how to write a speech zimsec

Writing a speech

Topic outline.

The purpose of a speech is often to inform or persuade an audience. 

Speeches are usually written to be spoken directly to an audience and can be used to entertain, influencing the listeners that the viewpoint of the speaker is correct. 

Speeches can also be used to encourage the audience to take action or to change their behaviour in some way; for example, to join a particular school club or society, or to recycle more. 

The ways you use language and vocabulary when writing the words of a speech will depend on the audience and the purpose you are writing for; for example, in a speech to a group of teachers and parents giving your views on a recent proposal, formal language is most appropriate.

• think about the audience that the speech is for  – are you giving your speech to a group of people you know, or do not know, or a mixture of both? If you know your audience well, you may be able to relax a little, but a speech is still a formal kind of talk and would usually not include slang
• whether your audience are likely to disagree with what you say – you will need to consider any possible objections and deal with them. Use language carefully to make objections seem less significant; for example, using phrases like ‘A few people may still think, however’
• the reason you are giving this speech and how you feel about this topic  – try to imagine the words of your speech as you would speak them out loud. Your tone of voice must match your message, so choose words that appeal to the emotions of your listeners. Focus on what you want your audience to know and feel by the end of your speech
• how to engage your listeners  – f or example, you might use inclusive words or phrases like ‘we’, ‘all of us’ and ‘our’ to make your listeners feel that you are all on the same side.
• Plan where you want to finish your speech and how you will get there before you start writing – t h e structure of a speech is usually in three parts. For example: 
• An opening that grabs your audience's attention and makes the overall topic of your speech clear  – for example, pose a question to the audience where you can predict the answer.
• A well-structured, supported and developed argument –  for example, to support your argument you might use real life examples or anecdotes.
• A powerful conclusion  –  for example, group your final words or ideas in threes to help make them memorable or end with a thought- provoking question or image and thank your audience for listening.
• Organise your ideas into paragraphs as appropriate – this will help you to develop and support your points convincingly, to build your argument and/or offer a full explanation of a particular point of view.
• S how the connectio ns between ideas in sentences and paragraphs  –  where a new point or idea follows on from what you have already said you might use linking words or phrases such as, ‘in addition’, ‘likewise’ or ‘similarly’.
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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

Boost your speech skills

Enhance your public speaking with personalized coaching tailored to your needs

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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5 Ways To Prepare Yourself For O Level and A Level Exams

Zimsec exams are some of the life defining and crucial exams Zimbabwean students have to take to guarantee a place in Zimbabwe’s and international higher learning institutions. Here are essential tips on how the O Level and A Level students can prepare themselves optimally for the mental, physical and emotional rigours ahead:

Know Yourself

“Before you plan, before you draw up your study schedule, it’s important to take the time to do some self-reflection. You need to think about things like how much sleep you need, the activities that are important to supporting your well-being and whatever else you need to operate at your best academically. Think about, and then also make a list of your strengths and your weaknesses. This is very important because you want to make study plans and devise a schedule that optimizes your strengths and mitigates your weaknesses. For instance, it doesn’t help to decide to follow a recommended study schedule that involves four-hour blocks of dedicated study time if you are prone to get restless after an hour. It might work well for your friend, but if you do that, you are likely to study effectively for just one hour, and then waste three hours of every four-hour block you have scheduled with your struggles to keep focused and still. You need to know yourself well, so that you are empowered to customize a study schedule that works optimally for you. If you know that you are distracted after an hour, you can devise a schedule that gives you regular short breaks that enable you to return to your desk and effectively pick up when you left off.”

Identify your peak times

“We all have particular times of day when we are most effective, and this differs from person to person. For instance, some people are raring to go in the mornings while others struggle to get themselves started. Some fade in the evenings and others find that they are highly productive at night when life around them is quieter and still. Once you know your peak times, schedule your most challenging studies exactly then, while topics and subjects that are much easier for you can be scheduled during your off-peak hours.”

Don’t just think about it, create your study timetable, share it and commit to it

“Give real form to your study timetable. Map it out in a graphic form. Make sure it includes your study breaks and covers all the work you need to do. Stick it up prominently in your study space so that you can see where you are at any moment, at a glance. Think of it as your trusty guide over the next weeks – there to help ensure you don’t get any last-minute surprises or setbacks that feel like disasters. Sharing it with your peers and family members can also help to keep you on a committed track. Monitor your progress on a daily basis. Some shifts and adjustments may be necessary in practice, but you need to make sure at all times that you have got all your topics and subjects covered according to the priorities.”

Plan for balance

“Yes, the most important thing you need to do over the upcoming weeks is study and it does take precedence over a lot of other things in your life at this time. However, you still need some balance in your life, and you can plan for this. It is important to look after your mental and emotional well-being as this affects your intellectual performance. Even though you need to be very focused on your studies, you will still need time to relax, time for physical activity and time for socializing. While you will probably have to cut back on those times, you shouldn’t eliminate them completely. While you may not be able to spend three hours playing soccer four times a week, you can find the ways to schedule four ten minute runs around your neighbourhood that will help you to keep active, relieve stress and re-energise you. While you won’t be able to ‘binge-watch’ the latest TV series, you can still make the time to watch a favourite programme every now and then. And while, late-night parties are probably not the best idea while you are studying for matric, you can still schedule shorter, lower-key occasions in the company of friends that give perspective and provide support.”

Commit to your well-being

“Studying for, and writing your O Level and A Level Exams exams will probably rate as one of the most stressful experiences of your life. There’s no better time than to care deeply and well about yourself. The upside is that in being tested this way, you have the opportunity to discover new and deeper aspects of your strength and resilience. You can think of the experience as being on a ‘Hero’s Journey’ where you want to be facing challenges with all your wits about you so that you can achieve the best results possible. For that to happen, you need to ensure your physical and emotional health. It’s important to eat healthily, get enough sleep, be physically active and feel connected to the people who support your success in life.”

Parents play an important role in supporting their O Level and A Level students and ensuring that they go into the exams in the best frame of mind possible. Naidoo has some tips to help parents best support their O Level and A Level students:

• When facing a stressed and anxious students, replace a ‘been there, done that, now you can too’ approach with ‘I understand’ and encouragement;
• Acknowledge your child’s efforts. Noticing and affirming their choices such as turning down a party to study or going for a quick run before getting back to the books can lift the spirits and instil confidence;
• Keep your expectations about this particular child’s O Level and A Level process and outcomes realistic and make adjustments if they are not. Each child is different, and your child currently going through O Level and A Level won’t be going through it like older siblings might have;
• See where you can help by temporarily relieving your child of time-consuming family responsibilities. For instance, it is likely to be appreciated if they are not expected to say, babysit younger siblings as they might usually do;
• Model a healthy balance by inviting them out for walk or suggesting watching a favourite TV programme when they’ve been locked in studies for hours;

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Zimsec 2022 exam rules and checklist

On 26 september 2022 and in november 2022 zimsec will be administering exams for grade sevens, o level and a level candidates respectively. this is a guide for exams officers and their invigilators. candidates, invigilators and schools can use it to check if they are ready for each exam and that they are following all zimsec regulations..

• the exam room is set up properly
• your invigilators are fully briefed
• you have any additional materials the candidates need.
• The exam is correctly scheduled so that the candidates will be in the exam or under Full Centre Supervision at the right time.
• The conditions in the exam room are suitable (heat, light, noise, cleanliness).
•  The Notice to Candidates and Candidate Warning posters are displayed both inside and outside the exam room.
• Any display material which might be helpful to candidates has been covered up (e.g. periodic tables, maps).
• The desks are correctly placed and the spacing in between is correct.
• The type of desk in the exam room is suitable (for example, there is enough space on the desks for everything the candidates need).
• Candidate numbers are displayed on the desks.
• A clock can be seen from each candidate’s desk.
• All the invigilators have been trained and are clear about what they need to do.
• I have the correct question paper packet(s) and other materials for the exam
• Question paper packets and other confidential materials are kept unopened in secure storage until just before the exam.
• I have the grey script packet envelopes ready to pack the scripts into at the end of the exam, and the relevant bar-coded labels.
• I know which materials (dictionaries, set texts, calculators) are permitted in the exam. Please check the additional materials database if you are unsure about which materials are permitted in each exam.
• I have a copy of the relevant What to say to candidates in an examination document ready to read aloud to the candidates.
• I am sure of the identity of each candidate.
• All candidates have handed in any unauthorised materials and these have been stored outside the exam room.
• Once you have checked the above, ask the candidates to enter the exam room in silence and sit at their desks.
• I have opened and distributed the question papers in front of the candidates.
• I have checked the instructions on the front of the question paper to make sure our arrangements for unauthorised materials are correct.
• I have read aloud the instructions to candidates and the exam is now in progress.
• I have completed the attendance register, adding the names of any candidates not listed to the bottom of the document.
• I have completed a seating plan. It shows how the room is set up, including the position of the tables, chairs and invigilators’ desks and the direction the candidates are facing.
• I have informed candidates that only five minutes remain until the end of the exam.
• Only answer questions about information on the front of the paper.
• Do not give any advice to candidates about the content of the question paper.
• If a candidate needs to leave the room temporarily, make sure they are accompanied by an invigilator.
• If a candidate leaves the room, without intending to come back, make sure they are kept under Full Centre Supervision until the Key Time has passed and that you collect their question paper and answer script.
• Do not remove any question papers from the room.
• I have read aloud the instructions in the What to say to candidates in an exam document.
• I have checked and signed the attendance register.
• I have collected and accounted for all question papers, answer scripts and unused stationery.
• I have checked the question papers and answer sheets (if any) to make sure that:
• The candidates have written their name, candidate number and centre number on all their answer sheets or question papers
•  candidates have numbered their answers correctly
• candidates have fastened any supplementary sheets of paper to the back of their answer booklet or question paper.
• I have told candidates they can leave the room, and that if the Key Time has not passed they are now under Full Centre Supervision.
• I have arranged the answer scripts in the order candidates appear on the attendance register.
• I have packed the scripts and relevant attendance register into the grey script packet envelopes provided, attached the relevant bar-coded label and sealed the packet.
• Where there is more than one bar-coded label I have packed the attendance register and scripts for the range of candidate numbers on the labels into separate grey script packet envelopes.
• There should be enough invigilators/supervisors to make sure all candidates are following Full Centre Supervision requirements.
• Candidates can have access to books and revision notes during Full Centre Supervision.
• Candidates can talk to each other, as long as they do not disturb other candidates.
• Candidates must not communicate with anyone who is not under Full Centre Supervision.
• If a candidate needs to leave the room during Full Centre Supervision they must be accompanied by an invigilator.
• Multiple-choice answer sheets are provided for each candidate.
• Desks should be arranged at least 1.25 metres apart, in all directions, so that candidates cannot see the work of others.
• You should distribute answer sheets before the exam.
• Ask candidates to check their pre-printed details and sign in the space provided to show they are correct.
• Tell candidates who do not have personalised multiple-choice answer sheets to enter their details on the supplementary sheets, writing their names in block capital letters.
• Read the instructions on the front of the answer sheet to make sure that candidates use the answer sheet properly.
• For each absent candidate fill in the appropriate lozenge on their answer sheet, using a pencil, and include the answer sheet in the return despatch.
• At the end of the exam arrange all the sheets in candidate number order.
• Make sure you have access to the confidential instructions – they may include some specific administrative instructions.
• Candidates are allowed to use calculators but these must not be in a case.
• Remind candidates they should only use pencils for graphs and diagrams.
• There must be a subject specialist in the exam room to help you with any technical issues. This is usually the supervisor who is responsible for setting up the exam.
• Equipment and chemicals must be arranged to limit the need for candidates to move around.
• During the exam candidates will need to move around and the supervisor may need to give spoken instructions. Please make sure this does not compromise the security or integrity of the exam in any way.
• Only communicate with candidates on administrative and safety issues.
• In some cases, you can give practical assistance to candidates (this will be detailed on the front of the question paper or in the confidential instructions). Keep a note if you give any assistance to candidates.
• If a candidate experiences any difficulties during the exam, communicate directly with them. If it is something that affects all the candidates, you may make an announcement as long as the security or integrity of the exam is not compromised. The supervisor should make a note of this in their report.
• If a candidate appears to be having problems with faulty equipment, inform the supervisor. They will determine if there is a problem with the equipment. If the problem is with the equipment this should be replaced or fixed as soon as possible. Any issues should be recorded in the supervisor’s report.
• You can give more materials to candidates if they need them. The supervisor is allowed to increase the quantity of each substance used in the exam by 25 per cent.
• The supervisor’s report must be signed by a subject specialist. A copy of the report must be sent to zimsec with the scripts.
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Preparing for your final ZIMSEC Exams using a technology

Garikai Dzoma

It is that time of the year when pupils and some adults get to sit for the public exams from various boards: HEXCO, ZIMSEC and Cambridge. For those who are still unprepared it is not too late to swot for these exams.Most students with internet access,smartphones and tablets hardly ever use this technology for their benefit. A good number of them use of the Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp Apps and scarcely use anything else.

The first thing that you should do is to make sure that you have a copy of the syllabus for each of the subjects that you are writing. If  do not already have these you can freely download PDF versions of both the O level and A level syllabi from the ZIMSEC website. The list includes electronic copies for most common subjects but on the off chance that your subject is not available then you might need to make the trip to your nearest ZIMSEC office and purchase a physical copy.

One of the most disappointing parts about the ZIMSEC website is that it does not have downloadable copies of past exam papers or specimen papers. Bearing in mind your syllabus requirements for each one of your subjects you should be aware that ZIMSEC shares most of its content with Cambridge and most questions appear in both exams. For subjects like Business Studies there is virtually no difference at all in terms of content. You can use Cambridge past exam papers and their corresponding marking schemes to practice. Some of them can be freely downloaded on the Cambridge website here ( this site was updated yesterday). There are a host of other sites such as the IGSCE center here and the Online exam center website. Google will cheerfully provide you with more sites.

It is amazing how many students keep repeating the same errors each year. Some errors even originate from uninformed teachers, I know a local teacher who still teaches the horizontal method of preparing accounts and has year after year unwittingly sent students to their failure. Each year examiners report on these errors and any other mistakes and tips that students might need to know about. The ZIMSEC website has a few copies of these reports. If you are interested in excelling in your exams it might be important to download and read these for all the subjects that you are writing. Here are the links for both A level and O level reports.

I had the honour of attending the best academic school in this country, St Faith’s High School, and technology has always been part of their success. Back when I was still a student their most important piece of technology was their photocopying machine which enabled students to sit for mock exams. We sat for every paper from 1973 to that year’s June exam. ZIMSEC sells hard copies all past exam papers at $2 apiece. You can use a photocopying machine to create multiple copies of the paper and practice. It is illegal to sell these papers without prior permission from ZIMSEC who are the copyright owners although it is generally acceptable to use this means for personal non profit use under the law.

You can also install Cambridge Apps to help with your English. English is the language of instruction for almost all the subjects except Shona. It is even permissible to answer Shona Paper 2 in English. Most students although fluent in the spoken lingo are often afflicted by a meagre vocabulary and the inability to distinguish informal and formal language. These are paid apps which would provide help in such areas as grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ( by the way Pronunciation differs but it should not differ.) The Apps are available for most devices including Android, iPhone, iPad, (and for some selected Apps) Blackberry and Windows.

Remember if you are to pass the exams you need to practice and technology can help you get there. Mazel Tov in your exams!!!

I must surely have failed to mention a lot of notable tools. Please feel free to add these in the comments section.

156 comments

a handy site is also http://www.zimscholars.co.zw

how can i have question and answer online

Specific questions can be asked and answered on our site ask.revision.co.zw

you can visit http://www.brainstorm.co.zw , for comprehensive study and revision material.

ok guyz welcome to us

oliy i need is to pass no Time to be fleckin”

l need to know more about english

assist me on how to pass chemistry

wat level are you o and a level

verenga zve!!!!

Read and understand the situation

yaah,you WL pass guy

thanks I wish all who are writing ZIMSEC examinations this year fantastic results

For Cambridge students, use xtremepapers.net or olevelsourceforge.net as they both provide all exams both for May and November intake as well as syllabus and examiners report. All material is freely available and easy to download in PDF versions

Great resources thanks!!!

Great article. do you have similar suggestions for the grade 7 exam?

Nice article, and you have given great detail. I’m also using some point of them for GATE exam preparation . It little high level exam but you have given some basic steps which is really very useful for every class and grade exam study.

I hpe it wrks

lukng forwad to t

Sound very interesting ,might work

zimsec u r amazing. Please would u upload more past exams and answers

ZIMSEC is very good but you have to add more past exam papers, syllabus and marking schemes as compared to GCSE, XTREME PAPERS, CAMBRIDGE, HEXCO, EDEXCEL, WJEC and many more you know pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING AND THE LITTLE YOU HAVE SHARED UNTO US…………………

hafair your are very very serious

you are very very extra serious keep it up??????????????????????????????????????????…………………………………… THANKSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LIKE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT…

Thanx 4 advices

hw do i get past exam papers

HAMENO IKOKO

KKKKKKKKK GETTT

toverenga even in the way to the exam

hey we need zimsec past exam papers pliiiz coz i cant access them even the marking schemes m doing mob acc and geo

You only need the syllabi for both. 4 Business Studies you can use Cambridge past exam papers. Just be sure to take note of the differences. Unfortunatley Zimsec does not have past exam papers on its site. They sell them at thier HQ in Mt Pleasant for $2 each.

hie we need past exam papers

[…] year I wrote a piece on how to prepare for the ZIMSEC examinations using technology. For the past few weeks my inbox has […]

hey! i’m no table to access past exam papers how can i get them

go to extremepapers.com bro

its really interesting. all the support u may need

you are amaizing can you give me a hint of what am going to meet in my final examination

go to extremepapers .com now

THANK YOU FOR THE ADVISE.SO CAN I GET THE A LEVEL PAST EXAM PAPERS

yaah l think so

may u please send me past exam questions

may u please assist me on how to pass maths

We need marking schemes

haaaaa thnx neh…..

hi hw cn i gt pst exm paprs

you a doing great things keep it up

hey can you give me tips on how to write a speech and an article

zimsec rocks ya’l &its easy to pass if u kip on Working hard……Thank yah Zimsec

thanks a lot zimsec but tiisireiwo A level maths papers

thnx but may u assist wth past maths paper o’level

Can I incorporate scanned copies of ZIMSEC past exam papers legal on my site?

Legally** typo there

thanx yu so much

good distribution of education keep it up

thanks for supporting our education

thanks a lot for good education

hi, guys has anybody been using http://www.revision.co.zw too? It’s still a bit empty but has a lot of Shona notes.

thank u for the suport

Hw cn i gt geo past exam papers A’ level

may u please send me past exam papers

keep the standards

zimsec shuld help us but we cannot download past exam papers for free yet l pay tuition

hey ….kip it up….education is our key t success …

we jus nid more past exam papers

liyanya msunu yenu

hie guys we must revise past exam papers

hw cn l download past papers

cant wait to get over it….

well this is good ***thank u****

nyc but ZIMSEC can u please finish uploading notes and past exam papers cz wi nid them before October 2015.desperate student

Can u send me past exam papers lit advanced level paper1,2,4 thanks

great resources

Zimsec should provide past exam papers with answers please because that will help us a lot in our studies academically. I hope you hope consider my request, thank you.

thisz gd nw i can confidently get into it ķkkk …..xam

Uuu doing a grt job buh eish paMaths apa

Zimsec should allow us to download questions as l already paid mu tution. Zimsec must do like other boards do. Please help us on downloading nd if opera mini is not where we should download this please show us by writing the website which we shld get the more information.

Zimsec must issue out past exam papers online please help.

I need yo help zimsec on paper 1 and 4

A Level geo 2016 iuyewo yakanaka pliz

tht z gud gyz

i could love to be updated on e followin subjects history,divinit & literature

i think this is gonna help my grade 7 i hope so .

Good advancement , hope for good results

Many thanks for the original article and the other sites referred to. For a rural school with challenges in the English language the Cambridge apps are a great booster

thanks 4 advices, but we need zimsec qsn papers online plz

thanks for advice you really rock our country

hie, how can i get Nov 2013 zimsec a level economics paper 2?

Thanks for Advice bt we really nid qn papers n answers pleeeeaaaaasssee

anxx for e advice bt l need past exam pprs bfo the end of this year ,im doin maths,bio and cchemistry so i thnk a lot of revision wl do me good

hie how can i get past exam papers,i’m doing mathematics,business studiesand economics

help me pass : shona maths geo history inter science accounts literature computers english religious studies

You wii pass in jesus name

Wow i never new dat u’ve got a wonderful source of academic stuff. Help me pass ma A Level sciences. A big thanx 2 u & team:D::);):*

Where should I get marking guides for O level maths?

its all good

yaah its good

u can go tu zimsec website n dnld

l think this may help

how do i get past exam papers for zimsec

we really need the syllabus,schemes and past papers

wish u the best

Assist me with mathematics

pakaipa mukangahosho

nditumiro profile pic rako

we are pass

how can l download A level past exam papers. plz help us November is now around the corner

l go for commercials……. accounting,economics and business studies

by the blood of jesus we ur going to pass this year

dats a yes 4 me

Dats e best fo mina

Please help me know more abt English

thank for informing people can you probably explain where you are saying English can be used to answer Shona paper 2

#applause,. we’d need a whatsapp group which we can get to know more about this thang..

Hey!! we need a ZIMSEC APP please

please I need help in BS

sweet comes from sweat gyz

anx a lot ey ……pple u jus need 2 work hard

guyz now its the time stop playng

very useful

Excellent blog post – For what it’s worth if you need a DA 31 , my family filled out and esigned a fillable version here https://goo.gl/JoWI0V

munogona bt ngazvisanyanye kuoma pliz

hw cn i find e past exam papers

so helpfull

umm thanks papa

Help me w mathematics written june

please download exam papers . keep it up good job

help in english olevel nw ts 5 yrs ndichinyora ndichiita D

Its helpful to use technology, am assisting my child in preparing zimsec exams and I hope she pass with flying colours. Thanks for all the information.

gys ndpeiwo maths and physics latest papers

Hi Guys you can go on http://www.shashaiseminar.com

Zimsc you want technology but no past papers online

as long as their is someone we love their will be the hope to save them & to protect the mwe will con

guyz did maths bs n ecoz zvakaoma err pa A level

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• Exam Regulations

REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES

• Registration must be made through a registered Examination Centre. It is the responsibility of private candidates to make their own arrangements.
• No candidate should leave the examination room except in an emergency, until one hour after the starting time specified on the ZIMSEC examination timetable unless the duration of a paper is one hour or less.
• No copy of a question paper may be taken from the examination room by candidates and all question papers must be retained, under security, at centres until at least 24 hours have elapsed since the end of the examination assigned to each paper. The papers may then be returned to the candidates.
• If a candidate finishes his or her work early, they must hand in their work, leave the room and must not be readmitted.
• Candidates leaving the examination room temporarily must be escorted by one of the invigilators and may be allowed extra time to compensate for their temporary absence (discretion to be used by invigilators depending on the prevailing circumstances).
• Candidates who arrive within the first 15 minutes of starting time will be allowed to sit for the examination without extra time for the lost time.
• Candidates who arrive in the exam room after the first 15 minutes are automatically disqualified and marked absent.
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Seattle, Cops Unable to Shake Speech Suit Over Chalking Arrests

By Bernie Pazanowski

Four people, who were arrested after writing in chalk and charcoal on temporary walls around a Seattle police precinct, may proceed with their First Amendment suit against the city and some officers, a federal court ruled.

A jury must decide if the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights were violated, an opinion by Judge Marsha J. Pechman of the US District Court for the Western District of Washington said May 10.

The eco-block walls were erected on the sidewalks around the department’s East Precinct to protect it after a number of attacks on the building. On Jan.1, 2021, Derek Tucson used charcoal to ...

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StarTribune

University of minnesota professor wins $150,000 prize.

A Minnesota novelist has won one of the world's richest literary prizes.

V.V. Ganeshananthan, an associate professor of English at the University of Minnesota since 2015, won the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Monday night for her 2023 novel, "Brotherless Night." Star Tribune reviewer May-Lee Chai called the book, in which a young woman's family is ripped apart during the Sri Lankan Civil War, "a propulsive masterpiece."

Ganeshananthan — who first read Shields' work when she was a teenager — said the experience was "surreal." It was made more special by the fact that she and the other four semifinalists had a chance to meet the family and friends of the late Shields (whose novels include "The Stone Diaries") as well as the star-packed prize jury, which included novelists Laila Lailami and Claire Messud .

Ganeshananthan and fellow finalists Eleanor Catton ( "Birnam Wood" ), Claudia Dey ("Daughter"), Kim Coleman Foote ( "Coleman Hill" ) and Janika Oza ("A History of Burning") spent a couple days together in Toronto before the presentation. The two-year-old award is presented to a female or non-binary writer in the U.S. or Canada in memory of Shields, a fierce advocate for women.

"Women and non-binary folks are certainly not winning a proportionate number of prizes," noted Ganeshananthan, who intends her work to be "explicitly feminist" (her first novel was "Love Marriage").

The professor said she didn't expect to win, so hadn't prepared her 2-minute acceptance speech until "someone I was talking to the night before [the award was presented] said, 'You should really write something down,' and I said, 'I think that's a bad idea.'"

Ganeshananthan, 44, dashed something off, then focused on enjoying time with her fellow writers, which may be why she said, "I'm still a little, 'Really?' And I may feel that way for a while."

Adding to the surreal aspect might be the high profile — and the dollar amount — of the prize. Ganeshananthan has just begun to think about the "respect and care and heft" that come with it.

"I've been fortunate to have a secure job, teaching creative writing to amazing students, and to work with brilliant colleagues. Not all writers have that or want that. But that's quite a bit of privilege," said Ganeshananthan.

She said she's considering a couple ideas for "Brotherless Night" follow-ups. While she's working on that, the writer — who also co-hosts Lithub's "Fiction/Non/Fiction" podcast and is on the boards of the American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies and the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop — will have the summer and beyond to decide what's next.

"What everyone wants is more time to write," she said. "The idea that this could go to partly supporting that is encouraging and a stroke of luck."

Interim books editor Chris Hewitt previously worked at the Pioneer Press in St. Paul, where he wrote about movies and theater.

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Writing an informal/personal letter

Writing an informal/personal letter- updated 2024.

Writing an Informal letter. Image by Josh Humbert

ZIMSEC Personal/Informal Letter

Instead of a report, formal letter , speech or article questions, you might encounter a question asking you to write a personal/informal letter in Section B of the ZIMSEC English Language Paper 1 exam. The question might not directly ask you to write an informal or personal letter but still require you to “write a letter.” You should write a personal letter if the stated receipt is someone with whom you have a personal relationship that is a formal or semi-formal relationship.

Examples of people to whom you can write personal letters are relatives for example parents, aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins or grandparents. This also includes guardians and acquaintances such as teachers and pastors although with these it would depend on the intended purpose of the letter. Personal letters are also common among friends.

Format of a personal letter

38 Greendale Avenue

17 March 2014

Dear [name/relation] For example

Dear Father.

Yours sincerly,

Things to note

• It is usually considered bad form to put greetings in the first paragraph of the letter although in practice such rules are often ignored. You should instead state the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. For example you can begin by saying: ” I have written this letter to inform you about the developments that have taken place in our neighborhood during the five years you have been gone.”
• Instead put the greetings in the last paragraph so as not to offend those old-fashioned examiners, for although they will not penalize you for including the greetings in the first paragraph, you will gain nothing by offending them.
• If you are writing in response to an earlier correspondence state this in the introductory paragraphs of your letter. For example: “It was pleasant to hear from you after so long, we were begging to think that you had forgotten us.”
• Your language and tone should be warm and friendly but you should use contractions (words like don’t instead of do not, wasn’t instead of was not etc) sparingly for although they are becoming more and more accepted they are still to be universally accepted as being proper.
• Avoid slang and colloquialisms like “ gwan” for story, “skwa” for school and “shacking” for going. The examiners will most likely not be familiar with the meanings of these words and even if they do it is still not proper English and you will be penalized accordingly.
• Avoid mannerisms for example most people like to use phrases like “it’s like ….” and “basically …”  as well as others when either beginning sentences or trying to put forward a point. It is wrong and annoying.
• Do not use pet names for example Pa/Dad/Daddy for father, Ma/Mum/Mummy for mother, Grandpa/Grandma for your grandparents. Use the proper forms like father.
• You may use other appropriate forms to sign off instead of the plain Yours sincerely for example: Your son, Your friend etc.
• You may also have to come up with an excuse for ending your letter, for example,” I will write to you soon if anything changes.” etc.

NB: As I have noted elsewhere with the rise in the uptake of technology letters are becoming rare and are being replaced by messenger apps like Whatsapp and Social Media messages on platforms like Facebook. Emails however are the only close thing that still remain.

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Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud: What does the law say about defamatory lyrics?

PhD Candidate, Law, Western University

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Lisa Macklem does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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The feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a fever pitch recently, with both dissing each other in songs featuring harsh accusations . This kind of beef between rap artists isn’t new, but the severity of the insults traded in this feud has galvanized fans and the attention of the broader public.

In his lyrics, Lamar claimed Drake has an 11-year-old daughter that he abandoned and calls him a “ certified pedophile .” For his part, Drake called Lamar a “ pipsqueak ” and accused him of abusing his fianceé.

The salvos of diss tracks raise interesting questions about defamation in music lyrics. If either Drake or Lamar decided to sue the other for defamation, what would the law say?

Defamation includes both slander (verbal attacks) and libel (written attacks). Musical lyrics and audio recordings can qualify as libel . The standards for libel differ whether you are in Canada or the United States , so should one or the other decide to sue for libel, it would make a difference where they filed the lawsuit.

Freedom of speech

Libel requires that a derogatory statement is made that clearly refers to a person and that the statement is made to a third party. In this feud, there is no doubt about who is being accused of what, and the derogatory accusations are being communicated to millions, so technically, these lyrics look like libel.

Nonetheless, there are a number of defences available. A first response would be to claim a defence based on freedom of expression in Canada or First Amendment rights to free speech in the U.S .

Free speech rights in the U.S. have a longer reach than freedom of expression laws in Canada. Several cases in the U.S. have specifically cited artistic expression as protected speech.

California passed the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act in 2022. Nationally, the Restoring Artistic Protection Act (the RAP Act) is currently before the U.S. Congress. It aims to protect artists from having their words used against them in court.

The Canadian Supreme Court, in R v Simard , also rejected using lyrics as evidence . That case involved a criminal matter, and libel is a civil matter, but Drake and Lamar have accused each other of criminal activity.

Truth defence

Truth is the first defence available in a libel case. If Lamar or Drake have evidence that what they’ve said is substantially true, it is not defamation. In The Heart Part 6 , Drake says that Lamar should check his facts and claims that he’s actually fed Lamar false information about having a love child.

In 2005, one court in the U.S. ruled that rap lyrics were simply “rhetorical hyperbole” if they didn’t contain any verifiable true statements. Even if statements are false, if the defamed person can’t prove they suffered harm, there may be no damages.

Fair comment

The next possible defence would be fair comment, which leans into the importance of free speech. This applies to information with a strong public interest, and helps to defend news outlets when they publish something they believe to be true.

There is certainly an argument to be made that protecting young girls and all women from abuse is important to the public interests. The burden of proof lies with the defendant. The plaintiff only needs to prove the elements of libel.

A major difference between libel in the United States and Canada is that in the U.S. a public figure has to prove that the person acted with actual malice ; that is, that they intended to harm the other person.

That could potentially make a libel case easier for a plaintiff to win in Canada. However, Canadian courts, like U.S. ones, will focus on whether the statements were false and whether they caused harm.

Consent defence

The most applicable defence in this case would likely be consent, which leans into the long history of rap and diss tracks . Rap battles have been compared to boxing . When you step into a boxing ring, you consent to being punched. Similarly, when you step into a rap battle, you expect, and accept, that you will be dissed.

Eminem called Muhammad Ali an inspiration . Ali was known for delivering pre-fight rhyming disses of his opponents, and it’s easy to see a link between Ali’s single Round 5: Will the Real Sonny Liston Please Fall Down and Eminem’s lyric “ Will the real Slim Shady please stand up .”

Diss tracks are a great way for artists to garner attention . Drake and Lamar fans have been vocal in their opinions, and their songs have gone viral online. Both Lamar’s Euphoria and Drake’s Push Ups made the top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100 . Overall, streams of Lamar’s back catalogue are up 49 per cent .

It’s been suggested that in meet the grahams , Lamar was intending for their exchanges to simply be an informal competition game . There is no shortage of artists in all genres taking aims at rivals or exes — just look at Taylor Swift’s latest offering .

It’s easy to see Drake and Lamar as consenting to this exchange in the tradition of diss tracks. In a high-profile jury trial, such as the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard case , it might come down to whoever the jury finds most sympathetic.

Regardless of how extreme this war of words has become, demonstrating actual harm due to the various allegations might prove difficult. However, the likelihood of this beef ever reaching the courts is low. Should Drake or Lamar decide to sue for defamation, it might be seen as admitting defeat in this artistic war of words. And so, it will likely remain up to the fans to decide who the winner of this rap beef is.

• Music industry
• Defamation law
• Kendrick Lamar

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