Speech 1010

Public Speaking
Mrs.Christianson
Informative Speaking
A speech to inform shares information with others
to enhance their knowledge or understanding of
the concept and ideas presented.

When you inform someone, you assume the role
of a teacher by defining, illustrating, clarifying, or
elaborating on a topic.
Goals of Informative Speaking
Speak to enhance understanding
When speaking to enhance understanding, you must
first make sure you are using words that your listeners
will interpret in the same way as you do.

Speak to maintain interest
If audience members feel they will benefit from your
speech in some way, your speech will interest them.

And an interesting speech commands attention as well
as respect
Goals of Informative
Speaking
Speak to be remembered
One day after hearing a presentation, most audience
members will remember only about half of what they
were told.

And they will recall only 25% two weeks later.

Your job as an informative speaker is to improve on
those statistics.
Types of Informative Speeches
Informative Speech: Description Sample Topics
Speech about Objects
Presents information about
tangible things
The Rosetta Stone
Museums
International space station
Voting Machines
Speech about People
Describes either famous
people or personal
acquaintances
Sojourner Truth
Nelson Mandela
Indira Gandhi
Your granddad
Your favorite teacher
Speech about Ideas
Presents abstract
information or discusses
principles, concepts,
theories, or issues
Communism
Success
Buddhism
Reincarnation
Speech about Events
Describes an event that
either has happened or will
happen
The 2005 Southeast Asia
Tsunami
Inauguration Day
Cinco de Mayo
Strategies to Enhance
Audience Understanding
Preview main ideas in introduction

Tell your listeners how what you present relates to a previous
point

Frequently summarize key ideas

Provide a handout prior to your talk with the major points outlined;
leave space so that listeners can jot down key ideas

Once you announce your topic and outline, stay on message

Dont present too much information too quickly
Strategies to Maintain Audience
Interest: Establishing a Motive for
Listening
Tell a story
The characteristics of a well-told story are simple yet
powerful.

A good story includes conflict, action, suspense, and
maybe some humor.

Present information that relates to listeners
Be aware of information that your audience can use.
For example, if you are talking about recycling be sure to
talk about specific efforts on your campus or in the
community.
Strategies to Enhance
Audience Recall
Build in redundancy
Repeat key points

Give a clear preview at the beginning of your talk as
well as a summary statement in your conclusion.

Use numeric signposts (My first point My second
point)

Pace your information
Organize your speech so that you present an even flow
of information, rather than bunching up a number of
significant details around one point.
Strategies to Enhance
Audience Recall (continued)
Reinforce key ideas verbally
You can reinforce an idea by using such phrases as This is
the most important point or Be sure to remember this next
point.

Reinforce key ideas nonverbally
A well-placed pause can provide emphasis and
reinforcement to set off a point. Pause just before you make
an important point.

Raise or lower your voice can also reinforce a key idea.

Moving from behind the podium to tell a personal anecdote
can signal that something special is about to be said.

Ethics Question
Even during times of intense personal crisis for
example, following the death of a family member
the press relentlessly pursues celebrities to try to
elicit impromptu statements.

Is this an ethical practice?

Does the publics right to know justify the invasion
of privacy?