Speaking to Inform: Types and Guidelines - The Art of Public Speaking PDF

Okay, here is the conversion of the document into a structured markdown format, as requested. ### 15 Speaking to Inform Types of Informative Speeches: Analysis and Organization Guidelines for Informative Speaking Sample Speech with Commentary Courtney Roddick is the chief marketer at a fast-growi...

Okay, here is the conversion of the document into a structured markdown format, as requested. ### 15 Speaking to Inform Types of Informative Speeches: Analysis and Organization Guidelines for Informative Speaking Sample Speech with Commentary Courtney Roddick is the chief marketer at a fast-growing company that sells eco-friendly camping equipment. On a bright Thursday morning in March, Courtney begins her workday by talking to a colleague from tech support about problems on her mobile device and what goes wrong when she tries to view files on the company's internal messaging system. Later that morning, Courtney has a long meeting with her marketing team. They discuss the company's new line of camping chairs, going over everything from the recycled fabric materials to potential advertising ideas. As the other team members talk, Courtney takes careful notes and asks questions to make sure she doesn't miss anything In the afternoon, Courtney rushes to a meeting with the company president, so she can report on what the marketing team discussed earlier in the day. She reviews the low environmental impact of the new camping chairs, discusses the distribution chain, and explains different advertising ideas. Afterward, the president compliments Courtney for giving such a clear presentation. "Anyone who can communicate that well," the president says, "is going to go a long way in this company." Courtney doesn't consider herself a "public speaker," but much of her job involves absorbing and communicating information clearly and effectively. Although Courtney is only one person, her experience is not unusual. In one survey graduates from five US colleges were asked to rank the speech skills most important to their jobs. They rated informative speaking number one. In another survey, 62 percent of the respondents said they used informative speaking "almost constantly."¹ Public speaking to inform occurs in a wide range of everyday situations. The business manager explains next year's budget. The architect reviews plans for a new building. The union leader informs members about a new contract. The church worker outlines plans for a fund drive. Competence in this form of communication will prove valuable to you throughout your life. **Informative Speech:** A speech designed to convey knowledge and understanding. **Object:** Anything that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. *** **One of your first classroom assignments probably will be to deliver an informative speech in which you will act as a lecturer or teacher.** You may describe an object, show how something works, report on an event, explain a concept. Your aim will be to convey knowledge and understanding - not to advocate a cause. Your speech will be judged in light of three general criteria: - Is the information communicated accurately? - Is the information communicated clearly? - Is the information made meaningful and interesting to the audience? In this chapter, we will look at four types of informative speeches and the basic principles of informative speaking. Along the way, we will apply various general principles discussed in previous chapters. ### Types of Informative Speeches: Analysis and Organization There are many ways to classify informative speeches. Here we focus on the kinds you are most likely to give in your speech class: 1. Speeches about objects 2. Speeches about processes 3. Speeches about events 4. Speeches about concepts #### SPEECHES ABOUT OBJECTS As the word is used here, "objects" include anything that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. Objects may have moving parts or be alive: they may include places, structures, animals, even people. Here are examples of subjects for speeches about objects * 3D printers * Great Barrier Reef * Dreamcatchers * Joan of arc * Musical Instruments * Stock Market You will not have time to tell your classmates everything about any of these subjects. Instead, you will choose a specific purpose that focuses on one aspect of your subject. Working from the topics provided, the following are examples of good specific purpose statements for informative speeches about objects: * To inform my audience about the medical uses of 3D printers. * To inform my audience about the role of dreamcatchers in Native American Cultures * To inform my audience about the major ecological features of the Great Barrier Reef. Notice how precise these statements are. As we saw in Chapter 5, you should select a specific purpose that is not too broad to achieve in the allotted time. "To inform my audience about Pablo Picasso" is far too general for a classroom speech. "To inform my audience about the major contributions of Pablo Picasso to modern art" is more precise and is a purpose you could reasonably hope to achieve in a brief talk. If your specific purpose is to explain the history or evolution of your subject, you will put your speech in chronological order. For example: * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the major achievements of Frederick Douglass. * **Central Idea:** Although born in slavery, Frederick Douglass became one of the greatest figures in American history. * **Main Points:** * I. Douglass spent the first 20 years of his life as a slave in Maryland. * II. After escaping to the North, Douglass became a leader in the abolitionist movement to end slavery. * III. During the Civil War, Douglass helped establish black regiments in the Union Army. * IV. After the war, Douglass was a tireless champion of equal rights for his race. If your specific purpose is to describe the main features of your subject, you may organize your speech in spatial order: * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the geographical regions of the Mississippi River. * **Central Idea:** The Mississippi River is divided into three sections, each with its own unique features. * **Main Points:** * I. The Upper Mississippi is known for its scenic parks and system of dams and locks. * II. The Middle Mississippi is known for its wildlife refuges and fishing opportunities. * III. The Lower Mississippi is known for its heavy river traffic and connection to the Gulf of Mexico. As often as not, you will find that speeches about objects fall into topical order. For example: * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the three major features of the Taj Mahal. * **Central Idea:** The three major features of the Taj Mahal are the mausoleum, the garden, and the reflecting pool. * **Main Points:** * I. The Taj Mahal's mausoleum is famous for its brilliant white marble and massive dome. * II. The Taj Mahal's garden is famous for its symmetry and carefully sculpted greenery. * III. The Taj Mahal's reflecting pool is famous for its mirrorlike surface and expansive layout. No matter which of these organizational methods you use-chronological, spatial, or topical - be sure to follow the guidelines discussed in Chapter 9: (1) Limit your speech to between two and five main points; (2) keep main points separate; (3) try to use the same pattern of wording for all main points; (4) balance the amount of time devoted to each main point **Process:** A systematic series of actions that leads to a specific result or product. #### SPEECHES ABOUT PROCESSES A process is a systematic series of actions that leads to a specific result or product. Speeches about processes explain how something is made, how something is done, or how something works. Here are examples of good specific purpose statements for speeches about processes: * To inform audience how to write an effective job résumé. * To inform my audience how tsunamis develop. * To to inform my audience how to read Braille. As these examples suggest, there are two kinds of informative speeches about processes. One kind explains a process so that listeners will understand it better. Your goal is to have your audience know the steps of the process and how they relate to one another. If your specific purpose is "To inform my audience how a nuclear power plant works," you will explain the basic procedures of a nuclear power plant. You will not instruct your listeners on how they can operate a nuclear power plant. A second kind of speech explains a process so listeners will be better able to perform the process themselves. Your goal in this kind of speech is to have the audience learn a skill. Suppose your specific purpose is "To inform my audience how to take pictures like a professional photographer." You will present photographic techniques and show your listeners how they can utilize them. You want the audience to be able to use the techniques as a result of your speech. Both kinds of speeches about processes may require visual aids At the very least you should prepare a chart outlining steps or techniques of your process In some cases you will need to demonstrate the steps or techniques by performing them is front of your audience One student did sleight-of-hand magic tricks to show the techniques behind them. Another student executed elementary tai chi maneuvers. In each case, the demonstration not only clarified the speaker's process but captivated the audience as well. (If you are using visual aids of any kind, be sure to review Chapter 14) When informing about a process, you will usually arrange your speech in chronological order, explaining the process step by step from beginning to end For example * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the three major stages in the development of type 2 diabetes. * **Central Idea:** Type 2 diabetes is a life-threatening disease that develops through early, middle, and late stages. * **Main Points:** * I. The early stage of type 2 diabetes includes blurred vision, numbness, and weight loss. * II. The middle stage of type 2 diabetes includes poor circulation, nerve damage, and kidney failure. * III. The late stage of type 2 diabetes includes blindness, increased risk of stroke, and loss of limbs. Sometimes. rather than moving through a process step by step, you will focus on the major principles or techniques involved in performing the process Then you will organize your speech in topical order Each main point will deal with a separate principle or technique. For example * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience of the common methods used by stage magicians to perform their tricks. * **Central Idea:** Stage magicians use two common methods to perform their tricks-mechanical devices and sleight of hand * **Main Points:** * I. Many magic tricks rely on mechanical devices that may require little skill by the magician. * II. Other magic tricks depend on the magician's skill in fooling people by sleight-of-hand manipulation. Concise organization is especially important in speeches about processes. You must make sure each step is clear and easy to follow If your process has more than four or five steps, group the steps into units to limit the number of main points For example, in a speech explaining how to set up a home aquarium, a student presented the following main points * I. First you must choose the size of your tank. * II. Then you must determine the shape of your tank. * III. You must also decide how much you can afford to pay for a tank. * IV. Once you have the tank, you need a filter system. * V. A heater is also absolutely necessary * VI. You must also get an air pump. * VII. Once this is done, you need to choose gravel for the tank. * VIII. You will also need plants. * IX. Other decorations will round out the effects of your aquarium. * X. Now you are ready to add the fish. * XI. Freshwater fish are the most common. * XII. Saltwater fish are more expensive and require special care. **An Event:** Anything that happens or is regarded as happening #### SPEECHES ABOUT EVENTS The Random House Dictionary defines an event as "anything that happens or is regarded as happening." By this definition, the following are examples of suitable topics for informative speeches about events: * Carnival * Flash Floods * Cheerleading * Music Festivals, * Seasonal Affective Disorder * Civil Rights Movement As usual. you will need to narrow your focus and pick a specific purpose you can accomplish is a short speech. Here are examples if good specific purpose statements for informative speeches about events * To inform my audience about the major events at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. * To inform my audience about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of seasonal affective disorder. * To inform my audience about University Cheerleader. There are many ways to discuss events. If your specific purpose is to recount the history of an event, you will organize you speech in chronological order, relating the incidents one after another in the order they occurred. For example: * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the history of the Paralympics. * **Central Idea:** Olympic-style games for athletes with physical disabilities have made great strides since the first competition more than 60 years ago. * **Main Points:** * I. What would eventually become the Paralymics began in 1948 with a sports competition in Great Britain involving World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. * II. In 1952, the event expanded when athletes from the Netherlands took part * III. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games for international athletes took place in Rome. * IV. In 2001, an agreement was signed officially holding the Paralympic Games alongside the summer and winter Olympic Games. You can approach an event from almost any angle or combination of angles-features, origins, implications, benefits, future developments, and so forth. In such cases, you will put your speech together in topical order. And you should make sure your main points subdivide the subject logically and consistently. For instance * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about three aspects of Japan’s Obon Festival * **Central idea:** Japan’s Obon festival is famous for its lanterns, historic dances, and graveside gathering. * **Main Points** * I. Paper lanterns are hung outside homes to guide the spirits of departed family members. * II. Historic dance are performed in public areas with special music and choreography * III. Graveside gathering are held by families to maintain the burial sites of their ancestors **A Concept:** A belief, theory, idea, notion, principle, or the like. #### SPEECHES ABOUT CONCEPTS Concepts include beliefs, theories, ideas, principles, and the like. They are more abstract than objects, processes, or events. The following are examples of subjects for speeches about concepts: * Astrology * Slow Food * Confucianism * Human Rights * Original-intent doctrine * Minimalism Taking a few of these general subjects, here are some specific purpose statements for speeches about concepts * To inform my audience about the philosophy of Slow Food. * To inform my audience about the basic principles of Confucianism. * To inform my audience about the original-intent doctrine in constitutional interpretation Speeches about concepts are usually organized in topical order and focus on the main features or aspects of your concept. For example * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about the basic principles of nonviolent resistance. * **Central Idea:** The basic principles of nonviolent resistance stress using moral means to achieve social change, refusing to inflict violence on one's enemies, and using suffering as a social force * **Main Points:** * I. The first major principle of nonviolent resistant is that social change means. * II. The second major principle of nonviolent, resistance is that one should not inflict violence on one’s enemies. * III. Sufffering can be a power social force. Another approach is to define the concept you are dealing with, identify its major elements, and illustrate it with specific examples. An instance of this came in a student speech about homeschooling * **Specific Purpose:** To inform my audience about different philosophies’ of home schooling. * **Central Idea:** Approaches to home includes the classical model, the Charlotte Mason Model, the Montessori model, and the unschooling model. * **Main points:** * I. The classical is more focused on language, critical thinking, and communication skills. * II. The Charlotte Maison model focused on hand-on learning and the study of nature. * III. The Montessori model focuses on an interactive environment that children navigate on their own. * IV. The unschooling to let children learn through. Speeches about concepts are more complex. ### Guidelines for Informative Speaking * DON'T OVERESTIMATE WHAT THE AUDIENCE KNOWS * RELATE THE SUBJECT DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE * AVOID ABSTRACTIONS * PERSONALIZE YOUR IDEAS * BE CREATIVE #### Key Terms *Informative speech, object, process, event, concept, description, comparison, contrast, and personalize.*