]
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