Chapter Eight Developing Supporting Material
Chapter Eight Table of Contents zExamples zNarratives zTestimony zFacts and Statistics*
Developing Supporting Material zOften, the most important element of a good speech is not the topic itself but how the topic is developed and supported. zSupporting materials perform three functions: yIllustrate/clarify points yElaborate on an idea yProve something is correct*
Examples zExamples illustrate, describe, or represent things, making them more concrete and meaningful.*
Examples zBrief Examples zExtended Examples zHypothetical Examples*
Examples: Brief Examples zBrief examples offer a single illustration of a point.*
Examples: Extended Examples zExtended examples offer multifaceted illustrations of the idea, item, or event being described.*
Examples: Hypothetical Examples zHypothetical examples refer to something that could happen in the future if certain things occurred. yAsks “What if…?”*
Narratives zNarratives are stories, both real and imaginative. zForms: yFairy tales yLegends yReligious narratives yMyths*
Narratives zEssential storytelling elements: yPlot yCharacters ySetting yTimeline zAnecdote yShort story of an interesting, humorous, or real-life incident.*
Testimony zTestimony is firsthand findings, eyewitness accounts, and opinions that directly support a fact or an assertion. yExpert testimony xTestimony by professionals who have been trained to evaluate or report on a given topic yLay testimony xTestimony by non-experts who can provide eye- witness accounts relating personal experiences*
Testimony zCredibility is key. zThe speaker must establish credibility. yEstablish the reputation of the source. yCite the source’s name, title, and relevance to the topic.*
Facts and Statistics zFacts yDocumented occurrences that include events, dates, times, people, and places zStatistics ySummarized data that demonstrate size, trends, or relationships xDescriptive statistics represent only the people or places they reference. xInferential statistics are data collected from a sample or representative group and generalized to a larger population.*
Facts and Statistics zWhile statistics are an excellent type of supporting material, remember that they are merely reports of data rather than statements of truth.*