Chapter 10 The Body of the Speech This chapter deals with organizing the body of the speech. Having a well-organized body makes it easier for the audience to understand and remember your key points.

Creating the Body Body  Introduction Conclusion Because the introduction comes first in a speech, some students prepare it first. But many experienced speakers find it easier to prepare the body first and then prepare the introduction. If you stop to think about it, this makes sense: How can you introduce the body until you know its full nature?

Creating the Body Start with the specific purpose To inform my audience of the ways in which some fake pills are sold to the public Let’s look at the steps in creating the body. [CLICK] First, you should develop your specific purpose statement, which expresses what you want to achieve. [CLICK] For example, “To inform my audience of the ways in which some fake pills are sold to the public.”

Creating the Body Devise the central idea Some dishonest pharmaceutical companies use tricks to make fake pills seem legitimate. [CLICK] The next step is to devise your central idea—the key concept that you want your listeners to understand, believe, and remember. [CLICK] In this case, “Some dishonest pharmaceutical companies use tricks to make fake pills seem legitimate.”

Creating the Body Select main points I. These companies concoct a drug name that sounds like a real drug. [CLICK] Next, select main points by asking yourself, “What points can I present to drive home the central idea?” [CLICK] Your first main point might be, “These companies concoct a drug name that sounds like a real drug.”

Creating the Body Select main points II. They use fancy packaging and set high prices to give an aura of “another expensive drug.” [CLICK] Your second main point could be, [CLICK] “They use fancy packaging and set high prices to give an aura of ‘another expensive drug.’”

Creating the Body Choose support materials I. These companies concoct a drug name that sounds like a real drug. The next step is to take each main point and develop it with support materials, such as statistics and examples. One of the support materials you could use in this case is an example: One company created the name Leptoprin, which sounds like a prescription drug but is really a fake diet pill. Statistics Example Testimony Narrative

Creating the Body Choose support materials II. They use fancy packaging and set high prices to give an aura of “another expensive drug.” For the second main point, you could provide support materials like this: The fake drug Leptoprin is priced at $153 for a month’s supply so that it seems like any other expensive drug. Statistics Example Testimony Narrative

Creating the Body To review the process, look at this schematic overview. The oval at the top represents the central idea. It is developed by main points—in this case two main points, which are represented by the pink rectangles. The main points are supported by the ovals at the bottom, which represent support materials such as examples, statistics, and narratives.

Creating the Body Central Idea Let’s go through the process with an example. You begin with this central idea: Humans can easily avoid being attacked by alligators.

Creating the Body Central Idea Main Point Next, you create the first main point: Stay away from the banks of rivers and lakes where alligators live.

Creating the Body Central Idea Main Point Main Point Then the second main point: Never try to give food to an alligator.

Creating the Body Central Idea Main Point Main Point Support Support Finally, develop each main point with support such as examples, statistics, and testimony from experts. For instance, to back up your point about never feeding an alligator, you could tell a narrative (or story) about a fatal attack caused by someone trying to feed an alligator, and you could quote an expert who warns against feeding any wild animal. Support Support Support Support Support Support

Devising Main Points Now let’s turn to some guidelines on how to devise your main points.

Devising Main Points Limit the number of main points 2 or 3 (occasionally 4) [CLICK] Don’t try to cover too much in one speech. Limit the number of main points. [CLICK] For a brief speech, have only two or three—occasionally four—main points.

Devising Main Points Restrict each main point to a single idea 1 point  1 idea [CLICK] Restrict each main point to a single idea. [CLICK] One point, one idea.

Devising Main Points Avoid announcements Poor: I’ll discuss tourists in space. Better: Tourism in space will become frequent by the year 2020. [CLICK] Rather than simply announce a topic, each main point should make an assertion. It should state a full-fledged idea. [CLICK] For example, “I’ll discuss tourists in space” is just an announcement of a topic. It doesn’t make an assertion. It doesn’t make a point. [CLICK] A better choice is, “Tourism in space will become frequent by the year 2020.”

Devising Main Points Customize points for each audience If you are speaking to several different audiences on why they should take a vacation in your area, you should customize your main points for each audience. To an audience of young couples, you could emphasize the opportunities for dining in romantic, elegant restaurants. To an audience of parents with young children, you could highlight outdoor recreation for families.

Organizing Main Points Main points should be organized in a logical, easy-to-follow pattern. Let’s look at five popular patterns.

Organizing Main Points Chronological pattern Childhood  Teenage years Adulthood [CLICK] In the chronological pattern, you arrange your main points in a time sequence—what occurs first, what occurs second, and so on. For example, if you are describing how to bake bread, you can explain the first step, then the second step, and so on. [CLICK] If you are describing a person’s life, you can discuss childhood, then the teenage years, and then adulthood.

Organizing Main Points Spatial pattern In the spatial pattern, you organize items according to the way in which they relate to each other in physical space—top to bottom, left to right, north to south, inside to outside, and so on. A giant cactus could be described by progressing from bottom to top—or from top to bottom.

Organizing Main Points Cause-effect pattern Cause  Effect Effect  Cause In some speeches, you are concerned with why something happens or happened—a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, some people refuse to ride in elevators because they have a strong fear of closed spaces. Their claustrophobia is the cause and their refusal to ride in elevators is the effect. In some speeches, you can explain the cause first, [CLICK] while in other speeches, you can discuss the effect first.

Organizing Main Points Problem-solution pattern A pattern that is popular in persuasive speeches is the problem–solution pattern, which divides a speech into two main sections: a problem and its solution. In a speech on air pollution, [CLICK] the first half of the speech could explain the problem—harmful emissions from coal-burning plants. [CLICK] The second half could offer a solution—clean energy from wind turbines.

Organizing Main Points Topical pattern King and queen have:  Absolute power  Limited power  No real power In the topical pattern, you divide your central idea into components or categories, using logic and common sense as your guides. [CLICK] For example, the monarchies in the world today can be divided into three types: The first type: The king and queen have absolute, total power. The second type: The king and queen have limited power. And the third type: The king and queen just perform ceremonial duties—they have no real power.

Organizing Main Points Topical pattern A variation: Statement-of-reasons pattern A variation of the topical pattern is the statement-of-reasons pattern, in which a speaker subdivides an idea by showing reasons for it. For example, “You should do stretches before you exercise, and here are three reasons why . . .”

Supplying Transitions Words, phrases, or sentences that show logical connections between ideas or thoughts are called transitions. They help the listeners stay with you as you move from one part of your speech to the next. Let’s look at some of the types of transitions.

Supplying Transitions Bridges In crossing a bridge, a person goes from one piece of land to another. In giving a speech, the speaker can build bridges to tell listeners of the terrain they are leaving behind and the terrain they are about to enter. It is a way of saying, “I’ve finished Thought A; now I’m going to Thought B.”

Supplying Transitions Bridges “Now that we have examined the problem, let’s turn our attention to the solution.” Here is a sample of a bridge: “Now that we have examined the problem, let’s turn our attention to the solution.”

Supplying Transitions Internal summaries Brief review of material covered in part of a speech A summary is important at the end of the speech, but sometimes a summary might be helpful before the end is reached. [CLICK] For example, at some point in the body of a speech, a summary of complicated information might help the audience to consolidate and digest the material before moving on to a new section.

Supplying Transitions Signposts Just as signposts on a road tell motorists their location, signposts in a speech tell listeners where they are or where they are headed. If you gave a speech on how to treat a cold, you could say, “Here are three things you should do the next time you catch a cold.” Then, as you proceed through the speech, you could say, “First, you should . . . Second, you should . . . Third, you should . . .” The signposts would help the audience know where they are in the speech.

Supplying Transitions Spotlights Spotlights are transitional devices that alert the listeners that something important will soon appear. For example, “Now we come to the most important thing I have to tell you.”

Tip 10.1 Test and Verify Your Material Tips for Your Career Tip 10.1 Test and Verify Your Material Will your audience find your speech understandable, accurate, and believable? You can test the strength of your material in advance by checking with experts and colleagues before your speech date. Ask them to listen to all of your speech or portions of your speech and tell you about places where you can improve.