Speaking To Inform

Chapter 15

Informative Speech

Speech designed to convey knowledge and understanding.

Three Things Your Informative Speech Will Be Judged On:

1.

!.

".

Is the information communicated clearly Is the information communicated accurately Is the information made meaningful and interesting to the audience

#OTI$%TIO& TO 'IST(& IS )(Y*

+upca,e

:-

Types of Informative Speeches

%.out

O./ects %.out 0rocesses %.out (vents %.out +oncepts

1.

%BO1T OBJ(+TS

2ef.

3 anything that is visi.le4 tangi.le4 and sta.le in form. #ay have moving parts or .e alive. #ay include places4 structures4 animals4 people. +hoose a specific purpose that focuses on one aspect of your su./ect.

1.

%BO1T OBJ(+TS

2igital

+ameras: To inform my audience a.out 5hat to loo, for 5hen .uying a digital camera. Sea5eed: To inform my audience a.out the commercial uses of sea5eed.

1.

%BO1T OBJ(+TS
of +oncept Speeches:
7istory

Organi6ation

or (volution of a su./ect then use chronological order. 2escri.e main features of your su./ect use spatial order. %lso can use topical order in informative speeches.

!.

%.out 0rocesses

2ef.

3 a systematic series of action that leads to a specific result or product. (8plain ho5 something is made4 ho5 something is done4 or ho5 something 5or,s. 2emonstration speeches fall into this category.

!.

%.out 0rocesses
T5o types of informative process speeches:
(8plains a process so that listeners 5ill understand it. (8plains a process so that listeners 5ill .e .etter a.le to perform the process themselves.

1. !.

!.

%.out 0rocesses
Both types may re9uire visual aids
% chart outlining the steps or techni9ues of your process.

Some you may actually demonstrate ho5 to do the process.

#agic tric,s4 .asic mime methods4 elementary ,arate techni9ues4 etc.

!.

%.out 0rocesses
0rocess Speech Organi6ation:
1sually arranged chronologically. Some can .e arranged topically. Organi6ation is very important : you must ma,e each step in the process clear and easy to follo5. ;roup steps into units if you have more than five main points.

".

%.out (vents

2ef.

3 anything that happens or is regarded as happening. #ountain +lim.ing: To inform my audience a.out the e9uipment used 5hen mountain clim.ing. Therapeutic #assage: To inform my audience a.out the techni9ues of therapeutic massage. +inco 2e #ayo: To inform my audience a.out the festivities of the +inco 2e #ayo cele.ration.

".

%.out (vents
of (vent Speeches:
<ecounting

Organi6ation

a historical event = use chronological order. (8plaining an event>s causes?effects : use causal order. Telling a.out the event features4 origins4 implications4 .enefits4 future developments : use topical order.

@.

%.out +oncepts

2ef.

3 a .elief4 theory4 idea4 notion4 principle4 or the li,e. #ore a.stract than o./ects4 processes4 or events.

@.

%.out +oncepts

Ailm

Theory: To inform my audience a.out the ma/or principles of film theory. %frocentrism: To inform my audience a.out the .asic principles of %frocentrism. +onstitutional Interpretation: To inform my audience a.out the decline of the original intent in constitutional interpretation.

@.

%.out +oncepts
Speech Organi6ation:

+oncept

1sually

organi6ed in topical order. #ore comple8 .ecause you must define the concept4 identify the ma/or elements4 and illustrate 5ith specific e8amples. Or4 you can e8plain competing schools of thought a.out the same su./ect.

% Ae5 #ore Thoughts:

#ost

important = decide ho5 you 5ill handle your su./ect : o./ect4 process4 event4 or concept. <egardless of organi6ation = .e sure to give your listeners plenty of help in sorting out facts and ideas during the speech= using transitions4 internal previe5s4 summaries4 and signposts. 0revie5 your main points in introduction4 and summari6e them in your conclusion.

;uidelines Aor Informative Spea,ing

1.

!. ". @. B.

2on>t Overestimate What the %udience )no5s <elate the Su./ect 2irectly to the %udience 2on>t Be Too Technical %void %.stractions 0ersonali6e Your Ideas

1.

2O&>T O$(<(STI#%T( W7%T T7( %12I(&+( )&OWS

(8plain

everything so thoroughly that they cannot help .ut understand. ;ood spea,er communicates even the most comple8 ideas clearly and simply. The more you assume they ,no5 a.out the topic4 the greater your chances of .eing misunderstood. You can use your audience analysis 9uestions to determine 5hat your audience ,no5s a.out the su./ects you 5ill spea, on. (8ample page !CD.

!.

<('%T( T7( S1BJ(+T 2I<(+T'Y TO T7( %12I(&+(

Speech

is measured .y its impact on a particular audience. It>s spea,er>s /o. to get listeners interested : and to ,eep them interested. What may .e fascinating to you : may not .e interesting at all to someone else. Tie your topic in 5ith your audience>s interests and concerns : cupca,e* 2on>t stop at the introduction4 ,eep relating the su./ect to the audience throughout the speech. (8ample page !CC.

".
Too

2on>t Be Too Technical

speciali6ed for the audience. 'I4 vort ma84 coupled 5ith a cap at the midlevels of the atmosphere indicating a good chance of severe 5eather. Jargon : speciali6ed or technical language of a trade4 profession4 or similar group. In the meteorology dept. 5e actually practiced ans5ering 9uestions a.out 5eather as if spea,ing to C year olds and to people in our field : adapted to audience.

@.

%void %.stractions
Three things to do to help you avoid a.stractions:
1.

!.

".

1se 2escription: a statement that depicts a person4 event4 idea4 and the li,e 5ith clarity and vividness. 1se +omparison: a statement of the similarities among t5o or more people4 events4 ideas4 etc. Ehumidity?sponge e8ample1se +ontrast: a statement of differences among t5o or more people4 events4 ideas4 etc.

@. %void %.stractions
Example

of

sing Contrast:

State

'ottery odds 3 D million to 1 'ightning Struc, 3 ! million to 1 <oyal Alush 2ealt in 0o,er 3 FBG4GGG to 1 2ying in an %uto %ccident 3 F4GGG to 1

B.

0ersonali6e Your Ideas

2ef.

3 present one>s ideas in human terms that relate in some fashion to the e8perience of the audience. 0ersonali6e illustrations enliven a speech*

F.
Is

B( +<(%TI$(

reading an encyclopedia HinterestingI reading 2on>t ma,e your speech li,e an entry in the encyclopedia. Thin, creatively*

Speaking To Inform

Chapter 15