Full Impromptu Speech: "The Power to Question" by Calvin Tran

Audience Analysis

Calvin's uses audience analysis to determine he is speaking to a sympathetic audience. He opens alluding to a well-known children's story to establish common ground and grab attention. By quoting Gandhi he adds to his ethos and expresses his claim eloquently. He references American values, the founding fathers, and the US constitution, to appeal to common values.

Content and Supporting Ideas

Calvin structures a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. He previews, develops, and summarizes three main points. Calvin's first two main points demonstrate the advantages of speaking out.

In his third point Calvin anticipates and acknowledges a counter argument and responds to it by qualifying his claim. Calvin delivers well organized and balanced content using examples which support his position.

Introduction/Transitions/Conclusion

In his introduction Calvin gains audience attention with a familiar story and moves to a famous quotation, which becomes his thesis. The introduction previews the three main points.

Calvin's transitions move his audience through the three sections and main points of his speech. The transitions need variety in wording; they are all minor variations of "let's look at" and "we see that."

Calvin concludes with a summary and then references back to Hansel and Gretel to create a sense of closure. It is good technique to refer back to an opening theme, but here it seems a bit contrived, making it less effective.

Delivery

Calvin uses energy to punctuate particular phrases. He has some hesitant moments and gets slightly ahead of himself. He often says "well" as verbal filler. Calvin might pause more deliberately for vocal fluency.

Early on, Calvin's eye contact is focused on one direction but, later in the speech, he scans the audience better. Calvin shows appropriate facial expressions. His posture is natural and engaged and he moves to signal topic shifts. Calvin gestures with emphasis although fewer and more deliberate gestures would make him appear less anxious.