See attached.
Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help
you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a
Touchstone anytime, but you must complete this unit’s assessments before you submit it.
Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final
course score.
Touchstone 3: Informative Speech
ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will deliver a 5–7 minute informative speech
on a topic of your choice. The speech can be for any context, but it must be
informative. Below is a list of example informative speech topics for your reference.
Type of
Informative
Speech
Purpose Examples
Object
To inform an audience about
something visible or tangible
The human body
An episode of
The Family Guy
A car engine
Equipment for
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SUBMIT TOUCHSTONE
Currently, it takes about 2-4 business days for a Touchstone to be graded.
UNIT 3 — TOUCHSTONE 3:
Informative Speech
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riding a horse
Process
To explain a series of actions or
steps with a defined ending point
How the modern
electoral college
works
How an ice
cream sandwich
is made
How to drive a
car
How to study for
a test
Event
To discuss or describe an
occurrence of importance
The Battles of
Lexington and
Concord
A person’s first
week at college
The invention of
the telephone
The Norman
invasion of
England
Concept
To discuss or explain an abstract
idea or notion
The origins of the
universe
Love at first sight
Optical illusions
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Patriotism vs.
nationalism
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written
specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a
Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for
more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of
generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
Touchstone Support Videos
Evaluating Your Sources
Maintaining Relevance and Balance
A. Directions
Step 1: Select Informative Topic/Issue
Your speech should be consistently informative in nature. Identify your audience, purpose,
and thesis. Imagine your audience and how you would want to convey your message to
this audience.
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Informative and Persuasive Speeches
Choosing and Developing a Good Topic
Informative Speeches: Definition and Types
Step 2: Consider Purpose, Thesis, and Audience
Identify your purpose, thesis, and audience. Imagine your audience and how you would
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want to convey your message to this audience. As you start to plan your speech, ask
yourself the following questions:
What are you hoping to achieve with this speech?
Who will be in your audience? What do you know about them?
What is the key message of your speech?
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Informative Speeches: Subjects, Goals, and Scope
Sample Informative Speech
Step 3: Find Credible Sources
Utilize your program resources, the internet, or a local library to find three credible sources
that are relevant to your speech. As you look for sources, consider the following questions
in your search to help ensure credibility:
How recent is the data or information presented in your source?
When was the source published? If the source is a website, when was the website last
updated?
What does the source cover?
How well-researched and detailed is the source? How much depth is the topic covered
in?
How is this content and level of detail relevant to your purpose, audience, and
message?
How is the author qualified to speak on the topic?
What is the author’s purpose?
What biases might they have?
Is the information the author’s opinion alone or is it supported by cited facts?
Who funds the website or publication?
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Are there items endorsed or for sale? If so, what items?
What is the reputation of the website or publication?
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Gathering Information
Sources of Information: The Library
Sources of Information: The Internet
Evaluating Sources
Step 4: Identify Pieces of Evidence
Read through your sources to identify five pieces of evidence that support and reinforce
your thesis. Be sure to use at least three different types of pieces of evidence from the
following list:
Statistic
Analogy
Definition
Visual
Story
Testimony
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Supporting Your Ideas
Using Examples
Using Statistics, Analogies, and Definitions to Support Your Ideas
Using Visuals, Testimony, and Storytelling to Support Your Ideas
Step 5: Create Notes
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Create notes or bullet points that you can refer to while presenting your speech. You
should not read your speech word for word from your notes. Make sure to cite at least
three sources or pieces of evidence as you deliver your speech.
Step 6: Use Clear Language
Ensure that the language you use is consistently clear and appropriate to the audience,
which helps the audience connect with you and your topic. Explain any technical jargon
you use where necessary.
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
How to Use Your Knowledge of the Audience
Mind Your Audience
Tailor Abstraction to Your Audience
Make It Memorable and Enhance Audience Understanding
Step 7: Practice Speech
Practice presenting your speech. Deliver a speech that is 5–7 minutes in length.
Refer back to the following lesson for support:
Best Practices in Public Speaking
Step 8: Review Rubric
Before filming, review the rubric to ensure that you understand how you will be evaluated.
Step 9: Film Speech
Film yourself presenting the speech. Be sure that you can be easily seen and heard—at
minimum, your head and shoulders should be visible in your video, and you should make
eye contact with your audience by directing your speech toward the camera.
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Important: Be sure that your speech’s purpose, audience, and thesis are clear. If you
choose, you can state this information at the beginning of your video before you begin
your speech.
Refer back to the following lessons for support:
Audience
The Purpose and Thesis Statement
Step 10: Review Video
Review your video to ensure that you can be seen and heard. Refilm as needed. Your
speech should be delivered in one video with no cuts or editing.
Step 11: Review Checklist and Requirements
Review the checklist and requirements to ensure that your Touchstone is complete.
Step 12: Submit
Upload your video using the blue button at the top of this page.
Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your
Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ I have selected a speech purpose that is informative.
❒ My speech has an introduction, body, and conclusion.
❒ The introduction includes my key message (thesis).
❒ The body includes my main points and support.
❒ I have selected sources that are credible and support that is relevant.
❒ I have used language that is appropriate to my audience.
❒ The conclusion summarizes my main points and includes a call to action.
❒ I have filmed a video of myself presenting my speech.
❒ The video of my speech is 5–7 minutes in length.
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❒ I have reviewed the video, and I can be easily heard and seen.
❒ I have adhered to all of the requirements.
❒ I have read through the rubric, and I understand how my Touchstone will be
evaluated.
B. Rubric
Advanced
(100%)
Proficient
(85%)
Acceptable
(75%)
Needs
Improvement
(50%)
Purpose, Audience,
and Thesis:
Informative Speech
(15 points)
Effectively define and
align purpose,
audience, and thesis.
States a purpose,
audience, and thesis
within the speech that
are aligned, clear, and
specific.
States a purpose,
audience, and thesis
within the speech that
are somewhat vague,
lacking in detail, or are
not well aligned.
States a purpose,
audience, and thesis
within the speech that
are mostly vague,
lacking in detail, or not
well aligned.
Purpose, audience, and
thesis are not well
aligned, vague, or
lacking in detail, or one
element (purpose,
audience, or thesis) has
not been stated within
the speech.
Sources (20 points)
Identify credible and
relevant sources to
support the speech.
Incorporates three
different sources
throughout the speech
that are relevant and
credible.
Incorporates three
different sources
throughout the speech;
however, one of the
sources is lacking in
relevance and/or
credibility.
Incorporates three
different sources
throughout the speech;
however, two of the
sources are lacking in
relevance and/or
credibility, or only two
sources are included.
Incorporates at least
two different sources
throughout the speech;
however, all of the
sources are lacking in
relevance and/or
credibility, or only one
source is included.
Support (20 points)
Provide multiple types
and pieces of evidence
to support the thesis.
Includes five different
pieces of support that
directly support the
thesis. Includes three or
more different types of
support.
Includes five different
pieces of support;
however, one or two
pieces of support do
not directly support the
thesis. Includes two
different types of
support.
Includes three or four
pieces of support;
however, most pieces
of support do not
directly support the
thesis. Includes one
type of support.
Includes less than three
pieces of support. Most
of the pieces of support
do not directly support
the thesis. Includes one
type of support.
Language (15 points)
Choose the right
language to convey
your message.
Language is
consistently clear and
appropriate to the
audience, helping the
audience connect with
the speaker and the
Language is
predominantly clear
and appropriate to the
audience, generally
helping the audience
connect with the
Language is frequently
clear but inconsistent
with the audience and
often fails to help the
audience connect with
the speaker or the
Language is mostly
unclear or inconsistent
with the audience and
often fails to help the
audience connect with
the speaker or the
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C. Requirements
Video should be 5–7 minutes in length.
Any video file format is acceptable. Files must be less than 4GB.
All video content must be original for this assignment and appropriate for an academic
context.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Video submission should include your name and the date.
topic. Where necessary,
technical jargon is
explained.
speaker and the topic. topic. topic.
Time Management
(10 points)
Make effective use of
the time without either
finishing early or going
over by more than a
few seconds.
Makes effective use of
the 5–7 minutes
without either finishing
early or going over by
more than a few
seconds.
Runs a little short or a
little long of the 5–7
minutes by no more
than 30 seconds.
Runs a little short or a
little long of the 5–7
minutes by no more
than a minute.
Runs short or long of
the 5–7 minutes by well
over a minute.
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