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COMM 15000: Intro to Communications: Home

The Assignment

For COMM 15000 you will need to prepare two speeches.

  • An informative speech
  • A persuasive speech

The Library's Web Page

To access the Columbiana Campus Libraries web site, try one of these options:

  1. Go to: http://www.kent.edu/columbiana/
    libraries
  2. Go to the Columbiana County Campus webpage at http://www.col.kent.edu.  From the "Academics" tab click on "Libraries"

What to Talk About...

For an "informative" speech, choose a topic with which you are familiar such as a hobby, an event in history, or a current issue.  Or simply chose a topic that you would like to know more about.

For a "persuasive" speech, a topic that has some controversy behind it is a good choice. Gather information about both sides of the issue and then decide which side you will take. Sample topics that have strong points of view are:

  • abortion vs. pro life
  • gun control vs. freedom to carry
  • capital punishment vs. life in prison, etc. 

Opposing Viewpoints, an online resource (see Finding Articles Section of this guide) can give you great ideas for topics.

How to Get an Idea for a Topic

To get an idea, try flipping through a magazine or browse an encyclopedia (available online or in the library).

Opposing Viewpoints is a great source for ideas.  The opening page is "magazine-like" and offers lots of current topics.  The "Finding Articles" section of this guide provides instruction on its use.

Narrowing the Topic:  Once you have selected a topic, you may need to break it into smaller parts and focus on one of those parts.  In other words, make sure that your topic is not so broad that it cannot be covered in the amount of time that you have.

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Library Info for Students

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