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Ch. 7, Organizing Your Presentation Introduction I. Attention Getter: Always start off with an attention gaining device. Be creative. There are several types of attention getters. Objects Audience Participation Special clothing “Imagine” scenario Sight/Sound (music/posters) Curiosity Role-plays Video/Films Quotes Striking facts/stats Self-disclosure Stories, anecdotes Make sure your attention getters relate to the speech topic and are appropriate (don't point gun at an audience even if you ARE discussing firearms). II. Purpose Statement Today I’m going to tell you about/how to. . . What I want you to learn today is. . .
III. Ethos.
This has to do with YOU and why the audience should listen to you. You can build Discuss your interest Why did you choose the topic? Why do you find it interesting? Discuss your expertise Why should we listen to you? Did you do research on a certain topic? IV. Preview Preview All main points in the order you will discuss them Body I. Use Roman Numeral Format for your outline. Divide the speech into sections introduction/body/conclusion and then cite references in a "references" section. Example:
Body I. Main Point 1 A. Sub-point 1. Supporting Material a. Example 1 b. Example 2 2. Supporting Material a. Statistic 1 b. Statistic 2 B. Sub-point 1. Supporting Material a. Example 1 b. Example 2 2. Supporting Material a. Statistic 1 b. Statistic 2 II. Main Point 2 (etc. . .)
II. Six Principles of Main Points
A.
Simplicity: Limit the number of main points and use simple wording. You can only
include about 3-5 main points in a 5-7 minute speech. Remember, people can't
rewind a live speech so make sure you explain things simply so that they are
able to comprehend as
B.
Discreteness: Keep main points separate from one another. You wouldn't want to
say "Regular exercise helps you control you weight and your sleeping patterns."
Those would be two main points. Transitions will also help set off main points.
C.
Parallel Structure: Use the same wording for all main points. For example, if
you start off your first main point with a question, then use questions to
introduce all your main points. D. Balance: Spend roughly the same amount of time on all main points. Also, consider the ratio of the different parts of the speech:
Also, remember the rule of "primacy-recency" which means people tend to remember what
they hear first and last.
Thus, the weakest points should be placed in the middle.
E. Coherence: All main points should make sense together in the same speech and
should relate to one another. For example, if your
topic was "How to Study Better in College" your main points should all have to
do with study tips and improving study habits. You
F.
Completeness: Don’t omit crucial information. If you are asking people to give
money to St. Jude's Children's Hospital for example, be sure and tell them what
St. Jude's does with the money and how and where to send it. III. Organizational Patterns
A. Time Sequence/Chronological:
Use to show
steps
in a process (Ex: four steps in making your own paper) or show the history of
something like the History of the ABI Building at ASU.
B. Spatial: Deals with space and spatial regions. For example, if you are
discussing the four chambers of the heart you would likely follow a spatial
design and "look at" each chamber. This patterns is often referred to as an
"oral tour." Or, if you were discussing the four burrows of New York City, you
would likely follow a spatial pattern.
C. Cause-Effect: Use when you want to establish the causes of a certain effect.
For example, you may wish to identify three causes of global warming.
D. Topical/Categorical: Use when there are natural divisions in your topic.
Often used when discussing types, categories, divisions, major features or
qualities of something. It is a very common design. E. Problem-Solution: Often used in persuasive speeches, this design is used to illustrate a particular problem and offer a solution to the problem. You could use this design in an informative speech if you were to discuss a problem and provide several options for solutions without advocating one solution in particular. So, the first main point always deals with establishing seriousness and scope of the problem and the second point is/are the solution(s) to the problem (or possible solution(s) if used in an informative speech).
Conclusion Signal End! You can simply say "In conclusion. . ." Then. . . I. Summarize main points.
II. End on a
strong note/creative close Transitions Transitions are bridges between ideas. They usually go in key places in the speech: Between the introduction and body, between the main points, and between the body and conclusion. There are four types of transitions:
Basic transition: Moves from 1 idea to the next. Ex: Now that we have looked at X, let's look at Y."
Internal previews: Signals where you’re going: Ex: "Now that we have discussed the materials you need to begin painting, let's discuss the various types of paint. These are watercolor, acrylic, and oil." Internal previews occur in the body of the speech.
Internal summary: Reminds listeners where you’ve been. Ex: In short, we've discussed the basic principles of feng shui: yin and yang, chi, shar, and the relationship of the five elements. Let's take a look at how feng shui is practiced today.
Signposts: Tell listeners where you are. They are usually provided in numeric form. Ex: My first point is, my second point is, etc. |
This website is maintained by Marceline Thompson Hayes, mhayes@astate.edu This page last updated August 21, 2007 Arkansas State University |