Chapter 6 Audience Analysis

Our Perception attitudes: our general evaluations of people, ideas, objects, or events beliefs: the ways in which people perceive reality or determine the very existence or validity of something values: our most enduring judgments about what is good and bad in life, as shaped by our culture and our unique experiences within it identification: a feeling of commonality with another. Effective speakers attempt to foster a sense of identification between themselves and audience members.

Types of audience Captive audience: they must attend voluntary audience: audience members who are there to listen to a speaker because they want to hear the speaker

Demographics Characteristics typically considered in the analysis of audience members include age, gender, ethnic or cultural background, socioeconomic status (including income, occupation, and education), and religious and political affiliations.

Within the audience target audience: those individuals within the broader audience who are most likely to be influenced in the direction the speaker seeks generational identity: the collective cultural identity of a generation co-culture: community of people whose perceptions and beliefs differ significantly from those of other groups within the larger culture

Questionnaire for the audience open-ended question: survey or interview question designed to allow respondents to elaborate as much as they want closed-ended question: question designed to elicit a small range of specific answers supplied by the interviewer fixed-alternative question: closed-ended question that contains a limited choice of answers, such as “Yes,” “No,” or “Sometimes” scale question: closed-ended question that measures the respondent’s level of agreement or disagreement with specific issues

Selecting a Topic and Purpose Chapter 7 Selecting a Topic and Purpose

Exploring topics A. Identify personal interests, and select a topic you are enthusiastic about. B. Consider current events and controversial issues. C. Survey grassroots issues and engage the community. D. Steer clear of overused and trivial topics. E. Try brainstorming to generate ideas. F. Utilize Internet tools: http://stevenscollege.edu/campus- life/learning-resources-center/online-resources/

Identify the purpose 1. Informative speeches increase the audience’s awareness by imparting knowledge. 2. Persuasive speeches influence the attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors of audience members. 3. Special occasion speeches entertain, celebrate, commemorate, inspire, or set a social agenda.

Etching out your topic Narrow it down and consider the time Compose a thesis statement

1. What are your interests? 2. What are your hobbies, or what do you do in your spare time? 3. Where are you from, and what is unique about that location? 4. What places have you traveled to? Where would you like to go? 5. What do your parents do? 6. What types of food do you like? 7. What types of entertainment do you like?

Developing Support Material Chapter 8 Developing Support Material

Develop supporting material A. Supporting material should be accurate, relevant, and interesting. B. Should have diverse supporting material, such as examples, narratives, testimony, facts, and statistics.

Examples: illustrate, describe, or represent things 1. A brief example offers a single illustration of a point. 2. An extended example offers a multifaceted illustration of the idea, item, or event being described. 3. A hypothetical example illustrates something that could happen in the future if certain events were to occur

Share stories Stories can take the form of fairy tales, legends, religious narratives, or myths. As supporting material, stories may be brief and simple descriptions of short incidents or relatively drawn-out accounts that constitute most of the presentation. One popular type of brief story is the anecdote, a short story of an interesting, often humorous real-life incident.

Testimony Testimony is firsthand findings, eyewitness accounts, and people’s opinions. Expert testimony Lay testimony Credibility is important

Facts and statistics Facts are documented occurrences that include events, dates, times, people involved, and places; statistics quantitatively summarize, compare, and predict things. Most people need facts to validate their beliefs.

Averages Mean is the arithmetic average, arrived at by taking the sum of the scores and dividing it by the number of scores. Median is the center-most score in a distribution. Mode is the most frequently occurring score in the distribution

Preset statistics ethically Use only reliable statistics. Present statistics in context. Avoid confusing statistics with “absolute truth.” Avoid cherry-picking, or selectively presenting data that support your point

Intros and Conclusions

An intro is good when it: 1. Arouses the audience’s attention 2. Introduces your topic and purpose 3. Establishes the speaker’s credibility 4. Previews your main points 5. Motivates the audience to accept speech goals.

Stories Captures our attention quickly Personalizes your topic

Establish common ground We will trust you faster Focuses on a common goal and goodwill

Offer unusual info Startling statistics get our attention

Pose a provocative question Make sure it makes one think Rhetorical question: no answer needed

Use humor Be careful Should fit the occasion

Use a Quotation A good quotation culled from literature, poetry, film, or the statements of notable people not only is an attention getter, but also it helps the speaker gain credibility.

Preview the topic Let the audience know what the speech is about and what you hope to accomplish. Be careful in your warnings.

Establish credibility 1. Simply state your qualifications for speaking on the topic. 2. Emphasize experience, knowledge, or a unique perspective

Preview Main Points 1. Let the audience know what your main points are and the order in which you will address them. 2. Previewing the main points helps the audience mentally organize the speech

Motivate the audience Make the topic relevant and establish your credibility as a speaker.

Conclusions Signal the audience you are concluding: verbally and nonverbally Summarize key points Reiterate the topic and purpose Challenge the audience to respond: what they learned, a change in beliefs, or a call to action. Make the conclusion memorable: use intro technique or go full circle.