Chapter 5 Preparing and Researching the Speech

The General Purpose To inform To inform To persuade To persuade To entertain To entertain

The Specific Purpose Identifying precisely what it is your want your audience to know, believe, feel, or do. Identifying precisely what it is your want your audience to know, believe, feel, or do. –To inform the audience about how to set up a dwarf shrimp aquarium. –To persuade the audience to begin saving for retirement as soon as they graduate college. –To entertain the audience with 3 stories about student pranks at Trevecca.

Central Idea (or Thesis) What you say in early in the speech that tells the audience what your speech is about What you say in early in the speech that tells the audience what your speech is about Should be a direct, complete sentence. Should be a direct, complete sentence.

Supporting Material (“Grounds” or “Support”) Evidence that backs up your claims (main points & subpoints)

Types of Support Illustration or Example: A specific instance (may be real or hypothetical) Illustration or Example: A specific instance (may be real or hypothetical) Analogy: comparison, pointing out similarities between the known & unknown. Analogy: comparison, pointing out similarities between the known & unknown. Numerical Data: Percentages, ratios, averages, “statistics” Numerical Data: Percentages, ratios, averages, “statistics” Expert & Nonexpert Opinions: Quotations from someone with special knowledge of the subject; use “nonexpert” opinion judiciously Expert & Nonexpert Opinions: Quotations from someone with special knowledge of the subject; use “nonexpert” opinion judiciously Restatement: saying something in different & reinforcing ways (in text, but not usually included in lists like this) Restatement: saying something in different & reinforcing ways (in text, but not usually included in lists like this)

Other Types of Support (not in the text) Explanations: Tell “why;” implicit or explicit “because” Explanations: Tell “why;” implicit or explicit “because” Descriptions: Word pictures Descriptions: Word pictures Narratives: Extended examples or stories (real or hypothetical) Narratives: Extended examples or stories (real or hypothetical) Facts: statements that can be documented as true/accurate. Facts: statements that can be documented as true/accurate.

“Supporting Materials” v. “Sources” Supporting materials are the examples, quotations, statistics, explanations, etc. that make up your speech. Supporting materials are the examples, quotations, statistics, explanations, etc. that make up your speech. Sources are where you find those examples, quotations, statistics, explanations.... Sources are where you find those examples, quotations, statistics, explanations....

For Your Speech... You must have at least four different sources (information from four different places). You must have at least four different sources (information from four different places). You should have a variety of sources. You should have a variety of sources. You must identify each source you use, as you present the information. You must identify each source you use, as you present the information. Associate specific information with specific sources. Associate specific information with specific sources.

Citing Sources For each source, you should identify: For each source, you should identify: –the name of the source (magazine, book, interviewee, website, etc.) –the name of the author (if identified). –a date of “publication.”

Citing Dates of Sources –Depending on publication, date may be “year”, “month/year,” “month/day/year.” –For website, give “last updated” date or your access date. –For interview, give date of interview.