Chapter 16
Speeches to
Inform
“Obviously, a man’s judgment cannot
be better than the information on which
he has based it.”
– Arthur Hays Sultzberger, publisher New York Times
1
Types of Informative
Speeches
Public Lecture
Status Report
Briefing
Fireside Chat
Chalk Talk
Types of Informative
Speeches
Public Lecture
 Special interest or expertise, invited to
speak
 Conventions, Organizations
Status Report
 Update on project
 Business and social groups
Types of Informative
Speeches
Briefing
 Changes in policy or procedure
 Coaches, editors, politicians
Fireside Chats
 Addressing concerns
 FDR, can be used by heads of organizations to discuss
policies and goals
Chalk Talk
 Use visual aids to give directions
 Coaches, directors with blocking, drivers’ ed
What may follow Informative
Speeches?
Question and answer period
The Six Cs of Informative
Speaking
1
 Be Clear
2
 Be Concise
3
4
5
6
Will everyone understand?
Will I waste anyone’s time?
 Be Complete
Have I defined the major points
(advance organizers)?
 Be Correct
 Have I checked facts?
 Be Concrete
Do I have examples?
 Connect
Will my audience relate?
Finding a Subject
Personal Experience
 You are an expert on something
Observations
 Read, attend a meeting, interview
Surveys
 Find out what people want to know
Then narrow
How to Narrow
Time - period
Space - geography
Extent covered
Divide - single elements
How to Narrow a Thesis
Thesis is the goal of a speech or the thought
on which the speech is based
Examples:
 Teenagers and Fads
• Slang used often comes from movies.
 Healthy lifestyles
• Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables reduces
chances of getting cancer.
 Famous Musicians
• Beethoven’s hearing loss may have helped him
compose.
Supporting the Thesis
Use Facts
 Statistics
 Evidence
Also use
 Anecdotes
 Quotations
 Definitions
 Descriptions
Audio and Visual Aids
Sight is our most dominant sense.
We pay 25 times as much attention to
visual information
than to other types.
Two-Dimensional Aids
Charts
Diagrams
Maps
Graphs
Drawings
Photographs
Cartoons
Specific Purpose
Chart
 List information
Diagram
 Show how something works
Map
 Show routes, locations, relationships
Graphs
 Make numbers tangible - show relationships in
data
Drawings, Photos and Cartoons
 Pictures are worth a thousand words
Means of Developing
 Chalkboard
Weakness is you turn your back and quality
 Handouts
Weakness is the distraction
 Projections
 Overhead - weakness is quality, noise, and can’t build
 Slides/Powerpoint - Vivid, professional, but can be overused
with too many and dark slides require a dark room
 Video
Create your own or use a clip, but can make an awkward
break
Three-Dimensional Aids
Models
Cutaways
Just use them!
And Sound Recordings
Guidelines for Using Aids
Large enough
Master mechanics
Make sure it contributes
Don’t stand in front of it
Talk to audience not visual
Keep out of sight until ready to use
Don’t over do
Make sure you have backup
Practice, practice, practice
Recalling the Facts
Why are each of the 6 Cs of informative
speaking important?
Why is it often difficult to imagine what our
listeners are thinking?
Where can you get ideas about what subject to
speak on?
Why is it important to narrow your topic?
What will help you decide what material belongs
in your speech and what doesn’t?
What purpose do audio/visual aids serve?
What are some guidelines for using visual aids?
Look Back on Page 467 of textbook
Vocabulary
public lecture
status report
Briefing
fireside chat
chalk talk
advance organizer
cultural literacy
Narrowing
thesis
anecdote
quotation
definition
map
diagram
graph
handout
overhead projector
model
cutaway
Speech terms page 437 in textbook