Researching Your Topic

Overview

In this second lesson of Mastering Speech Writing Skills, students choose a speech topic that matters to them and learn how to locate, evaluate, and record information from credible sources. They build on the previous lesson’s understanding of audience, purpose, and persuasive speech features.

Learning intentions

• WALT select a focused, age-appropriate speech topic.
• WALT generate useful research questions.
• WALT identify credible and relevant sources.
• WALT record key information using keywords, phrases, and source notes.

Success criteria

• I can explain why my topic matters to my intended audience.
• I can narrow a broad topic into a clear speech question or claim.
• I can check whether a source is trustworthy, relevant, and current.
• I can record useful notes in my own words and identify where they came from.

Curriculum links

• Writing Processes / Planning / Practices: selecting and adapting planning and note-taking strategies for a purpose and genre.
• Writing Processes / Planning: categorising and synthesising notes to identify patterns, gaps, and connections.
• Writing Processes / Planning / Practices: synthesising and prioritising notes using keywords, phrases, and annotations.
• Oral Language / Presenting to others: planning content, structure, language, and tone for a particular audience and purpose.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and recall. Teacher opens with the hook and learning intention slides and displays the question, “Would you trust everything you read online?” Students discuss a social-media claim they have seen and share one reason they might believe or question it.

2. 5–12 min · Choosing a focused topic. Teacher revisits audience and purpose, then models narrowing “the environment” to “Should our school reduce single-use plastic?” using the topic-narrowing examples. Students brainstorm three topics of genuine interest, then turn one broad idea into a focused question or claim.

3. 12–20 min · What makes a source credible? Teacher introduces the SOURCE check: Stated author or organisation, Original evidence or clear facts, Up-to-date information, Relevant to the question, Corroborated by another source, Expert or reputable publisher. Teacher models comparing two short sample sources in the credibility-check slides. Students use a think-pair-share to identify which source they would use and justify their decision.

4. 20–32 min · Guided research and note-taking. Teacher distributes the topic and source research worksheet and demonstrates searching with specific keywords, opening more than one result, and avoiding copying whole sentences. Students work independently or in pairs to locate two teacher-approved digital or printed sources, complete a credibility check, and record three to five key points from each source in keywords or short phrases. They note the author or organisation and publication date where available.

5. 32–39 min · Sorting and synthesising notes. Teacher asks students to colour-code or label notes as facts, examples, expert views, or questions, using the note-sorting and synthesis prompt. Students compare their notes with a partner, identify one connection or pattern, and circle the two points most useful for supporting their speech.

6. 39–45 min · Share and exit check. Teacher invites several students to share a focused topic and one credible source, then displays the exit questions on the plenary and exit-ticket slide. Students complete the final section of the worksheet: “My speech topic is…”, “My strongest source is credible because…”, and “One question I still need to investigate is…”.

Resources

• the complete research lesson slide deck
• the topic and source research worksheet
• Devices with supervised internet access, or a prepared set of age-appropriate sources
• Projector or interactive display
• Whiteboard and markers
• Timer
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• School library books, news articles, or information texts

Assessment

• Listen to topic discussions and check that students are narrowing broad ideas into clear, manageable questions.
• During research, check that students are using the credibility criteria, paraphrasing rather than copying, and recording source details.
• Collect or review the worksheet exit section to identify students needing support with topic focus, source evaluation, or further research.

Differentiation

• Provide a topic bank with age-appropriate options such as school lunches, screen time, animal welfare, public transport, climate action, sport safety, or local community issues.
• Offer sentence starters: “My audience needs to know…”, “This source may be reliable because…”, and “The key point in my own words is…”.
• Pre-select two or three accessible sources for students who need reading, language, or executive-function support; allow speech-to-text or oral recording of notes.
• Challenge confident researchers to compare conflicting information, identify a gap in their evidence, or explain how source choice should change for a younger or older audience.