Part D Now, give a brief oral presentation supporting an observation, or claim, about your comparison in part B.
Pay particular attention to similarities or differences in the message of the two speeches. Did the two
speakers tailor their messages to their audience? Did they touch on similar themes and concepts?
Develop a Claim. Study the information in your table. You may notice that some columns have more
similarities and others have more differences. This type of observation can help you make a claim in your
speech. You can use this sentence frame for your claim:
While both speeches have a similar (audience, purpose, message], one speech has a distinctive
[audience, purpose, message).
Choose an Appropriate Register. Register refers to how formal, or informal, the language of your speech
is. On a scale of 1 to 10, the Gettysburg Address is about a 9 in formality, due to its very long sentences
and reverent tone. Lewis's speech is somewhat less formal, but still appropriate for the solemnity of the
occasion. Your speech, for the classroom, does not need to be as formal as Lincoln or Lewis. Aim for level
5, taking care to follow the rules of grammar.
Organize and Rehearse. As you practice your presentation, use the table in part B as a guide. Decide
whether to discuss each speech in turn, or whether to discuss the elements of purpose for each speech,
then the audience for each speech, and so on.