Unit 2: Speaking to inform
Public Speaking
Lesson #2: Purposes for
speaking
Question: The purpose for almost all speeches
falls into two categories: speaking to inform
and speaking to persuade. What are the
differences between these two purposes?
Speaking to Inform
Speaking to Persuase
You are the
teacher/lecturer/expert.
You are the advocate of a cause.
Goal: Convey information in a
clear, interesting, and accurate
manner; enhance the knowledge
or understanding of the audience.
Goal: Change or structure the
audience’s attitudes or actions;
win over your listener’s point of
view.
Specific purpose
A statement that focuses on one aspect of a topic.
stated as an infinitive phrase
indicates precisely what you hope to accomplish in
your speech
Topic: Baseball Cards
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the
major factors that determine the value of a
baseball card.
Tips for formulating a specific
purpose statement
Write the purpose statement as a full infinitive
phrase, not as a fragment
Ineffective: Calendars
Effective: To inform my audience about four
major kinds of calendars used in the world
today.
Tips...
Express your purpose as a statement, not a
question
Ineffective: What is a Quinceanera?
Effective: To inform my audience about the
origins, ceremonies, and importance for young
women of the traditional Quinceanera
celebration in Mexico.
Tips...
Avoid figurative language in your purpose
statement.
Ineffective: to persuade my audience that banning all
fraternities because there have been hazing abuses
at some colleges would be like throwing the baby out
with the bath water.
Effective: to persuade my audience that banning all
fraternities because there have been hazing abuses
at some colleges would punish the vast majority of
the fraternities for the actions of a few.
TIps...
Limit your purpose statement to one distinct idea.
Ineffective: to persuade my audience that the
federal government should ban all cigarette
ads and smoking should be prohibited in all
campus buildings.
effective: to persuade my audience that the
federal government should ban all cigarette
ads.
Tips...
Make sure your specific purpose is not too vague
or general
Ineffective: to inform my audience about the
Civil War
Effective: to inform my audience about the role
of African American soldiers in the Civil War.
Questions to ask about your
specific purpose:
1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?
2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time
allotted?
Is the purpose relevant to my audience?
Is the purpose too trivial for my audience?
Is the purpose too technical for my audience?
The central idea...
Reading passage in packet on page 6
Effective
Ineffective
Express as a full
sentence.
Although fad diets produce
quick weight loss, they can lead
to serious health problems by
creating deficiencies in vitamins
and minerals and by breaking
down muscle tissue and fat.
Problems of fad diets
Avoid phrasing as a
question.
Played on a smaller, enclosed field
that resembles a hockey rink with
artificial turf, indoor soccer involves
faster action, more scoring, and
different strategies than outdoor
soccer.
How does indoor
soccer differ from
outdoor soccer?
Avoid figurative
language
Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula
has many attractions for
vacationers, including a warmer
climate, excellent food, and
extensive Mayan ruins.
The Yucatan
peninsula is a sweet
place for a vacation.
Be clear and specific,
not vague or general
Art and architecture
developed during the
Renaissance period are
recognized for their innovation
and standing the test of time.
The Renaissance was
a period of prosperity
and innovation.
Organizing your ideas
QUESTIONS: Why is it important that speeches
be organized clearly and coherently?
The ideal number of main points/supporting
arguments in a speech is...
Organization
Method
Chronological
Order
(informative)
Explanation/Example
Time pattern; beginning to end
i.e.The building of the Great Wall of China began during the 4th
Century B.C.; new sections were added between 221 B.C. and
681 A.D.; it was completed during the Ming Dynasty of 1368-1644.
directional patterns: top to bottom, left to right, etc.
Spatial Order
(informative)
i.e. The Eiffel Tower is divided into three sections: The lowest contains
the entrance, gift shop, and restaurant; The middle sections consists
of stairs and elevators that lead to the top; the top includes an
observation deck.
show cause-effect relationships
Causal Order
(informative or persuasive)
Problem-Solution
Order
(persuasive)
Topical Order
i.e. The growing use of aging planes by U.S. airline companies threatens the
safety of air travel; To meet the growing needs of air travel, companies are
keeping older planes in service; if this trend continues it will create more
problems for airline safety.
Shows existence of problem; presents solution
i.e. Drunk driving is a serious problem that can be reduced by the use of
ignition interlock devices that prevent people with excessive blood-alcohol
levels from starting their cars.
topic that can be divided into subtopics
i.e. The major types of fireworks are skyrockets, Roman
TIPS FOR PREPARING MAIN
POINTS
Keep main points separate. Do not lump more than one
supporting argument/main point together.
Try to use the same pattern of working for main points.
Regular exercise increases your endurance.
Regular exercise improves your sleep pattern.
Regular exercise helps control your weight.
Balance the amount of time devoted to main points.
Connectives
In speeches we use CONNECTIVES, or words or
phrases that join one thought to another and
indicate the relationship between them.
4 TYPES OF CONNECTIVES
1.Transitions: words/phrases that indicate
movement between thoughts
i.e.: In addition, however, one example, another...
2. Internal Previews: Preview that lets the
audience know the idea that is coming next
i.e.: I will focus on three solutions--instituting tighter government
regulation of credit bureaus, holding credit bureause financially
responsible for their errors, and giving individuals easier access to
their credit reports.
Connectives (continued)
Internal Summaries: remind listeners of what
they just heard; used when a speaker finishes a
complicated or important main point
Signposts: brief statements that indicate exactly
where you are in the speech
i.e. The first cause of the...
The second cause....
The third cause...
The final contributing cause....
Beginning and ending a
speech
Question: What are some important things to do
in an introduction of your speech? A conclusion?
Objectives of an Intro
Get the attention and interest of your audience.
Reveal the topic of your speech.
Establish your credibility and good will.
Preview the body of your speech.
Get attention and interest
1. Relate the topic to the audience.
2. State the importance of your topic.
3. Startle the audience (with an intriguing statement).
4. Arouse the curiosity of the audience.
5. Question the audience.
6. Begin with a quotation.
7. Tell an anecdote (brief, meaningful or entertaining story).
Once you’ve gained interest,
reveal the topic
Don’t get so caught up in intriguing the audience
that you forget to clearly introduce your topic!
Credibility and Good Will
Credibility: establish that you are qualified to
speak on the subject matter
Good will: show you are well-meaning and
respectful of the audience’s viewpoints
Tips for preparing your
introduction
Keep the introduction relatively brief. It should be no more than
10-20% of your speech time.
Be on the lookout for possible introductory materials as you do
your research. (startling statistic, quote, story, etc.)
Be creative in devising your intro. Write a couple different
options and see what you like best during your practice runs.
Don’t worry about the exact wording of intro until you’ve finished
preparing the body of your speech.
Write out your intro in full, even if you do not do this for the rest
of your speech.
The purpose of the conclusion
Let the audience know you are ending the
speech
To reinforce the audience’s understanding of, or
commitment to, the central idea
Ways to signal the end is
coming
use your voice--tone, pacing, intonation, and
rhythm can all indicate closure
Use concluding words (“In closing,”etc)
Build up to the end--end on a climactic note
Encourage thought in the audience
Reinforcing the central idea
Summarize or restate the thesis and main points
End with a quotation
Make a dramatic statement
Refer back to a line in the introduction
Sample intro/conclusion
Commentary
Separate handout.....
Guidelines for Outlines
State the specific purpose of your speech
Identify the Central Idea.
Label the Introduction, Body, and Conclusion
Use a consistent pattern of symbolization and indentation
State the main points and sub-points in complete sentences
Label transitions, internal summaries, and internal previews
Attach a bibliography.
Give your speech a title.