Lecture 2

1. Lecture 2 Selecting a Topic and Purpose Analyzing the Audience

2. Two broad categories of potential topics for your speeches: • 1)subjects you know a lot about • 2) subjects you want to know more about

3. Subjects you know a lot about: A. unusual experiences; • B. special knowledge or expertise;

4. Subjects you want to know more about: • Subjects… • a. you already have some knowledge or expertise but need additional research; • b.untouched at all but you want to explore; • c. about which you hold strong opinions and beliefs; • d. you care deeply --- national or international concerns.

5. Brainstorming for topics: • 1)personal inventory; • 2)clustering; • 3) reference search; • 4) internet search;

6. Determining the general purpose: a.to inform: enhance the knowledge and understanding of your listeners --- to give them information they did not have before; to explain b. to persuade: change or structure the attitudes or actions of your audience --- to win over your listeners to your point of view: to exhort

7. Determining the specific purpose: • states what the speaker wants the audience to know as a result of the speech

8. Tips for formulating the specific Purpose Statement: • 1)a full infinitive phrase, not as a fragment; • Ineffective: calendars • More effective: To inform my audience about the four major kinds of calendars used in the world today.

9. 2) a statement, not as a question; • Ineffective: Is the U.S. space program necessary? • More effective: To persuade my audience that the U.S. space program provides many important benefits to people here on earth.

10. 3) avoid figurative language: • Ineffective: To inform my audience that yoga is extremely cool. • More effective: To inform my audience how yoga can improve their health.

11. 4) one distinct idea: • Ineffective: To inform my audience about the use of hot-air balloons and to help reduce air pollution; • More effective: choose one.

12. 5) not too vague or general: • Ineffective: To persuade my audience that something should be done about medical care. • More effective: To persuade my audience that the federal government should adopt a system of national health insurance for all people in the U.S.A.

13. Phrasing the central idea: • The central idea is a concise statement of what you expect to say, also called thesis statement, subject sentence, major thought, usually expressed as a simple, declarative sentence that refines and sharpens the specific purpose statement.

14. Topic: American prison system; • General purpose: To inform; • Specific purpose: To inform my audience of the three major problems facing America’s prison system. • Central idea: America’s prison system suffers from three major problems: overcrowding of inmates, lack of effective rehabilitation programs and high expense to taxpayers.

15. Topic: Alternative-fuel vehicles; • General purpose: To persuade; • Specific purpose: To persuade my audience that the federal government should speed up efforts to develop alternative-fuel vehicles. • Central idea: Developing alternative-vehicles will help reduce American dependence on foreign oil and will help reduce air pollution.

16. Different purposes for a same topic: • Topic: School buses: • Informative: To inform my audience of the dangerous conditions of many school buses in the U.S. • Persuasive: To persuade my audience that the federal government should impose stronger safety standards for school buses in the U.S.

17. Analyzing the Audience • Audience-centered (identification ): • remain true to yourself and speak ethically while adapting your message to the needs of a particular audience

18. The psychology of audience: • Egocentric: • people pay closest attention to messages that affect their own values, their own beliefs, their own well-being.

19. Demographic audience analysis • age, • gender, • sexual orientation, • religion, • group membership; • racial, ethnic or cultural background

20. Other variables to consider: • occupation, • economic position, • social standing, • education, • intelligence, • and place of residence

21. Situational Audience analysis • Size; • Physical setting; • Audience’s interest, knowledge & attitude; • Perception of the speaker; • Disposition toward the occasion.

22. Getting information about the audience • observation and conversation • Interview; • Questionnaire: • ---fixed-alternative questions • ---scale questions • ---open-ended questions

23. Adapting to the audience • audience adaptation before the speech: • --- assessing • --- adjusting • audience adaptation during the speech: • --- time allotment • --- reaction to feedback