A speechwriter who prepares a text for public address should first consider whether he or she is going to deliver the speech personally and should be careful to select a topic which the potential audience will not strongly oppose. From the introduction of a speech to its conclusion, a speechwriter should have definite goals, present an appropriate discussion of the topic, and maintain an awareness of the personal characteristics of the speaker. To evaluate a speech, a public address critic should examine the use of five supporting elements of the text: (1) illustration; (2) definition; (3) analogies; (4) statistics; and (5) language. In essence, effective speechwriters will assume a role: to some extent they must be able to impart confidence and to sense the character of an audience. (NKA)