AI Advice: Organizing a commencement speech

Should I go with loose or stapled pages?

I am MC-ing my first Commencement Ceremony for our department this weekend, which involves preparing various opening and closing remarks. I pretty much never use a written script in my talks, so I asked Google Gemini 2.5 Pro for some advice about how to organize the paper. It offered some great tips, which I am duplicating here with only some light editing - hopefully this will be helpful for some of you now or in the future!

(Note: At the end I show how Claude 4 Sonnet gives the opposite advice, while ChatGPT agrees with Gemini.)

I am giving a commencement address that I will print out to paper. is it better to staple it and turn pages, or to leave the pages loose and turn them to a new pile?

Excellent question. This is a detail that seems small but can make a significant difference in the smoothness and professionalism of your delivery.

For a commencement address, the professional speaker's choice is almost universally to leave the pages loose and turn them to a new pile.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of why, and how to do it perfectly.

The Case for Loose Pages (The "Slide" Method)

This is the standard for professional speakers, news anchors, and presenters for a reason. You place your stack of pages on the lectern, and as you finish a page, you simply slide it from the top of the "unread" pile to an adjacent "read" pile.

Pros:

• Silent and Smooth: There is no rustling, crinkling, or fumbling. The motion is quiet, fluid, and unobtrusive. It doesn't break the connection with your audience.

• Professional Appearance: It looks practiced and polished. You are in complete control of your materials.

• No Risk of Sticking: You'll never accidentally turn two stapled pages at once or have a page get caught.

• Lays Flat: Your active page is always perfectly flat on the lectern, making it easy to read.

Cons / Risks (and how to mitigate them):

• Getting Out of Order: The biggest risk. If you drop them on the way to the stage, it's a disaster.

  • Mitigation: Keep the pages in a folder or secured with a large binder clip until the moment you place them on the lectern. Number your pages boldly!

• Wind: If the ceremony is outdoors, a gust of wind is your enemy.

  • Mitigation: Use heavy-weight paper or cardstock (at least 24 lb paper, but 65 lb cardstock is even better). It's more resistant to wind and easier to slide.

The Case Against Stapled Pages

This is how most of us handle multi-page documents in daily life, but it presents several problems on stage.

Pros:

• Secure: The pages will not get out of order. This can provide peace of mind.

Cons:

• Noise and Distraction: The act of flipping a stapled page is noisy. The rustle of paper is surprisingly loud in a quiet auditorium and can be a major distraction.

• Awkward Fumbling: It requires a more complex physical motion (lift, flip, place down) which can look clumsy. It’s easy to fumble, especially if your hands are nervous and sweaty.

• Doesn't Lie Flat: The stapled stack won't lie perfectly flat. The pages can curl, creating shadows or making them harder to read at a glance.

• The "Double Turn": The nightmare scenario where you turn two pages at once and lose your place. Recovering from this can break your flow and confidence.

Verdict and Best Practices for Your Printed Speech

Go with loose pages. The professionalism and smoothness far outweigh the risks, which you can easily manage with a little preparation.

Here are the essential pro-tips for preparing your manuscript, regardless of your choice:

1. Use Heavy Paper or Cardstock: This is the single most important tip. It feels substantial, prevents the text from the next page showing through, is easier to slide, and resists wind and humidity.

2. Print in a Large Font: Use at least a 14 or 16-point font. Use a clean, sans-serif font like Arial or Helvetica. You should be able to read it with a quick glance, not by leaning over and squinting.

3. Use 1.5x or Double Spacing: This gives you room to breathe and makes it easier to find your place if you look up at the audience.

4. Print Single-Sided Only: Never, ever print a speech double-sided.

5. Number Your Pages Clearly: Put a large page number at the bottom center or top right of each page (e.g., "Page 3 of 12"). This is your safety net.

6. Don't End a Page Mid-Sentence: This is a crucial formatting trick. Finish a paragraph (or at least a sentence) at the bottom of each page. This gives you a natural pause point to turn the page without interrupting your flow of thought.

7. Use a Binder Clip Until Showtime: Keep your loose pages secured with a large binder clip. Walk to the lectern, place the speech down, and *then* remove the clip.

8. Make Multiple Copies: Have a backup copy in your bag or with a trusted colleague just in case.

Congratulations on the honor of giving a commencement address! By preparing your physical speech with this level of detail, you free your mind to focus on what truly matters: delivering a memorable and inspiring message to the graduates.

Mixed opinions

Interestingly, Claude 4 Sonnet actually gives the opposite advice:

For a commencement address, I'd recommend stapling the pages. Here's why:

Stapled is safer: With loose pages, there's a real risk of dropping them, having them blow away in wind, or getting them out of order - any of which would be disastrous during such an important speech. The staple eliminates these risks entirely.

Page turning works fine: While turning stapled pages requires a bit more hand movement, it's still smooth and natural. Many experienced speakers prefer it because the pages stay securely attached.

Professional appearance: A stapled speech packet looks more polished and organized than loose sheets.

Practical tips for stapled pages:

• Use a single staple in the top-left corner

• Print on heavier paper (24lb instead of 20lb) so pages turn more crisply

• Consider printing in a larger font so you're not leaning in to read

The only real advantage of loose pages is slightly easier page turning, but that small benefit isn't worth the risk of a paper mishap during your big moment. Stick with stapled - it's what most professional speakers use for important addresses.

Poking around on the internet it seems that there are indeed differences of opinion on the topic. But the Gemini rationale seems more compelling than the argument for stapling, and ChatGPT agrees:

For a commencement address, leaving the pages loose and stacking them face up in a pile (and sliding each finished page to a new pile) is generally better than stapling. Here’s why:

✅ Advantages of loose pages:

• Easier page turns: No need to fiddle with flipping stapled pages over; you can just slide each one to the side or under the pile.

• Less distraction: Quiet, smooth transitions are less noticeable to the audience.

• Easier edits on the fly: You can quickly skip ahead or go back if needed.

📎 Downsides of stapling:

• Page flipping is awkward: Stapled pages require more movement, which can break your rhythm.

• More rustling/noise: This can be distracting in a quiet auditorium.

Pro tip:

Number your pages clearly and use slightly thicker paper if available—it helps prevent sticking and flopping. Some speakers even place each sheet in a thin plastic sleeve or use a simple binder to prevent wind movement (if outdoors), but for an indoor ceremony, a clean stack works best.

Let me know if you’d like a one-page checklist for the podium setup.