COMM 3: Fundamentals of Public Communication

Cultural Artifact Speech Assignment (Informative)

Assignment: Because culture, manifested in language, values, traditions, dress, and
music, as well as race and ethnicity, plays an important role in the way all people live
their lives, this first speech assignment asks you to inform the audience about a culture in
which you participate. The goal of the speech is to provide the audience with a
comprehensive understanding of the culture and the ways in which it intersects with your
life. To assist the audience in developing a concrete sense of the culture about which you
are speaking, you must incorporate to some degree a cultural artifact as a visual aid.
Speech Length: 4-5 minutes.
Sources: The speech must cite at least 3 different sources during the course of the
presentation, and these must also be listed in the bibliography attached to your
preparation outline. You may not use Internet web pages as sources (this restriction does
not include online journal databases).
Grading Criteria: The speech should be crafted and presented according to the
guidelines described in this handout and discussed in class lectures.
Deadlines:
Specific topic choices are due on Wednesday, September 16, via email. I will
send feedback via email ASAP.
Presentations of the Cultural Artifact Speech will begin on Friday, September
25.*
*Remember that you must turn in a preparation outline** and a delivery outline
before you present your speech.
**In addition to submitting a hard copy of the preparation outline before your
speech, you must also submit the preparation outline electronically on BlackBoard
for turnitin.com. You may opt-out of turnitin.com by attaching a signed request
to your hard copy preparation outline.