If you are a student of public speaking, Bill Gates 2009 TED talk "Mosquitoes, Malaria and Education" is a must view. This speech is an excellent example of the power of persuasion. How is the address structured? What makes it work? Let's break it down.

The speech revolves around two main topics; how to cure malaria, and how to improve teaching in America. Notice the way Mr. Gates limits his topics, and keeps his speech focused. After proposing his topics, he proposes two questions per topic; "How do you cure a disease that is spread by mosquitoes?" and "How do you make a teacher great?". The main body of his talk tries to answer these two questions. The speech is structured in pairs; a pair of topics, a pair of questions, a pair of answers. What a wonderful symmetry! How elegant in design! The economy of structure enhances Mr. Gates's argument.

Another thing that makes Mr. Gates's argument persuasive is the use of comparison and contrast. For malaria; "There is more money going into baldness drugs than malaria." For education; "If you are low income, you have a higher chance of going to jail than getting a four-year degree.". While presenting, we must challenge ourselves to arrange our logic creatively.

The only criticism I have is that I don't think Mr. Gates should put his hand in his pockets while speaking. It conveys a casual attitude that does not fit the themes he is addressing. Otherwise, this is a fantastic presentation! What do you think?