9. SPEECH WRITING

7.       SPEECH WRITING

Speech writing is an act of leaders and any one making an impact in the social arena or in any field of life. Speech writing is usually attached to a particular occasion, which may be welcoming an august visitor, sent forth, political talk, club or town union speech, valedictory speech, etc.

 

The three things to bear in mind when preparing for any speech includes:

1.       The purpose of the speech

2.       Audience and the occasion for the Speech

3.       Selection of an appropriate topic for the occasion.

 

The purpose may include:

1.       Entertainment – joke, information, to amuse.

2.       Information – advert and new things in town

3.       To convince – debate, politics

4.       Stimulate – raise feelings of people

5.       To actuate – incite riot, motivate.

 

The audience and the occasion has to do with: age, their level of their education (intelligent) their religion, economic, social and political situation.

 

For selection of appropriate topic, what may help the person doing so include:

1.       If a topic was given to him.

2.       Knowledge of a chosen or a given topic

3.       The interest of the audience

4.       Time given to him.

 

Features

1.       The heading, which should be boldly written in sentence form.

2.       The identification mark – this will be combined with the heading and it           includes:

          i.         The speaker’s name and official position

          ii.        The audience being addressed

          iii.       The title of the speech owner if someone else is to deliver the speech              for him.

          iv.       The occasion and place where the speech is delivered. E. g.

                     THE SPEECH PRESENTED ON 2ND DECEMBER, 2014 BY THE PROVOST              – NEWGATE COLLEGE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY, MINNA, ON THE                          OCCASION OF INAUGURATION OF THE 1ST BATCH OF STUDENTS OF            THE COLLEGE.

 

3.       Salutation – this is where the presence of the dignitaries to the occasion would be mentioned. Normally, the salutation starts from the highest-ranking person to the leas person present. People are addressed by their titles and the positions they occupy in the society. President as Mr. President, the Governor as His Excellency, Traditional rulers – as His Royal Highness, Prof., Doc., etc.

4.       The content of the speech should focus on the given topic.

5.       It requires signature of the person who delivers the speech.