Public Speaking (COMM 110) Persuasive Speech Outline, Evidence, and Delivery Study Guide
University of Maryland
Public Speaking (COMM 110) | Study Guide

Overview
A study guide for building persuasive speeches with clear claims, audience adaptation, credible evidence, and a clean outline that holds up during finals presentations.

Key topics
•claim and thesis clarity
•outline structure with signposts
•credible evidence and citations
•delivery cues and managing anxiety

Suggested study tasks
•turn a topic into a one-sentence claim + three main points
•write one full-sentence outline with transitions
•practice a 60-second intro with a hook and preview

Common pitfalls
•trying to persuade without a single clear claim
•stacking facts without a throughline
•reading verbatim instead of using speaker notes