Rubrics for evaluating informative and persuasive speeches from the National Communication Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In education jargon a rubric is a set of criteria for assessing a type of work. Back on May 8, 2010 I blogged about Rubrics and figuring out where you are. In that post I discussed a general Competent Speaker Speech Evaluation Form available from the National Communication Association (NCA). NCA also has two other more specific rubrics which you can download, covering informative and persuasive speeches.

 

Their two-page Informative Speech Rubric has six sections (totaling 100 points) covering the following topics:

 

Outline: (10 points) Outline format, references

 

Introduction (20 points) Attention getter, Background and audience relevance, Speaker credibility, Thesis, Preview

 

Body (30 points) Main points, Evidence and Support, Organization, Language, Transitions, Sources

 

Conclusion (10 points) Signals conclusion, Reviews purpose/thesis and main points

 

Delivery (15 points) Eye contact, Verbal delivery, Nonverbal delivery

 

Overall Impression (15 points) Topic, Adapted to Audience, Preparation and Practice

 

And their two-page Persuasive Speech Rubric also has six sections (totaling 100 points) covering the following topics:

 

Outline: (10 points) Outline format, references

 

Introduction (20 points) Attention getter, Background and audience relevance, Speaker credibility, Thesis, Preview

 

Body (30 points) Main points, Evidence and Support, Organization, Language, Transitions, Sources, Toulmin, Persuasive Appeals

 

Conclusion (10 points) Signals conclusion, Reviews purpose/thesis and main points, Call to action, Memorable close

 

Delivery (15 points) Eye contact, Verbal delivery, Nonverbal delivery

 

Overall Impression (15 points) Topic, Adapted to Audience, Preparation and Practice, Time Limits, Quality and relevance of aids, Was persuasive

 

These rubrics are referenced in their web pages under Basic Course & General Education under a tab for Academic & Professional Resources, then Teaching and Learning, and finally Assessing the basic course.

 

Toastmasters doing informative or persuasive speeches may find these rubrics useful, since they are more detailed than those in Pathways, like one for Persuasive Speaking.

 

My You Are Here image was adapted from this one at Wikimedia Commons.