Speech Introductions

Purpose of the Introduction To capture the audience’s attention (Attention Device) To develop interest in the subject (Justification) To create a bond of goodwill/trust between you and the audience (Credibility) To lead into the content of the speech (Central Idea)

Attention Devices Startling Statement—a statement/fact that catches the audience by surprise. This does not mean shocking the audience. “One of every four American teenagers is an alcoholic or problem drinker. Alcohol is the number one cause of death for those between the ages of 15 and 24.”

Rhetorical Question “If you throw a cat out a car window does it become kitty litter?”

Stories Anecdotes—short humorous stories Narratives—personal experiences Illustrations—detailed examples of the point being made “Once when I was mowing the lawn, I heard a rabbit scream for the first time. There was a large patch of grass…”

Illustration of bullying behavior: A biographer of Salvador Dali recounts that, during his schooldays: Bullied and bewildered, Dali escaped. As he would so often during his life, he began to invent what he would later call his false memories. … One of his prominent fears was that of grasshoppers, which never left him. His classmates tortured him with the insects, and he threw fits of such violent hysteria that the teachers forbade grasshoppers ever to be mentioned. Drawings of them were also banned, as they disturbed him equally.

Personal Reference—refer to the common experiences of the audience or to the occasion. “Say, were you panting when you had to go from your art class to a class in the 600 hallway? You may have vowed never to take art again. But did you stop to think that the problem might not be your class schedule? Maybe, the problem is you are out of shape!”

Quotation—from poems, novels, famous speeches, movies, etc.

Suspense—building up to the announcement of your topic “Almost 4 million people die each year because of this. Eighty percent of all illness in developing countries is due to this. Half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied with people ill from this. One child dies every 15 seconds from this. No, it is not smoking or drug use, and it is not sexually transmitted diseases. Give up.? It’s …..”

Novelty—saying or doing something out of the ordinary Pouring live roaches on the table Acting out a mugging Breaking a skateboard in two pieces Ku Klux Klan outfit

Oprah’s wagon ‘o fat

Audiovisual material “Think about these pictures for a moment.”

Humor—make sure it is relevant and appropriate Another example of bullying!

Hypothetical Situations “If the person you were engaged to marry had an accident and became a paraplegic, would you go through with the marriage or back out of it?” “Imagine you are stranded on an island and …..”

Vital Info—linking ideas to what directly and immediately affects the audiences’ life, health, reputation, property, or employment. Teens need about 9 1/4 hours of sleep each night to function best (for some, 8 1/2 hours is enough). Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

Not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can: Limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. You may even forget important information like names, numbers, your homework or a date with a special person in your life; Make you more prone to pimples. Lack of sleep can contribute to acne and other skin problems; Lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior such as yelling at your friends or being impatient with your teachers or family members; Cause you to eat too much or eat unhealthy foods like sweets and fried foods that lead to weight gain; Heighten the effects of alcohol and possibly increase use of caffeine and nicotine; and Contribute to illness, not using equipment safely or driving drowsy.