Informative Speech
An informative speech is one that
presents or describes information.
It helps an audience understand a
topic and remember details about
it.
Goals of an Informative Speech:
• understanding
• remembering
Kinds of Informative Speeches
Some informative speeches describe a place,
person, or object.
Other informative speeches involve definitions.
For example, you may use a speech to define
what family or friendship means to you.
Speeches to inform can also be used to explain an
idea such as the importance of electricity on the
development of factories or the impact of
computers on our schools.
Make your information interesting--

Humor: “Did you hear
about the speech
teacher who…”
Clever comparisons:
“If you were to make
a pile of all the books
a student needs
during his educational
career, they’d reach
up to the…”
Make your information interesting…
 Compelling
contrasts: “On the one hand,
we have the bank president trying to…; on
the other hand, we have the 14-year-old
computer whiz who…”
 Curious quotes: “Remember the words of
the psychologist who was declared insane.
He said…”
Make your information interesting…

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Visual aids: “The graph shows you…”
Audio aids: “Listen to this recording I made
of what that store manager told me on the
phone.”
Drama: “There, at midnight, in the center
of the cemetery, we all heard…”
Make your information interesting…

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Movement: “As I step
over to this chart…”
Voice: “Softly, quietly,
the protesters waited --then suddenly YELLED
---then YELLED
AGAIN.”
Methods of Presenting Information
• Narration: A narration is an account of
the details of a story or an event. The
information you use to develop a narration
is usually obtained through direct personal
experience. A narration is a story.
Methods of Presenting Information

Description: A description gives a vivid
word picture of something, such as a
building, a place, an object, an animal, or
a person. A description can include details
such as size, weight, shape, color, age,
condition, and arrangement.
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech
Chronological order: Consider using
chronological order when you
present a process (how something is
done, how something is made, or
how something works) or when you
present a history of something.
Transitional words to use: first, next,
finally
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech
Spatial order: This is a pattern of
organization in which items are arranged
according to their position in space. You
are likely to use spatial order for any
description.
Transitional words to use: up/down,
right/left, north/south/east/west,
prepositional phrases that tell where
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech
 Topical Order: This is a pattern of
organization in which a topic is broken
down into parts that are arranged in an
order determined by the speaker and
stated in the specific purpose. Topical
order is the most common pattern for
information speeches.
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech

Order of importance: This starts with the
least important information and ends with
the most important.
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech
Cause-and-effect: Information is
arranged to show causes or
conditions and the effects or results
of those causes or conditions.
Organizing the Body of the
Informative Speech
► Comparison-and-Contrast
order: Items of
information are organized to show
similarities and differences between the
items.
Principles for Informing
 People who feel a “need to know” listen
better, so analyze your listeners’ needs and
create a need to know.
Principles for Informing
 Connected
information is more easily
received that unconnected
information, so a good speaker uses
information that connects to what
the listeners already know.
Principles for Informing
 Well-organized information is more
easily understood, so start at the
beginning and discuss each step in
sequence until you read the end of the
process.
Principles for Informing

Repeated information is more easily
understood and remembered, so choose
two or three of the most important ideas
in your speech and use repetition to
emphasize those points.
Principles for Informing
Information tied to feelings is easier to
remember, so use memorable examples,
illustrations, and stories to help your
audience remember your main idea.
Principles for Informing

Too much information reduces
understanding, so avoid information
overload. Most people can understand
and remember only five to nine pieces of
information at one time.
Outline for Informative Speech
I.
Introduction
A. Begin with an attention-getter
(Don’t say, “Today I’m going to tell
you how to…”
B. State exactly what your topic is and
why it is important.
Outline for Informative Speech
II.
Body
A.
B.
C.
1. facts
2. statistics
3. examples
Outline for Informative Speech
III.
Conclusion
Close with a memorable statement.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before
Giving an Informative Speech
Have I selected a good topic?
 Have I written a clear specific
purpose?
 Have I gathered information from a
variety of sources?
 Does my topic relate to my
audience’s experience?
 Is my material well organized?

Outline for Informative Speech
 Does
my introduction pique my audience’s
interest in learning more about my topic?
 Is the information new, or does it offer new
insights?
 Can I use humor to make my delivery
more effective?
 Can I use audiovisual aids to help my
audience understand and remember?
Possible Speech Topics

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The region (area, country, state) I come
from; its people; its traditions.
The kind of education I want (need).
My chosen profession; why I have chosen it
and how I plan to prepare for it.
The person I most admire.
My first impressions of this town.
Possible Speech Topics
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My favorite city, and why
The “art” of persuading parents
Big cities vs. small towns
A moment (day, time) I will never forget
My first airplane (boat, train, etc.) ride
My favorite sport
Possible Speech Topics
• Things that have helped shape my life
• My most memorable experience
• My happiest (saddest, most frightening)
memory
• Flirting with death
• My most embarrassing moment
• Man’s greatest achievement
Possible Speech Topics
Money as a measure of success (or is it?)
 The book (or books) that has influenced
me the most
 Public enemy #1
 If I were President for one week, I would…
 What democracy (patriotism, liberty,
freedom) means to me
 What America means to me

Possible Speech Topics

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Why I am proud to be an American
What I can do to be a good school
citizen
The duties, obligations, and
responsibilities of citizenship
What “self-motivation” means to me
The world in the year 2050
Possible Speech Topics
 The four most important changes since
1900
 Some American ideals that we must hold
fast
 Why I plan (or do not plan) to go to
college
 How the news media influences people
 What school spirit means to me
Possible Speech Topics
 My favorite American
 Why I am responsible for my own
education, and how I can meet that
responsibility
 The effect of racial prejudices on our
country
 Why schools msut have rules
 An experience that helped me “grow up”
Possible Speech Topics
If you had one day in your life to live over,
which one would it be? Why?
 What one value do you cherish most?
Why?
 Who has been the most influential person
in your life so far? Why?

Informative Speech Grading Rubric
Organization
Is the speech’s purpose clear?
Is the introduction interesting
enough to capture audience’s
attention?
Are key ideas easily understandable?
Does the conclusion summarize key
ideas?
Is material well organized?
Informative Speech Grading Rubric
Content
► Does topic relate to audience’s experience?
► Is there adequate information?
Informative Speech Grading Rubric
Delivery
 Does student use humor to make delivery
more effective?
 Does student use audiovisual aids to help
audience understand and remember?
 Does student seem confident and
enthusiastic?
Informative Speech Grading Rubric
 Does
the speaker have good eye
contact?
 Are the speaker’s facial expressions,
gestures, and movements natural?
 Are the speaker’s articulation,
enunciation, and pronunciation
correct?
 Does the speaker use “um,” “like,”
“and stuff,” “and everything,” or
other vague expressions?
Personal Experience Speech
Grading Rubric
Organization
 Is the speech’s purpose clear?
 Is the introduction interesting enough to
capture audience’s attention?
 Is material well organized?
Personal Experience Speech
Grading Rubric
Content
 Is topic appropriate for audience?
Delivery
 Does student use humor to make delivery
more effective?
 Does student seem confident and
enthusiastic?
Personal Experience Speech Grading
Rubric
• Does the speaker have good eye contact?
• Are the speaker’s facial expressions, gestures, and
movements natural?
• Are the speaker’s articulation, enunciation, and
pronunciation correct?
• Does the speaker use “um,” “like,” “and stuff,” “and
everything,” or other vague expressions?
• Is the speaker easily understood? (volume, rate)
Personal Experience Speech Grading
Rubric
Length
 Is the speech a full three minutes?