Topic Speech Analysis on any Egyptian’s president’s speech (translated)
The essay consists of a speech analysis that examines a specific speech ‘moment’ and applies the techniques of rhetorical analysis to explore how – and how well – it works. You can choose your own speech, but it must be broadly contemporary (at least 20th C., no earlier) and of some significance in terms of its place in events (which you will need to explain). DO NOT choose a speech that has already been analysed by the tutor in the lectures/seminars. Your essential requirements are as follows.
Deviation from these instructions may lower your mark: 1. Analyse a contemporary speech of political significance of your choice in terms of its rhetorical dimensions: that is, identify its basic claim and then characterise it by argument, arrangement and style; indicate what is at issue and what overriding conclusion(s) it seeks to support; explain its proofs, forms of appeal, correspondences to and divergences from any obvious speech conventions; and note any distinctive use of language/performance that made it effective (or not). Account for the disinctive rhetorical aspects (but not every single one) of the speech and define the rhetorical terms you employ with reference to literature from rhetorical studies, where available. 2. Explain the situation of the speech – its local and its wider contexts – and the exigencies to which it was a response. Who was the speaker and who were the audience; and what was their disposition; how did the speaker respond to the audience in the text of the speech? 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the speech in terms of its rhetorical qualities and its intended practical effects. Consider any evidence of public response to the speech (the media, members of audience, etc), not just your own feelings about it. 4. The essay will be 4000 words in length MAX, so it needs to be clearly structured, but do not use sub-headings.
5. Explain your choice of speech in the first paragraph (not as a personal choice but in terms of its historical/political significance) and summarise your conclusions about how the speech worked (e.g. primarily through an ethical appeal). Then go on to consider context, audience, speech, etc. Conclude with a summary of what you have shown. 6. Double space your text (so I can read it without squinting), paginate it (ie put page numbers in it), and include a bibliography indicating the source of the speech. You do not need to include a copy of the speech. 9 7. Do quote but try not to quote excessively; select key remarks that substantiate your analysis. Use your own words to describe what is going. Always explain long quotes; don’t assume they always do the talking for you. 8. You can analyse a speech that is not originally in English. But your quotation must translate into English and the original source must still be in the bibliography 9. A bibliography is an alphabetical list of all items used. Don’t divide it up into different kind of items (the speech, articles, books, videos). One single list (in order) is sufficient. 10. Put a front page on the essay with your student number, the title of the course, date and call it ‘Speech Analysis’. Do not put your name on it. 11. Before you submit, do a spell check and measure the length. 4K words is the absolute limit (excluding the bibliography)!
