Speeches to Inform 2Lt Hadwen

Word of the Day: connive Verb; kuh-NYVE To pretend ignorance of or fail to take action against something one ought to oppose a) to be indulgent or in secret sympathy : wink b) to cooperate secretly or have a secret understanding Conspire, intrigue Example: Sgt Grewe received extra duties as punishment for conniving against Capt. Roberts.

What is an informative speech?

Informative Speeches Main Purpose: To pass on knowledge to an audience To educate the audience on a particular topic Goals: Not to persuade or inspire the audience but instead to: Lay out all the details, so the audience can make an educated decision or learn about a subject they were interested in Example: teacher vs. politician

Not all informative speeches are alike… There are different types of informative speeches. We will go over some examples to give you an understanding and idea of how you can write yours.

Definition Speeches Explains the meaning, theory, or philosophy of a specific topic chosen by the speaker. You pretend the audience has no prior knowledge. Topics can vary in specificity. May range from a sport to a particular person. Main goal is to give the main points regarding the topic and/or subject so the audience has a better understanding.

Explanatory Speeches Gives a description of the state of a given topic Goal is to inform the audience on a particular part of the topic at its given state of time Example: When new laws are introduced, the Supreme Court explains them to the public Can be used to condense a highly complex topic into an easy description for the audience

Descriptive Speeches Creates a detailed picture in a person’s mind regarding an object, person, animal or place. Creates a mental image in the audience’s minds. Example: If I wanted to describe my cat I would use words/phrases such as black and white fur, long hair, soft, medium sized, 5-6 years old, plays fetch, knows name

Sub-types of Informative Speeches Each of the types of informative speeches can be ordered further down into sub-types. These are more specific to what the topic chosen is and are focused as such. Sub-Types of Informative Speeches Objects: a speech about anything you can see or touch Procedures: a speech about how something works Concepts/Ideas: a speech about an abstract topic (paradoxes, philosophical ideas) People: a biographical speech Events: a speech about an event you have witnessed or researched

7 Step Guide to Writing an Informative Speech Choose your topic Select a topic that does not require an opinion Narrow down your topic Do no try and cover every aspect of the topic. Pick a niche. Research your topic. Consider your audience. Pretend they know nothing Give as much information as needed.

7 Step Guide to Writing an Informative Speech Outline your speech List information you want to cover. Order it as you see fit. Write it Body first, introduction and conclusion last Include all key points Edit and read Read it to find flow, tone and grammar issues

Helpful Hints Give the audience a good reason to listen to you Observe the audience as you speak. If they do not look like they are understanding, try explaining it in a different way Cover the basics: who, what, when, where, why, and how Emphasize main ideas Repeat main ideas. People generally need to hear something three times before they remember. State your main idea in three different ways. Be excited about the topic.