Description:

This assignment instructs students in effective ways to talk about processes, especially those associated with technology. The object of the speech is to describe a simple piece of technology (e.g., a contact lens, an ink pen, a compact disc) and to state what it does and how it works. This assignment utilizes clarifying strategies derived from science writing. You must start with a simple definition of the technology. Next, you must describe the essential parts of the technology and how those parts work together. You must be able to describe clearly what the technology does and how it does it. Because the workings of technology are often counterintuitive to many laypersons, speakers must use an analogy and a non-example in the speech as clarifying devices. Make sure you focus the content of your speech to fit within a five-minute time frame. This means you might have to choose part of a process or technology to discuss because the whole process or technology would take too much time. So instead of telling us how an electric car functions, focus on the self-regenerating breaks that many electric cars use to recharge their batteries. This is not a “how to” speech, your topic should not be demonstrated.

Technical Requirements:

• 5-minutes in length
• Visual aids are required
• Visual aids must be shown in your recording as you are speaking
• Visual aids cannot block your face at any point during your speech, either physically or in the recording
• You upload or email me your recording before midnight on the due date (if you emailed it to me, say so in this assignment’s text entry)
• You are the only person in your video
• Your face must be in-frame for your entire speech
• You are professionally dressed (business casual is fine for this)