Informative Speeches Barry 2010

I will require a bibliography to be turned in, along with your speech outline. As you research, take notes. Distinguish between paraphrases, quotes, etc. Save the link and bibliographical information as you go, rather than having to dig it all up at the end. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Keep in mind that a Google search will bring up a mixed bag of results—some reputable, and some not. Government agencies, educational institutions, and other reputable sources like newspapers have a wealth of information online. No Wikipedia or similar sources! (Note: Wikipedia can be a jumping off point to find reputable sources.) From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Clearly identified author (expert, or has opinions that can be accepted as objective and unbiased) Sponsoring organization (look for government agencies, educational institutions, or nonprofit groups) Copyright date, publication date, or date of last revision (recent enough to be used) From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

As you research, take notes. Save the link and bibliographical information as you go, rather than having to dig it all up at the end. I will require an MLA bibliography to be turned in along with your speech outline. Refer to handout for format. Other great MLA resource: 47/01/ (First to come up if you Google MLA) 47/01/ From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Strong speeches have solid supporting materials to back up ideas. Avoid generalizations. Answer the questions: “What do you mean?” “Why should I believe you?” “So what?” From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States. The incidence of childhood obesity is now so high as to endanger the health of a whole generation of Americans. At least 15 percent of American children are obese—more than twice the percentage only 25 years ago. The Department of Health and Social Services estimates that in the coming decades, obesity will decrease life expectancy in the U.S. by two to five years. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

supporting materials: the materials used to support a speaker’s ideas The three major kinds of supporting materials are examples, statistics, and testimony. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

example: a specific case used to illustrate or to represent a group of people, ideas, conditions, experiences, or the like. “Research has shown that vivid, concrete examples have strong impact on listeners’ beliefs and actions.” From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

From a piece in Smithsonian magazine: “The attack came after daybreak. The Delta Ranger, a cargo ship carrying bauxite, was steaming through the ink-blue Indian Ocean about 200 miles off Somalia’s coast. A crewman on the bridge spied two speedboats zooming straight at the port side of his vessel. Moments later, bullets tore into the bridge, and vapor trails from rocket-propelled grenades streaked across the bow—pirates.” From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

brief example: a specific case referred to in passing to illustrate a point “Changes in technology have made it possible for doctors to work wonders that once seemed impossible. Roger Charter, for example, lost both his feet when they were crushed in a truck accident. Now he has new feet—made of springy plastic alloy that duplicates a normal arch. Not only can Roger walk normally, but he can run and play sports again!” From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

You can also pile on brief examples: “Many of us are familiar with prominent Mexican- Americans such as actress Eva Longoria, boxer Oscar De La Hoya, and guitarist Carlos Santana. But you may be less familiar with other Americans of Mexican origin who have made important contributions to U.S. society. Nancy Lopez played a crucial role in popularizing women’s professional golf and won 48 tour championships. Dr. Ellen Ochoa is an astronaut who has logged more than 480 hours in space and has invented several optical methods that aid space exploration. Dr. Mario Molina won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on the formation and decomposition of the ozone layer.” From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

extended examples: a story, narrative, or anecdote developed at some length to illustrate a point Use longer, vividly worded examples when they are especially significant to your speech. See example pdf. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

hypothetical examples: an example that describes an imaginary or fictitious situation Use longer, vividly worded examples when they are especially significant to your speech. See example pdf. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Use examples to Clarify your ideas Reinforce your ideas Personalize your ideas From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Statistics can be manipulated and distorted. A. Enriched white bread is more nutritious than whole-wheat bread because it contains as much or more protein, calcium, niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin. Whole-wheat bread is more nutritious than white bread because it contains seven times the amount of fiber, plus more iron, phosphorus, and potassium. Both statements are actually true! From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Statistics involving money become even more tricky. A. In 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt earned a salary of $75,000. B. In 1972 President Richard Nixon earned a salary of $200,000. C. In 2002 President George W. Bush earned a salary of $400,000. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

The same statistics, taking into account inflation and calculating earnings in 1972 dollars. A. In 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt earned a salary of $192,000. B. In 1972 President Richard Nixon earned a salary of $200,000. C. In 2002 President George W. Bush earned a salary of $92,800. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Are the statistics representative? Sufficiently large sample size Representative of proportion among age, gender, etc. For example: If you poll ten students and 6 agree with your aim, can you say that 60% of Charter students are in favor of your point of view? From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Are statistical measures used correctly? Group AGroup B 7,5005,400 6,3005,4005,000 4,4002,300 4,4001,700 Mean5,5203,960 Median 5,0005,000 Mode4,4005,400 From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Are the statistics from a reliable source? Trust statistics from a source that does not have a vested interest in what the figures look like Example: Trust the environmental dangers of toxic waste in a landfill more from the EPA than from the owners of the landfill. Be aware of bias as your research, and present your figures ethically. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Use statistics to quantify your ideas. Use statistics sparingly. Identify the sources of your statistics. Explain your statistics. Round off complicated statistics Use visual aids to clarify statistical trends. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

testimony: quotations or paraphrases used to support a point expert testimony: testimony rom people who are recognized experts in their field peer testimony: testimony from ordinary people with firsthand experience or insight on a topic From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Use a paraphrase 1. When the wording of a quotation is obscure or cumbersome 2. When a quotation is longer than two or three sentences From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Use a direct quotation 1. When a quotation is brief 2. When a quotation is conveys your meaning better than you can 3. When a quotation is particularly eloquent, witty, or compelling From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

1. Do not misquote. 2. Do not violate the meaning of statements you paraphrase. 3. Do not quote out of context. 4. Use testimony from qualified sources. 5. Use testimony from unbiased sources. 6. Identify the people you quote or paraphrase. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Example: Movie review: This movie is a colossal bore. From beginning to end it was a disaster. What is mean to be brilliant dialogue is about as fascinating as the stuff you clean out of your kitchen drain. Newspaper: COLOSSAL! FROM BEGINNING TO END—BRILLIANT! FASCINATING! From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Example from political candidate: “Creating a national sales tax would provide needed revenue for programs such as education, health care, and national defense. Several European countries have such a tax, and it could work in the U.S. However, I do not support such a tax here—in fact, I don’t support new taxes of any kind.” “Americans already pay too much in taxes. Yet my opponent in this election has stated—and I quote: “Creating a national sales tax would provide needed revenue for programs such as education, health care, and national defense. Several European countries have such a tax, and it could work in the U.S.” Well, my opponent may think new taxes are good for Europe, but they’re the last thing we need in this country. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

There is no standard format for your oral citations. In most cases, identify some combination of the following: Book, magazine, or web document Author or sponsoring organization Author’s qualifications Date on which the document was published, posted, or updated From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Example: While more students are going to college than ever before, they are paying a high price. Kimberly Palmer, financial columnist for U.S. News and World Report, reported in the magazine’s January 28, 2008 issue that graduating students now owe an average of $15,500 in student-loan debt, up from $8,800 just ten years ago. From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas

Bad examples: “As I found online...” Taking the time to explain the qualifications of Abraham Lincoln if you quote from the Gettysburg address From The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E. Lucas