Public Speaking
Chapter Two
Previewing the Audience-Centered
Speechmaking Process
Consider Your Audience
O Your audience influences the topic you
choose and every later step of the
speechmaking process.
O Your selection of topic, purpose, and even
major ideas should be based on your
listeners.
Consider Your Audience
O You need to gather and analyze information
about your audience.
O Being audience-centered means that you are
keeping your audience in mind every step of
the way in the process of creating your
speech.
O Audience analysis is not something done only
at the beginning of a speech; it is an ongoing
activity.
Consider Your Audience
O At any point during the preparation and delivery
of your message, you may need to revise your
thinking about your material if you learn new
information about your audience.
O Being audience-centered involves making
decisions about the content and delivery of your
speech before you speak and also being aware
of your audience’s responses during your
speech so that you can make appropriate
adjustments.
Culturally Diverse
Backgrounds
O People in the United States are highly
diverse in terms of their culture, age,
ethnicity, and religious traditions.
O You will want to adjust not only your delivery
style but also your topic, pattern of
organization, and the examples you use,
according to who your audience members are
and what they are interested in.
Culturally Diverse
Backgrounds
O Being sensitive to your audience and
adapting your message will serve you well
not only when addressing listeners with
different cultural backgrounds from your
own, but in all types of situations.
O If you learn to analyze your audience and
adapt to their expectations, you can use this
skill in numerous situations (like job
interviews, presentations, etc.)
Selecting Your Topic
O speech topic – the key focus of the content of a
speech.
O When selecting a topic:
O pay attention to the assignment details
O give yourself plenty of time to select and narrow
down your topic
O do not wait until the last minute!
O *A research study recently found that the amount
of time you spend preparing for your speech is
one of the best predictors of a good grade on your
speech!*
Who is the Audience?
O A basic knowledge of your audience can
influence your speech topic.
O For example, if your audience is around your
own age, you should choose a topic that is
interesting to people in your own age group.
O On the other hand, an older audience may
prefer to hear about issues such as: raising
families or social security.
What is the Occasion?
O Along with your audience, the occasion of your
speech will influence the topic of your speech.
(For example, commencement address,
informative speech to colleagues, or a speech at
a wedding reception are all types of speeches
with different occasions.
O The physical surroundings of your speech will
also affect how formal your speech will be.
O Will your speech be on a stage or at the front of a
room filled with a large group of people or will you
speak to a room where chairs are arranged in a
circle?
Determining Your General
Purpose
O Your general purpose is the overarching goal
of your speech.
O There are three types of general purposes:
O to inform – to teach, define, illustrate, clarify, or
elaborate on a topic
O to persuade – to change or reinforce listeners’
attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior
O to entertain – includes after-dinner speeches
and comic monologues
Determining Your Specific
Purpose
O Your specific purpose is a concise statement
indicating what you want your listeners to be able
to do, remember, or feel when you finish your
speech.
O A specific purpose statement identifies the precise
audience response you desire.
O Examples:
O At the end of my speech, the audience will be able to
identify three workout facilities on campus.
O At the end of my speech, the audience will go buy the
book The Great Gatsby.
Determining Your Specific
Purpose
O If you cannot figure out what the specific
purpose of a speech is, it is probably
because the speaker does not know either.
O Deciding on a specific purpose is not
difficult once you have narrowed your topic.
O For an informative speech, you may want your
audience to restate an idea, define new
words, or identify, describe, or illustrate
something
Determining Your Specific
Purpose
O For a persuasive speech, you may try to inspire
your listeners to take a class, buy something, or
vote for someone.
O Your specific purpose should guide your
research and help you choose supporting
materials that are related to your audience.
O As you continue to work on your speech, you
may decide to modify your purpose, but if you
have an objective in mind at all times, you will
stay on track.
Develop Your Central Idea
O Your central idea is a one-sentence summary of
the speech content. This summary is the essence
of your message.
O Topic: The South Beach Diet
O General Purpose: to inform
O Specific Purpose: At the end of my speech, the
audience will be able to identify the three key
elements in the South Beach diet.
O Central Idea: The South Beach diet is based on
reducing the amount of carbohydrates you eat,
drinking more water, and increasing the exercise
you get.
Generating Main Ideas
O Effective speakers know how to play with words and
thoughts to develop their main ideas – the key points
of their speech.
O This skill is called invention (the ability to develop or
discover ideas that result in new insights or new
approaches to old problems).
O Once you have a topic, ask yourself these three
questions to help find your mains ideas:
O Does the central idea have logical divisions?
O Can you think of several reasons why the central idea is
true?
O Can you support the central idea with a series of steps?
Generating Main Ideas
O Your time limit, topic, and the information
gathered from your research will determine
how many major ideas will be in your
speech.
O Don’t spend too much time trying to divide a
topic that does not need dividing.
Does the Central Idea have
Logical Divisions?
O Look for logical divisions in your speech.
This is the simplest way to determine key
points or main ideas.
O For example, if your speech is teaching the
audience of the three step process of
painting furniture, it would be logical to break
down the information into three parts.
Reasons Why Your Central
Idea is True
O If your central idea is a statement that
something is good or bad, you should focus
on the reasons your central idea is true.
O Use these reasons as the main ideas of the
speech.
A Series of Steps
O Speeches describing a personal experience
or explaining how to build or make
something can usually be organized in a
step-by-step progression.
Gathering Supporting Material
O Once you have your main ideas in mind, the
next step is to gather supporting material
(facts, examples, definitions, illustrations,
charts, quotes, etc.)
O It is critical that, during this step, you always
keep your audience in mind. The supporting
material that you use must be appealing to
your audience if you want to keep their
attention.
Gathering Interesting
Supporting Material
O Supporting material should be personal and concrete
O it should also appeal to the listeners
O tell stories based on your own experiences (and provide
vivid details so that your audience can visualize what you
are talking about)
O it is helpful to relate abstract statistics to something
tangible so that your ideas are communicated more clearly
O For example, instead of just saying that Frito Lays sells 2.6
billion pounds of chips, tell your audience that this is triple
the weight of the Empire State Building (this makes your
point more memorable)
Developing Good Research
Skills
O Public speakers need good research skills
O Use your library (and help from your librarian!)
O use electronic resources
O be on the lookout as you read, watch tv, and
listen to the radio
O these are potential goldmines for ideas, examples,
illustrations, and quotes that could be used in
speeches
O you should also learn how to gather information
through interviews and written requests for
information
Gather Supporting Visual
Material
O Any presentation can be enhanced by reinforcing
key ideas using visual aids
O More often than not, the best visual aids are the
most simplest:
O an object
O a chart
O a graph
O a poster
O a model
O a map
O even a person – to demonstrate a skill or process
Organize Your Speech
O A speech that is clearly and logically
structured helps your audience remember
what you say
O A logical structure also helps you feel more
in control of your speech
O greater control helps you feel more
comfortable while delivering your message
O disposition is the organization and
arrangement of ideas and illustrations
Organize Your Speech
O Every speech should have three major
divisions:
O introduction – captures attentions and serves
as overview of the speech (gives audience
reasons to listen to you)
O body – presents the main content of your
speech
O conclusion – summarizes your main ideas
Organize Your Speech
O Because the introduction previews your
speech and your conclusion summarizes it,
it is recommended that you write those
parts AFTER you write the body of your
speech
Rehearse Your Speech
O A speech is a performance. You need to
rehearse.
O the best way to rehearse your speech is to
stand and deliver it aloud – just as you would
to your audience.
O Rehearse just enough so that you can
discuss your main ideas and supporting
material without leaving out major parts of
your speech
Rehearsing Your Speech
O As you rehearse, practice having eye contact with
your audience and a loud enough voice so that the
entire room can hear you.
O Evidence proves that preparing early and
practicing your speech will enhance the overall
quality of your speech
O It is extremely important to become familiar with
the language in your speech. If there are names
or words that you do not know, learn them and
practice!
O Nothing ruins the overall effect of your speech than
if you stumble over words – it makes the audience
seem like you don’t know what you are talking about
Deliver Your Speech
O Before you walk in front of your audience,
look at your listeners and see if they are
what you were expecting (what you prepared
for)
O Do you need to make any last minute
changes in examples or stories?
Deliver Your Speech
O Walk calmly and confidently to the front of the
room
O establish eye contact with your audience
O smile (naturally)
O deliver your speech as you rehearsed it
O maintain eye contact
O speak loudly enough to be heard
O use some natural variation in the pitch of your
voice