Writing the introduction to a speech

The introduction to your speech serves a number of significant purposes:

 It represents your chance to get your audience’s attention before clearly stating your topic.

 It gives you opportunity to explain to your audience why your topic is important while
establishing your own credibility as a speaker on this topic.

 A well-crafted introduction previews your speech’s main ideas for your audience.

Getting your audience's attention

You can get your audience’s attention through any number of devices. You may decide to begin
with a particularly provocative question. Or, you might elect to start with an
interesting anecdote, a startling statistic, an outline of your topic’s benefit to your audience, or
even a dash of humor.

Preparing your audience

After clearly stating your topic in a simple declarative sentence, it’s important for you
to illustrate for the audience why they need to know the information you’re presenting.
 Remember to do your best to consider all possible segments of your audience. If you are able to
do this successfully, you’ll not only increase your speech’s appeal, but also the audience’s
confidence in you as the speaker.

 Further support your right to speak with authority on this subject by briefly outlining your
experience and training or your research and supporting material.
 Preview your main ideas; in other words, tell them what you plan to tell them. At this point,
you’ll want to echo the keywords that you used when constructing the main points of your
speech.
The general purpose of any speech will be either to Inform; Motivate/Persuade; or Entertain
your audience.

Informative speech specific purpose statements:

 I will inform my audience about the two major forms of hula.

 I will inform my audience about what lifegaurds do as part of their jobs.

When you have your specific purpose statement you are ready to compose your Thesis
Statement/Central Idea (they are one in the same). This is the most important part of your
speech. This is one sentence that encompasses the central idea of your speech.

Writing your thesis statement/central idea is a four step process:

1. Choose your topic

2. Determine your general purpose
3. Write your specific purpose statement
4. Tie it all together by composing a clear concise thesis statement/central idea

The following are examples of Main points:

Specific Purpose:

Central Idea:

5. (Main Point 1)
6. (Main Point 2) (Main Point 3) "
7. (Main Point 4)