What are some general tips to improve a graduation speech? What are some cliches I should avoid?

Answer 1

1. Know who your audience is: high school grads, college grads, nursing grads, culinary grads, kindergarten grads, etc .

2. Google graduation speeches and read them to get ideas, themes, length, etc. but do not steal word for word because that is plagiarism and you will be found out.

3. Determine what your main message is and write it down. Elaborate. Words come from your main message, from your heart, from your wisdom and experience and any other ideas you discovered while researching graduation speeches.

4. If you choose to use some one else's line or phrasing word for word say so by citing it. For example, in Michelle Obama's 2018 speech to ________ graduates she said ___________________. I reiterate that idea because............

5. From the speeches you researched you can discover the cliches that are overused and refrain from using them in your speech.