Preparing A Speech

Tom Steed, PhD.

Jefferson State Community College
Hoover, Alabama
Work in Progress TS
• This PowerPoint is an outline of the major things I feel are important
in planning and delivering a speech.
• It is strictly a work in progress.
• A finished textbook on the subject will contain much more complete
information.
Overview and Introduction
Making a speech is like riding a bike.
You start with the basics.
You develop some flair!
You take your act across the
country!
 This is the top. Go
The SpeechDynamic TomSteed to next slide to see
the bottom of the
Invitation
chart.
Speaker Situation Audience
Occasion
Location, Venue

Purpose
Ceremonial
Persuasive
Informative
Narrative

Topic
Ethics
Research Audience
Analysis

Plagiarism
Topic Sentence
Main Idea

Introduction Organization
Body Logic
Conclusion Supporting
Materials

Delivery Audience
 Introduction Organization
Body Logic
Conclusion Supporting
Materials

Speaker
Delivery Audience
Impromptu
Extemporaneous
Manuscript Listening
Visuals Critique
Rate, Voice Quality, posture Analysis
Gesture
Fear

Feedback
During
After

This is the bottom of

the chart.
Speech Process: Left Extra: Right
• Occasion / Situation /Purpose • Communication Theory
• Topic • Evaluation
• Research • Self
• Organization / Strategy • Others
Intro and Conclusion • General Suggestions
Thesis Statement
• Persuasion
Logic / Logos Emotion / Pathos
Character / Expertise / Ethos Mythos
Warrants-Toulmin
• Delivery
The Speech Occasion
The Speaking Occasion
• Purpose
• To inform: teach, educate, demonstrate
• To persuade
• To motivate or inspire
• For a special occasion: entertain, inspire, commemorate, celebrate
• Occasion
• Size (number of people)
• Setting: What does this tell you about your preparation?
• Audio, visuals, participation
• Time Constraints
• Audience
• >>>>>>>>
Purpose of the Speech
• To Inform
• Demonstrate is a sub-genre of inform
• To Persuade
• Special Occasion Speech
• To Commemorate or pay tribute.
• To Entertain
• To Inspire
Informative versus Persuasive
Speeches
• Informative speeches do not take a position, they just give you well—
information! But information is inherently persuasive.
• A persuasive speech is built on top of an informative speech. We
inform about the situation or problem, then call for a solution or
action.
Four Techniques for Audience
Analysis
• Survey
• Research
• Brainstorm
• Ask whoever invited you
Information About the Audience
• Demographics: Age, Sex, Income, Education
• Attitudes, Beliefs, Values
• Agree or Disagree (1 to 7 Likert Scale)
• Informed or Uninformed (1 to 7)
• Knowledge about the subject
Analysis leads to a Specific Purpose
Statement.
• Why important?
• Clarity!!!!!
• Focus!!!!!
• A specific purpose statement is…….
• The purpose of my speech is to (inform, persuade, entertain,
commemorate) the audience about _________ (specific subject)
Specific Purpose Statement
• “The specific purpose of your speech is a single statement that
combines your general purpose (inform, persuade, motivate,
commemorate), your audience, and your objective.” p. 56
• The objective of your specific purpose describes the outcome or
behavior you want your audience to experience of adopt. (Be
outcome oriented!!! TS)
• Form: {General Purpose} {Audience} {Objective}
Decide on a Topic.
• Brainstorm
• Personal experience / Research / Spider Web of thought
• Idea Bank
• Research
• Internet, Books, Magazines, Library
• Overcoming Writer’s Block
• Alcohol? Said in jest by a student (NOT recommended!)
• Free Writing
• Browse: Books, Internet, News, Conversations, Research
• Preliminary Topic Proposal
• >>>>>>>>>>>
Topic
Is the Topic a Question of (?)
• Fact:
• Definition: What is or are actual fact(s)?
• Examples
• Value
• Definition: What should we value?
• Examples
• Policy:
• Definition: What should our policy be?
• Examples
Topic Areas
• People • Concepts
• Places • Natural Phenomena
• Things • Problems
• Events • Plans and Policies
• Processes • Lucas, Chapter 5, pg. 78
Topic Selection
• Initial Topic Proposal
• Scientific Method: Test Your Hypothesis: Will it work?
• Research
• Too Much Material
• Narrow Your Topic
• Select the “Golden” stuff
• Too Little Material
• Broaden Your Topic
• Change Topic
• Add detail(s)
• Adequate Material
• Proceed to Organization >>>>>>>>>
Be Audience Centered.
• Everyone wants to know—What’s in it for me?
Persuasive Speech Goal
• To convince
• To stimulate
• To actuate

• Define and give an example of each

• Likert Scale: 1 strongly opposed 7 strongly in favor

• 1234567
This leads to your Central Idea
Statement or Thesis
• Why?
• Clarity
• Focus
• The central idea (also called a thesis statement, theme, or subject
sentence) is a concise, single-sentence summarizing and/or
previewing what you will say in your speech.
• A complete sentence, a declarative sentence not a question
Research
How to Research and Cite Sources
• Do not plagerise whole /multiple parts of speeches!
• Don’t just give your opinion—do research!
• Use the online library on the Jeff State website.
• Use a library and the internet.
• Know the difference between real facts and fake news
• Research makes or breaks a speech.
• Cite sources properly and verbally in your speech.
Organization / Strategy
The Body of the Speech
Organizing an Informative Speech
Organization
• Organize your ideas into categories
• Whole categories: questions or statements
• Then major sub points
• Organizational Plan or Schemata
• Logical Order, Sequence
• Past Present Future
• Most Important to Least Important (or least to greatest).
• Problem / Solution
• Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what
you told them.
Organization is Important!
• Choose between 2-5 main points.

• Keep main points separate.

• Use consistent wording of main points.

• Organize your main points in a pattern.

Patterns of Organization
Time (chronological)

Spatial (directional pattern)

Topical (topic or category)

Causal (cause-effect)

Compare/contrast
Organizing Principles
Informative
General principles of organization
• Primacy, Regency (Most important first or last?)
• Chronological / Time-Sequence
• Topical
• Spatial
• Comparative
• Problem-Solution
• Causal / Cause Effect
• Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
Choose the pattern of organization
being used:
I. Skyrockets explode high I. The top layer of Earth is
in the air. the crust.
II. Roman candles shoot out II. Beneath the crust is the
sparks and flames. mantle.
III. Pinwheels whirl at the III. The outer core is next.
end of a stick. IV. The center is the inner
IV. The lance is used in core.
ground displays

I. There are several causes I. The first step in building a

for the destruction of rain birdhouse is gathering
forests in South America. materials.
II. If the destruction of the II. The second step is building
the base.
rain forests continues, the
III. The third step is adding the
effects will be
walls.
devastating.
IV. The final step is roofing.
Connect your Main Points
• Transitions:
• Connects two main points
• Tells where you just were AND where you are going in same sentence

• “Now that you know the problems, let’s look at some solutions.”
Use Signposts
• Signals where you are in the speech

• “The first stage of Alzheimer’s…”

• “The second problem with HMOs…”
• Internal preview:
• Tells the listener what the subpoints will be.
• Lets the listener know what to expect.

• “There are two types of migraine headaches: the cluster headache and the
classic headache.”
• Internal summary:
• Provides the listener with a recap of what you just covered;
• Brings the listener “up to speed”.

• “So we’ve just looked at the problems with improper brushing—plaque,

gingivitis, tooth decay, and bad breath.”
Introduction and Conclusion
• As you research, always keep your eye open for a good intro or close.
• Like the takeoff and landing of an airplane—very important!
• Get attention (intro), make it memorable (Conclusion). POW! And
WOW!
• Techniques:
• Story, Joke, Quotation, Fact or Statistic, Question (response evoking,
rhetorical), Personal Observation, Reference to an event (9/11, graduating
high school)
Persuasion
Aristotle
• Logic / Logos
• Emotion / Pathos
• Character / Expertise / Ethos
• What is Commonly Believed / Mythos
Toulmin: Warrants
• What is the connection between the “evidence” and the conclusion?

• Logical Fallacies
• Appropriate and inappropriate use of arguments
• Learn to make effective arguments and to analyze and critique the arguments
of others.
• There is a sucker born every minute and two to take advantage of him.
Attributed correctly or incorrectly to P. T. Barnum.
Delivery
Communication Anxiety
Communication Anxiety
• We feel exposed, vulnerable, and subject to criticism.
• For our ideas
• As a person
• Try to be well informed so your ideas are not worthy of criticism.
• Always be humble (but confident) and ready to learn from other viewpoints.
• Realize that your audience does not determine your ultimate value.
• See the positive in stress (adrenaline helps us think and act).
• Use relaxation techniques. Breath, give yourself positive feedback,
don’t lock your knees.)
Delivery
• Note Cards (nothing larger than half-sheet of paper)
• Eye Contact
• Dress matters! Dress professionally!
• Gestures
• Voice Quality, Variety
Types of Delivery
• Impromptu: Speaking without prep or off the cuff
• Extemporaneous: Working from and outline.
• Manuscript: Writing your speech word for word. (Don’t read it; if
necessary, perform it with feeling.)
Visual Aids
• Using PowerPoint effectively
• Making good use of visual aids
• Objects, charts, graphs, maps, etc.
Time Management
• Goldilocks strategy
• Not too short..
• Not too long…
• Just Right!
• Stand up. Speak up. Shut up!
• Poor time management makes for a terrible speech.
General Suggestions
Good Principles / General
Suggestions
• Three is a great number.
• Don’t waste people’s time. Be prepared.
• Strive for perfection but remember we live in the real world.
• People won’t remember all the details, but they will remember
something memorable, a joke, a statistic, a story, your overall
approach.
• Visual aids can enhance and make or break a speech!
• Have something to say and say it with conviction, enthusiasm and
confidence.