What type of informative presentation addresses why questions

Whether your object is the human body or the most recent episode of Family Guy , informative object speeches provide a comprehensive overview of your object as topic. A process is the manner in which something is created, made, done, or works. An informative speech about a process then describes how something is made, done, or works. Processes could include anything from how the modern electoral college works to how an ice cream sandwich is made on the factory line.

Informative process speeches work to help your audience both understand the process, and possibly be able to replicate the process for themselves if applicable. Like all informative speeches, event speeches must also serve a purpose.

In either case, your speech must have a purpose to it. When speaking about concepts, you may have to find concrete ideas in order to make abstract ideas more relatable and tangible to your audience. A narrowly focused speech topic can really hone in on an object, process, event, or concept, thus making it easier for the audience to understand that topic.

A broadly chosen topic usually entails lots of different kinds of information, which might complicate the informative quality of a speech and confuse the audience members. A narrowed focus also makes researching more manageable for the speech writer and increases his or her ability to understand that topic thoroughly before presenting it to others.

When writing an informative speech, pick out a small number of key points on your specific topic that you want the audience to take away from your speech. Use these points to develop an organizational structure to your speech, which should include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

This structure will provide a trajectory that guides your audience as you elaborate the key points of information. Having a structure gives you, as the speaker, an opportunity to introduce the key points in the introduction and revisit them in the conclusion, increasing the likelihood that the audience will walk away with the key knowledge about your topic.

Informative Speech : A lecture is an example of an informative speech. To be convincing, the speaker has to take into account the behavioral motivations and foundational beliefs of the audience. Showing empathy with the audience is crucial. Drawing parallels between yourself and the audience reduces the distance between you and them, making your speech that much more persuasive.

In addition to pathos, persuasive speeches contain appeals to ethos and logos. For the audience to be persuaded, they have to feel that the speaker is a credible and worth listening to. An appeal to logos requires referencing evidence.

When choosing between writing an informative or persuasive speech, the speaker should consider the purpose of the speech. Is it to share information about a particular event, topic, or subject? Or is it to persuade the audience to hold a certain belief or attitude about said event, topic, or subject? College lectures about an event in history or a historical figure would be considered informative speeches. Lecture : A lecture is one type of informative speech.

Other examples of subjects for an informative speech include an actor or actress, the field of advertising, a classic film the history of Dracula, social networking websites, and what causes volcanoes.

Each of these examples lends itself to multiple types of information. For example, an informative speech about a particular actor or actress would likely focus on providing a description of who the person is and what movies or plays they have been in. An informative speech about the causes of a volcano could be considered a how-it-happens speech, which could be similar to a how-to speech. More technical subjects, such as the field of advertising, require more technical information and specific data relevant to the industry.

Technical subjects especially, but really all informative speeches, benefit from the use of visualizations, such as bar graphs or images. The choice of visual aids depends on what information the speaker wants to inform the audience of. For example, a speech that intends to explore the financial trends of political advertising over ten years would benefit from a bar graph.

However, a speech that is informing the audience on how political advertisements have functionally changed over time would benefit from actual examples of ad campaigns. In order to differentiate an informative speech from other types of speeches, it is important to stick to the basic facts of the subject. No personal biases, unsubstantiated information, or popular opinion should be included when stating the main ideas of the topic. When crafting an informative speech look at the subject carefully and eliminate any potential statements that have prejudice or might persuade the audience.

Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Informative Speaking. Search for:. Example Text : I'll talk about it in three parts. After you accomplish the first five components of the introduction, you should make a clean transition to the body of the speech. Use this transition to signal a change and prepare the audience to begin processing specific topical information.

You should round out the introduction, reinforce the excitement and interest that you created in the audience during the introduction, and slide into the first main body point. Strategic organization helps increase the clarity and effectiveness of your speech. Four key issues are discussed in this section:. The body contains the bulk of information in your speech and needs to be clearly organized. Without clear organization, the audience will probably forget your information, main points, perhaps even your thesis.

Some simple strategies will help you create a clear, memorable speech. Below are the four key issues used in organizing a speech. Once you settle on a topic, you should decide which aspects of that topic are of greatest importance for your speech. These aspects become your main points. While there is no rule about how many main points should appear in the body of the speech, most students go with three main points. You must have at least two main points; aside from that rule, you should select your main points based on the importance of the information and the time limitations.

Be sure to include whatever information is necessary for the audience to understand your topic. Also, be sure to synthesize the information so it fits into the assigned time frame.

As you choose your main points, try to give each point equal attention within the speech. If you pick three main points, each point should take up roughly one-third of the body section of your speech. There are four basic patterns of organization for an informative speech. You can choose any of these patterns based on which pattern serves the needs of your speech.

A speech organized chronologically has main points oriented toward time. For example, a speech about the Farm Aid benefit concert could have main points organized chronologically. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be followed on a calendar or a clock. A speech organized spatially has main points oriented toward space or a directional pattern.

The Farm Aid speech's body could be organized in spatial order. The first main point discusses the New York branch of the organization; the second main point discusses the Midwest branch; the third main point discusses the California branch of Farm Aid. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be traced on a map. A speech organized causally has main points oriented toward cause and effect. The main points of a Farm Aid speech organized causally could look like this: the first main point informs about problems on farms and the need for monetary assistance; the second main point discusses the creation and implementation of the Farm Aid program.

In this format, you discuss main points in an order that alerts the audience to a problem or circumstance and then tells the audience what action resulted from the original circumstance.

A speech organized topically has main points organized more randomly by sub-topics. The Farm Aid speech could be organized topically: the first main point discusses Farm Aid administrators; the second main point discusses performers; the third main point discusses sponsors; the fourth main point discusses audiences.

In this format, you discuss main points in a more random order that labels specific aspects of the topic and addresses them in separate categories. Most speeches that are not organized chronologically, spatially, or causally are organized topically. Within the body of your speech, you need clear internal structure. Connectives are devices used to create a clear flow between ideas and points within the body of your speech--they serve to tie the speech together. There are four main types of connective devices:.

Think of connectives as hooks and ladders for the audience to use when moving from point-to-point within the body of your speech. These devices help re-focus the minds of audience members and remind them of which main point your information is supporting. The four main types of connective devices are:. Transitions are brief statements that tell the audience to shift gears between ideas.

Transitions serve as the glue that holds the speech together and allow the audience to predict where the next portion of the speech will go. For example, once you have previewed your main points and you want to move from the introduction to the body of the Farm Aid speech, you might say: "To gain an adequate understanding of the intricacies of this philanthropic group, we need to look at some specific information about Farm Aid.

We'll begin by looking at the administrative branch of this massive fund-raising organization. Internal previews are used to preview the parts of a main point. Internal previews are more focused than, but serve the same purpose as, the preview you will use in the introduction of the speech. For example, you might create an internal preview for the complex main point dealing with Farm Aid performers: "In examining the Farm Aid performers, we must acknowledge the presence of entertainers from different genres of music--country and western, rhythm and blues, rock, and pop.

Internal summaries are the reverse of internal previews. Internal summaries restate specific parts of a main point. To internally summarize the main point dealing with Farm Aid performers, you might say: "You now know what types of people perform at the Farm Aid benefit concerts. The entertainers come from a wide range of musical genres--country and western, rhythm and blues, rock, and pop. Signposts are brief statements that remind the audience where you are within the speech.

If you have a long point, you may want to remind the audience of what main point you are on: "Continuing my discussion of Farm Aid performers. When organizing the body of your speech, you will integrate several references to your research.

The purpose of the informative speech is to allow you and the audience to learn something new about a topic. Additionally, source citations add credibility to your ideas. If you know a lot about rock climbing and you cite several sources who confirm your knowledge, the audience is likely to see you as a credible speaker who provides ample support for ideas.

Without these references, your speech is more like a story or a chance for you to say a few things you know. To complete this assignment satisfactorily, you must use source citations. Consult your textbook and instructor for specific information on how much supporting material you should use and about the appropriate style for source citations.

Take a deep breath! If you made it to the conclusion, you are on the brink of finishing. Below are the tasks you should complete in your conclusion:.

When making the transition to the conclusion, attempt to make clear distinctions verbally and nonverbally that you are now wrapping up the information and providing final comments about the topic. Refer back to the thesis from the introduction with wording that calls the original thesis into memory.

Assert that you have accomplished the goals of your thesis statement and create the feeling that audience members who actively considered your information are now equipped with an understanding of your topic. Within the conclusion, re-state the main points of the speech. Since you have used parallel wording for your main points in the introduction and body, don't break that consistency in the conclusion. Frame the review so the audience will be reminded of the preview and the developed discussion of each main point.

After the review, you may want to create a statement about why those main points fulfilled the goals of the speech. Finish strongly. When you close your speech, craft statements that reinforce the message and leave the audience with a clear feeling about what was accomplished with your speech. You might finalize the adaptation by discussing the benefits of listening to the speech and explaining what you think audience members can do with the information.

Remember to maintain an informative tone for this speech. You should not persuade about beliefs or positions; rather, you should persuade the audience that the speech was worthwhile and useful.

For greatest effect, create a closing line or paragraph that is artistic and effective. Much like the attention-getter, the closing line needs to be refined and practiced. Your close should stick with the audience and leave them interested in your topic. Take time to work on writing the close well and attempt to memorize it so you can directly address the audience and leave them thinking of you as a well-prepared, confident speaker.

Two types of outlines can help you prepare to deliver your speech. The complete sentence outline provides a useful means of checking the organization and content of your speech. The speaking outline is an essential aid for delivering your speech.

In this section, we discuss both types of outlines. A complete sentence outline may not be required for your presentation. The following information is useful, however, in helping you prepare your speech.

Make certain your listeners know what you mean before continuing your speech. Rather, you must be sure to explain everything so thoroughly that they cannot help but understand. The art of public speaking. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Define terms to help listeners understand them the way you mean them to. Give explanations that are consistent with your definitions, and show how those ideas apply to your speech topic.

In this way, you can avoid many misunderstandings. You may have learned in elementary school that their survival was attributable, in part, to the assistance of Squanto. Many of your listeners will know which states are in New England, but if there are international students in the audience, they might never have heard of New England. Other knowledge gaps can still confound the effectiveness of the speech.

For instance, who or what was Squanto? What kind of assistance did the settlers get? Only a few listeners are likely to know that Squanto spoke English and that fact had greatly surprised the settlers when they landed.

It was through his knowledge of English that Squanto was able to advise these settlers in survival strategies during that first harsh winter. If you neglect to provide that information, your speech will not be fully informative. Beyond the opportunity to help improve your delivery, one important outcome of practicing your speech in front of a live audience of a couple of friends or classmates is that you can become aware of terms that are confusing or that you should define for your audience.

If you decide to give an informative speech on a highly specialized topic, limit how much technical language or jargon you use. Loading a speech with specialized language has the potential to be taxing on the listeners. Even if you define many technical terms, the audience may feel as if they are being bombarded with a set of definitions instead of useful information. If you must, introduce one specialized term and carefully define and explain it to the audience.

Define it in words, and then use a concrete and relevant example to clarify the meaning. Some topics, by their very nature, are too technical for a short speech. For example, in a five-minute speech you would be foolish to try to inform your audience about the causes of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear emergency that occurred in Japan in Other topics, while technical, can be presented in audience-friendly ways that minimize the use of technical terms.

As a college student, you have had a significant amount of exposure to abstract A term that is imprecise, leaving the meaning open to interpretation.

You have become comfortable using and hearing a variety of abstract ideas. However, abstract terms lend themselves to many interpretations. Among other meanings, it can mean duty, task, authority, or blame. Because of the potential for misunderstanding, it is better to use a concrete word.

To illustrate the differences between abstract and concrete A term that directly names a specific thing. Its meaning is unlikely to require any interpretation. By using an abstraction in a sentence and then comparing the concrete term in the sentence, you will notice the more precise meanings of the concrete terms. Those precise terms are less likely to be misunderstood. When you developed your speech, you carefully narrowed your topic in order to keep information limited yet complete and coherent.

If you carefully adhere to your own narrowing, you can keep from going off on tangents or confusing your audience. If you overload your audience with information, they will be unable to follow your narrative.

Use the definitions, descriptions, explanations, and examples you need in order to make your meanings clear, but resist the temptation to add tangential Information that is somewhat related to the topic and thesis but is, nonetheless, a digression. Certain sets of knowledge are common to many people in your classroom audience.

For instance, most of them know what Wikipedia is. Many have found it a useful and convenient source of information about topics related to their coursework. Because many Wikipedia entries are lengthy, greatly annotated, and followed by substantial lists of authoritative sources, many students have relied on information acquired from Wikipedia in writing papers to fulfill course requirements. All this is information that virtually every classroom listener is likely to know. This is the current knowledge of your audience.

Because your listeners are already familiar with Wikipedia, you can link important new knowledge to their already-existing knowledge. Some of your listeners may not enjoy hearing this message, so you must find a way to make it acceptable. One way to make the message acceptable to your listeners is to show what Wikipedia does well. For example, some Wikipedia entries contain many good references at the end.

Most of those references are likely to be authoritative, having been written by scholars. In searching for information on a topic, a student can look up one or more of those references in full-text databases or in the library.

In this way, Wikipedia can be helpful in steering a student toward the authoritative information they need. Explaining this to your audience will help them accept, rather than reject, the bad news about Wikipedia.

Now you can turn to your content and find opportunities to make it appropriately vivid. You can do this by using explanations, comparisons, examples, or language.

You can do this through a dramatic contrast, before and after. But on December 7, , everything changed. Within six months, Bay area residents of Japanese ancestry were gone, transported to internment camps located hundreds of miles from the Pacific coast.

This strategy rests on the ability of the audience to visualize the two contrasting situations. You have alluded to two sets of images that are familiar to most college students, images that they can easily visualize. Once the audience imagination is engaged in visualization, they are likely to remember the speech. Your task of providing memorable imagery does not stop after the introduction.

While maintaining an even-handed approach that does not seek to persuade, you must provide the audience with information about the circumstances that triggered the policy of internment, perhaps by describing the advice that was given to President Roosevelt by his top advisers.

You might depict the conditions faced by Japanese Americans during their internment by describing a typical day one of the camps. To conclude your speech on a memorable note, you might name a notable individual—an actor, writer, or politician—who is a survivor of the internment. Such a strategy might feel unnatural to you. After all, this is not how you talk to your friends or participate in a classroom discussion.

Remember, though, that public speaking is not the same as talking. It demands more of you. In a conversation, it might not be important to be memorable; your goal might merely be to maintain friendship. But in a speech, when you expect the audience to pay attention, you must make the speech memorable. When thinking about your topic, it is always very important to keep your audience members center stage in your mind.

For instance, if your speech is about air pollution, ask your audience to imagine feeling the burning of eyes and lungs caused by smog. If your speech is about Mark Twain, instead of simply saying that he was very famous during his lifetime, remind your audience that he was so prominent that their own great-grandparents likely knew of his work and had strong opinions about it.

Giving a human face to a topic helps the audience perceive it as interesting. If your topic is related to the Maasai rite of passage into manhood, the prevalence of drug addiction in a particular locale, the development of a professional filmmaker, or the treatment of a disease, putting a human face should not be difficult.

To do it, find a case study you can describe within the speech, referring to the human subject by name. This conveys to the audience that these processes happen to real people. For some speakers, deciding on a topic is one of the most difficult parts of informative speaking.

The following subsections begin by discussing several categories of topics that you might use for an informative presentation. Then we discuss how you might structure your speech to address potential audience difficulties in understanding your topic or information. The following are some of these topics:. In most cases, there are choices about how to narrow the topic. Here are some specific purpose statements that reflect ways of narrowing a few of those topics:.