Template for analyzing
Daniel Kraft’s Speech Analysis Assignment
Question Answer
Who is the speaker? Why do you find He introduces himself as a medical doctor
him credible? and a researcher at Stanford. His
explanations are very clear, which makes
him sound credible.
Who is the audience? What kind of His audience is mixed. He needs to assume
language, evidence, or organization they don’t know much about his topic. He
might they need to be convinced? explains all medical terms and processes to
make his topic easy to understand.
Consider the beginning of the speech. Bringing a bag of bone marrow is supposed
Does the speaker use a hook? Is it to get audience’s attention. Yes, it is
interesting? engaging.
Is the key message of the speech easily Yes, but it comes a little late. He is arguing
identifiable? benefits of the device he designed, but an
earlier preview that his speech is about
something making a difficult medical
procedure easier would give us more context
when we listen to the first half of his speech.
Describe the transitions the speaker Questions, for example:
uses. “How do we harvest this bone marrow?” “So,
why should you care?”
Connecting previous statements with what is
coming next, for example:
“I am thinking this procedure did not
change... so there is a better way to
do this... so, we came with a new
approach...”
How does he make the conclusion clear He explains how his device can save my life,
and memorable? and how it can help more people to survive
cancer. He makes it real and personal.
Try if you can map this speech as a Main massage: We have a new procedure
pyramid of arguments that logically that significantly improves bone marrow
follow from one to the other. (This will be harvesting.
challenging, but there is a definite
content logic in this speech.) Point one: Old procedures were painful for
the patient and difficult for the doctor – Bob’s
story.
Point two: We have a better tool and let me
explain how it works.
Point three: Why should you care?
Evidence: He supports all three of his points
with examples and demonstrations.
What techniques does the speaker use Stories, demonstrations, props, video,
to captivate, engage, and persuade his simulations, diagrams
audience?
What types of evidence does the Ethos: I am.... a doctor...a researcher....
speaker offer? Can you find examples of Logos: description of the old procedure,
the speaker using logic (logos), emotion description of the new procedure.
(pathos), or credibility (ethos) to
persuade? Pathos: How Bob feels after the old
procedure. New procedure allows
us to save more lives.
Do you find the speaker’s message It is very clear. It uses interesting and
convincing? Why or why not? relevant stories. It is well organized, and
easy to follow. It makes a difficult topic
accessible.
Think about your own presentation when Using diagrams,demos,proof and
you had to demonstrate your design, a results
product, or research results. What
presentation elements used in this
presentation could have helped you to
better convince your listeners that they
should pay attention to you and your
project?
