1. Human Communication: The Basic Course Twelfth Edition
PowerPoint™ Presentations prepared by:
Naomi Young
University of California, San Diego
Joseph A. DeVito
Hunter College of the City University of New York

2. Chapter Seventeen: The Informative Speech
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3. Chapter Goals Learn About: The goals and principles for communicating
information
The types of informative speeches
Learn To:
Use the principles for communicating information more effectively and efficiently
Prepare for a variety of informative speeches: description, definition, and demonstration
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4. Principles of Informative Speaking
Focus on your audience
Stress relevance and usefulness
Limit the amount of information
Adjust the level of complexity
Relate new information to old
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5. Vary Levels of Abstraction
High abstraction (very general)
Fruit; apples
Low abstraction (very specific)
Red apples; Macintosh apples
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6. Make Your Speech Easy to Remember
Repeat the points you want the audience to remember
Use signposts
Use internal summary transitions
Pattern your messages
Focus audience attention
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7. Main Types of Informative Speeches
Speeches of Description- speeches to describe an object, person, event, or process
Speeches of Definition- speeches to define a term, a system or theory, or similar and dissimilar terms
Speeches of Demonstration- speeches to show how to do something or how something works
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8. Speeches of Description
Explaining an object, person, event or process
Structure of DNA
Contributions of Thomas Edison
The parts of a cell phone
Hierarchy of a corporation
The geography of Africa
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9. Speeches of Description
Thesis: states what will be described in the speech
Main points: the major subdivisions of the thesis
Support: a variety of materials that amplify and support main ideas
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10. Organization Helps guide the speech preparation process,
Organizing will help your audience understand your speech
Organizing will help your audience remember your speech
Organizing will help establish your credibility
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11. Speeches of Definition
A definition is a statement of the meaning of a term
What a smart card?
What is perjury?
What is bi-polar disorder?
What is restless leg syndrome?
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12. Speech of Definition
Statement of the meaning or significance of a concept or term
Define similar and dissimilar terms
Football and Soccer: What’s the Difference?
What do Christians and Muslims have in common?
Twitter and Facebook: How do they differ?
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13. Speech of Demonstration
Show the audience how to do something
How to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
How to drive defensively
How to burglar proof your house
How to use Excel to organize your finances
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14. Speech of Demonstration
Show the audience how something operates
How the body maintains homeostasis
How an MRI works
How LinkedIn connects people
How a hurricane develops
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15. Special Occasion Speech
The Speech of Introduction
Establish the significance of the speech
Establish relevant connections among the speaker, the topic, and the audience
Stress the speakers credibility
Be brief
Don’t cover the substance of the topic the speaker will discuss
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16. Special Occasion Speech
The Eulogy
Relate the person whose life you’re celebrating to yourself and to the audience
Be specific: show that you really knew the
person or know a great deal about the person
Make the audience see this person as deserving of the praise your are bestowing
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17. Special Occasion Speech
The Speech of Presentation or Acceptance
State the reason for the presentation
State the importance of the award
Be brief
Thank the people responsible for giving you the award
Put the award into personal perspective
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18. Special Occasion Speech
The Toast
Be brief
Focus attention on the person or persons you are toasting
Avoid inside jokes
When raising your glass in the toast, make the audience realize that they should drink, and that speech is at end
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19. The Informative Speech
Points to consider in speech observation:
Did the speaker gain attention at the start?
How effective was the introduction?
How does the speaker phrase the major points of the speech?
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20. The Informative Speech
Points to consider in speech observation: cont’d
What examples did the speaker use?
Were the visual aids effective?
How successful was the speaker in involving you in the speech?
What will you remember from this speech?
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21. Knowledge to Action
How might these patterns change the way audience members understand a topic?
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