You will then plan and write an essay in which you critically analyze the TED Talk by pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.
Follow the steps listed here to do your assignment.
1. First, go to the TED talk and view it without taking notes.
2. After you have watched the TED Talk for this essay assignment, go ahead and watch the TED Talk again, taking notes as you view it. As you watch, critically think about the presentation’s effectiveness.
3. Consider the following questions:
a. What is the main point of the speaker’s presentation?
b. What qualifications does the speaker have to present on the topic?
c. What facts and other evidence does the speaker provide to support his/her claims?
d. Who is the intended audience for this presentation (i.e. who would benefit the most from listening to this presentation)?
e. What is the larger conversation on the subject matter?
f. What other viewpoints should be considered?
g. What are the major strengths of this talk? What are it’s weaknesses?
h. What can I learn about public speaking from this talk?
Your essay should focus on the last two questions (g and h)
4. After viewing your TED Talk several times and taking notes on it, you should be ready to begin organizing your raw ideas into an outline for an analysis essay on it. To start your outline, you must first decide on a thesis (central idea) to convey to your readers. Your goal is to draft a thesis sentence that includes your general evaluation of the Talk and also forecasts how you plan to support your evaluation. As you create your outline, keep in mind that your analysis essay must include an introductory paragraph (at the end of which you will state your thesis), at least three (3) body paragraphs in which you support your thesis with evidence, and a concluding paragraph.
5. Refer to your outline as your write your first draft. Make sure your introduction begins by capturing your readers’ attention and ends with a clear thesis statement. Also make sure each of your body paragraphs begin with a clear topic sentence. Each paragraph should analyze the talk, not just repeat what the speaker said. I want you to make arguments about what was good, bad or just meh about the presentation. Make a claim (a statement to be proved), provide reasons and evidence as to why your claims are true. This is a persuasive essay. I don’t care what position you take as long as you are supporting it.
6. Read over your revised essay several times to proofread for mistakes in grammar, word choice, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Try reading your essay out loud or from the conclusion up to catch all mistakes. Be warned: Essays that are not carefully proofread and edited will receive some penalties. The essay should be 1200 to 1400 words long.
7. The essay should be approximately Once you are satisfied with your final draft, you should upload it to Moodle by the due date.
Answer preview
Another strength of the presentation is the use of humor. Venkataraman has used humor to create a bond with her audience. At the beginning of the talk, Venkataraman makes a joke that makes the audience laugh. The joke that Venkataraman made concerned mosquitoes in South India that were fond of American blood (TED, 2019). The joke served to ease the tension between the audience and pave the way for the presentation. Another strength in the presentation is the use of pictures to reinforce the information being shared. The images are reinforcing what Venkataraman is sharing with the audience. One of the photographs showing how a farmer is adopting measures to protect the soil from erosion reinforces Venkataraman’s message that by conserving soil fertility, the farmers are ensuring that future generations have fertile soil for their survival. Another picture is of engineers in Japan involved in the building of a power plant. The engineer who is pointed designed the power plant that withstood tsunamis.
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