Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course materi

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you must complete this unit’s assessments before you submit it. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.
Touchstone 5: Persuasive Speech Revision
ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will utilize the outline you submitted for Touchstone 4 and deliver a 5–7 minute persuasive speech that incorporates feedback and other tips and strategies you’ve learned throughout the course.
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
Touchstone Support Videos
Choosing the Right Language
Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety
Using Your Voice
Communicating Nonverbally
Filming Your SpeechA. Directions
Step 1: Review OutlineReview the outline of the persuasive speech that you delivered in Unit 4 as well as the feedback that you have received. Your speech should include an introduction, body, conclusion, and transitions.
The introduction should contain your key message.
The body should cover your main topics and support to back up your main points. Make sure that all information, evidence, and persuasive strategies (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) are relevant and from credible sources.
The conclusion should summarize your main points and repeat your thesis.
The transition should help you shift from one topic to another.
Refer to the following lessons for support:
Components of a Speech
Choosing the Main Points
Highlighting the Main Points
Ordering the Main Points
The Preparation Outline
The Speaking and Rough Draft Outlines
The Role of the Introduction
Establishing Credibility: Topic, Thesis, and Main Points
Introducing the Topic, Thesis, and Main Points
The Role and Use of Transitions
The Role of the Conclusion
Step 2: Incorporate Visual AidThink of an effective way to incorporate at least one visual aid that will be relevant to your purpose and message and will enhance your speech.
Refer to the following lessons for support:
Using Visual Aids
The Dos and Don’ts of Using Visual Aids
Using PowerPoint and Other Presentation Software
PowerPoint Formatting and Delivery Tips
Step 3: Create New NotesCreate notes or bullet points that you can refer to while presenting your speech. You should not read your speech word-for-word from your notes. Make sure to cite any sources you have used as you deliver your speech.
Refer to the following lessons for support:
Preparing to Deliver Your Speech
Step 4: Use Clear LanguageEnsure that the language you use is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience, which helps the audience connect with you and your topic. Explain any technical jargon you use where necessary.
Refer back to the following lesson for support:
How to Use Your Knowledge of the Audience
Mind Your Audience
Tailor Abstraction to Your Audience
Make It Memorable and Enhance Audience Understanding
Step 5: Practice SpeechPractice presenting your speech, focusing on your voice, your nonverbal communication, and your use of one or more visual aids. Aim for a speech 5–7 minutes in length.
Refer to the following lessons for support:
Best Practices in Public Speaking
Preparing to Deliver Your Speech
Using Your Voice: Volume and Rate
Using Your Voice: Pitch and Pauses
Using Your Voice: Articulation, Pronunciation, Dialect, and Vocal Variety
Appearance: Dress and Posture
Eye Contact, Facial Expression, Movement, and Gesture
Rehearsing Successfully
Step 6: Review RubricBefore filming, review the rubric to ensure that you understand how you will be evaluated.
Step 7: Film SpeechFilm yourself presenting the speech. Be sure that you can be easily seen and heard—at minimum, your head and shoulders should be visible in your video, and you should make eye contact with your audience by directing your speech toward the camera.
Important: Be sure that your speech’s purpose, audience, and thesis are clear. If you choose, you can state this information at the beginning of your video before you begin your speech.
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Audience
The Purpose and Thesis Statement
Step 8: Review VideoReview your video, be sure that you can be easily seen and heard, and that you have directed your speech to the camera. Refilm as needed. Your speech should be delivered in one video with no cuts or editing.
Step 9: Review Checklist and RequirementsReview the checklist and requirements to ensure that your Touchstone is complete.
Step 10: SubmitUpload your video using the blue button at the top of this page.
Refer to the checklist below throughout the recording process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ I have reviewed my Touchstone 4 outline.
❒ I have read all of the feedback that I received on my Touchstone 4 outline.
❒ I have incorporated the feedback to improve my speech.
❒ My speech includes the following components: introduction, body (main points), conclusion, and transitions.
❒ I incorporated at least one visual aid in my speech.
❒ I have selected sources that are credible and support that is relevant.
❒ I have used language that is appropriate to my audience.
❒ I have filmed a video of myself presenting my speech.
❒ The video of my speech is 5–7 minutes in length.
❒ I have reviewed the video and I can be easily heard and seen.
❒ In my speech, I am focused on connecting with the audience, only looking at my notes occasionally.
❒ I have adhered to all the requirements.
❒ I have read through the rubric and I understand how my Touchstone will be evaluated.B. Rubric
Advanced (100%)Proficient (85%)Acceptable (75%)Needs Improvement (50%)Nonperformance (0%)
Organization (25 points)
Follows the structure of a speech: body (main points), introduction, conclusion, transitions.Speech structure meets all requirements (includes an introduction, body, conclusion, and transitions).Speech structure meets all requirements, however some support is missing.Speech structure meets most requirements, however some support is missing.Speech structure is missing one requirement.Speech structure is missing two or more requirements, or the requirements are misinterpreted/met inadequately.
Persuasion (25 points)
Present a clear and persuasive stance on an issue.
Speech takes a clear stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are consistently persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech takes a stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are primarily persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are often used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech takes a stance on an issue and the arguments and approach are minimally persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are occasionally used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech does not take a clear stance on an issue and/or the speaker’s arguments and approach are not primarily persuasive in nature. Credible and relevant sources are rarely used to support the thesis and main points as needed.Speech does not take a stance on an issue.. Credible and relevant sources are not used to support the thesis and main points.
Use of Appeals (25 points)
Make effective use of logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade your audience.
Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) that are appropriate for the audience, topic, and argument effectively.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) minimally, though their use is mostly appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos) minimally as appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience; however, one or more uses of appeals may be ineffective.Uses appeals (ethos, pathos, and/or logos), although some appeals may be underused or used ineffectively.Does not use appeals or appeals are used ineffectively.
Verbal (25 points)
Choose the right language to convey the message. Speak naturally and conversationally, with effective use of pauses.
Language is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience, helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Where necessary, technical jargon is explained. Speech flows naturally, conversationally throughout with minimal or no use of vocal fillers, and pauses are consistently used effectively to deliver the message.Language is predominantly clear and appropriate to the audience, generally helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Speech primarily flows smoothly and use of filler words is infrequent with pauses that are generally used effectively to deliver the message.Language is clear and mostly appropriate to the audience. There may be minor inconsistencies with helping the audience connect with the speaker and the topic. Speech flow is mostly smooth but may include some filler words and/or pauses that are somewhat ineffective in delivering the message to the audience. Language is frequently unclear or inconsistent with the audience and often fails to help the audience connect with the speaker or the topic. Speech flow is frequently interrupted by filler words and/or ineffective pauses that are inconsistent with the message for the audience.Language does not help the audience connect with the speaker or the topic. Speech flow is consistently interrupted by filler words and ineffective pauses that distracts from the message and decrease audience engagement.
Nonverbal (25 points)
Demonstrate effective awareness and use of nonverbal communication.
Consistently uses non-verbal cues to effectively connect with the audience: dress is appropriate to the topic, posture is open, eye contact is consistent, and gestures/movement are natural.Primarily uses non-verbal cues to effectively connect with the audience, although some cues occasionally interfere with audience connection and do not appear entirely naturalUses some non-verbal cues to somewhat effectively connect with the audience, although some cues frequently interfere with audience connection and may or may not appear entirely natural. Sometimes uses non-verbal cues to connect with the audience, although other cues frequently interfere with audience connection and do not appear natural.Use of non-verbal cues consistently interferes with audience connection.
Visual Aid (15 points)
Use a visual aid to enhance the speech.
Visual aid relates to and enhances the message of the speech and is incorporated naturally and smoothly in the flow of the speech at a logical point.Visual aid relates to the message of the speech and is incorporated at a logical point in the speech, though the incorporation is not entirely smooth.Visual aid is relevant to the message of the speech but may be inappropriately incorporated or introduced at an illogical point in the speech. Visual aid is not fully relevant to the message of the speech or it is not incorporated at a logical point in the speech.Visual aid is not relevant or not included in the speech.
Time Management (10 points)
Make effective use of the required time frame.
Makes effective use of the 5–7 minutes without either finishing early or going over by more than a few seconds.Runs a little short or a little long of the 5–7 minutes by no more than 30 seconds.Runs a little short or a little long of the 5–7 minutes by no more than a minute.Runs short or long of the 5–7 minutes by well over a minute.Speech is so brief or so long that it is not an appropriate response to the assignment.
C. Requirements
Video should be 5–7 minutes in length.
Any video file format is acceptable. Files must be less than 4GB.
All video content must be original for this assignment and appropriate for an academic context.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Video submission should include your name and the date.