Introduction to Persuasive Speaking

Part 9:

Using an Outline,Selecting Topic & Thesis

John E. Clayton

Nanjing University, Spring, 2005

Class Exercise

Be prepared to present your new,

“high-impact” introduction

Syllabus?02/28 Introduction; 03/07 03/14 Speech 103/21 03/28 Movie: Remember the Titans04/04 Overcoming Fear04/11 Speech 204/18 Make-up speeches; Review speech 204/25 Using an outline; Selecting a topic05/02 Holiday 05/09 Using visual aids; Topic outline card05/16 Speech 3 (topic your choice, Visual aid, Outline card)05/23 06/30 06/06 Speech 4 (no make-ups – all due this day)06/08 Speech contest and party (evening)

Key Word Outline

Provides “trigger” words, rather than complete sentences.

A key word or phrase that the speaker can remember more easily.

Steps1. Write your full-sentence planning outline.

2. Underline the most important words of each main point and sub-point.

3. Using the same numerals and letters, write down the key words on index cards

4. Write out any direct quotes, source citations, or important statistics that you need to remember.

Key Word OutlineWRONG

1. Circumstances sometime force people to live alone. Grown children leave the nest - they go to college, move to other cities to get jobs, or marry and move away to start families of their own.

  RIGHT

Thesis: Circumstances sometimes force people to live alone.

A. Grown children leave the nest. 1. Go to college 2. Move to other cities to get jobs. 3. Marry and move away to start families

of their own.

Selecting Topic & Thesis

What Do I Speak About?

Generally, you are either ...

•Given a topic

•Asked to choose one of your own

When Topics Are Assigned

• You still have to adapt the topic to the audience and the occasion

• You must still decide on a specific purpose for your speech

When Topics Are Self-Selected

What criteria must you meet?

• How much time do I have to prepare?

• Do I have time to do adequate research?

• Does the situation require a particular type of topic?

Speech Purpose

The general purpose of speeches is ...

• to inform• to persuade• to celebrate or commerate

Our specific focus is speeches that persuade.

Selecting a Topic

• Is it appropriate to my audience?

• Am I familiar with the topic?

• Am I enthusiastic about the topic?

Consider your hobbies, interests or special activities.

Audience Concerns & Interests

How does the topic fit with the audience's:

•Age•Gender•Ethnicity•Political or religious status•Socioeconomic status

Topic Ideas

Current eventsWhat's in the news today?

Controversial issuesOne child per family, Canteen food, etc.

Local issuesItems of interest to audience

Unusual informationNew discoveries, opinions, conclusions

Brainstorming

• Problem solving technique

• Individual or group

• Generation of ideas either by lists or word association

Brainstorming: Lists•Create a list of interesting topics that you could comfortably prepare to speak about.

•Narrow the list to two or three topics.

•Choose one of the topics, based on audience interests and demographics.

Brainstorming: Lists

Lists exercise

List five topics that you are interested in.

Choose the most interesting two or three topics.

Select the topic that you want to speak about.

Brainstorming: Word Association• Write down one topic which would be of interest to you and your audience.

• Write down the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the topic.

• Continue writing until no more thoughts come to mind.

• Pick two or three topics as possible choices.

Brainstorming: Word AssociationWord Association Exercise• Write down one topic of

interest to you and your audience.

• Write the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the topic.

• Continue writing until no more thoughts come to mind.

• Pick two or three topics as possible choices.

Refining

• Once you have selected a topic and general purpose for your speech, they must be refined, or narrowed.

• Refining helps develop a topic and purpose that will appeal to the greatest number of people in your audience.SportsFootballUniversity footballUniversity football accidents

Thesis Statement

Thesis statementA single statement that expresses the

central idea of the speech, and serves to connect all parts of the speech

The thesis statement concisely identifies what the speech is about.

Thesis: Making a ClaimThe thesis statement makes a claim or assumption about the topic.

Soccer is dangerous and should be removed from school athletics

Cigarettes are unhealthy and should not be sold on campus

Freshmen should be allowed to bring their own PC's to the university

Thesis: Make it Relevant• The thesis statement should motivate the audience to listen.

it should point out the relevance of the topic to them

• The audience should be enthusiastic about your speech, because you have established its relevance to them.

Mini-Quiz1. When a topic is assigned...

a. There is nothing you can do to adapt it to your audienceb. You have no choice as to your specific purposec. You can still adapt your talk to the circumstances

2. A good source of speech topics is...a. current eventsb. controversial issuesc. new discoveries and viewpoints

3. Brainstorming is good for...a. your love lifeb. selecting a speech topicc. washing away brain cells

Helpers

Please ask around and see if there would be a problem holding our speech contest and going away party on Wednesday evening,

June 8th, 6:30 – 8:30pm

(will include all speech classes and all English Writing classes)

Homework

Start thinking about speech 3,to be presented on May 16th

Argumentative topic:“The person I marry should have…”

3 minutesEffectively use a visual aid

Use topic outline card