Speeches & opinion pieces Notes

Writing To Persuade And Influence

1. These text types test whether you can construct compelling arguments and move audiences to think or act differently.
2. They require strong voice, strategic structure, and awareness of rhetorical techniques.
3. Examiners will check if your writing demonstrates clear position and persuasive power.

Speeches

1. Purpose, Audience & Register
   1. Purpose: Persuade, inspire action, commemorate occasions, inform with impact, entertain.
   2. Audience: Specific group (students, community members, conference attendees) gathered to listen.
   3. Register: Formal to semi-formal, depends on occasion and audience relationship.
2. Layout & Conventions
   1. Opening that establishes speaker credibility and captures attention.
   2. Clear thesis or main message stated early.
   3. Body organized in logical sections with transitions.
   4. Use of rhetorical devices (repetition, rhetorical questions, direct address).
   5. Strong conclusion with memorable closing statement or call to action.
   6. Stage directions in brackets if needed [pause], [gesture to audience].

Key Features

1. Tone: Direct, confident, emotionally engaging, aware of live delivery.
2. Vocabulary: "You," "we," "us" for connection, repetition for emphasis, vivid imagery, varied sentence length for rhythm.

How to Write a Speech

1. Open with impact: The first sentences must capture attention and establish why listeners should care.
   1. Bad: "Good morning. Today I will talk about recycling, which is important."
   2. Good: "Right now, while we sit in this auditorium, 200 tons of plastic are entering our oceans. In the next hour, 200 more. By the time you go home today, another 4,800 tons. When does it stop? When we decide it stops."
2. Signal your structure clearly: Audiences cannot flip back to reread. Tell them where you're taking them.
   1. Example: "I want to share three reasons why this policy matters: first, the immediate impact on students; second, the long-term financial costs; and third, what we risk losing if we stay silent."
3. Use the rule of three: Three examples, three reasons, three phrases. The human brain loves patterns of three.
   1. Example: "We can choose to ignore this. We can choose to delay. Or we can choose to act now."
4. Build momentum: Vary sentence length. Short sentences create punch. Longer sentences build complexity and then resolve.
   1. Example: "Some say change takes time. Some say we need more research, more data, more consensus. I say we have time. I say we have data. And I say the consensus is already here, in this room, if we have the courage to claim it."
5. Connect emotionally: Facts inform, but emotion moves. Include personal stories, vivid scenarios, or appeals to shared values.
6. End memorably: Your conclusion should echo in listeners' minds after they leave.
   1. Techniques: Return to opening image, issue direct challenge, paint vision of future, use powerful quote, repeat key phrase from earlier.

Opinion Pieces

1. Purpose, Audience & Register
   1. Purpose: Persuade readers to adopt a viewpoint, challenge existing thinking, spark debate.
   2. Audience: General readers of publication, often those already engaged with current affairs.
   3. Register: Formal to semi-formal, authoritative but accessible.
2. Layout & Conventions
   1. Compelling headline that signals stance.
   2. Opening hook (anecdote, question, provocative statement).
   3. Clear thesis statement of position.
   4. Body paragraphs with arguments supported by evidence, examples, or reasoning.
   5. Acknowledgment and refutation of counterarguments.
   6. Conclusion reinforcing position or issuing call to action.

Key Features

1. Tone: Authoritative, passionate but controlled, argumentative.
2. Vocabulary: Strong verbs, evaluative language ("must," "should," "fails to"), cause-effect phrases, evidence markers ("research shows," "according to").

How to Write an Opinion Piece

1. Take a clear position: Ambiguity weakens opinion writing. Readers should know your stance within the first two paragraphs.
   1. Bad: "There are many perspectives on school uniforms and valid points on both sides."
   2. Good: "School uniform policies do more harm than good, stifling individual expression while solving none of the problems they claim to address."
2. Support claims with evidence: Every assertion needs backing. Use statistics, expert opinion, examples, or logical reasoning.
   1. Bad: "Social media is destroying teenage mental health."
   2. Good: "Recent studies show 60% of teenagers report increased anxiety linked to social media use, with rates of depression among heavy users double those of moderate users."
3. Anticipate objections: Strong opinion pieces acknowledge opposing views and explain why they fall short.
   1. Example: "Critics argue that raising minimum wage hurts small businesses. However, research from 15 cities that increased wages shows business closures actually decreased, while employee retention improved."
4. Use concrete examples: Abstract arguments lose readers. Ground your points in real scenarios.
   1. Bad: "Education policy needs reform."
   2. Good: "Consider Maria, a teacher spending $800 of her own salary annually on classroom supplies while administrators debate new standardized tests. This is where education policy has failed."
5. Maintain credible tone: Passion yes, but avoid inflammatory language that undermines your argument.
   1. Bad: "Anyone who supports this idiotic policy is clearly ignorant."
   2. Good: "This policy ignores substantial evidence and practical concerns that deserve serious consideration."
6. End with impact: Your conclusion should clarify what you want readers to think, feel, or do.