CHAPTER 12
12.1 Understand the audience in a given speaking situation.
Think about the class you are in now. If your classmates were an audience, which of their characteristics would you consider when planning a speech to deliver to them? What would be their purpose in listening and their demographics, attitudes, beliefs, values, and perceptions of the occasion?
The characteristics I will use is determination. Their purpose in listening is to get the information I’m giving them and to understand the message of it. It is for all ages, and it is not biased thinking.
12.2 Follow the steps involved with planning a successful speech.
What topic would you choose for the next speech you will or would present in your class? What would your purpose be? How would you formulate your thesis statement?
I don’t know what my next speech would be, but the purpose of the speech is to persuade the audience. I would formulate the thesis by finding general information about the topic.
12.3 Create an effective and well-organized speech structure and outline.
Describe the process you would use to structure your next speech for this class.
The structure that I will use to organize my next speech for the class will be Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The introduction will capture the audience’s attention and set the moods. The body will contain the main points. The conclusion will wrap up all the main points and generate audience involvement.
12.4 Develop an effective introduction.
In your next speech introduction, how will you gain your audience’s attention, preview your main points, set the mood and tone of the speech, demonstrate the importance of your topic to the audience, and establish your credibility?
When making a speech, I will ask questions to the audience to gain their attention. This can also be achieved by referring to the audience. To preview the main points, I will use an effective introduction to my speech. In the introduction of my speech, I will begin with a silence to set the mood and tone of the speech. To demonstrate the importance of my topic to the audience, I will relate to them as individuals. Finally, to establish my credibility, I will prepare well for the speech.
12.5 Develop an effective conclusion and integrate smooth transitions.
Outline the main points you might include if you are writing a speech about the process you follow to study for a test. How would you use transitions to show how one point relates to others.
When studying for the text, it important to identify a quiet place that is away from destruction. The second step is to review the study guide. This is followed by reviewing notes, quizzes, and assignments. The next step is to quiz yourself about the content. Write down some short notes, highlighting important points, and consult the instructor for further clarification. I will use transitions to connect points that appear to address similar information or expound on the previous and upcoming points in the speech.
12.6 Choose supporting materials that make your idea clear, memorable, and convincing.
Think about your next speech in this class. How could you use each of the following: definitions of key terms, examples, statistics, analogies, anecdotes, quotations, and testimony?
I will use the section of definitions of key terms to describe words that appear unfamiliar to the audience. When defining these terms, I will use simple and concise language to make the audience understand better. I will use factual examples to demonstrate a general idea. I will include the statistics in my speech to support key points, especially when quoting figures or numbers as an effective proof. I will use anecdotes to relate the subject of the speech with my personal experience. Quotations in my speech will serve as testimony to prove the points. Finally, I will use testimony in my speech by relating to other people who have experienced a similar encounter.