Mind Mental Matter

Topic: Mental Illness

GP: To inform
SPS: To inform everyone of the nature of mental illness
CI: Mental illness has specific persons more vulnerable to it, different diagnoses, and
treatment options.
OP: Topical/Categorical
Attention Getter: Raise your hand if you understand what a mental illness is? Raise your hand if
you know someone who suffers from a chronic mental illness?
Audience Relevance: Those of you who raised your hands have an idea of what mental illness is and
their everyday struggle.
Credibility Statement: I work with over 50 individuals that suffer from chronic mental illness and
need extra supports to live in our community.
Internal Preview: When mental illness strikes, it can turn lives upside down. Today I will define
mental illness including who is more at risk, the different diagnoses, and the different treatment
options.
Topic: The topic of my speech is the benefits of video games to children and teenagers.

Specific purpose statement: To persuade my audience that video games are more beneficial to children and teenagers than
harmful or a waste of time.

Thesis statement (central idea): With moderation and supervision, video games are educational and beneficial mentally,
physically, and socially.

Central idea: While it has been thought for years that video games are the cause of social, mental, or physical problems, the
truth is actually quite the opposite. Video games are beneficial in several ways.

Organizational pattern: The speech is organized topically.

Introduction
1. Attention-getter: In this day and age, video games are everywhere and almost every kid seems to be playing one. From
1996 to 2009 in the U.S., the number of computer and video games sold grew from 73.3 million to 273.5 million, according
to the NPD Group and Retail Tracking Service.
2. Audience relevance: As many of you are parents, I understand you care about your children and teenagers’ health and well-
being.
3. Credibility statement: Ever since I could remember, I’ve been playing and learning about video games. Whether it was
sitting in my dad’s lap as he played Command and Conquer as a toddler or playing Mario Kart on my Nintendo 64, video
games have been a part of my life since day one.
4. Preview statement: So, video games, with moderation and supervision, can be extremely educational and beneficial
mentally, physically, and socially.