Oral Current Events Report

The 5-minute oral presentation of a current event that relates to our course represents 5% of your final grade. This must come from a major national daily newspaper (see me for approval). I encourage you to select a topic that interests you as well as one that relates to material within this course. A good guideline to use in selecting your topic is the syllabus itself, i.e. what particular section of the course is most interesting to you and overlaps with an unfolding news event. I will pass around a sign-up sheet the first full week of classes. Make sure the date you select is one that you can keep as it will be next to impossible to accommodate changes after the first week. After you have signed up, use your weekly current events readings as a guide in building a knowledge base for your report. See me at least one class period before your presentation to discuss ideas and any supplemental materials you may need. Finally be sure to submit your grading sheet at that meeting and remember to email your article to students 24 hours before your presentation.

Your oral report grade is based on five key components outlined below. These include: introduction, knowledge base, conceptual orientation, critical analysis, and conclusion. The A report successfully employs each of these five components, whereas the B report incorporates four of the five, and the C report three of the five, etc.

Content

1. Introduction

-- tell us why you think your topic is important AND interesting

2. Established knowledge base

-- what are the fundamental facts the rest of the class needs in order to understand your topic

-- remember your time constraints demand a concise approach here

-- the five w’s of reporting may serve as your guide: who, what, when, where, and why/how

3. Conceptual orientation and cohesion

-- this is often the difference between an A and a B report

-- tell the class how your current event report relates to a concept we have discussed in class

-- your event may either support or challenge an existing theory, but be explicit here

4. Critical analysis

-- here is your chance to shine and, again, this point often distinguishes A from B work

-- what is your interpretation of the facts

-- what suggestions or predictions do you offer

5. Conclusions

-- brief summary of the situation…and the prospects for its resolution

Delivery

I encourage you to incorporate the following delivery suggestions as you prepare your presentation. They will not make a letter grade difference, but instead factor into the +/- scale, i.e. separate an A from an A-. In addition to simply improving your message (because delivery really does count in politics), addressing these items should also make you more comfortable during the actual presentation.

1. The tone of your voice literally and figuratively sets the tone for your topic.

2. Eye contact is important. Notes are a good guide, but avoid reading from your notes for prolonged periods.

3. Gestures and facial expressions can add further emphasis to the words you choose to convey your message.

4. Similarly, the use of silence can often have an important impact.

5. And finally, there is no substitute for enthusiasm. Why should the audience care if even the speaker does not feel this is an interesting topic?