2. Chapter 3 Selecting Your Topic and Purpose
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Erin E. Baird
University of Oklahoma
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3. Overview HOW DO YOU SELECT A TOPIC? HOW DO YOU NARROW YOUR TOPIC?
HOW DO YOU CREATE A CENTRAL IDEA?
The key to any speech is a first-rate topic. This chapter will focus on how you select a topic, narrow it, create a central idea, and construct a working outline.
HOW DO YOU CONSTRUCT A WORKING OUTLINE?

4. How Do You Select a Topic?
1. Identify the general purpose
2. Create an idea bank
3. Select your topic
There are three basic steps: Identifying the general purpose, creating an idea bank, and selecting your topic.
Photo Credit: © Sandra van der Steen/Age Fotostock

5. Identify the General Purpose of Your Speech1
Identify the General Purpose of Your Speech
To inform
To persuade
To accentuate a special occasion
The general purpose is the unrestricted aim of your speech which falls into one of these categories:
<<CLICK>> To inform: to provide information to the audience.
<<CLICK>> To persuade: to reinforce, change, or influence the attitudes, values, beliefs, or actions of your audience.
<<CLICK>> To accentuate a special occasion: to entertain, to celebrate, or to commemorate.
3-5
DK Guide to Public Speaking, Second Edition
Lisa A. Ford-Brown
Copyright © 2014, 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

6. 2 Create An Idea Bank Search for topic ideas Brainstorm Cluster
Explore your general purpose
An idea bank is a list of general words and phrases that could be potential speech topics for you
<<CLICK>> Search for topic ideas in print publications, reference works, web sites, or other media and materials.
<<CLICK>> Brainstorming is when you "free associate" or jump from one word or concept to another. Consider interests, experiences, abilities, talents, values, attitudes or beliefs.
<<CLICK>> Clustering is when you take an idea from your bank and build on it with new links
<<CLICK>> Explore your general purpose to find topic categories.
3-6
DK Guide to Public Speaking, Second Edition
Lisa A. Ford-Brown
Copyright © 2014, 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

7. 3 Select Your Topic Ask focus questions Do preliminary research 3-7
Before you commit to a topic:
<<CLICK>> Ask focus questions about your general purpose, your audience, and the situation, to identify topics that will work well.
<<CLICK>> Do some preliminary research to see if you can locate current, quality material on the topic.
3-7
DK Guide to Public Speaking, Second Edition
Lisa A. Ford-Brown
Copyright © 2014, 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

8. How Do You Narrow Your Topic?
Photo Credit: © Blend Images/Age Fotolia

9. NARROWING YOUR TOPIC IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE
IDENTIFY THE CENTRAL IDEA
EVALAUTE THE CENTRAL IDEA
You can narrow your topic in different ways, the main result of any method you use should be a focused, effectively written central idea (thesis statement).
Identify the specific purpose of your speech.
<<CLICK>> Identify the central idea of the speech. <<CLICK>> Evaluate the central idea.
<<CLICK>> Construct a working outline to guide your research.
CONSTRUCT A WORKING OUTLINE

10. How Do You Create a Central Idea?

11. Identify the Specific Purpose
The specific purpose of your speech is a single statement that combines your 1) general purpose, 2) your audience, and 3) your objective.
The objective is the outcome or behavior you want your audience to adopt by the end of your speech.

12. Identify the Central Idea
The central idea (also called the thesis statement) is a concise, single sentence summarizing what you will say in your speech

13. Evaluate Your Central Idea
Is it mechanically sound?
Complete sentence
Statement
Clear, simple, and direct language
Covers only one topic
Is it appropriate for the event and audience?
Evaluate your central idea using two questions:
<<CLICK>> Ask yourself if it is mechanically sound.
<<CLICK>> Ask yourself if it is appropriate for the event and audience.

14. How Do You Construct a Working Outline?
2-5 important ideas
Working main points
Categories in central idea
Sum up categories in a statement
A working outline is a brief (usually handwritten) sketch of the body of your speech
<<CLICK>> Main points are the backbone that makes up the body of your speech - usually two to five of the most important ideas about your topic.
<<CLICK>> Working main points are early drafts of your main points
<<CLICK>> Turn to your central idea for categories
<<CLICK>> Sum up each of your categories with a statement or question
Photo Credit: © Anderson Ross/Age Fotolia

15. Click on the screenshot to view a video on tips from an expert.
Tip From an Expert
VIDEO CREDIT: Martin Cox on Choosing Your Speech Topic
Click on the screenshot to view a video on tips from an expert.

16. What three elements compose the specific purpose?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
General purpose
Audience
Objective
<<CLICK>> for answer:
General Purpose
Audience
Objective

17. A speech to persuade might have a general purpose to do what?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
A. Explain how to do something
B. Reinforce values
C. Celebrate a wedding
<<CLICK>> for answer: B. Reinforce Values

18. What is the central idea?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
A. A statement about what you hope to accomplish in the speech
B. A statement about your interests
C. A statement that sums up what your speech is about
<<CLICK>> for answer: C. A statement that sums up what your speech is about.

19. How do you select a topic?
REVIEW QUESTION
Identify the general purpose
Create an idea bank
Ask focus questions and research
<<CLICK>> for answers:
Identify the general purpose (to inform, to persuade, to accentuate)
Create an idea bank
Ask focus questions and research to come up with the best possible topic. pp

20. How do you narrow your topic?
REVIEW QUESTION
Identify the specific purpose
Identify the central idea
Evaluate your central idea
Construct a working outline
<<CLICK>> for answer: These steps can help you have a well-defined topic that will set you up for an effective speech. pp

21. How do you create a central idea?
REVIEW QUESTION
Identify the specific purpose
Identify the central idea
Evaluate your central idea
<<CLICK>> for answer:
Identify the specific purpose: combining the general purpose, the audience and your objective.
Identify the central idea which is the thesis and acts as a preview for the speech.
Evaluate your central idea: is it a statement, one sentence? Clear direct language?
pp.56-61

22. How do you construct a working outline?
REVIEW QUESTION
Use your central idea to identify categories
Sum up your categories into a statement
<<CLICK>> for answer:
To help you stay on track with your purpose and sketch out your ideas, construct a working outline.
Use your central idea to identify categories, and sum your categories into a statement. pp