1. A SPEAKER’S GUIDEBOOK 4TH EDITION CHAPTER 9
Research Methods

2. Supporting Your Speech with Research
Aristotle, and other classical rhetoricians, termed the process of selecting information to illustrate or prove your points invention.
Public speakers must be selective in choosing the right mix of supporting materials for their topics.
Primary research is original or firsthand research conducted by you.
Secondary research includes library and internet resources – information which is recorded by others.

3. Types of Secondary Research Sources
Books
Newspapers
Periodicals (Magazines)
Academic Journals
Government Publications
Reference Works
TIP: Most research sources stored in a physical library can be located through on-line databases.

4. On-line Databases
A database is a searchable place in which information is stored and from which it can be retrieved.
If you don’t have time to order or pick up items from the library, you should use a full-text database from where many of the articles contained within can be printed.
Always consult your campus reference librarian when you need assistance locating research items.

5. Using Books
Not only are books available at your local library, you can also find some books online at sources like for a fee.
Be prepared to read the book before you quote it in your speech; summaries or book reviews are not sufficient sources to include as supporting material in a speech.

6. Using Newspapers
Newspapers are excellent sources for current events and narratives.
Search online for newspaper articles through Lexis- Nexis Academic Universe News Service, InfoTrac Newspaper Collection, and ProQuest which should all be available through your campus virtual library.
Many newspapers publish online versions of their current print copy. Use Google search to find your local newspaper.

7. Using Periodicals
A periodical is a regularly published magazine or journal which is considered credible by most people.
These are good sources for finding examples, stories, and statistics on many topics.
Your campus virtual library most likely organizes periodicals by general topic: i.e. business, health, education, etc…

8. Using Academic Journals
Articles in academic journals, also called refereed journals, are written by experts in the field, contain many citations by experts, and are evaluated by other experts before they are published.
ProQuest Research Library is an excellent database in which to find academic journals. Begin your search with your campus virtual library.

9. Question
You only have a week until the delivery of your speech about a former U.S. president, and you need to find some information about him. What would be your best source?
A. A 2000 page autobiography
B. An article from the New York Times
C. An article from People Magazine D.
E. Interview him directly

10. Finding Government Publications
Using secondary sources about government publications can often contain errors or statements taken out of context. It is best to use the original documents whenever possible.
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) provides copies of documents written by all government agencies; these can often be found translated into other languages.
Go to or for links to U.S. and other national websites.

11. Types of Reference Works
Encyclopedia
Almanacs & Fact Books
Biography Index
Books of Quotations
Poetry Collections
Atlases & Map Guides
TIP: You will have to go to your local library to locate most reference works. Some reference works are available on-line, but you must pay careful attention to the quality and credibility of on-line reference works.

12. Discussion
Many professors and students are undecided about the credibility of online encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia.
Should you cite information directly from such sources in your speech? Why or why not?

13. Conducting Interviews
An interview is a face-to- face communication with an expert for the purpose of gaining information.
To conduct an interview, one must plan ahead, prepare questions, and structure the interview session with an introduction, body (seeking questions), and a conclusion.

14. Conducting Surveys
Surveys are useful to investigate audience attitudes. Although it may be fun, surveying your class may not be statistically sound.
Academic journal articles are great sources to find credible and statistically sound surveys.
ACTIVITY: Write three questions related to your topic to ask your classmates.

15. Being an Organized Researcher
Document source information as you research using index cards, print-outs of the library information page, or create a working bibliography.
An annotated bibliography in the format required by your instructor is an excellent way to record all of the information needed for each source and will help you remember which source contained which information when you get to the writing phase.

16. Source Citation Details to Record
Names of authors/editors
Title of publication
Volume, edition, or issue number
Name of publisher
Place of publication – city and state, or internet address
Date and year of publication
Page numbers of articles and pages on which the material appears

17. Source Information to Record
Direct quotations, paraphrases, specific ideas, or theories put forth by others in the source.
The source of facts and statistics to be used.
Bibliographic information for examples and stories.
The source of testimony, as well as the date and context related to the testimony that was given.
Any information you may choose to use in your visual aids, such as charts, data, photos, or models.

18. Chapter 9 Key Terms for Review
primary research
secondary research
database
full-text database
reference librarian
Library of Congress call number
Dewey decimal number
periodical
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
encyclopedia
general encyclopedia
specialized encyclopedia
almanac
fact book
atlas
interview
working bibliography
fabrication