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Speech 205
Mr. Sanders
The Informative Speech
For this assignment, you will prepare a 5-7 minute speech with the specific purpose of helping your audience
understand a topic.
Purpose:
For this speech, you will research a topic of your choice. This is basically like a research paper, except you are
presenting the information orally instead of in written form. You will still have to research the topic and gather
sources and data. You will also have to create a bibliography of the sources you will use.
Your speech should meet the following criteria:
1. Use a minimum of 3 legitimate, reputable sources (for example: no Wikipedia - the one exception to this
is if you scroll to the bottom of a Wikipedia page and click on one of the external links under
references. This will take you to a certified reputable source). In your past speeches, you probably
relied solely on personal knowledge and experience. This method alone will no longer be acceptable.
You MUST have at least 3 sources in your bibliography, and you may only cite the sources you will
mention in your speech. This means if you started with 6 sources, but only refer to 3 in your speech,
you will only put 3 in your bibliography.
2. You will mention your sources in your speech- this is called an oral citation. For example, According
to Bob Smith in The State Journal Register on October 25th, 2013, Students are becoming smarter at an
earlier age due to technology. However, he goes on to state, that this may cause increased laziness.
Ultimately, what we can learn from this is
3. Have a visual aid for your presentation- this could include a power point, keynote, or poster. If you have
any other ideas, please check with me first.
4. Conform to the time limit; 3 points will be deducted every 15 seconds under or over the time limit. The
best way to avoid this is to practice at home and time your speech. Aim for 6 minutes.
5. Turn in your topic approval and typed rough draft outline on the due dates listed.
6. Speak extemporaneously using notes on note cards. Do not read directly from note cards or visual aids.
7. PowerPoint slides must have a maximum of 20 words per slide.
Acceptable Sources include:
Books (nonfiction)
Periodicals (nonfiction magazines and scholarly journals) that can be found in print or online
Newspapers found in print or online. Google News is extremely helpful!
Online articles from reputable sites- please show them to me to gain approval
Brochures and pamphlets
Newsletters
Reference books (dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedia, etc.)
Fiction books

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Timeline/Due Dates:
Days to work in class on a computer and with my help: 10/23, 10/27, 10/28, 10/29, and 10/30
Peer and self evaluate outlines day: 10/31
5 topic ideas: 10/22
Final Informative Topic Approved due: 10/23
Rough Draft Word Outline due: 10/29
Typed Rough Draft sentence outline + bibliography + 3 sources due: 10/30
Typed Final Sentence Outline & Bibliography due: 10/31
Informative speaking beings: 11/3

Bibliography Format
You will use MLA format to create your bibliography. Please refer to the MLA handout (it is posted on my
website) before you start your bibliography.

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Stu Dent
Informative Speech
November 1st, 2013
3rd Hour
Eating Healthy with a Busy Lifestyle (WORD OUTLINE)
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about eating healthy while on the run
Thesis statement: A healthy lifestyle is still doable if you make wise choices because youll live longer.
I. Introduction
A. Attention getter: pictures of healthy food
B. Thesis: Therefore, it is imperative that we learn about because
C. Preview: So today I will first talk about 2nd Before finally.
II. Body
A. Pack your lunch
1. Healthier
2. Less expensive
3. Many options
a. pre-cooked, pre-cut
b. fruit cups
c. veggies
4. Prepare in advance
5. Quick meals
a. Lean Cuisine
b. Healthy Choice
B. Eating in Restaurants
1. Healthier choices available
a. Salads
b. Baked or grilled entres
c. Low-carb options
2. Healthier restaurants available
a. Subway
b. Sweet Tomatoes
C. Keep healthy snacks accessible
1. Fruit
2. Yogurt smoothies
3. Water

*mention Mayer

*mention Brown
*mention Carter

III. Conclusion
A. In conclusion, there are many options available. Today we talked about 1 st 2nd and finally
B. So remember, making the choice doesnt have to be hard. Eat healthy, eat smart, eat well.

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Bibliography
Brown, Alexandra. "The Rise of the New Restaurant." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature 12.6
(2009): 48-62. Print.
Carter, L., and Margaret Shaffer. A Quick Fix. Good Housekeeping Mar. 2006: 143-48. Print.
Mayer, Sarah. Creating a Healthy Lifestyle. New York: Harper, 2008.
Name _________________________________________________________________________________________
Date _________________________ Informative Speech
Title of Speech:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Category

Introduction
Body Structure

Content

Visual Aid

Speaker credibility

Nonverbal physical delivery

Verbal/vocal delivery

Conclusion

Outline

Grading Criteria (rated 1-10 per category)

E- excellent (no flaws at all)
M- meets criteria
B- below expectations
0- not present
E M B 0 Attention Getting Device (AGD)
E M B 0 Thesis Statement (Claim + Reason)
E M B 0 Preview/Summary
E M B 0 appropriate organizational pattern
E M B 0 clear and logical
E M B 0 followed outline
E M B 0 transitions between topics
E M B 0 main points clearly stated
E M B 0 main points clearly explained
E M B 0 main points supported by accurate research
E M B 0 oral citations met (at least 3)
E M B 0 necessary and appropriate
E M B 0 presented skillfully
E M B 0 well designed (color, size, etc.)
E M B 0 professional (neatness, spelling, etc.)
E M B 0 audience can see (view not blocked)
E M B 0 knowledgeable
E M B 0 dressed appropriately
E M B 0 enthusiasm for the topic
E M B 0 confident
E M B 0 honest/ethical
E M B 0 eye contact
E M B 0 posture
E M B 0 avoided distracting mannerisms
E M B 0 facial expressions
E M B 0 gestures
E M B 0 vocal enthusiasm
E M B 0 rate/fluency (avoided dead air)
E M B 0 volume
E M B 0 avoided offensive language
E M B 0 avoided fillers (um, uh, like, yeah, etc. )
E M B 0 clarity
E M B 0 correct grammar and word usage
E M B 0 Review Statement
E M B 0 Clincher statement
E M B 0 ending and departure (avoid thats it, etc.)
E M B 0 appropriate length
E M B 0 outline complete with all parts present
E M B 0 format correct

Score

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Conformity to assignment

E
E
E
E
E

M
M
M
M
M

B
B
B
B
B

0
0
0
0
0

bibliography requirements met (at least 3)

time limit met (5-7 minutes)
topic approved
spoke extemporaneously
source requirements met (at least 3)

Score (out of 100 points possible)

Penalties

Late? Gum? Speaking or being distracting during other speeches?

Total

90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
0-59 F

Getting Started: How do I think of a speech topic?

Write down and brainstorm ideas below:
What makes me feel:
Happy?
Sad?
Angry?
Excited?
What do I know a lot about?
What do I know little about, but I am eager to learn?
What strong moral values do I hold?
What topics do cool and exciting things today?
What things happening right now will have a profound impact on the future?
====
What type of outline will you use for this speech?
Chronological?
Past-Present-Future?
What it is-Applications-Implications?

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What will be your main points and sub points? Write down some ideas below.

1. MAIN POINT
a. SUB POINT
i. Sources, Facts, Statistics, Data, Examples
ii. Sources, Facts, Statistics, Data, Examples
2. MAIN POINT
a. SUB POINT
i. Sources, Facts, Statistics, Data, Examples
ii. Sources, Facts, Statistics, Data, Examples
===============================================================
1.
A.
B.
2.
A.
B.

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3.
A.
B.

Steps to accomplishing your informative successfully:

1. Brainstorm 5 topics
2. Pick your favorite
3. Have Mr. Sanders approval (No repeat topics - first come first serve)
4. Write your topic on the speaking date sheet on the board
5. Decide what type of main point outline structure fits your speech best
6. Create a word outline for your 3 main points (Be creative! There is rarely a wrong answer here.)
7. Create a word outline with your sub points (Be creative! There is rarely a wrong answer here.)
8. Select a computer and write your name and computer number down.
9. Go to my teacher website. Download the "Informative Template" and copy/paste that file into a Google
Document
10. Share your outline with Mr. Sanders via Google Documents at CTSANDERS@sps186.org (your log-in
________@students.sps186.org)
11. Edit the Google document however best fits your needs. You do not need to use all my pre-set up A,B,C, and
1,2,3s
12. Type your word outline into the google document
13. Write your speech! (Use the files on my website to help you)
14. Use Google News and other credible sources to back up enhance your speeches credibility!
15. If you picked a topic you are genuinely interested in, this will be more fun for you.
16. Ask questions!

Notes:

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-Remember please visit the resources I have posted on my website. I promise it will help.
-I also have student successful student outlines to look at from previous years. Those will help, too.
-You only need 3 oral citations. I recommend using 1 per body paragraph although more is fine.

How to write an awesome Informative!!

Topic selection
A super interesting topic makes your informative wonderful.
Try and pick a topic that you think will really interest your audience and show them that
it is pretty much the greatest thing they will ever hear about.
Pick something that you are really interested and excited about as well-if you connect
with your speech, your audience will too!
Topic ideas: Any type of new development/idea/theory-medical, scientific, technology,
automobile, political, etc. Basically, something new and innovative.
Where do you find great topics??
-There are several websites you can research that have great topics you can pick
from.
-Try these:
1. www.popularscience.com
2. www.popularmechanics.com
3. www.newscientist.com
4. www.wired.com
5. www.technologyreview.com

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So youve found your topic-what next?

The best thing to do once you have your awesome topic is to research it and find
as much information about it as you can.
During your research, be sure and find credible and up-to-date sources that you
can cite in your speech.
Once you feel comfortable that you have the research you need, you can construct
a basic outline of your speech that will guide you during the drafting process. For
your outline, you need to follow some sort of structure that you will use
throughout the entire writing process (see below).
Structuring your Informative
The basic structure for informative is generally as follows:
1. Introduction: This is where you want to grab your audiences attention
and really get them hooked on this speech. A great way to do this is to have
an attention getting device-basically, a really cool lead into your speech that
will grab their attention right away!
Introduce your topic! Tell the audience what it is that you are going to
talk to them about and why it will change the world! Essentially, give
them a significance statement that will make them think Oh my
goodness, how did we ever go without having or knowing this
before??!
You need a preview statement that will let them know where you are
going with the speech. Example: So today we will first talk about this,
second this, and finally this.
2. History/What is it/How does it work: This where you talk about how
your topic came to be and just exactly what it is.
What significant events led up to its establishment?
Next, give some detail about what exactly your topic is-anything
super interesting or unique that really makes it stand out would work
well.
Talk about how it works! What happens to make it do what it does??
Remember: This part of your speech can become really confusing
so be sure and explain it in a way that is easy to understand, but still
sounds well put together.
3. Applications: In what ways can your topic be put to use in our world?
How will this help us?
Example: Maybe you are talking about a new plastic that an animal
can make from secretions in its body. You could say that the plastic
can be used to improve surgical casts, strengthen bullet proof vests
for police officers, and even be used as a knee replacement in
humans.

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Talk briefly about how all of the applications listed above are better
than what we have now because of your topic.
Basically, just tell us about different ways that it can be applied/used
and why these ways are so beneficial.
4. Implications: This is where you talk about what your topic will mean for
us now and in the future.
Present both good and bad aspects of your topic.
o Good: Will it open up the door for new research? Will it
allow fields of science to come together that never have
before? Etc.
o Bad: Is it too expensive to make? Will it hurt the
environment? Etc.
Any ideas you have about what this will mean for humanity should
go here.
5. Conclusion: Sum it up!
Give a review statement about what we talked about.
A great summary statement about your amazing topic is always nice!
Try and leave the audience with a clever or impactful statement that
will make them remember your speech!

Overall
Be enthusiastic about your topic-show your audience that you love what you are talking
about and why they should too.
Dont be afraid to add some cheesy, pun jokes to liven up your speech.
Have fun! Informative is bubbly and happy, so be that way!
Remember: You are NOT allowed to choose a topic that is a Demonstration topic. You are purely
informing us of a topic you find interesting not demonstrating. Avoid HOW TO topics

1. How nuclear power works

2. The biography of your favorite actor
3. How to make pizza
4. The history of comic books
5. How to change your cars oil
6. The story of how your school was founded
7. The story of your favorite president
8. The history of your hometown
9. How to swing a golfclub
10. Trends in the stock market
11. How to drive a stick-shift

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12. History of a favorite product brand
13. How to shoot a basketball
14. Description of life in another country
15. How to weave a basket
16. The three branches of U.S. government
17. How to read a map
18. How roads are built
19. The Seven Wonders of the World
20. Disneyland
21. How to knit a scarf
22. Professional baseball stadiums
23. Local folklore
24. Roadside attractions
25. Chinese food
26. UFOs
27. Real life vampires
28. Types of cheese
29. How to play chess
30. Key phrases in a foreign language
31. Types of poetry
32. Evolution of video games
33. Raising pet snakes
34. Serial killers
35. Foriegn TV shows
36. How to make a website
37. Civil War generals
38. Historical events that occurred on your speech day
39. Famous diplomats
40. All about your favorite vacation spot
41. Famous speeches
42. How to get good grades
43. How to write a resume
44. How to survive a job interview
45. Types of tropical fish
46. Dog shows
47. The newspaper business
48. All about a favorite radio show
49. How a computer works
50. How to organize a closet
51. U.S. territories
52. Voodoo
53. Comparison of different religions
54. Schools of painting
55. The latest discoveries in astronomy
56. Fringe known political parties
57. How to find cheap airline tickets
58. Competitive horseback riding
59. How to make fishing lures
60. Labor Unions

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61. How to plan a wedding
62. How to tie various knots
63. Cruise vacations
64. Crazy laws
65. How to improve your health
66. Electric cars
67. Life in the future
68. How to throw a good party
69. Working in the fast food industry
70. How to play the kazoo
71. Origins of superstitions
72. Lesser known Presidents
73. Computer viruses
74. High school dating on a budget
75. Cults
76. Dyslexia
77. Impact of media on society
78. Branches of the military
79. Famous advertising campaigns
80. Nursing homes
81. How to write a will
82. The United Nations
83. How to find your ancestors
84. Deep sea fish
85. A particular period of architecture
86. How to construct an argument
87. Saving money on your income taxes
88. Sports card collecting
89. The history of the Bible
90. Book reviews for a particular author
91. How to avoid boredom
92. Sales tactics
93. Comparison of economic systems
94. Censorship in history
95. Psychological profiling
96. Picking a name for your children
97. Americas fastest growing cities
98. How to improve your manners
99. How to improve your conversation skills
100. World War II heroes
101. The Miss America Pageant
102. Interesting cultures
103. How to raise rabbits
104. Exotic pets
105. Ballroom dancing
106. Near death experiences
107. ID theft
108. Evolution of voting laws
109. Natural disasters

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110. Breeds of dogs
111. Dream interpretation
112. Teenage problems
113. Childhood problems
114. The FBI
115. Basic economic principles
116. Advances in education
117. Spies
118. Evolution of the English language
119. National Parks
120. Young billionaires
121. Former child stars
122. Obesity epidemic
123. How to be more romantic
124. Types of common plants
125. How to cook vegetarian
126. Funny inventions
127. Stupid criminals
128. Code breaking
129. How to play Poker
130. Child geniuses
131. Spoon collecting
132. Charitable organizations
133. Reincarnation
134. How to break bad habits
135. Weight lifting
136. How the circulatory system works
137. Origin of holidays
138. Interior decorating
139. Lie detecting
140. The Supreme Court
141. Learning styles
142. Life in jail
143. Your teeth
144. How to set up an aquarium
145. Organized crime
146. Street gangs
147. How to make soup
148. The losingest professional sports teams
149. How the telephone works
150. The U.S. Postal Service
151. How to apply make-up
152. Investment strategies
153. The Lottery
154. The Industrial Revolution
155. Medicines from nature
156. Memory loss
157. Differences in male and female communication

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158. Mental illnesses
159. The Middle Ages
160. How the brain works
161. Prohibition
162. Drug laws
163. Airplane stunts
164. The history of your favorite musical group
165. Useful websites
166. The Great Depression
167. Famous riots
168. Muscle cars
169. Antique collecting
170. Dog training
171. Model railroading
172. How to perform a magic trick
173. The intelligence of dolphins
174. Multi-Level marketing
175. Interesting world records
176. Different philosophical perspective
177. The Welfare system
178. Choosing a digital camera
179. City planning
180. Reality TV shows
181. Types of cars
182. Choosing the right tires for your car
183. Diploma mills
184. The most dangerous jobs
185. The trucking industry
186. Basic first aid
187. Coin collecting
188. The British Royal Family
189. Ice cream making
190. How search engines work
191. Banned books
192. The worst trades in sports history
193. How galaxies are formed
194. Native American tribes from your area
195. Exotic breeds of cats
196. Unitary Executive Theory
197. How to turkey-call
198. How bottled water is purified
199. Sports card collecting
200. The U.S. Post Office
201. How cellular phones work
202. Computers through the decades
203. Spring Break destinations
204. The rising cost of education
205. Early 20th century filmmaking
206. Unique websites

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207. How to backup your DVDs
208. How to make candles
209. Hand-held PDAs
210. Famous robberies
211. Wedding traditions of other cultures
212. Robots now and in the future
213. Rock collecting
214. The career of a favorite musician
215. The history of ___________
216. Women in politics
217. The Great Lakes
218. Conspiracy theories
219. Global warming
220. Strategies for healthy eating
221. E.S.P.
222. Famous golf courses
223. Goldrushes outside of California
224. U.S. immigration patterns through the years
225. Code breaking
226. Submarines
227. TV sitcoms
228. Landsfills
229. Beekeeping
230. All-terrain vehicles
231. Satellite radio
232. Exotic fruits
233. What to look for in a new car
234. Firefighting
235. Canadian football
236. The sport of curling
237. The insurance industry
238. Famous comedy duos
239. Word origins
240. How chocolate is made
241. Bio-diesel
242. New technologies
243. Ghosts
244. How the Earth was formed
245. Overcoming conflict
246. The longest books ever written
247. How to ski
248. How to make soda
249. Fastest growing careers
250. Origins of clichs
MORE INFORMATIVE IDEAS
1.

Aeronautics

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2.

Panic Attacks

3.

Football

4.

Anorexia

5.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

6.

Handicapped Playgrounds

7.

Apple Cider

8.

Eleanor Roosevelt

9.

Richard Nixon

10.

Anthrax

11. Astronauts
12.

Soccer

13.

Roller coasters

14.

Disneyland

15.

M & M's

16. Vietnam
17.

Go Carts

18.

Premature Babies

19. Valley Children's Hospital

20. Aztecs
21. The Vatican
22. The London Bridge
23. Azores Islands
24.

Golf Tournaments

25.

Dreams

26. The Papacy

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27.

Baseball

28.

Schizophrenia

29.

Elvis

30.

Bill Clinton

31.

James Dean

32.

Spiders

33.

Enders Game (or other sci fi book series)

34. The Giant Forest

35.

Bees

36.

Blood Donation

37. Water
38.

Hummingbirds

39.

Spinal Bifida

40.

Incubus

41.

Breast Cancer

42.

Stress

43. Tattoos
44.

California

45. Teenage Violence

46.

Mattresses

47. Tennis
48.

Cinco de Mayo

49. Water Polo

50. The Electoral College

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51.

Jackie Robinson

52.

Indian Weddings

53.

Hmong New Year

54.

Cystic Fibrosis

55. The Rock

56.

Depression

57. Thomas Kincaide

58.

San Francisco

59.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

60.

Diabetes

61.

Marilyn Monroe

62.

Metallica

63.

Missions in California

64. Trucks
65.

Gallup Polls

66.

Drag Racing

67.

Babe Ruth

68. TiVo
69.

Epilepsy

70.

Musical Instruments

71.

Epilepsy

72. Twins
73.

Night Terrors

74. Workman's Compensation

75.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

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76.

Madonna

77.

Cancer

78.

Firefighting

79.

Mother Teresa

80. Valentine's Day

81.

Ovarian Cysts

82.

Mac vs PC's

83.

Hemp

84. The Statue of Liberty

85. Artificial Turf vs Grass
86.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

87.

Niagara Falls

88.

Charlie Parker

89.

Dog Breeds

90.

Disney World/Epcot Center

91. The Olympics

92. The White House
93. The Simpsons
94. The Beatles
95.

Sharks

96.

Cirque de Solei

97.

Harry Potter Book vs Movie

98. The Empire State Building

99.

Pearl Harbor

100. Volcanoes

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101. Hitler
102. The many uses of Yeast
103. Picasso
104. K-9's
105. Coca Cola Company
106. The Stock Market
107. Hiroshima
108. The Challenger
109. The Bee Gees
110. Diet Fads
111. Clothing Styles
112. Hawaii
113. Hearst Castle
114. Panama Canal
115. Global Warming
116. Toy Story
117. Cuba
118. Humphrey Bogart
119. Hanukkah
120. Auschwitz
121. Yosemite
122. Robert Frost
123. Bugs Bunny
124. Figi
125. Aircraft Carriers

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126. Hawaii
127. The Golden Gate Bridge
128. Reality TV
129. Capitan Planet
130. Mt. St. Helens
131. Billy Graham
132. Mount Rushmore
133. Quintin Tarantino
134. Michael Moore
135. St. Francis of Assisi
136. Crystal Cave
137. Dr. Pepper
138. Betty Crocker
139. Pentagon
140. Ghandi
141. Cesar Chavez
142. Yves St. Laurent
143. Coco Chanel
144. Mayan Culture
145. Guatemala
146. El Salvador
147. The New York Yankees
148. Oakland Raiders
149. Seattle Space Needle
150. American Flag

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151. Batik
152. Dolphins
153. The history of bubble gum
154. Camaro
155. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
156. Barack Obama
157. Audrey Hepburn
158. Dr. Suess
Clayton T. Sanders Unitary Executive Theory: Are our presidents behaving like Kings?
Illinois State University Informative Speaking National Finalist April 2010
Prior to the year 1215, King John of England was an unsuccessful leader in battle. Therefore, he had to
raise taxes on his people expanding the limits of his official power. His barons critical of the job he was doing,
forced him to sign the Magna Carta, placing checks on the kings executive power. Our framers inspired by the
Magna Carta actively sought to limit the executive branch when drafting the constitution. However, within the
last 30 years our commanders-in-chief have finally begun moving away from the tradition of the limited
executive in the Magna Carta, through their application of the Unitary Executive Theory or U.E.T. The 2007
Columbia Law Review, explains Unitary Executive Theory, is a theory of American constitutional law holding
that the president controls the entire executive branch, limiting the authority of Congress, the Supreme Court, or
anything that interferes with the performance of Presidential duties. Regardless of your stance on political
parties or past presidential actions, we need to acknowledge that this theory has become a dominant part of how
our executive branch is run. While both parties have been critical of their oppositions use of UET, Foreign
Policy in Focus of November 18, 2009 explains that presidents from both parties have embraced this expansion
of executive power, which allows them to create laws, while sidestepping congress. With a current president
who has both, opposed and implemented facets of Unitary Executive Theory, it is vital that we gain a better
grasp on just how this theory will impact democracies around the world. By first, examining exactly what

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Unitary Executive Theory is, second, explore how recent presidents have applied this theory and finally, take a
look at some critical implications as to what the October, 11th 2008 Los Angeles Times calls The Hidden
Power.
Prior to the Magna Carta, the king was governed by a document called The Charter of Liberties, which
stated the king was subject to the law. However, he could also modify that law as he saw fit. Just as the barons
thought the process for making laws was out of touch with the times, so did the founders of UET. To fully
understand what Unitary Executive Theory is, we must first look at where it came from and second examine the
specifics of UET.
The roots of Unitary Executive Theory stretch as far back as 1787 to the Federalist papers, despite it
being new to the publics attention. John Mackenzie, author of Absolute Power, states, This theory is
historically baseless and relies on a misreading of the Constitution and The Federalist Papers. The modern
form of the theory, according to Christopher S. Kelly, professor of political science at Miami University,
came about when leaders in Washington saw what they thought was congressional medaling in Watergate and
Vietnam because of executive weakness. Beginning in the 1970s our presidents, fearful of their own
presidential limitations, started bringing their own interpretation of law into play. Meanwhile, placing UET
under the label of assuring crucial actions are taken when our countries best interest is on the line. Thus,
establishing president as king mentality.
Next, lets take a look at what this theory argues. UET relies on the Vesting Clause of Article II of the
constitution, which states, The executive power shall be vested in the President of the United States of
America. Stephen Calabresi, a founding member of the federalist society, argues that because this clause is
vague, whereas congressional and judicial mandates are specific, the president has more input over what laws
are implemented. UET is applied through declarations, memoranda, signing statements, and national security
commands, to edit or ignore new and existing legislation. This argues that our country has long misdefined the
nature of checks and balances. Thus, over limiting the executives power.

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While the Magna Carta was a reaction to the specific incompitancies of King John, its full impact wasnt
apparent until it led to the dethroning of James the second. Similarly, we need to not just look to UETs roots in
the Nixon administration but also the two presidents who have used it most, specifically George W. Bush and
Barrack Obama.
Initially, the July 2008 edition of Presidential Studies Quarterly, states The George W. Bush
administration aggressively advanced claims of presidential supremacy in American government. One major
area where Bush clearly applied UET was via signing statements. Signing statements are where the president
signs a bill into law, but only after editing out provisions that they do not like as unconstitutional. Christopher
S. Kelly further notes, 75 signing statements were applied over 164 years of presidents. However, in Bushs
first term, he did this 435 times. Additionally, President Bush moved beyond simple signing statements when,
according to the Washington Post as of March 14th, 2008, he overruled the EPA in a dispute over air
pollution rules. Conversely, Bush interpreting laws, as he desires, wasnt all negative. According to the
Chicago Tribune as of May 12th, 2008, President Bush used UET, after 9/11, to more quickly round up
suspected terrorists to ensure national security.
Second, while Bush is an extreme case, liberals have been guilty too. President Obama seems to be
following the same path. Kevin Bankston, a lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation states, "The
Obama administration has essentially adopted the position of the Bush administration on UET, even though
candidate Obama was incredibly critical of such authority. According to the New York Times as of August
8th, 2009, There are laws Mr. Obama has said he need not obey. These include format requirements for budget
requests, and limits on who he may appoint to a commission. Interestingly, hes also found a PR application.
According to the Houston Chronicle as of August 16th, 2009, Obama has used signing statements to ensure
that World Bank funding was not dependent on political ideology. In this case UET improved the U.S.s
international image.

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Over time the Magna Carta has been used to back up a broad range of arguments about the powers of
parliament, the monarchy, and people's rights. Britains status as one of the major powers in the world meant
that this influenced the content of numerous constitutions, including our own. Consequently, we as many
governments now look to the US as a source of inspiration we must look to the implications of UET.
Initially, this new President as King mentality of UET suggests that, modern Americans may prefer
authoritarianism to the founders vision of democracy. The Atlantic of August 26th, 2009 points out that
democracy has long held to be one of the core values of the United States, justifying controversial policies at
home and abroad. However, UET allows the executive branch to seize power allocated to congress and the
judiciary on a case-by-case basis, a move that has been criticized but remains largely unchallenged by the
American public. The continued acceptance of UET suggests that we are willing to move away from our
democratic traditions in the name of efficiency, security, and ideological consistency. We have rationalized this
move though our faith in impeachment and the electoral process. However, if elections become the only check
on the executive, what is left to stop them from abolishing or ignoring this final vestige of democracy?
Second, Unitary Executive Theory calls into question the modern importance of the constitution. The
2009 Boston University Law Review explains, traditionally liberals have sought to interpret the spirit of the
constitution, where as conservatives have looked to framers intent and literal readings of the constitution.
However, according to an August 3rd, 2009 article by Emily Shaffer, a political scientist at Harvard
University, UET was propagated primarily by conservatives in all three branches of government. The UET,
which relies on a liberal reading of the Constitution conflicts with framers intentions for the executive branch
and with conservative political philosophy. Thus, we have to question those who once argued for a strict reading
of the constitution and examine their motives for embracing UET. Moreover, we have to consider if our
Constitution has become a tool of contemporary politics rather than a document of long-standing ideals.
Today, we examined exactly what the Unitary Executive Theory is, how it has been applied by Bush and
Obama, and finally how our new style of government could impact not only our country, but every country that

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looks to the US as a source of inspiration. Unitary Executive Theorys new wave of use in the last 30 years has
radically changed how the United States is governed with our commanders-in-chief. Only time will tell the
further impacts this theory will have on our nation and, perhaps we can begin to shed a little more light on The
Hidden Power.

STUDENTS: PLEASE NOTE, THE SPEECH I WROTE ABOVE WAS 10 MINUTES LONG. YOURS
ONLY HAS TO BE 5-7 MINUTES.

USE THIS TEMPLATE TO FIRST WRITE YOUR WORD OUTLINE. (Remember: A word outline is just key words
or key points for each main and sub-point).
THEN, USE THIS SAME TEMPLATE TO WRITE YOUR FULL SPEECH aka SENTENCE OUTLINE. (Remember:
writing a word outline before your sentence outline helps you create map for where you will be headed. A word outline is
only key words. A sentence outline displays entire citations and complete sentences). Basically, a sentence outline is a
fully written research paper with the letters and numbers of an outline included below. You will do 1st a word outline and
2nd a sentence outline.
First name Last name
Mr. Sanders
Informative Speech
Date you present your speech
Hour of your speech
The creative title of your Informative Speech goes here
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about (insert your topic here).
Central Idea / Thesis Statement: (Insert your thesis statement here) Remember: C+B+R
I. Introduction
[NOTE: You do not have to use my exact words below or the exact outline for anything. These are just ideas
to help get you started.]
A. Attention getter: (No rhetorical questions may go here. Please use one of the other 7 types of AGDs in the
PowerPoint provided to you before the Demonstration Unit. Be Creative!)
B. Link: (How are you going to connect your attention getting to your thesis statement?)

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C. Thesis: Therefore, it is imperative that we learn about because
D. Preview: So today, we will examine 1st talk about 2nd before finally.
II. Body
[NOTE: Your speech may not need all the numbers (sub points) and letters (examples/statistics) listed
below. Every speech will have a different amount of main points and sub points. It all depends on your
topic and your subpoints]
Transition to point 1: First lets take a look at.
A. Body 1
1.
a.
b.
2.
a.
b.
3.
a.
b.
Transition to point 2: Now that weve looked at lets take a look at.
B. Body 2
1.
a.
b.
c.
2.
a.
b.
c.
Transition to point 3: Finally, now that weve looked at lets take a look at.
C. Body 3
1.
a.
b.
2.
a.
b.
3.
a.
b.
III. Conclusion
A. So today, we talked about 1st 2nd and finally
B. (Insert memorable last line that ties to your AGD)

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Oral Citations should look like this.
Remember you must cite the words that are not yours BEFORE you say them.

According to (source where you got the information) as of (date you retrieved the information), direct quotation
goes here blah blah blah.

Bold your sources (New York Times, SJR, MSNBC, etc) so they are easy for me to pick out of your outline.

Underline any and all information you did NOT write. This way I wont accuse you of cheating or plagiarism.

Remember you need 3 Oral citations from credible sources. Google News is better to use that just Google Search.

Plagiarism of any kind will result in a 0 / 100 for this assignment. This happens every year! Please dont be that
student.

Bibliography Example
**Look at the MLA citations PPT on my teacher website to help with your own bibliography. (This is just an example)**
Brown, Alexandra. "The Rise of the New Restaurant." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature 12.6
(2009): 48-62. Print.
Carter, L., and Margaret Shaffer. A Quick Fix. Good Housekeeping Mar. 2006: 143-48. Print.
Mayer, Sarah. Creating a Healthy Lifestyle. New York: Harper, 2008.