ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION
The key attention-grabbing portion of your speech, your keynote.
***NO-NO: "My speech is on....." "My topic is......" "I'm going to
talk to you about....."
***GOOD TECHNIQUES:
PICTURE (OR IMAGINE) YOURSELF (ILLUSTRATION)
Painting a word-picture which places the audience verbally
in a situation similar to your speech focus. (EX: "Picture
yourself in the middle of an interstate highway and, suddenly,
an 18-wheeler is coming down the road....the WRONG WAY
....and right toward you."
HUMOR
If the topic is appropriate, a good introduction injects
humor (often from personal experience) to get attention
RHETORICAL QUESTION
Asking about a hypothetical, or reality, situation.
(EX: "Have you ever bought something at a department store and
wanted to strangle the clerk when he seemed unconcerned
about your product which didn't work?")
ACTION QUESTION
An informal poll, involvement inquiry which demands a
response from your audience.
(EX: "How many of you have ever been in an auto accident?
If you were holding up your hand, you know it can be
the most helpless feeling in the world, because you
often have no time or chance to escape.")
DRAMATIC DEVICE
Use of prop, emotion, demonstration, or shock value to
gain the audience's attention.
(EX: To illustrate the proper way to complain in a store,
you may want to use another class member as a clerk and
"enter" the store by going into a "tirade" against the
"clerk" as an example of how NOT to effectively complain.)
QUOTATIONS
If a dramatic, serious or humorous quotation can be found
which is appropriate to your theme....lead with it, then
say who said it and why it is important to illustrate your
central focus.
SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
***Chronology
Focusing on three or four key eras of development of your topic
and following them in a time order
***Historical Background
Focusing on three or four key events (not necessarily in chronological
order) which are appropriate to your central focus
***Defining Terms
Focusing on specific areas of research, technology, or development
essential to your central focus. (EX: If doing a speech on
heart disease, you may want to look at three or four key areas
of heart treatment).
NO-NO: Never use a scientific or technical term without defining it
in layman's terms.
***Personalities
Focusing on key people who are significant in the development,
improvement, or creation of your central topic.
***Personal History
Focusing on events and occurrences in your life which back up your
specific purpose/central topic. These can be effective in your
personal experience speeches.
***Topical
Focusing on components of your central idea.
(EX: If discussing how to change an automobile filter, you will
want to center on 3 or 4 key steps in the process.)
***Compare and Contrast
Focusing on similarities and differences between two or more
comparable items
***Problem-Solution Method
More applicable in persuasive speeches, this identifies a problem
and suggests 3 or 4 key possible ways to solve it.
***Case Method
Focusing on 3 or 4 specific cases or case studies found in research
which are relevant to your topic. Often used in speeches on crime
or medical illnesses.
CONCLUSION
Summary, motivation, prescribed action, or cementing of central ideas.
(NO-NO: "That's the end of my speech....any questions." "That's it.")
KEY TECHNIQUES
RESTATEMENT----Reinforcement of the central theme and/or previous
key points in summary. Restatement replants key points in
the listeners' minds.
CLINCHER----Suggestion for action, personal references, quotations, answering of initial rhetorical question, which
"ties together" your overall purpose.
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