Part I: Testing the Strength of Supporting Material
Please type your “Testing the Strength of Supporting Materials: your analysis of President George W. Bush’s speech of 20 September 2001” essay here!

Part II: Supporting Material for Your Rhetorical Situation Speech
Rhetorical Situation Research Memo

Part II of the Lesson 4 assignment.
The research memo for the Rhetorical Situation Speech captures your preliminary plans for this assignment. Note: this is not an outline for your speech. You will write your outline later.
Speech you are going to analyze: (title, speaker, date, location)

Exigence for that speech (what imperfection gets corrected in the speech you are analyzing?)
Exigence for your speech (what imperfection gets corrected when your audience hears your speech?)
Audience Analysis (what does your audience already think, know, or believe about your topic?)
General purpose for your speech: Choose either “to strengthen commitment” or “to weaken commitment.” See Zarefsky Ch. 6.
Specific purpose for your speech. See Zarefsky Ch. 6.
Thesis (the central critical claim you are making in your speech – see Zarefsky Ch. 6):
(Fill in the blank) _______________________________________ is / is not (choose one) a fitting response to its rhetorical situation.
Main points/ claims (in no particular order, although historical context typically comes first and speech comes last): historical context (including exigence), audience, occasion, speaker, and speech.
Edit the claim/supporting evidence section (pasted below) as needed. Please cite your sources at the end of your main points in in the style you are most familiar with (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago).
A. Main point/ claim: _____________________________________________________
Supporting evidence:
1.
2.
3.

B. Main point/ claim: _____________________________________________________
Supporting evidence:
1.
2.
3.

C. Main point/ claim: _____________________________________________________
Supporting evidence:
1.
2.
3.

D. Main point/ claim: _____________________________________________________
Supporting evidence:
1.
2.
3.

E. Main point/ claim: _____________________________________________________
Supporting evidence:
1.
2.
3.

Sources (in proper bibliographic style of your choosing):

Part I: Testing the Strength of Supporting Material Please type y...