Speech Outline

 

((((((((((((((((((PERSUASIVE SPEECH – “THE PRODUCT SPEECH”

You will persuade your audience (the class) to be interested/motivated to purchase a product based on the following criteria.

• real (something we can see and touch)
• legal
• be able to purchase online or in a local store
• current retail price- $1 to $500 US
• not anything living, like a pet etc.
• not a weapon of any kind
• not a drug, alcohol etc.
• nothing distasteful or potentially offensive to others
• persuade the audience to support your product.
• no services or giftcards))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Product: Airfryer (please) ( https://www.sufreidorasinaceite.com/philips-airfryer/)this is the product $235 

uct””””additional information.

INSTRUCTIONS

• LENGTH – Your presentation will last from two minutes – two minutes and thirty seconds. Any longer or shorter will reduce your grade.
• AUDIENCE – You must have 5 audience members at the beginning and at the end of your speech (in your uploaded video)
• OUTLINE – You will turn in a complete sentence outline in the dropbox.
• REFERENCES – You should have at least two credible references in your bibliography.
• DELIVERY – You may speak from keywords on note cards, a copy of your outline, and your three-fold poster board which you will use as a visual aid to showcase your product.
• SPEECH UPLOAD – Upload your speech to LaunchPad following the instructions below. Video editing and video stopping/pausing are NOT allowed. 

Speaker: [Your Name]

Speech Topic: [Topic]

Speech Title: [Title]

Speech Type: [Persuasive –or– Informative –or– Special Occasion]

Audience Analysis:

· Knowledge: [What do your listeners know about the topic?]

· Attitudes: [How does your audience feel about the topic? What can you do to create or reinforce a positive attitude?]

· Expectations: [Why will your audience be present for your speech? What are they expecting to hear?]

· Demographics: [Describe the audience’s demographics. How might those factors influence your presentation?]

· Setting: [What will your speech setting be?]

Speech Purpose: [Write a specific purpose that expresses in action form what you hope to achieve with your speech.]

Thesis Statement: [Write a single declarative sentence expressing the theme or central idea of your speech.]

Introduction:

· Getting Attention: [Gain the audience’s attention.]

· Topic and Purpose: [Summarize your topic and purpose.]

· Main Points: [Preview the main points.]

· Relevance: [Make the topic relevant for your audience.]

· Credibility: [Establish credibility as a speaker.]

Organizational Pattern: [Enter the organizational pattern used for your main points.]

Body:

[Replace the bracketed information with the contents of your speech. Revise the outline by editing your points, rearranging them if necessary, and adding supporting points.]

I. [First idea (strongest)] (* Note any visual aid(s) you plan to include)

A. [Support] (* Note visual aids)

1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

B. [Support] (* Note visual aids)

1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

C. [Support] (* Note visual aids)

1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

Transition: [Write a sentence that will help your audience connect one main point to the next.]

II. [Second idea (second strongest)] (* Note any visual aid(s) you plan to include)

A. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
B. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
C. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

Transition: [Write a transition that will help your audience make the connection from one main point to the next.]

III. [Third idea (weakest)] (* Note any visual aid(s) you plan to include)

A. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
B. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
C. [Support] (* Note visual aids)
1. [Example] (* Note visual aids)
2. [Example] (* Note visual aids)

Conclusion

Closing Signal: [Signal the close of your speech.]

Main Points: [Summarize your main points.]

Topic and Purpose: [Repeat your topic and speech purpose.]

Audience Response: [Challenge the audience to respond.]

Memorable Close: [Make the conclusion memorable.]

Speech Outlining Guide

CONTENTS

Speech Topic p. 02

Speech Title p. 02

Speech Type p. 02

Audience Analysis p. 03

Specific Purpose p. 05

Thesis Statement p. 05

Organizational Patterns p. 06

Causal / Cause-Effect p. 07

Chronological / Temporal p. 07

Comparative Advantage p. 08

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence p. 09

Narrative p. 10

Problem-Solution p. 11

Problem-Cause-Solution p. 11

Refutation p. 12

Spatial p. 13

Topical / Categorical p. 14

Support p. 14

Transitions p. 16

Introduction p. 17

Conclusion p. 19

Speech Topic

Advice: Pick something that you and your audience will be interested in, and
avoid overused topics! Do you feel passionate enough to research, write, and
deliver an entire speech about it? Does the topic concern your audience?

Speech Title

Advice: Make it catchy and informative, but also appropriate to your
audience. Keep a running list and choose the one you like best.

Speech Type

Persuasive speeches seek to influence the attitudes, beliefs, values, and
actions of an audience.

Informative speeches provide the audience with new information, insights,
or ways of thinking about a topic.

Special Occasion speeches are prepared for a specific occasion and
purpose dictated by that occasion. Special occasion speeches can be
informative or persuasive or a mix of both. However, neither of these
functions is the main goal; the underlying function of a special occasion
speech is explained in the types listed below.

Types of Special Occasion Speeches:

Entertainment
Many kinds of special occasions call for a speech that entertains.
Banquets, awards dinners, and roasts, for example, frequently feature
speakers whose main purpose is to entertain those in attendance. In such
cases, listeners expect a lighthearted speech that amuses them.
Depending on the event, they may also expect the speaker to offer a
certain degree of insight into the topic at hand.

Celebration
Often a special occasion speech will celebrate a person, a place, or an
event. Weddings, anniversaries, retirement parties, and awards banquets
all call for speeches that recognize the person(s) or event being
celebrated. The audience expects the speaker to praise the subject of the
celebration and to cast him or her in a positive light.

p. 2 / 19

The listeners also expect a certain degree of ceremony in accordance with
the norms of the occasion.

Commemoration
Certain special occasion speeches, called commemorative speeches,
focus on remembrance and tribute. Commemorative speeches mark
important anniversaries, such as the fiftieth anniversary of President John
F. Kennedy’s assassination or the anniversary of the first moon landing.
Speakers deliver commemorative speeches about events or people of
note at memorials dedicated to them or at gatherings otherwise held in
their honor.

Inspiration
Inaugural addresses, keynote speeches at conventions, and
commencement speeches all have inspiration as their main function. With
their examples of accomplishments, achievement, and heroism, many
commemorative speeches also inspire audiences as well as pay homage
to the person or event being commemorated.

Social Agenda–Setting
Yet another function of the special occasion speech is social agenda–
setting—establishing or reinforcing the goals and values of the group
sponsoring the event. Occasions that call for agenda-setting speeches
include gatherings of issues or cause-oriented organizations, fundraisers,
campaign banquets, conferences, and conventions. Speakers asked to
deliver keynote addresses at conferences or conventions are charged with
establishing the theme of the meeting and with offering a plan of action
related to that theme. Similarly, politically oriented organizations also
routinely hold meetings at which invited speakers perform the function of
agenda-setting.

Audience Analysis

Question 1: What do your listeners know about the topic?

Advice: If the topic is relatively new to your audience, tell them why it should
interest them and make it relevant by relating it to issues, events, people, or
activities about which they already have positive attitudes. Stick to the basics.
Avoid jargon and define unclear terms.

p. 3 / 19

Question 2: How does your audience feel about the topic? What can you do
to create or reinforce a positive attitude?

Advice:

• If your audience has negative attitudes toward your topic, don’t directly
challenge them. Focus on establishing common ground and building your
own credibility.

• If your audience has positive attitudes toward your topic, tell a vivid story
that will reinforce their attitudes.

• Create a common bond with your audience by focusing on areas of
agreement.

Question 3: Why will your audience be present for your speech? What are
they expecting to hear?

Advice: If your audience is there by choice, they are probably interested in
what you have to say. If they are required to attend your speech, you might
have to work harder to get and keep their attention. Be aware of the length of
your speech, especially if other speakers precede and follow you.

Question 4: Describe the audience’s demographics. How might those factors
influence your presentation?

Advice: Consider some or all of the following factors and try to identify a
target audience (i.e., individuals who would be most receptive to your
speech):

• Age — Grouping people by age can give you insight into their concerns,
drives, and motivations. For example, adolescents (ages 12–20) might be
on a quest for identity, whereas young adults (ages 20–40) are often
establishing careers and families. Keep listeners’ generation(s) in mind
and make sure they will be familiar with historic or pop culture references.

• Ethnic or cultural background — Infuse your speech with trustworthiness,
respect, responsibility, and fairness. Identify the values of your listeners to
help you communicate with sensitivity and appeal to their interests and
needs.

• Socioeconomic status — Income affects how people are housed, clothed,
and fed, and what they can afford. The nature of their work can shape

p. 4 / 19

what interests them. Likewise, people’s level of education often influences
how rigid they are in their beliefs.

• Religion — Being aware of your audience’s religious orientation can be
especially helpful when your speech topic is controversial.

• Political affiliation — Many people are either very serious or very touchy
about their political views. Know where your listeners stand.

• Gender — Avoid stereotyping and sexist language, but be aware of
commonly held concerns. For example, single women planning a trip are
likely to be concerned with issues of safety.

Question 5: What will your speech setting be?

Advice: Consider some or all of the following factors:

• Size of audience and physical setting — An auditorium has a different feel
from a classroom. Plan how to position yourself and adjust your voice,
sometimes with the aid of acoustical equipment.

• Time and length of speech — Find out how long you are expected to
speak. Start on time and finish a bit early.

• Rhetorical situation — External factors may affect your audience’s
receptivity. Address these in your speech. Consider where you fall within a
group of speakers, whether you precede or follow someone more well-
known or dynamic than you, or whether something noteworthy has just
occurred in your audience’s community.

Specific Purpose

Advice: Write a specific purpose that expresses in action form what you hope
to achieve with your speech.

Beginning with the infinitive form of a verb, state precisely what it is about
your topic that you want the audience to learn, do, reconsider, or agree with.

Thesis Statement

Advice: Write a single declarative sentence expressing the theme or central
idea of your speech.

p. 5 / 19

Students often confuse the specific purpose and the thesis statement. This is
probably because the thesis statement is closely related to the specific
purpose. While the specific purpose describes in action form what you want to
achieve with the speech, the thesis statement concisely identifies what the
speech is about.

Examples:

Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience to raise money on behalf of the
Sierra Club.

Thesis: A donation to the Sierra Club is an investment in nature.

Specific Purpose: To enable audience members to invest their money
properly.

Thesis: There are six steps to investing in the stock market.

How to construct a good thesis statement:

In a single sentence, state the main thing you want your audience to know
about your topic.

Your thesis should cause a listener to ask “Why?” or “How?” The reasons
why or how your thesis is true will be the main points of your speech.

Use your thesis to stay focused. When researching supporting materials, ask
yourself to what extent their content addresses your thesis. Also, when
preparing your speech, state your thesis in the introduction and repeat it
periodically.

Include the audience in your thesis statement. Use phrases such as “Few of
us know,” “Contrary to popular belief,” “As most of you know,” or “As informed
members of the community.” Doing so will attract listeners’ attention and help
them see the topic’s relevance.

Organizational Patterns

Advice: Before entering your main ideas, select the type of organizational
pattern that best matches your topic and purpose.

An organizational pattern is a concrete way to structure your speech. Choose
the pattern that best fits your topic and that your audience can easily follow.

p. 6 / 19

Causal/Cause-Effect arranges speech points to demonstrate that a particular
set of circumstances (causes) leads to a specific result (effects) or,
conversely, that various results (effects) follow from a particular set of
circumstances (causes)

Sometimes a topic can be discussed in terms of multiple causes for a single
effect or a single cause of multiple effects.

Example:

TOPIC: College drop-outs.

PURPOSE: To explain why some college students drop out.

THESIS: Several factors contribute to some students’ dropping out of college.

I. Lack of funds (Cause 1)

II. Unsatisfactory social life (Cause 2)

III. Unsatisfactory academic performance (Cause 3)

IV. All of the above contribute to the decision to drop out. (Effect)

Chronological/Temporal describes a series of developments in time or a set
of actions occurring sequentially.

This organizational pattern follows the natural sequential order of main points.
Useful for topics that describe a series of events in time or explain the steps
in a process.

Example:

TOPIC: The history of the Internet.

PURPOSE: To track the evolution of the present-day Internet.

THESIS: The Internet evolved from a small network designed for academic
scientists into a vast system of networks used by billions of people around the
globe.

I. The Internet was first conceived in 1962 as the ARPANET to promote
the sharing of research among scientists in the United States.

p. 7 / 19

II. In the 1980s a team created TCP/IP, a language that could link
networks, and the Internet as we know it was born.

III. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.

IV. At the end of the Cold War, the ARPANET was decommissioned and
the World Wide Web made up the bulk of Internet traffic.

V. In 2014, the Internet celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary, with 3
billion people connected worldwide.

Comparative Advantage shows how your viewpoint or proposal is superior
to one or more alternative viewpoints or proposals. This is most effective
when your audience is already aware of the issue or problem and agrees that
a need for a solution (or an alternative view) exists. Because listeners are
alert to the issue, you don’t have to spend time establishing its existence.
Instead, you can proceed directly to favorably comparing your position with
the alternatives.

In order to maintain your credibility, make sure to identify alternatives that
your audience is familiar with and ones supported by opposing interests. If
you omit familiar alternatives, your listeners will wonder if you are fully
informed on the topic and become skeptical of your comparative alternative
as well as your credibility.

The final step in a comparative advantage speech is to drive home the unique
advantages of your option relative to competing options with brief but
compelling evidence

Example:

TOPIC: Controlling the deer population.

PURPOSE: To convince my audience that controlling the deer population
through a combination of hunting and contraception is superior to a strategy
of fencing, hunting, or contraception alone.

THESIS: Rather than hunting, fencing, or contraception alone, the best way to
reduce the deer population is by a dual strategy of hunting and contraception.

I. (Advantage of my solution over alternative #1.) A combination
strategy is superior to hunting alone because many areas are too

p. 8 / 19

densely populated by humans to prevent hunting; in such cases
contraceptive darts and vaccines can address the problem.

II. (Advantage over alternative #2.) A combination strategy is superior
to relying solely on fencing because fencing is far too expensive for
widespread use.

III. (Advantage over alternative #3.) A dual strategy is superior to relying
only on contraception because only a limited number of deer are
candidates for contraceptive darts and vaccines.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is a five-step process that begins with
arousing listeners’ attention and ends with calling for action.

Step 1: Attention — address listeners’ core concerns, making the speech
highly relevant to them.

Step 2: Need — show listeners that they have an important need that must be
satisfied or a problem that must be solved.

Step 3: Satisfaction — introduce your proposed solution.

Step 4: Visualization — provide listeners with a vision of anticipated outcomes
associated with the solution.

Step 5: Action — make a direct request of listeners that involves changing or
strengthening their present way of thinking or acting.

Example:

TOPIC: The need for organ donors.

PURPOSE: To convince my audience to consider becoming organ donors.

THESIS: Donating an organ is a simple step you can take that will literally
give life to others—to your husband or wife, mother or father, son or
daughter—or to a beautiful child whom you’ve never met.

I. (Get audience’s attention.) Many of us are willing, but if we don’t take
the proper steps, our organs go unused.

p. 9 / 19

II. (Demonstrate need.) According to the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, there are approximately 80,000 people on the waiting
list for an organ transplant.

III. (Propose a solution.) There are two steps to become an organ donor:
Fill out a donor card or add a note to your driver’s license and notify
your family of your decision.

IV. (Show audience how solution will benefit them.) Tell the story of how
Nicholas Green’s organs helped seven people and increased organ
donations in Italy.

V. (Call for action.) Say yes to organ donation on your donor card and/or
driver’s license and discuss your decision with your family.

Narrative consists of a story or a series of short stories replete with
characters, settings, plot, and vivid imagery. Using a dramatic situation can
help illustrate your point, but you may need to incorporate elements of other
organizational patterns, such as the chronological or causal patterns, in order
to give your speech shape.

Example:

TOPIC: How I became a writer.

PURPOSE: To tell my audience the story of how I achieved my goal.

THESIS: Becoming a writer seemed like an impossible dream, but with talent,
perseverance, and a positive attitude, I made that dream come true.I have
always written, even when I was very young.

I. A college professor pushed me to explore more sophisticated
characters and themes.

II. When I began sending out stories, I received rejection after rejection.

III. My first novel, too, was rejected.

IV. Even though I was disappointed, I didn’t stop writing.

V. Eventually, after years of trying, I was signed on by a major publishing
house and could afford to write full time.

p. 10 / 19

Problem-Solution organizes speech points to demonstrate the nature and
significance of a problem and then provide justification for a proposed
solution:

I. Problem (define what it is)

II. Solution (offer a way to overcome the problem)

Problem-Cause-Solution Many problem-solution speeches require more
than two points to adequately explain the problem and to substantiate the
recommended solution.

Arrange speech points in order to demonstrate problem, reasons for problem,
and solution to problem:

I. The nature of the problem (define what it is)

II. Reasons for the problem (explain why it’s a problem, for whom, etc.)

III. Unsatisfactory solutions (discuss those that have not worked)
(optional step)

IV. Proposed solution (explain why it’s expected to work)

Example:

TOPIC: The NBA draft’s effect on young athletes.

PURPOSE: To persuade my audience that the NBA draft should be changed
so that young athletes are no longer tempted to throw away their chances to
get an education.

THESIS: The NBA draft should be changed so that athletes like you aren’t
tempted to throw away an opportunity to get an education.

I. (Need/problem) The NBA draft should be revamped so that college
athletes are not tempted to drop out of school.

II. (Reasons for the problem) The NBA’s present policies lure young
athletes to pursue unrealistic goals of superstardom while weakening
the quality of the game with immature players.

p. 11 / 19

III. (Solution to the problem) The NBA draft needs to adopt a minimum
age of 20.

IV. (Evidence of the solution’s feasibility) National leagues in countries X
and Y have done this successfully.

Refutation addresses each main point and then refutes (disproves) an
opposing claim to your position.

The aim here is to bolster your own position by disproving the opposing claim.
This pattern can effectively address competing arguments. Refutation is a
favorite tool of political candidates, who use it to strengthen their position on
an issue and debunk the position taken by the opposing candidate.

If done well, refutation may influence audience members who either disagree
with you or are conflicted about where they stand.

Note that it is important to refute strong rather than weak objections to the
claim, since refuting weak objections won’t sway the audience. Further, it is
probably best to use this pattern when you are confident that the opposing
argument is weak and vulnerable to attack.

Main points arranged in a refutation pattern follow a format similar to this:

MAIN POINT I: State the opposing position.

MAIN POINT II: Describe the implications or ramifications of the opposing
claim.

MAIN POINT III: Offer arguments and evidence for your position.

MAIN POINT IV: Contrast your position with the opposing claim to drive home
the superiority of your position.

Example:

TOPIC: Increased energy conservation vs. drilling for oil in Alaska.

p. 12 / 19

PURPOSE: To convince my audience that, rather than drilling for oil in the
ANWAR, we should maintain the refuge’s protected status and focus instead
on conserving energy.

THESIS: Rather than drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
(ANWAR), we should focus on energy conservation measures as a way of
lessening our dependence on foreign oil.

I. (Describe opposing claims.) Proponents claim that drilling in the Arctic
refuge is the only way to increase our energy independence, that it will
have little negative impact on the environment, and that if we don’t take
this step our reliance on foreign energy will only increase.

II. (Describe implications and ramifications of opposing claims.) By
claiming that drilling in the refuge is the only solution to our reliance on
foreign energy, proponents of this solution sidestep the need for
stricter energy conservation policies as well as the need to protect one
of the last great pristine lands.

III. (Offer arguments and evidence for your position, as developed in
subpoints.) The massive construction needed to access the tundra will
disturb the habitat of thousands of species and shift the focus from
energy conservation to increased energy consumption, when the focus
should be the reverse.

IV. (Contrast your position with the opposition’s to drive home the
superiority of yours.) The opposition’s plan would encourage
consumption while also endangering the environment; my plan would
encourage stricter energy conservation while protecting one of the
world’s few remaining wildernesses.

Spatial arranges the main points in order of their physical proximity or
direction relative to each other. Useful when the purpose of your speech is to
describe or explain the physical arrangement of a place, a scene, an object,
or an entity such as a company (e.g., where its different branches are
located).

Example:

TOPIC: El Morro National Monument in New Mexico.

p. 13 / 19

PURPOSE: To give my audience a sense of why El Morro is a worthwhile
place to visit.

THESIS: El Morro National Monument in New Mexico is captivating for its
variety of natural and historical landmarks.

I. Visitors first encounter an abundant variety of plant life native to the
high-country desert.

II. Soon visitors come upon an age-old watering hole that has receded
beneath the 200-foot cliffs.

III. Beyond are the famous cliff carvings made by hundreds of travelers
over several centuries of exploration in the Southwest.

IV. At the farthest reaches of the magnificent park are the ancient ruins of
a pueblo dwelling secured high atop “the Rock.”

Topical/Categorical presents categories of a main topic. Useful when your
main points are of equal or almost equal importance.

This organizational pattern stresses natural divisions in a topic, in which
points can be moved to emphasize audience needs and interests.

Example:

TOPIC: Choosing Chicago as a place to establish a career.

PURPOSE: To show my audience why Chicago is a great place to start a
career.

THESIS: Chicago is an excellent place to establish a career.

I. Accessible transportation

II. Cultural variety

III. Economic stability

Support

Main points: two to five key ideas or major themes of the speech that make
claims to support the thesis and are given relatively equal weight.

p. 14 / 19

Supporting points: material that justifies main points and are given relatively
less weight, indicated by indentation below coordinating points. Examples,
narratives, testimony, and facts and statistics can all be used as supporting
points.

Back up each main point with at least two supporting points. Using a
variety of supporting material—moving from a story to a statistic, for
example—sparks interest, builds credibility, and appeals to audience
members’ different learning styles. At each level of subordination, you must
always have at least two supporting points.

Examples:

Main point:

I. Michael Jordan was one of the most dominant basketball players in the
history of the game.

Supporting points:

A. Story about how he won the final game of the 1998 NBA
championship against the Utah Jazz (narrative)

B. Quote from journalist David Halberstam’s biography of Jordan
(testimony)

C. Some of Jordan’s lifetime stats (statistics)

Main point:

I. Alternative energy sources are the best solution to the problem of our
nation’s dependence on oil.

Supporting points:

A. Discussion of different types of alternative energy sources (examples)

B. Numerical information about the renewable supplies of alternative
energy vs. the limited supply of oil (statistics)

C. Quote from an expert on the success of Brazil’s sugarcane-based
ethanol program (testimony)

p. 15 / 19

Locating supporting materials:

• Primary research: Interviews and surveys conducted by the speaker.

• Secondary research: Print and online materials found using a library. If
you feel overwhelmed or get confused, ask the reference librarian for
help.

• Use a mix of print and online sources: Library holdings are carefully
selected by trained professionals, while some Internet sources distort
the facts. On the other hand, the Internet offers current materials, while
a library, if small or under-funded, might have a limited or outdated
selection.

Transitions

Transitions are words, phrases, or sentences that tie the speech together.
Include transitions between main points, and consider adding them between
supporting points. Use transitions to move smoothly from one point to the
next and to help listeners easily follow your train of thought.

Examples:

There are several ways you can make transitions:

Full-sentence transitions: “But leaving aside the finer distinctions between
spyware and other types of computer menaces, what is crystal clear is that
spyware represents a growing threat. Consider some of the symptoms and
problems associated with spyware.”

Signposts: Conjunctions or phrases placed at the beginning of transitional
sentences:

• First, . . . (second, third, and so forth)
• Next, . . .
• One way . . . another way . . .
• We now turn to . . .
• Finally, let’s consider . . .
• If you think that’s shocking/interesting/bad/good . . .
• Similarly, . . .
• In addition, . . .
• Finally, let’s consider/look at . . .

p. 16 / 19

Rhetorical questions: Questions that do not invite actual response:

“Will contests be too expensive? Well, actually . . .”

“How do the costs of contests stack up against the expense of training new
people?”

Restate-forecast: Restates the point just covered and previews the point to
be covered next:

“Now that we’ve established a need for sales contests [restatement], let’s look
at what sales contests can do for us [forecast].”

Previews: Tell the audience what to expect next:

“Victoria Woodhull was a pioneer in many respects. Not only was she the first
woman to run her own brokerage firm, but she was also the first to run for the
presidency of the United States, though few people know this. Let’s see how
she accomplished these feats. . . .”

Summaries: Draw together ideas before proceeding to another point, thereby
helping listeners review and evaluate the argument:

“It should be clear that the kind of violence we’ve witnessed in the schools
and in our communities has a deeper root cause than the availability of
handguns. Our young children are crying out for a sense of community, of
relatedness and meaning, that they just aren’t finding in the institutions that
are meant to serve them.”

Introduction

The introduction prepares the audience to hear the speech. A good opening
previews what’s to come in a way that invites listeners to stay the course.

Gain the Audience’s Attention:

Advice:

• Use a quotation: You can quote anyone, as long as the quote is
clever. A quote that sums up what you’re trying to say adds credibility
to your speech. Especially effective in persuasive speeches and/or
with an educated audience.

p. 17 / 19

• Tell a story: Stories personalize issues, encourage the audience to
identify with the speaker, and entertain, but each story should have a
clear point related to your thesis. Effective in informative, persuasive,
and special occasion speeches.

• Pose questions: They can be rhetorical or invite actual response.
Either way, try to answer the questions you posed in your introduction.
Especially effective in persuasive speeches.

• Say something startling: Usually involves revealing a shocking
statistic. Especially effective if addressing an audience unfamiliar with
your topic.

• Use humor: Builds rapport and makes the audience feel at ease.
Keep it tasteful and related to your thesis.

• Refer to the occasion: Captures attention, establishes goodwill, and
shows your audience you know something about them and their event.
Especially effective for special occasion speeches.

• Establish common ground: Demonstrates how you and your
audience are alike and shows them you respect their interests or
values. Effective in informative, persuasive, or special occasion
speeches.

Summarize your topic and purpose:

Advice: Say what your speech is about, then insert your thesis statement.

Preview the main points:

Advice: Following your thesis, lay out your main points. Simply state them
directly, one after the other.

Make the topic relevant for your audience:

Advice: Show them how the topic pertains to them and what they might gain
from listening to you.

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Establish credibility as a speaker:

Advice: Make a simple statement that tells the audience who you are and
what experience you have with the topic. Doing this shows the audience why
they should believe you.

Conclusion

Signal the close of your speech:

Advice: Use words or phrases such as in conclusion, as I bring this to a
close, or let me close by saying.

You can also use pacing and body language. Pause, take a deep breath,
slow your words down, or raise your hand to signal something important.

Summarize your main points:

Advice: Remind the audience of what you’ve covered in your speech.
Separate your points with first, second, third, fourth, etc.

Repeat your topic and speech purpose:

Advice: Say what you’ve been talking about and why it’s important. Do it
concisely and in a slightly different way than in the introduction.

Challenge the audience to respond:

Advice: In an informative speech, the speaker encourages the audience to
take what they’ve learned and use it to benefit them. In a persuasive speech,
the speaker gives a call to action, which asks the audience to do something
about what they’ve learned

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