Sometimes you may be asked to speak at an event or occasion before the headlining speech, or be called upon to introduce a keynote speaker or panelist.

The introduction speech is no less significant just because you might not be talking about the big issue of the day. It's important because you're getting your audience warmed up and accustomed to who will be speaking about the topics and issues they care about. Just as we appreciate when friends introduce us to new acquaintances, your audience appreciates being introduced to their main speaker.

There may be times when you know the person that you're introducing, so it might be easier to talk about them. Just be mindful of the context of both your relationship and the event itself.

You might be buddies with a leading scientist in biology at a biology conference, but that doesn't mean you should introduce him by the nicknames you call each other on Facebook.

Knowing the person you need to introduce is also helpful as you can ask them directly what information they would or would not like shared about them.

There will also be times where you may only have passing knowledge about the person you're introducing, or perhaps you might not know anything about them at all. But in the age of the Internet and the Google search, it shouldn't take very long to find out some basic information about them that is relevant to their speech, such as their professional experience or publications.

You may also be able to contact them to see if they can provide you with a professional bio or curriculum vitae (CV). In the latter instance, you may want to distill that into your own prepared remarks.

The good news is that presentations of introduction are usually brief and always prepared. Whether you're reading from a script or teleprompter, you typically won't be asked to introduce someone you don't know without preparation.

THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL REQUIRE YOU TO INTRODUCE A PERSON YOU KNOW, A PERSON IN THE NEWS OR OF NOTORIETY, OR OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE (in this case the person may not necessarily be alive)

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE INTRODUCING MUST NOT BE A FICTITIOUS CHARACTER.

You will prepare a 2+ minute introduction speech about that person that highlights his/her strengths and core details. Within this speech, you will create a scenario in which you would need to introduce that person for some kind of occasion and then make the transition to why you are introducing that person for that given occasion. Be sure to prepare for your speech with an outline; however, your outline will not need to be submitted along with your speech.

THE PRESENTATION WILL BE GRADED ON THE FOLLOWING:

1. THE TIME REQUIREMENT 2+ MINUTES.

2. CLARITY OF THE INTRODUCTION: WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THIS PERSON, IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PERSON, WHAT HAS THIS PERSON CONTRIBUTED TO YOU PERSONALLY.

3. FOCUS, PREPARATION, RELAX/PACE

4. PRESENTATION REFLECTS THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE