1. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. CHAPTER FOUR Selecting a Topic and Purpose

2. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Steps in Writing a Speech The first step in speechmaking is choosing a topic. After choosing a topic, speakers need to determine the general purpose of the speech. Once the general purpose is clear, the next step is narrowing to the specific purpose.

3. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. The central idea further refines and sharpens the specific purpose statement

4. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Choosing a Topic 1. Topics for classroom speeches can come from subjects about which students already know a great deal. 2. Topics for classroom speeches can come from subjects about which a student is interested and wants to learn more. 3. Topics for classroom speeches can come from issues about which students hold strong opinions and beliefs.

5. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. 4. Use several brainstorming procedures to help select a topic. 5. Whatever method students use, they should settle on a topic as early as possible.

6. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Ways to Brainstorm 1. They can make an inventory of interests, skills, experiences, and the like. 2. They can cluster possible topics into categories such as people, places, events, processes, plans and policies, and so forth. 3. They can browse through encyclopedias, dictionaries, or other reference materials in search of a topic. 4. They can use a subject-based search engine such as Yahoo to help find a topic via the Internet.

7. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. General Purpose The broad goal of a speech. The three major kinds of general purposes are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.

8. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Specific Purpose A single infinitive phrase that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in his or her speech.

9. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Guidelines for the Specific Purpose Statement Write as a full infinitive phrase Express as a statement, not a question Avoid figurative language Limit to one distinct idea Avoid being too vague or general

10. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Write the Specific Purpose Statement as a Full Infinitive Phrase, Not as a Fragment Ineffective:Calendars More Effective:To inform my audience about the four major kinds of calendars used in the world today.

11. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Express the Specific Purpose as a Statement, Not as a Question Ineffective:Is the U.S. space program necessary? More Effective:To persuade my audience that the U.S. space program provides many important benefits to people here on earth.

12. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Avoid Figurative Language in the Specific Purpose Statement Ineffective:To persuade my audience that the university’s plan to reduce the number of campus parking spaces assigned to students is a real bummer. More Effective: To persuade my audience to petition against the university’s plan to reduce the number of campus parking spaces assigned to students.

13. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Limit the Specific Purpose Statement to One Distinct Idea Ineffective:To persuade my audience that the federal government should ban all cigarette advertising and that smoking should be prohibited in all campus buildings.

14. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. More Effective: To persuade my audience that the federal government should ban all cigarette advertising. More Effective: To persuade my audience that smoking should be prohibited in all campus buildings. OR,

15. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Make Sure the Specific Purpose Is Not Too Vague or General Ineffective:To inform my audience about the Civil War. More Effective:To inform my audience about the role of African-American soldiers in the Civil War.

16. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Questions to Ask about Your Specific Purpose Does my purpose meet the assignment? Can I accomplish my purpose in the time allotted? Is the purpose relevant to my audience? Is the purpose too trivial for my audience? Is the purpose too technical for my audience?

17. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Central Idea A one-sentence statement that sums up or encapsulates the major ideas of a speech.

18. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Guidelines for Central Idea Avoid being too vague or general Express as a complete sentence Do not write as a question Avoid figurative language

19. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Make Sure the Central Idea Is Not Too General Ineffective:Paying college athletes a salary is a good idea. More Effective:Because college athletes in revenue-producing sports such as football and basketball generate millions of dollars in revenue for their schools, the NCAA should allow such athletes to receive a $200 monthly salary as part of their scholarships.

20. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. State the Central Idea as a Complete Sentence Ineffective:Uses of the laser More Effective:The laser is a highly versatile device with important uses in many areas, including medicine, industry, telecommunications, and art.

21. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Phrase the Central Idea as a Statement, Not as a Question Ineffective:How does indoor soccer differ from outdoor soccer? More Effective:Played on a smaller, enclosed field that resembles a hockey rink with artificial turf, indoor soccer involves faster action, more scoring, and different strategies than outdoor soccer.

22. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Avoid Figurative Language in the Central Idea Ineffective:Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is an awesome place for a vacation. More Effective:Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula has many attractions for vacationers, including a warm climate, excellent food, and extensive Mayan ruins.

23. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. General Purpose:To inform Specific Purpose:To inform my audience of the three major races in alpine skiing. Central Idea:The three major races in alpine skiing are the downhill, the slalom, and the giant slalom.

24. McGraw-Hill©Stephen E. Lucas 2001 All rights reserved. Main Points:I.The first major race in alpine skiing is the downhill. II.The second major race in alpine skiing is the slalom. III.The third major race in alpine skiing is the giant slalom.