1 Developing Your Speech Topic & Purpose Chapter 4.

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Developing Developing Your SpeechYour SpeechTopic & Topic & PurposePurpose

Chapter 4Chapter 4

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In This ChapterIn This Chapter

How Context Influences How Context Influences Our Speaking GoalsOur Speaking Goals

Choosing Your Speech Choosing Your Speech TopicTopic

Articulating Your PurposeArticulating Your Purpose Stating Your ThesisStating Your Thesis

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Speaking ContextSpeaking Context

Deciding to speakDeciding to speak Being asked to speakBeing asked to speak Being required to speakBeing required to speak

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Topic, purpose, & Topic, purpose, & audienceaudience

Audience

TopicPurpose

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Choosing a Speech Choosing a Speech TopicTopic

Match interests to Match interests to purposepurpose

Match expertise to Match expertise to purposepurpose

Check out Web Link 4.2:Topics about Public Policyonline at the Invitation to Public Speaking website.

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Brainstorming by:Brainstorming by:

Free associationFree association ClusteringClustering CategoriesCategories TechnologyTechnology

FIGURE 4.1

Cluster diagram (p. 78)

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General Purpose General Purpose

The broad goal of a The broad goal of a speechspeech

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General Speaking General Speaking PurposesPurposes

To informTo inform To persuadeTo persuade To inviteTo invite To introduceTo introduce To commemorateTo commemorate To acceptTo accept

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Specific Purpose Specific Purpose

A focused statement A focused statement identifying you want to identifying you want to accomplish with your accomplish with your speechspeech

See Table 4.1, General and Specific Speaking Purposeson page 82 in the text.

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Specific PurposeSpecific Purpose

State specific speaking State specific speaking purpose clearlypurpose clearly

Keep audience in the Keep audience in the forefront of your mindforefront of your mind

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Specific Purpose:Specific Purpose:

What you hope to accomplishWhat you hope to accomplish

Examples:Examples:– To invite my audience to explore the To invite my audience to explore the

advantages and disadvantages of a helmet advantages and disadvantages of a helmet law in Ohio.law in Ohio.

– To inform my audience how to studyTo inform my audience how to study– To inform my audience about HospiceTo inform my audience about Hospice– To persuade my audience to give bloodTo persuade my audience to give blood– To persuade audience to pursue internships To persuade audience to pursue internships

prior to graduationprior to graduation

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Questions to ask about Questions to ask about your Specific purposeyour Specific purpose

Does it meet the assignment?Does it meet the assignment?

Can it meet the time requirement?Can it meet the time requirement?

Is it relevant to the audience?Is it relevant to the audience?

Is it too trivial for the audience?Is it too trivial for the audience?

Is it too technical for the audience? Is it too technical for the audience?

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Identify the problem with each Identify the problem with each specific purpose statements:specific purpose statements:

What is attention deficit disorder? What is attention deficit disorder?

To inform my audience about To inform my audience about

Japan.Japan.

Learn CPR.Learn CPR.

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Thesis Statement Thesis Statement

A single declarative A single declarative sentencesentence

Summarizes main ideas, Summarizes main ideas, assumptions or assumptions or arguments of the speecharguments of the speech

Main points in a nutshellMain points in a nutshell

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Stating the thesis:Stating the thesis:

A one-sentence preview of the exact A one-sentence preview of the exact content of your speechcontent of your speech

Example:Example:– The pyramids of ancient Egypt had The pyramids of ancient Egypt had

three major uses - as tombs for the three major uses - as tombs for the burial of monarchs, as temples for burial of monarchs, as temples for worshipping the gods, and as worshipping the gods, and as observatories for studying the stars observatories for studying the stars and the planets.and the planets.

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Tips for the thesisTips for the thesis

Write a complete sentenceWrite a complete sentence

Avoid questionsAvoid questions

Be specific, preview your main Be specific, preview your main

ideasideas

Be focusedBe focused

General Purpose: General Purpose:

Specific Purpose:Specific Purpose:

Thesis: Thesis: The four stages of alcoholism are the warning The four stages of alcoholism are the warning stage, the danger stage, the crucial stage, the danger stage, the crucial stage, and the chronic stage.stage, and the chronic stage.

Main Points:Main Points:

Supply the general purpose, Supply the general purpose, specific purpose, and main points for specific purpose, and main points for a a speech with the following thesis: speech with the following thesis:

To Inform

To inform my audience of the four stages of alcoholism.

I. The first stage of alcoholism is the warning stage.

II. The second stage of alcoholism is the danger stage.

III. The third stage of alcoholism is the crucial stage.

IV. The fourth stage of alcoholism is the chronic stage.

Supply the general purpose, Supply the general purpose, specific purpose, and thesis:specific purpose, and thesis:

General Purpose:General Purpose:

Specific Purpose:Specific Purpose:

Thesis:Thesis:

Main Points:Main Points: I. The first major race in alpine I. The first major race in alpine skiing skiing is the downhill.is the downhill.

II. The second major race in alpine II. The second major race in alpine skiing is the slalom.skiing is the slalom.

III. The third major race in alpine III. The third major race in alpine skiing skiing is the giant slalom. is the giant slalom.

•To inform

•To inform my audience of the three major races in alpine skiing.

•The three major races in alpine skiing are the downhill, the slalom, and the giant slalom.