Chapter Four

1
Chapter Four

• Know Your Purpose and
• Select a Topic

2
Selecting a Topic

• Selecting a topic may be the hardest step in the
  speech communication process.
• One of the biggest tips for a public speaker is
  not to procrastinate at this phase of the process
  of building a speech.
• By postponing the start of your speech
  development process you are shrinking the window
  of time for developing an effective speech.
• In addition, by delaying the first step, you are
  minimizing the time available to adequately
  research, organize, and practice your speech
  before getting up in front of your classmates to
  delivering your presentation.

3
Selecting a Topic

• Speech topics are determined by the occasion, the
  audience, and the speakers qualifications.
• Another strategy for helping you decide on a
  topic is to keep a page in your notebook titled
  Potential Speech Topics.
• As you go through your speech class, many
  in-class discussions may occur that are potential
  speech topics, so you can jot those down in your
  log.

4
The Process of Self-Evaluation

• The process of self-evaluation has you explore
  topics that you know a lot about, and topics you
  would like to know more about.
• Begin by asking yourself some of the following
  questions to get a sense as to what you know a
  lot about
• What are my interests?
• Where have I traveled?
• What jobs have I held?
• What is my major?
• What is my cultural background?
• Where are the different parts of the world,
  country, state, or city I have lived?
• What do I do in my free time?

5
Brainstorming For Topics

• Your prompts will range from personal interests,
  grouping, and reference searches to an Internet
  search.
• The goal of brainstorming is to try to think of
  as many topics as you can in a brief amount of
  time.
• During this phase of the creative process,
  judging and criticizing your ideas is not
  appropriate.

6
Personal Interests

• Think about your life experiences, interests,
  hobbies, skills, attitudes, values, beliefs, and
  write those down.
• Do not let your pen stop just keep writing and
  be creative in your thoughts regardless of how
  ridiculous some of your thoughts may be, just
  keep writing.

7
Grouping

• Take a sheet of paper, pencil-in six columns and
  label those columns with these headings people,
  places, things, events, processes, and concepts.

8
Reference Search

• Another technique is to use the reference area in
  your library and look through an encyclopedia, a
  periodical database or some other reference work
  until you find a good speech topic.

9
Internet Search

• One of the easier ways to find a speech topic is
  to hop on the Internet and conduct a web
  directory search on either Google or Yahoo!.
• Go to either the Yahoo! or Google home page and
  type in Web Directory Search

10
Determining the General Purpose

• The general purpose may be defined as the broad
  goal of your speech, and there are three kinds of
  general purposes in public speaking
• To entertain
• To inform
• To persuade

11
The Special Occasion Speech (To Entertain)

• The special occasion speech is a speech that
  concentrates on a special event.  
• Special occasion speeches include presentations
  that have their purpose to introduce the main
  speaker present an award or public recognition
  accept an award commemorate by paying tribute to
  a person, group institution, or an idea and give
  an after dinner speech.

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The Special Occasion Speech (To Entertain)

• Other common special occasion speeches are made
  at weddings when presenting the bride and groom a
  toast.
• They also happen at retirement parties, when a
  company representative bids farewell to the loyal
  employee.
• We see the speech to entertain during award shows
  when our favorite entertainers accept an Oscar,
  Emmy, or MTV Award for their work.
• Special occasion speeches are also prominent at
  funerals when one delivers the eulogy for the
  deceased.
• On a happier note, a special occasion speech
  occurs when you salute and toast an important
  person in your life at his or her birthday party.
   
• As you can see these speeches are delivered in a
  more social setting, but the speeches you
  deliver in this setting are noticed by all who
  are in attendance.

13
Speech to Inform

• When your general purpose is to inform, your
  objective is to enhance the audiences awareness,
  understanding, or knowledge about a topic.
• You do this by communicating the information
  clearly, correctly, and interestingly.
• In a speech to inform, you do not try to persuade
  your audience to do or believe something as a
  result of your speech.

14
Speech to Persuade

• The speech to persuade needs to influence,
  strengthen, or change the audience members
  attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.
• The persuasive speaker attempts to modify how the
  audience feels about what they know and in the
  end how they behave.

15
The Specific Purpose

• The specific purpose is a single sentence that
  specifically states what the speaker hopes to
  accomplish in his or her speech.
• During the speech preparation process it is easy
  to get sidetracked and distracted, but
  establishing your specific purpose will keep you
  anchored and on track.

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Formatting the Specific Purpose

• The first step is to state your general purpose.
• You have three options here it is to entertain,
  to inform, or to persuade.
• The second part of the sentence is always my
  audience, regardless of what kind of speech you
  are delivering.
• You must think of the audience at every step of
  the speech preparation process.
• The third part of your specific purpose statement
  is the piece where you express what you hope to
  accomplish.

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Example of the Specific Purpose

• To inform my audience so that they will be able
  to distinguish between legal and illegal
  street-car racing.
• (General Purpose) To inform (my audience) my
  audience (specific goal to be accomplished) so
  that they will be able to distinguish between
  legal and illegal street-car racing.

18
Rules for the Specific Purpose

• Again the specific purpose is a single sentence
  that specifically states what the speaker hopes
  to accomplish in his or her speech.
• Additional guidelines for the specific purpose
  are
• the purpose statement must not be a fragment,
• must not be in the form of a question,
• must avoid using figurative language,
• and must present one clear-cut idea.

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The Purpose Statement Must Not be a Fragment

• Poor Specific Purpose Watches
• Appropriate To inform my audience of the
  declining demand for wristwatches due to the
  popularity of cell phones.

20
Must Not be in the Form of a Question

• Write your specific purpose statement as a
  statement NOT as a question.
• Poor Specific Purpose Are the New York Yankees
  the best MLB franchise?
• Acceptable To persuade my audience that the New
  York Yankees are the greatest MLB franchise in
  history.

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Must Avoid Using Figurative Language

• Weak Specific Purpose To inform my audience that
  bicycle riding is trendy due to the high price of
  gasoline.
• Acceptable To inform my audience of the cost
  effectiveness of bicycle riding.

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Must Present One Clear-Cut Idea

• Confusing Specific Purpose To persuade my
  audience to exercise three times a week and
  pursue a college degree.
• Acceptable To persuade my audience that they
  must exercise three times a week for a healthy
  lifestyle.
• Or
• Acceptable To persuade my audience to complete
  their college education to maximize their future
  incomes.

23
The Central Idea

• The central idea is your road map, as to how you
  will get to your end destination.
• The central idea may be defined as a one-sentence
  statement that sums up the main ideas of your
  speech.
• The central idea may also be known as a subject
  sentence, a thesis statement, or a major thought.
  
• Using the term residual message is another way of
  conceptualizing the purpose of your central idea
  in your speech preparation.
• The residual message is what a speaker wants the
  audience to remember after it has forgotten
  everything else in the speech.

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Central Idea Example

• Topic Computers
• General Purpose To inform
• Specific Purpose To inform my audience of the
  key criteria to consider when buying a laptop
  computer.
• Central Idea When purchasing a laptop computer
  pay attention to the cost, speed and storage
  space, screen resolution, and the manufacturers
  warranty.

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The Central Idea Example

• Topic Entrepreneurship
• General Purpose To persuade
• Specific Purpose To persuade my audience that
  they should start their own business.
• Central Idea Starting a business will help your
  tap into your creativity, build wealth, and allow
  you flexibility in your schedule.

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Rules for the Central Idea

• The central idea needs to be expressed in a full
  sentence
• Should not be in the form of a question
• Should avoid using figurative language
• Should not be overly general or vague