Introductions, Previews, Conclusions, Transitions, and Thesis Statements Mr. Sanders

Seriously? Who cares? Purpose: The effect of a speech depends heavily on how you greet the audience, how you leave the audience, and how your speech hangs together. Therefore you must put time and effort into introductions, conclusions, and transitions. Note: You can not get an A, B, or C on the 3 biggest grades in here or pass the Final Exam if you do not pay attention today! I expect you to know this information VERY well. We will use this information EVERY DAY!

Introductions Introduction has three purposes… – Gain Attention – Convince your audience that you are going to be good at this! – Present your topic and purpose – You should preview your main points by the end of your Intro – Connect with your audience – You must come across as interested in your topic and your listeners POV

8 Types of Introductions (1-4) Startling Statement – “Jesse is a normal three- year-old child except for one thing: she is the victim of child abuse.” Rhetorical Question – “What do Albert Einstein, Cher, and Tom Cruise have in common? They have all overcome dyslexia.” Humor – “What ten letter word starts with G-A-S? It’s automobile and this year we may run short again.” Quotation – Put a quotation at the beginning and end that relate to your theme.

Write your own AGD: Topics = Economy, Star Wars, Pets, or Music Startling statement Rhetorical question Humor Quotation

Introductions (5-8) Story – “Many years ago, a stranger arrived in our town. He wore ragged clothes and carried a walking stick. It turns out this homeless man was my father!” Personal Experience – “Who would want to spend hours in the blazing sun digging carefully in the dirt with a small spoon? I did.” Example – “Anne Graves, age four, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Her killer was shocked and heartbroken. He was her six-year-old brother, who had found a loaded gun.” Reference to occasion – “Thank you for having me here. I am very pleased to present this award to…”

AGD 5-8 practice Topic: Music Story – Personal Experience – Example – Reference to occasion -

Re-write this Introduction “I’m going to talk to you today about something I find interesting. I’ve been interested in this for a long time. Most of you should find it interesting, too. You may have seen dolphins at the zoo. My topic today will be on communication with dolphins.” – THIS IS NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE. FIX THIS. Write your own example. Share examples with people around you, then with the class.

Conclusions 3 purposes Summarize your main points Repeat your main goal Provide a clear ending – Don’t leave the listeners wondering whether the speech is over. Give a final decisive statement.

3 types of Conclusions – Summary/Review Statement – THIS MUST HAPPEN AS THE FIRST SENTENCE OF EVERY CONCLUSION. “So today we examined 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd …” Quotation – Just like my mom always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Appeal / Challenge – Asking or motivating the audience to do something – “Please remember that seat belts save lives and prevent serious injury. Buckle up!” Story – Connecting your AGD story to your end

Preview/Review Statement – PREVIEW Comes directly after your thesis statement. “So today we will examine 1 st …., 2 nd ….. And finally…. – REVIEW Comes directly after the last line in your final body paragraph. “So today we examined 1 st …,2 nd …and finally…” You NEED this information for EVERY speech!

PRACTICE IT!!! – Why are these poor examples? “So today we looked at Dolphins. Okay, I’m done.” “As we learned today, Dolphin communication is awesome communication. And that’s my speech.” – Write your own conclusion to your dolphin AGD (Attention Getting Device) from early, but make them better than these two.

Thesis Statements (C+B+R) A sentence or two that describes the main idea of your speech and main argument that you are trying to make. Claim + Because + Reason = Good Thesis Statement Claim = “Sexist language in textbooks is harmful.” Insert the word “BECAUSE” Reason = “it reinforces negative stereotypes about many groups and individuals.”

Thesis practice Write 3 different thesis statements from these 5 topics. Space Travel It is essential we keep funding NASA because if we don’t we could see the end of learning about our universe and the potential for life on other planets. Today’s fashion Adoption Missing children Teenage life Sports in school

Transitions (1/3) Meanwhile, First, Second, Also, Next, As a result, In addition to, These will help you in ALL your writing for History, Speech, and English classes!

Transitions (2/3) Moving to, For example, On the contrary, To sum up, Another point, On the other hand, These will help you in ALL your writing for History, Speech, and English classes!

Transitions (3/3) In contrast, In conclusion, In the second place, Furthermore, Finally, Therefore, These will help you in ALL your writing for History, Speech, and English classes!

Outline: This I believe speech Introduction (3 parts) – AGD: – Thesis / This I believe statement: (claim + because + reason) – Preview: Body (2-3 points) Conclusion (2 parts) – Review: – Memorable Last line: Underline 5 rhetorical devices and label them throughout. Print 2 outlines -1 for me -1 for you to use during your speech to put on note cards