STEP 1: Selecting a Topic & Developing Your Specific Purpose & Thesis Statement

Select a topic that:

1 Fits requirements of the assignment

1 The first major speech is an INFORMATIVE speech. Thus, your topic should be informative (NOT persuasive) in nature. Please see me if you have any questions or concerns about the appropriateness of your speech topic.

2 Showcases your experiences and/or knowledge

3 Is interesting to YOU.

4 Is interesting to your audience.

General Purpose, Specific Purpose, and Thesis Statement

The general purpose of your speech is the broad goal of your speech. There are only three: To inform, To persuade, To entertain.

Specific Purpose

The specific purpose statement is a single infinitive phrase (e.g., "to inform my audience about...") that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in his or her speech.

Here is a "formula" for drafting your specific purpose:

General purpose + narrowed topic = specific purpose

To inform + lucid dreaming = To inform my audience about lucid dreaming


General rules for writing your specific purpose:

1 Write the specific purpose as a full infinitive phrase

2 Express the specific purpose as a statement, not as a question

3 Avoid figurative language in the specific purpose statement

4 Be sure the specific purpose is not too vague or general

5 Limit the specific purpose to one distinct idea

After you have drafted your specific purpose you should ask these questions:

1 Does my specific purpose meet the assignment?

2 Can I accomplish my specific purpose in the time allotted?

3 Is the specific purpose:

1 Relevant to my audience?

2 Too trivial for my audience?

3 Too technical for my audience?

Example informative specific purpose statement: To inform my audience about Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory.

Thesis Statement

After you have completed your specific purpose, it is time to draft your thesis statement. A thesis statement is a single sentence that sums up and previews the major ideas (i.e., the main points) of a speech.

General guidelines for drafting a thesis statement:

1 Make sure the thesis is not too general

2 State the thesis as a complete sentence

3 State the thesis as a statement, not as a question

4 Avoid figurative language in the thesis

Example thesis statement: In this speech, I will discuss the origins of the theory, Freud’s elements of personality, and the concept of the unconscious.

Now, let's put it all together:

· General Purpose: To inform

· Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about three major races in alpine skiing.

· Thesis: The three major races I will discuss are the downhill, the slalom, and the giant slalom.

Your three main points for the above thesis statement would be:

· The first major race in alpine skiing is the downhill.

· The second major race in alpine skiing is the slalom.

· The third major race in alpine skiing is the giant slalom.

For additional help with topic selection and drafting your SP & Thesis Statement, please review the following PPT lecture: Topic Selection, Specific Purposes, and Thesis Statements.pdf

See also: Techniques of Informing (Informative Speech).pdf

STEP 2: Analyze Your Audience

Good public speakers are audience-centered and can adapt to any and all audiences and speaking situations. Two primary definitions you should be aware of are:

· Audience-Centeredness: Keeping the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech preparation and presentation.

· Identification: Creating a bond with listeners by emphasizing common values, goals, and experiences (also referred to as creating 'common ground').

Basic audience analysis involves considering the age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, group memberships, or racial, ethnic, and cultural background of your audience members.

Situational audience analysis accounts for audience size and the physical setting of speaking venue. Situational audience analysis also considers the audience's disposition toward the speaker themselves, the topic, and the speaking occasion.

In addition to always considering the various demographic characteristics of your audience, the approach that any novice speaker should take is to look at the time, physical surroundings, and context. With respect to time, it's important to know the time limit for your speeches the time of day during which you will be presenting. For example, if you have an invitation to speak you should know the time requirements of your presentation, whether you follow or lead other speakers, and the topics that they will speak on.

Second, the physical surroundings that you should be familiar with include the room arrangement, chairs, setting/atmosphere, and the lighting. ALWAYS make sure you check on the technology available in the room; don't just assume that you will have the ability to present a PowerPoint or show a video! You might have to bring your own laptop, a special cord, a clicker, etc. Additionally, you should always be ready with a "Plan B" in case the technology isn't working in the room when you arrive or if the technology fails during the presentation.

Finally, the context of your presentation is important. Context includes the reason the audience is in attendance. Are they "forced" to be there, like a classroom presentation? Is it an "open" event where people attend voluntarily? The context should determine your topic selection, the information you provide, and the sources/examples that you use.

The following clip of Barbara Bush's 1990 commencement address at Wellesley College shows her use of identification with the primary audience of female graduates (Wellesley is a private all female college) and the secondary audience of friends and family members.

Click to view

If you would like to watch the full video of Bush's commencement address I have provided it below. The full video is a little over 12 minutes.

UniversityNow: Barbara Bush Commencement Speech- Audience Analysis

By putting audience analysis in action, you should be able to determine the best way to identify with your audience and what type of evidence and examples are most appropriate. Audience analysis will also help you select the emotional appeals and arguments that will work best when attempting to motivate and persuade your audience during the persuasive speech later in the semester. Furthermore, information about your audience helps you to select a great opening attention-getting device at the beginning of the speech and an effective and memorable closing at the end of your speech. Finally, solid audience analysis allows you to build credibility with the audience. Credibility refers to the perception that a speaker is honest, trustworthy, competent, and has the audience's best interests in mind.

Complete Exercise 5-1: Audience Analysis

STEP 3: Research Your Speech Topic

The first step in the research process for your speech is to consider your own knowledge and experience. Your personal experiences and expertise can supply many forms of supporting material for your speeches, but it should NOT be your only source of evidence. No matter how much you know, audiences will not view you as credible unless you site your sources and demonstrate that you have thoroughly researched your topic. Here are some common ways to conduct research for your speech:

1 Library and Librarians: Librarians are highly knowledgeable and will assist you in locating specific information on your topic. If you are on not on campus, don't forget about your local library!

2 Online library databases: NMSU's online library database is searchable to locate books, periodicals, and all the other resources owned the library. Visit: http://lib.nmsu.edu/ (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
Other virtual libraries include:
Librarian’s Index to the Internet 
 www.lii.org (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.




Internet’s Public Library 
 www.ipl.org (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.



National Science Digital Library
 www.nsdl.org (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.


3 Internet Searches: Standard Internet search engines can be a helpful way to conduct research for your speech as long as you always check the credibility of the sources you find on the Internet! Google (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
 and Google Scholar (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
 are good places to start. Searches in Google Scholar will provide you with more academic and scholarly sources (e.g., journal articles, research-based studies, etc.) than Google. Also, if you go the the NMSU Library homepage and navigate to Google Scholar using the proxy service if you're off campus, Google scholar will provide links to all articles accessible through the NMSU library. For more information on this, please follow the links I provided for researching your speech and the NMSU Library on the homepage of this course.

Please review the following document for more information on how to conduct research for your speech and assess the credibility of your sources: Researching Your Speech.pdf

My final advice for conducting research for your speeches this semester: Start early! In other words, start NOW. This class moves very quickly and the informative speech will be here before you know it. If you wait to the last minute to compile sources and information for your speeches, the overall quality of your presentation will suffer because you are rushing to meet a deadline.

For information on how to orally present evidence during your speech, click here: Presenting Evidence in Your Speech.pdf

STEP 4: Support Your Ideas

As you conduct your research keep in mind that mixing the types of supporting material from your research is the most effective approach for both informative and persuasive speeches. Four common types of supporting material are: Examples, Narratives, Testimony, and Statistics.

Examples are samples or instances that support or illustrate a general claim. Examples are best used to clarify, reinforce, or personalize the ideas of your speech. Examples that use rich or vivid language will paint a clear picture for your audience.

Brief examples further explain an idea, concept, or claim that might not be immediately obvious to the audience but is not so complex that it requires a lengthy example or explanation. Here is a brief example:

Professional billiard players practice many long hours every day. Jeanette Lee practices as much as 10 hours a day.

Extended examples are longer scenarios or examples that can be used when the presenter is discussing a more complicated or unfamiliar idea

Here is an extended example:

Using Extended Examples

Hypothetical examples are fictional scenarios or examples that can be used when a speaker is explaining a complicated topic that makes the most sense when it is put into more realistic or relatable terms. Hypothetical examples can also be used to simply add interest to your speech.

Here is a hypothetical example:

A dream-initiated lucid dream occurs when a person realizes that he or she is dreaming while they are in the middle of having a dream, without having actually woken up yet. For example, imagine you are dreaming that you are at an amusement park. You're getting off a roller coaster with your friends, which is weird to you because you're afraid of heights and typically avoid amusement park rides. Then, it dawns on you that you are dreaming, and that's why you are acting out of character. Still dreaming, you desperately try to get off the ride, telling your friends "I can't do this!" In your panic, you wake up.

Narratives are anecdotes (brief stories) or somewhat longer accounts that can be used to support your claims and main points. For example, in an informative speech about phobias, you might tell a short story about a time when you or a friend experienced arachnophobia (fear of spiders).

Testimony refers to information or statements made by other people that can be used to support a point or claim in your speech.

· Expert testimony = statements made by credible sources who are recognized experts or professionals in their fields.

· Lay testimony = statements made by people who have no special expertise in the area they are discussing (but they might have firsthand experience or insight on a topic).

For example, a student giving a speech on international travel might interview Dr. Eric Morgan from the Department of Communication Studies about the concept of culture shock. Dr. Morgan has his PhD in intercultural communication and has written several chapters, books, and journal articles on the subject. His statement about culture shock would be considered expert testimony.

If the same student interviewed a friend who spent a month this summer in Shanghai, China, then the friend's statement about her experiences with culture shock would be considered lay testimony.

NOTE: Lay testimony does not count as a research source. It is not a substitute for research-based evidence, and cannot be used to prove factual claims. Rather, lay testimony can add interest to your speech by showing how a typical person has been affected by your topic.

Basic tips for using testimony in your speech:

1 Quote or paraphrase accurately.

2 Use qualified/unbiased sources for testimony if you don't conduct the interview yourself.

3 Clearly identify the people you quote or paraphrase and provide their credibility if necessary.

Statistics are great to use for providing a clear quantitative or numerical picture to the audience. However, speakers should always take care to explain statistics for audience members that are not familiar with basic statistical measures. Three most common statistics measures for use in speeches are:

· Mean or average.

· Median or the middle most number in an ordered list.

· Mode or the number that occurs most frequently in a list.

When using statistics in a speech, the most important action is to explain and "drive home" your statistic. For example, suppose a speaker states, "According to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Basics page, last updated in March 2016, men have a 42% chance of developing some type of cancer in their lifetime." It would be best to make the statistic more relevant to the audience with a statement like, "That means that every one of the men in this audience has about a 1 in 2 chance of developing some type of cancer in their lives."

Tips for using statistics in your speech:

· Make sure your statistics are from a reliable source and identify the source

· Quantify your ideas (ratios are one way to accomplish this)

· Round off complicated statistics. Notice I didn't bother with the decimals above. This allows for a cleaner delivery.

The following demonstrates the use of statistics in a speech.

Using Statistics

For more information on supporting materials, click here: Using Supporting Materials.pdf

Regardless of the type of information you are citing in your speech, you must orally site your sources in your speech. The following two short clips demonstrate how to orally site source information in your presentation.

Click to view

Click to view

For information on how to orally present evidence during your speech, click here: Presenting Evidence in Your Speech.pdf

STEP 5: Organize Your Speech

You are now ready to start organizing your speech. The most important task in this step is refining your main points and determining what organizational pattern is most appropriate for your topic.

The basic organization patterns are reviewed in your book (pp. 91-92), so this discussion is designed to review and demonstrate organizational patterns of informative and persuasive speeches. To begin, we will review organizational patterns for the body of your speech: Topical, chronological, spatial, and cause-effect.

When preparing the main points of your speech, please keep these simple rules in mind:

· Keep each main point distinct from one another.

· Your main points should cover the same overall topic, but they should address different ideas about your topic. If two of your main points overlap too much or are too similar, they likely can be combined into one main point.

· Use the same pattern of wording when introducing each main point.

· For example: "The first major race in alpine skiing is...", "The second major race in alpine skiing is..."

· Using the same pattern of wording for each point will help YOU remember your ideas and will help the audience follow along.

· Balance the amount of time devoted to each main point.

· While you might spend a little more time on some points, there should not be great disparities in the amount of time you spend discussing each point. If you find that you don't have a lot to say about one of your main points, then it probably shouldn't be a main point in your speech. Likewise, if one of your speeches is much longer than the others and takes up a significant portion of your speech, it should be shortened or possibly divided into two separate points.

Common Informative Organizational Patterns

Topical/Categorical: This is the most common organizational pattern used for informative speaking. Topical/Categorical organizes main points through related ideas, but those ideas have no time, spatial, or causal relationship. For example, a speech discussing the attitudes of the baby boomer generation might describe the attitudes of these boomers as: live young, take control, and change the world.

Chronological: This organizational pattern arranges main point in a time sequence or step-by-step. For example, a speech on the major eras in Major League Baseball might contain these 3 main points (in chronological order): the dead ball era, the Post-WWII ear, and the steroids era.

Spatial: This organizational pattern arranges main points by location in space. For example, if you were to describe a park or playground you could identify a playground by the major attractions directionally on the playground.

1 On the East side of the playground is the giant jungle gym

2 On the West side of the playground is the bridge, tunnel, and sandpit

3 On the South side of the playground is the fort and stockade

4 On the North side of the playground is the super swing

Another example of how a speaker might use the spatial organization pattern would be to inform an audience about 3 major cities in Ohio from North to South: Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.

Cause-Effect: This organizational pattern shows a cause and effect relationship or an effect and the cause of some event. The following is an example of a speech on the possible causes for the collapse of the Mayan civilization:

1 The Mayan civilization flourished for over a thousand years until 900 A.D., when it mysteriously began to disintegrate. (EFFECT)

2 Scholars have advanced three major explanations for the causes of this disintegration. (CAUSE)

There are other organizational patterns, but these are the most common used in informative speaking. We will explore other persuasive organizational patterns in module six.

Transitions

Transitions = phrase that indicates when a speaker has finished one main point and is moving on to the next. Below examples of transitions that indicate the speaker is moving on from one point to the next:

· Now that we have explored the ancient origins of astrology, let us turn to its modern popularity.

· I just discussed the downhill race in alpine skiing; now I'll move onto the second major race.

Signposts = brief statements that focus attention on key ideas or indicate where a speaker is in the speech. Signposts can provide emphasis by providing sequence with enumeration (the first step, second step, third step, the last step). Signposts can also provide direction between major parts of a speech (to begin, next, or in conclusion). Finally, signposts can be used to emphasize key information (an important idea to remember is..., or a main takeaway from this message is...). Without proper overviews, signposts, and summary statements, even the simplest information can be confusing. If audience members lack the direction necessary to make sense out of the specific facts that are given, they are likely to have a difficulty following the speech. Thus, your audience will retain less information.

The following video demonstrates the use of transitions and signposts in a speech.

Use of Sign Posts for Public Speaking

The following document also provides helpful information on organizing your speech: Organizing Your Speech.pdf

STEP 6: Outlining your Speech

Outlining your speech is the process of getting all of your thought in order to deliver the best presentation possible for the given audience. The outline is meant to represent the structure of your speech and should not be a manuscript of your presentation.

Your outline will help you:

1 Remember your main points, their sequence, and their development.

2 Ensure your thoughts are presented in a clear and logical manner.

3 Ensure that you use the proper transitions throughout the speech to help your audience follow you along.

4 Ensure your supporting materials (subpoints) are logically related (but subordinate) to your main points. By using subordination in your outline (i.e., creating a hierarchy of main points and their supporting material), you can be sure that your supporting materials do the following:

· Sustain your main points

· Develop your subject as fully and completely as you wish

· Influence your audience as much as possible in the way you want

· Help your audience comprehend your speech better and retain it longer

5 Retain a permanent record of your speech.

Outlining Guidelines

1 Use a consistent set of symbols and indentation (see below).

2 All outlines should be single-spaced and written in Times New Roman, 12pt font with 1-inch margins all around.

3 Every main point, subpoint, sub-subpoint should be written in complete sentences. Your outline should not include any sentence fragments or slang.

· Make sure to proofread your outlines for spelling and grammar errors. Please refer to the "Expectations for Written Work" section in the syllabus.

4 There should only be one sentence per main point, subpoint, sub-subpoint, etc. Additional sentences should become a new subpoint or left out of the outline.

· The only exception to this is if you are using a direct quote from a source, and the quote is more than one sentence long.

5 All subpoints, sub-subpoints, and sub-sub-subpoints should be directly related to the main point under which they appears. If a subpoint does not relate to the main point, then it does not belong there!

6 There are no requirements for how many subpoints, sub-subpoints, and sub-sub-subpoints you include under each main point. However, for a 4-6 minute (informative) and 5-7 minute (persuasive) speech, I recommend having at least 2 subpoints under each main point.

7 Your outline should contain at least 3 sources for the informative speech (and at least 5 for the persuasive speech). Please BOLD your sources in the text of your outlines so that I know what you are counting as a source. Refer to the outline example posted below to see how I've bolded my sources.

· The final page of your outline should be a references page in APA format. The references page is NOT bolded!

8 Remember, your outline should NOT represent the entire manuscript of your speech. Outlines typically cover about 30% of what you will actually say in the speech. However, I generally like outlining a bit more of the speech because it helps me remember the main points, subpoints, and sub-sub-points better. You may choose to outline a bit more of the speech as well if it helps you.

· For full credit, the outline should be well-developed, written in COMPLETE SENTENCES, and include at least 25-30% of your speech.

Symbols

Use a standard set of symbols shown below (see Outline Format (Template).pdf ).

· Main points are signified by roman numerals (I, II, etc.) - Can be made using a capital "I"

· Subpoints are signified by capital letters (A, B, etc)

· Sub-subpoints are signified by Arabic numerals (1, 2, etc.)

· Sub-sub-subpoints are signified by lowercase letters (a, b, etc.)

· Given the length of the presentations you will be giving in this class, this level of subordination may not be necessary.

· Sub-sub-sub subpoints are signified by small roman numbers (i, ii, etc.). - Can be made using a lowercase "i"

· Given the length of the presentations you will be giving in this class, this level is not necessary.

Here is an example Informative Speech Outline: Example Outline-Siblings (265 Online).pdf

Once you have finished your outline, refer to the following document to ensure that it meets the appropriate guidelines: Speech Outline Checklist.pdf

Outlines vs. Notecards

Most Public Speaking textbooks describe two different types of outlines: 1) the preparation outline and 2.) the speaking outline.

The preparation outline is the one you develop to prepare and practice your speech, and it is the one you will submit to me in a Word document on the day you submit your speech video.

The speaking outline is the abbreviated version of your preparation outline (i.e., your note cards) that you will use when you present your speech. I prefer to not use the term "speaking outline" because you are not permitted to use an outline during your speech; rather, you will use 3x5 note cards to help trigger your memory throughout your speech. Thus, for the purposes of this class, think of the speaking outline as your note cards, NOT as an actual outline.

Your note cards are prepared with delivery cues for your eyes only; you do not need to submit them to me! Your note cards are meant to help you jog your memory and should contain only brief words or phrases from your preparation outline. If you try to write full sentences or your entire speech on your cards, you will likely start reading your speech word-for-word instead of making eye contact with your audience.

Using Notecards

· You must use 3x5 note cards (4x6 cards are not permitted).

· There will be a 10% penalty if you use an outline to present your speech instead of note cards.

· Some students attempt to memorize their speeches and present without note cards. This is NOT recommended. Not only is memorizing an entire speech difficult, you run the risk of becoming frazzled if you forget an idea or a part of your speech. Furthermore, speakers who memorize their speeches often sound scripted and monotone, which is not the most effective and polished type of delivery. Your goal is to speak extemporaneously (i.e., conversationally), and note cards can help you achieve this delivery style. See pp.87-89 in your book and the delivery section below for more on extemporaneous speaking.

· There is no required amount or limit to the number of note cards you can use. I have found that people have different needs and preferences when it comes to using note cards, and creating a limit seems arbitrary. Keep in mind, though, that how you use your note cards can impact other aspects of your speech and your overall grade. For example, using a large number of note cards can increase the likelihood that you will read straight from your cards, which will limit your eye contact and vocal enthusiasm (and therefore hurt your grade in those areas). Thus, I will provide feedback about how you use your note cards and may recommend that you use fewer cards in the next speech.

For tips on creating your note cards, please refer to the following document: Notecard Tips.pdf

STEP 7: Developing Your Introduction & Conclusion

It may seem backwards, but most Public Speaking textbooks recommend that you develop the introduction and conclusion of your speech last, after you've researched and written the body (i.e., your main points and subpoints). Of course, you already developed your thesis statement and main points right after selecting your topic. However, you'll likely write a better and more thoughtful introduction and conclusion after you've spent a good deal of time researching, writing, and thinking about your topic.

Goals of the Introduction

1 Gain audience’s attention

2 Explains why this topic is important/relevant to your audience (What’s in it for them)

3 Establishes speaker’s credibility (Ethos)

4 Gives thesis statement

1 Previews main points

Ways to grab your audience's attention

· Tell a story or anecdote

· It happened about a week ago. I was in the women’s locker room getting ready for my aerobics class. As I changed clothes, I carried on a casual conversation with one of our classmates, Terri. Just as I turned to leave, she asked, “Hey Kris, how’s your leprosy?” Suddenly the chattering voices that had filled the room were replaced by silent stares. I quickly responded that my speech about leprosy was coming along fine. The noise resumed. All was well. And yet, for a single moment, I felt the sense of shame and alienation that has surrounded "lepers" since the Old Testament days.

· Striking Statement

· Take a moment and think of six women closest to you. Who comes to mind? Your mother? Your sister? Your girlfriend? Your wife? Your best friend? Now guess which one will be a victim of sexual violence during her lifetime. It is not a pleasant thought, but according to a 2017 study released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1 out of 6 American women will be a victim of an attempted or completed rape during her life.

· Build Suspense (Also a great use of statistics)

· It is the most common chronic disease in the United States. Controllable but incurable, it is a symptom-less disease. You can have it for years and never know until it kills you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Facts page, last updated in November 2016, some 40 million Americans have this disease, and 300,000 will die from it before the year is out. Odds are that five of us in this class have it. What am I talking about? Not cancer. Not AIDS. Not heart disease. I am talking about hypertension - high blood pressure.

· Give a quotation

· Mark Twain once said, “It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress.”

· Mark Twain once said, “Golf is a good walk spoiled.”

· Use Humor

· My mother once called her insurance agent and told her she wanted to insure art. The agent asked, “Why?” My mother replied, “Well, you know, in case something happens.”The agent replied, “But what do you think is going to happen?” My mother, by now thoroughly flustered that her insurance agent didn’t seem to understand the purpose of insurance, stammered, “I don’t know. Maybe get stolen? Or get hurt?” The agent testily replied, “But why would someone want to steal art?” the agent testily retorted. It was then, at that moment, that my mother realized what was going wrong. (pause) My father’s name is Art.

· Albert Einstein once said, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” (Quotations can also be used as a humorous attention-getting device.)

· NOTE: Using humor in speeches can be tricky. We often think we're more funny than we are (I'm quite guilty of this), and some jokes that are funny to us aren't funny to others. There's no worse feeling than pausing for laughter and hearing silence instead! It's a good idea to keep your humor simple and "test" your humorous lines on others before using them in your speech.

· Also, if using humor as an opening device, make sure the joke relates to your speech topic and serves as a segue into the next part of your introduction. For example, the insurance story above would work for a speech about miscommunication and a persuasive speech on the importance of insuring your valuables. This might seem like an obvious tip, but I've had students open their speeches with a joke that is completely unrelated to their speech topic.

· Ask a Rhetorical Question

· What would you think if you went to a doctor because you were ill and she told you to watch Seinfeld as part of your treatment?

· If you have exciting news that you wanted to share with someone, who would you tell first?

· NOTE: If using a rhetorical question to begin your speech, make sure it is a thoughtful and interesting question that piques your audience's interest and gets them thinking. Novice speakers tend to rely on rhetorical questions to begin their speeches, and they often fall flat or do little to get the audience's attention. For instance, for a speech on phobias, a speaker might start her speech by asking the audience, "How many of you in here have a phobia of some kind?" Then, some audience members will raise their hands, but the speaker is already moving on to the next part of the introduction. The question, then, did nothing to intrigue the audience and get them thinking.

Watch the following video for examples of how to use attention-getters in your speech:

Examples of Attention Getters

IMPORTANT: Start your speech with your attention-getter. Do NOT begin by introducing yourself or telling the audience what your topic is (that's why you have a thesis statement!).

Show the Audience "What's in it for Them"

1 In one or two sentences, explain why your audience should take an interest in this topic.

2 Explain how the topic affects them, or how they could benefit from agreeing with your position on a topic.

Establish Your Credibility

1 In one or two sentences, explain how you gained knowledge on your topic. In particular, note the research you have done for the speech!

· “My little brother was recently diagnosed with autism and I have researched the topic extensively.”

2 You can also establish credibility in your introduction by providing a fact or statistic and citing the source of the information (this shows that you have done your research). However, you will still need to state your experience and qualifications related to your topic.

Establishing Credibility

Identify the Thesis of your Speech & Preview Main Points

1. You may choose to separate your thesis and preview into 2 sentences:

"Today, I am going to inform you about autism. The three aspects related to autism I will discuss today are what it is, the treatments, and current research being conducted.”

2. Or, you may choose to combine your thesis and preview into one sentence:

"The three aspects related to autism that I am going to inform you about today are: what it is, the treatments, and current research being conducted.”

NOTE: Regardless of whether you make your thesis and preview 2 separate sentences or combine them into one sentence, your preview of main points MUST be the last part of your introduction. Your preview of main points serves as a transition into the body of your speech. In other words, when your audience hears you listing your main points, they know that you are wrapping up your introduction and moving into the body of your speech.

Goals of the Conclusion

1 Briefly restate your main points (Remind your audience what you talked about).

2 Finish with a memorable clincher

Summarize Your Main Points

1 Clearly restate your main points and remind your audience what you talked about.

Finish with a Memorable Clincher (Create a lasting impression)

1 Tie your clincher to the attention-getter from introduction

· Once, a student began her persuasive speech on bullying by telling a story about a girl who got bullied every day on the way home from school. She said that the little girl had to start walking a different way home from school and used to cry in her room every night.

At the end of her speech, she said, "Remember that little girl who was bullied every day on the way home from school. That was me." Then, she ended with a persuasive plea to take part in an anti-bullying campaign taking place in the community.

2 End with striking sentence or phrase that sums up your speech.

· See the attention-getter example above; statistics and startling statements can also be used to conclude your speech.

3 Conclude with an emotional message

· This closing device is best used for a persuasive speech. We will discuss the concept of emotional appeals (pathos) in Chapter 6.

4 End with a quick story or anecdote

· See the attention-getter example above; narratives can also be used to conclude your speech. Just keep them short!

IMPORTANT: Your clincher should be the last thing you say. It should wrap your speech up in a meaningful way and clearly signal that you have concluded your speech. Do NOT end your speech with verbal clutter such as "thank you for listening" or "that's it." If you've provided a strong clincher, it will be clear that you have ended your speech and you will not need to say anything else!

STEP 8: Delivering Your Speech (see pp. 95-96 in your text)

The final steps in the speech preparation process are to 1) PRACTICE delivering your speech and 2) Deliver your speech.

When practicing and delivering your speech, your goal should be to achieve an extemporaneous delivery style.

Extemporaneous delivery: delivering your speech smoothly and confidently without reading directly from your note cards. Achieving an extemporaneous delivery means delivering your speech in a conversational way, looking at note cards only to jog your memory, without sounding scripted, memorized, or unprepared. The idea is that you should be able to deliver your speech in your own words; that is, you should know your main ideas extremely well, but the exact wording will change slightly each time you deliver the speech.

Speaking extemporaneously is like telling a familiar story:

When I teach extemporaneous speaking, I tell students to think of a story they've told others over and over throughout their life. For me, some of these stories include when I broke my arm attempting to do a triple axle on roller skates when I was 7, when my sister tripped into a fountain at the mall (this was before texting - she just wasn't paying attention!), and how my husband and I met. When I tell these familiar stories, I do NOT read them directly from a manuscript, nor do I have a word-for-word version memorized that I recite verbatim. Rather, I tell them in a conversational and natural way, and the wording changes slightly each time I tell them to someone. However, I never leave out any of the important details or main ideas. This is because I have told the stories enough times that I have their "main points" and "subpoints" committed to memory, but how I discuss them might change depending on the listeners' nonverbal feedback, how much time I have to tell the story, and what additional details come to mind in the moment. For example, if time allows and my listeners seem interested, I might provide some extra details (a sub-sub-sub-point) that I didn't include the last time I told the story.

This is how you should approach your speeches in this class. Specifically, you should have your main points and subpoints committed to memory, and you should practice your speech enough times that you feel comfortable presenting conversationally to your audience. Thus, just like you should be able to rattle off a familiar story to a group of friends, you should be able to present your speech comfortably with just a few note cards to jog your memory.

Although your goal for the speeches in this class is to speak extemporaneously, it is not the only delivery style that speakers can use. Below is a review of the 4 different methods of delivery.

Four Methods of Delivery

Scripted- Reading entire speech from a manuscript, word for word.

Memorized – Reciting entire speech from memory with no notes.

Impromptu – Speaking in a moment with little (if any) time to prepare.

Extemporaneous – Delivering your speech smoothly and confidently without reading directly from your note cards.

· Requires preparation and practice

· Material is learned but wording is not memorized.

· Delivery is conversational

Strengths & Weaknesses

Of Scripted:

· Good for ensuring exact wording (lawyers, politicians, news anchors)

· Bad for sounding natural and maintaining eye contact

· Bad for adapting to audience and forgetting your place.

Of memorized:

· Good for short speeches

· Bad for sounding natural

· Can lose place!

· Don't try to completely memorize your speech!

Of Impromptu:

· Good for giving toasts, answering questions in class, or explaining an idea

· Bad for preparation and organization

Of Extemporaneous:

· Good for audience adaptation, eye contact, sounding natural and relaxed, and adapting to losing your place.

· Bad for ensuring exact wording of information. However, as long as you know your main ideas inside and out, sticking to exact wording is not important.

· Also requires more practice.

Vocal Delivery Skills

1 Volume – Loudness or softness of voice

· Avoid speaking too loudly or too quietly. Adapt your volume to the size the of the audience and the size of the room.

2 Tone – (Pitch) Highness or Lowness of Voice

· Add vocal enthusiasm (often referred to as 'vocal variety'). Be interested in your own speech!

· Avoid being monotone - this will bore your audience!

3 Rate – How quickly or slowly you speak

· Avoid speaking too slowly or too quickly.

· Speakers often present too quickly when they are nervous. Take a deep breath and slow down!

4 Articulation – Clarity of your spoken words

· Speak clearly and do not mumble. Pronounce all syllabus of your words.

· Speaking too quickly can make it difficult to articulate clearly.

5 Pronunciation – The correctness in the way you say your words

· Make sure you know how to pronounce every word in your speech.

· Mispronouncing words can confuse your audience and hurt your credibility

6 Pausing – Gaps between words or sentences in a speech.

· Don't be afraid to pause - it can pique your audience's interest and allow ideas to "sink in"

· Avoid verbal fillers/vocalized pauses such as "um," "like," and "you know."

Nonverbal Delivery Skills

1 Eye Contact

· Looking into the eyes of your audience members

· Not simply glancing or looking towards them

· Practice so you are NOT reading your speech from your note cards!

· Try panning – Surveying audience and pausing for a couple of seconds on individual audience members

2 Gestures

· Hand movements to emphasize information/emotion

· Avoid over-using hand gestures; it can be distracting

· Practice what you will do with your hands during your speech; that is, practice how you will hold your note cards and what types of gestures you will use and when. What not to do with hands (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
 


3 Physical Movement

· Don't just stand in one place! The audience is more likely to tune out if the speaker stands in one place for the entire speech.

· Use the floor. Move on a transition or to emphasize a point.

4 Proxemics – Use of space; distance from audience

5 Personal Appearance

· Make a good impression. Dress the part!

· Appropriate for audience and location

For more tips and information about delivering your speech, please review the following lecture: Delivery Lecture.pdf

Examples of Delivery

Watch the speech below and consider the different methods of delivery (manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous), as well as the vocal and nonverbal delivery skills discussed above. What aspects of her delivery need work? Is this an interesting speech to watch? Why or why not? What can the speaker do to improve her delivery?

Bad Public Speaking Example 1

Now watch the following speech and consider the different methods of delivery and the vocal and nonverbal delivery skills discussed above. What makes this speech better and more interesting than the one above? What aspects of delivery did the speaker do well. Given that no speech is perfect, what aspects of delivery do you think he should work on?

Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest - 2008 Gold Medal, District 59 - John Zimmer

NOTE: Watching the above speeches is an exercise for you to do on your own time to get you thinking about how delivery can impact the quality of a speech. The questions above are for you to consider as you are watching the speeches, but you are NOT turning anything in related to this exercise. This would be something we would watch and discussion in class together if we met face-to-face. Also, it is not necessary to watch both speeches in their entirety; you can get the idea after watching the first couple minutes.

Practicing Delivery

PRACTICING your speech several times before you present it is key to achieving an extemporaneous delivery and combating speech anxiety. The more you know your information, the more comfortable you will be presenting your speech. If you do not practice and are unprepared on speech day, you will almost certainly be more nervous than if you had practiced your speech several times.