Finding out what your limits are ahead of time will prevent you from extensively rewriting your speech later after you’ve discovered your speech is too long or does not address the right topic. It usually takes about two minutes to read a double-spaced page.
Common topics include why graduation is special or why you’re proud of your graduating class. Choose a topic you have a genuine interest in, not one that you feel you are supposed to show interest in. To help you brainstorm, talk to your friends, parents, and/or classmates about what they’d most like to hear in a speech.
You might write, for instance, “As the Chancellor said, I am Noah Wimbly, and I am so honored to stand here before you today. ”
For instance, you might write, “I want to speak to you about three things: justice, knowledge, and peace. ” If you cannot boil the subject and major points of your speech down into a sentence or two, you should rethink your structure.
Additionally, thank the audience for their time and for attending.
It’s also a good idea to keep your speech short because the schedules of large events like graduations often fall apart. A shorter speech could prove helpful toward getting the schedule back on track, if necessary. [16] X Research source
Revise passages that sound clunky or awkward when read aloud. Read your speech out loud both to yourself and to a small audience of friends or family. Incorporate your test audience’s feedback into the speech.
Time your speech using your smartphone to check on the flow and length of the speech.
It’s a good idea to practice in front of audiences. Ask your family and friends if they’d be willing to listen to you practice the speech a few times before graduation.
