CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1SELECTING A TOPIC SELECTING A TOPIC SELECTING A TOPIC SELECTING A TOPIC

AND A PURPOSEAND A PURPOSEAND A PURPOSEAND A PURPOSE

CHOOSING A TOPICCHOOSING A TOPICCHOOSING A TOPICCHOOSING A TOPIC

• Topic:– The subject of a speech– It is usually determined by the occasion, the audience

and the speaker’s qualifications

• Two broad categories of potential topics:1. Topics you know a lot about

– E.g. The Basics of Backpacking, How to have a successful job interview

2. Topics you want to know more about

• BRAINSTORMING FOR TOPICSBRAINSTORMING FOR TOPICSBRAINSTORMING FOR TOPICSBRAINSTORMING FOR TOPICS1. Personal inventory2. Clustering3. Reference search4. Internet search

– Example of clustering:

RobotsThe moonFree-speech theories

BlackberryMy hometownConservatism

iPodParisBusiness ethics

THINGSPLACESCONCEPTS

Chinese New YearGloves Gambling

World CupFingerprints Academy Awards

GraduationPoliceMovies

EVENTSCAMPUS CRIMETELEVISION

TELEVISION PROGRAMS

COMEDY CHILDREN’S

PROGRAMEDUCATIONAL

PROGRAMSNEWS MOVIES SPORTS

PRE 1960s 1961-1979 1980-2000 PRESENT TIME

WOMEN MEN RELATIONSHIP

TOPIC: WOMEN IN TELEVISION COMEDY / FAMILIES IN TELEVISION COMEDY

DETERMINING THE GENERAL PURPOSEDETERMINING THE GENERAL PURPOSEDETERMINING THE GENERAL PURPOSEDETERMINING THE GENERAL PURPOSE

• The general purpose of your speech usually falls into two categories:

1. To inform– You act as a teacher or lecturer– Your goal is to convey information clearly, accurately, and

interestingly– Your aim is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of

your listeners2. To persuade

– You act as advocate or a partisan– You go beyond giving information– Your primary goal is to win over your listeners to your point

of view

DETERMINING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSEDETERMINING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSEDETERMINING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSEDETERMINING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE

• Specific purpose should focus on one aspect of the topic

• Should be able to state your specific purpose in one single phrase e.g. “to inform my audience….”

• Example:Topic: Music therapyGeneral purpose: To informSpecific purpose: To inform my audience about the

benefits of music therapy for people withpsychological or cognitive disabilities

• TIPS FOR FORMULATING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE STATEMENT

1. Write the purpose statement as a full infinitive phrase, not as a fragmentIneffective : CalendarsMore effective : To inform my audience about the four major

kinds of calendars used in the world today

2. Express your purpose as a statement, not as a questionIneffective : What is Dia de los Muertos?More effective : To inform my audience about the history of

Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos celebration

3. Avoid figurative language in your purpose statementIneffective : To persuade my audience that the campus policy

on student parking really stinksMore effective : To persuade my audience that the campus policy

on student parking should be revised to provide more spaces for students before 5 p.m.

4. Limit your purpose statement to one distinct ideaIneffective : To persuade my audience to become literacy

tutors and to donate time to the Special Olympics

More effective : To persuade my audience to become literacy tutors / To persuade my audience to donate time to the Special Olympics

5. Make sure your specific purpose is 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 United States

• QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC PURPOSE

1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time allotted?3. Is the purpose relevant to my audience?4. Is the purpose too trivial for my audience?5. Is the purpose too technical for my audience?

PHRASING THE CENTRAL IDEAPHRASING THE CENTRAL IDEAPHRASING THE CENTRAL IDEAPHRASING THE CENTRAL IDEA• What is central idea?

– A concise statement of what you expect to say– Sometimes it is called the thesis statement, the subject

sentence or the major thought– Example:

Topic : Music therapyGeneral purpose : To informSpecific purpose : To inform my audience about the benefits of

music therapy for people with psychological orcognitive disabilities

Central idea : Music therapy developed as a formal mode of treatment during the twentieth century, utilizes a number of methods, and is explained by several theories that account for its success

• GUIDELINES FOR THE CENTRAL IDEA– Central idea:

1. Should be expressed in a full sentence2. Should not be in the form of a question3. Should avoid figurative language4. Should not be vague or overly general

– Examples of poorly written central ideas:• Paying college athletes a monthly salary is a good idea• Problems of fad diets• What are nanorobots?

– More effective:• Because college athletes in revenue-producing sports such as

football and basketball generate millions of dollars in revenue for their schools, the NCAA should allow such athletes to receive a $300 monthly salary as part of their scholarships

• Although fad diets produce quick weight loss, they can lead to serious health problems by creating deficiencies in vitamins andminerals and by breaking down muscle tissue as well as fat

• Microscopic in size, nanorobots are being developed for use in medicine, weaponry, and daily life