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Speech Preparation on financial literacy, one subgroup (students) may want
I. Analyzing the Audience
A self-centered speech defeats the purpose of public
speaking, as every public speaker should be an audience-
centered speaker. To ensure that a speech is audience-centered,
customizing should be done. The process of speech
customization involves two (2) vital steps: audience analysis
(learning everything about the listeners in advance) and
adaptation (tailoring the speech to the audiences’ needs and
interests before and even during the presentation).
Gregory (2018), in his book Public Speaking for College, had
given a good situation where these two (2) steps are applied by
a speaker:
Jill Sieburg, a health educator who gives presentations aimed
at persuading people to become organ donors. Before every
talk, she sends an e-mail to people who will be in the audience
to find out their views. Are some of them, for example,
opposed to organ donation because they fear their bodies will
be disfigured? If yes, she will spend time in her talk explaining
how organ donation is like any other kind of surgery — “Your
body is sewed up afterwards and you are not disfigured.”
A. Guidelines for Customizing Speeches (Gregory, 2018)
1. Prepare a separate analysis of each audience
Using the same speech in another group of people,
although much-admired by the previous audience, could
sometimes work but could sometimes not. Always
remember that each set of audiences has a unique pool
of interests, educational background, and attitude.
2. Aim to reach all the subgroups in your audience
Each set of audience contains several subgroups that
share the same needs and level of understanding. Try to
cater to the needs of these subgroups by giving a portion
of your speech in each of them. For example, in a speech
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information about how to open a bank account, while
another subgroup (professionals) may want information
about stock exchange investment.
3. Stand firm with your ethical principles
Never lie or distort information to gain the approval
of your audience. When dealing with sensitive issues,
side with what is true and fair and do not omit or
downplay any information.
B. Adjusting to Audience Diversity
Audience diversity is one of the factors to consider in
public speaking. Most likely, the listeners would consist of
men and women of different ages, educational backgrounds,
occupations, religions, economic and social statuses,
nationalities, cultures, and physical abilities. A public
speaker’s success lies within his/her willingness and ability to
cater to the needs of all listeners.
Listed below are the tips and techniques that could be
used when dealing with a diverse set of audiences:
1. Use gender-neutral language
Although gender can sometimes give clues about the
listeners’ social and economic status, avoid making
assumptions based on gender stereotypes. A speech can
be free of gender-bias by using masculine and feminine
pronouns in tandem (e.g., he or she) when referring to
an indefinite person and utilizing plural pronouns (e.g.,
they, their) and the pronoun “you.”
2. Avoid making generalizations concerning any age group
Be sensitive to the interests, attitudes, and
knowledge of all audience by giving explanations or
background whenever necessary. For example, if the
topic is about a fashion trend that is popular with young
people, provide a brief explanation for the benefit of
older members of the audience.
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3. Adjust the content to their educational level and/or
occupation
Find out the educational level and occupation of the
listeners. Never include jargon in a presentation because
not everyone can understand it. If there is a need to
include a technical concept or idea that is distinct in your
group, make sure that the audience will grasp its
meaning through metaphors and illustrations.
4. Be sensitive to their culture and traditions
Get a snippet of the listeners’ culture and tradition
by browsing websites that discuss their beliefs and
practices. Talking with a local beforehand to gather
insights about that community may help in
understanding their beliefs and traditions.
5. Provide accommodations for persons with disabilities
(PWDs)
Accommodate the persons with disabilities in a talk
by doing the following: removing barriers that would
limit wheelchair access, tailoring the activities to ensure
that they have an equal chance to participate, providing
a sign-language interpreter, and crafting clear visuals.
C. Understanding Audience Psychology
Chris Anderson, the head of TED, once said that “Your
number one task as a speaker is to transfer into your
listener’s mind an extraordinary gift—a strange and beautiful
object that we call idea.” The audience does not see the
world the same way you do because each of them has
experienced life uniquely, but you have to bring them closer
to your idea or position.
To better understand the listeners, assess their level of
interest and their attitudes.
1. Interest Level
Find out if the listeners are interested in the topic
through surveys and interviews. Avoid discussing
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technical material (e.g., scientific or business jargon,
mathematical equations, etc.). Instead, use interesting
examples, lively stories, and captivating visuals to help
them relate to your topic.
2. Attitudes
There are three (3) varying attitudes that may
surface during a public speech: unfavorable, neutral, and
favorable. There are also three (3) techniques that may
be used for each type of listener: appeal to their logic
(logos), appeal to their emotion and cultural beliefs
(pathos), and appeal to the audience using the speaker’s
credibility or character (ethos).
• If listeners are negative toward the goal, the
speaker should design the speech to win them
over or, if not possible, move them closer to
his/her position. Logos and pathos could be used
for this type of listener. There are times when
listeners have a negative attitude toward the
speaker, especially when they have doubts
about his/her credibility. In this case, stating the
speaker’s credentials and expertise is needed.
• If listeners are apathetic or neutral, the speaker
must try to involve them in the issue through
pathos then try to win them to his/her side using
logos.
• If listeners are already favorable toward the
speaker’s ideas, the speaker should reinforce
their positive views through ethos and motivate
them to take action through pathos.
II. Selecting a Topic and a Purpose
A. Tips in Selecting a Topic (Gregory, 2018)
1. Select a topic that you care about
Do you have a story or an experience you could hardly
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wait to tell your friends? Then, use it as a topic in your
speech. It should be something that you are eager to talk
about. If you are not excited about your topic, you are likely
to do a dull job of preparing the speech, which will result in
an unenthusiastic delivery.
2. Select a topic that you can master
Speak on a subject you are thoroughly familiar or at least
you can learn easily through research. Do not give a speech
on a subject which you know every little because you might
put your credibility at risk in doing this.
3. Select a topic that will interest the audience
Choose a topic that is timely, worthwhile, and
interesting. Give a reason for the audience to listen to you by
making your speech relevant to them. If you can answer
questions like “What’s in it for me?” or “What will I gain by
listening to you?”, you are on the right track.
B. Types of Purpose
1. General Purpose – The broad objective of a speech
• To inform
The speaker’s goal in an informative speech is to give
new information to the listeners and have them
understand and remember it. This can be done by
defining a concept, explaining a situation, demonstrating
a process, or describing a person, place, or event.
• To persuade
The aim of a speaker in a persuasive speech is to win
the listeners to his/her point of view. The speaker may
want the listeners to change or discontinue a certain
behavior or prompt them to take action.
• To entertain
An entertaining speech should be light, fun, and
relaxing. The speaker may use different materials to
amuse or divert the audience, such as stories, anecdotes,
quotations, examples, and descriptions.
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2. Specific Purpose – The exact statement of what the speaker
wants to accomplish through the speech
After choosing the general purpose, the speaker needs
to formulate a specific purpose for his/her speech. This will
serve as a guide so that s/he would not deviate from the topic
and lose his/her audience.
Example:
Topic: Legality of Oplan Tiklo
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience that Oplan
Tiklo made one’s right to
information, privacy, due process,
presumption of innocence, and self-
incrimination vulnerable
III. Gathering Materials
A. How to find information for a speech
According to Gregory (2018), there are three (3) different
methods in gathering information for a speech:
• Library research
Visit the nearest library. It may be a campus library
or the city library. There are three (3) types of resources
that can be accessed in a library: books, articles (e.g.,
journals, magazines, and newspapers), and electronic
resources (e-books, films, audios, videos).
• Internet research
The information that may be found on the Internet
can be accessed through websites and apps, online
groups and forums, and personal blogs and vlogs. The
Internet is a huge repository of information and graphics,
but be cautious of using materials from it because the
materials posted on the Internet are not regulated for
quality and accuracy ("Evaluating Internet Resources,"
library.georgetown.edu).
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• Field research
This is the process of gathering firsthand information
through observing, surveying, interviewing, or joining an
activity. A speaker can talk about his/her observations
and experiences (e.g., tips and tricks to survive traffic in
the city) or interview individuals (e.g., policymakers and
implementers, commuters, etc.) that will give insights
about the topic. This method can be done personally or
electronically through e-mail or social networking sites.
B. How to gather information efficiently
1. Compose a good set of interview or research questions
beforehand
Research or interview questions should be anchored
to the topic and purpose of the talk. A well-thought-out
set of questions is more likely to extract the needed
information compared to the ones done in haste.
2. Choose a method of gathering information that suits
your purpose and topic
Think about how the information should be
presented to the audience. A persuasive speech would
entail laying down factual and well-supported pieces of
evidence. It could also include a call to action at the end
of the speech. On the other hand, a speaker of an
entertaining speech would not spew out jargon,
statistical data, and scientific terms unless s/he does it
with the intent of making the audience smile or laugh.
3. Use specialized search to narrow your focus
Specialized search engines list down pages that
contain specific content, which cannot be found in
general-purpose search engines ("Web directories and
specialized search engines", webconfs.com). You may
use the following websites to narrow your focus:
• For articles about current events, go to GMA
News Online, ABS-CBN News, BBC News, or
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Google News.
• For complete books or excerpts, try Project
Gutenberg and Google Books.
• For scholarly articles in academic journals, visit
Google Scholar.
• For images or videos, go to Google or Bing, click
on "Images" or "Videos", and enter your
keywords.
• For a definition or a synonym for a word, visit the
websites Merriam-Webster, Collins, and Oxford.
4. Save the information gathered systematically
Organizing the gathered information helps in crafting
the speech efficiently and attributing the information to
its rightful owner. Store printouts and photocopies in
labeled folders so that it would be easier to locate the
material whenever needed. If unable to photocopy or
print the material, write the bibliography citations and
notes of its key ideas on a paper or encode the
information using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
C. What are the characteristics of trustworthy information?
1. Factual – Is the information based on facts not on
hearsay nor an opinion?
2. Reliable – Does the information come from credible and
authoritative sources?
3. Well-supported – Do the sources provide strong
evidence to prove a case?
4. Current – Is the information up-to-date?
5. Verifiable – Can the information be cross-checked
against reliable sources?
6. Fair – Does the information come from unbiased
sources? Is it presented in a spirit of fair play?
7. Comprehensive – Does the information include all
relevant data?
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D. What are the things that should be done when evaluating
information? (Gregory, 2018)
Critical thinking is vital in evaluating information whether
from a book or online. Instead of readily accepting facts,
always ask the following questions:
• How do I know this is true?
• Could this source be biased?
• What is the source of this information?
Listed below are some techniques to help you evaluate
information:
1. Recognize dubious claims
Do not make a claim, especially if it is based solely on
opinions, anecdotes, and testimonials as a fact. Avoid
being swayed by the strongly held opinions of your
sources no matter how persuasive and charismatic their
claims are. Remember that unless these opinions are
supported by strong pieces of evidence, they are
worthless.
2. Find more than one source
Finding multiple sources that will support the claim
or belief that you want to espouse in your speech will
allow you to look at the different angles of the story.
Never settle for just one (1) source because it might turn
out to be wrong.
3. Examine opposing viewpoints
This will not only help in building strong arguments
but also prevent a speaker from being biased. An ethical
speaker shares the truth to his/her listeners even if it is
against his/her personal beliefs and opinion.
4. Be cautious when using polls
Polls are good at getting the general insights of a
particular group in a community or a place. However,
polls have three (3) frequent flaws: (1) some people do
not respond honestly; (2) the results often depend upon
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how a question is asked; (3) some polls are biased
because they fail to query the right people.
5. Recognize the fallibility of experts
Experts are a good source of information; however,
this does not make them infallible. A belief that is true
and widely-held by experts at present could be disproved
after a year or a decade. In addition, some self-
proclaimed experts intentionally publish deceiving
articles in order to support and promote their sponsors.
IV. Outlining the Speech
A speech should have a good introduction that will hook the
listeners and prepare them intellectually and psychologically, a
well-developed body that will support the main idea, and a
strong conclusion that will reinforce the main idea and/or move
the listeners to act on an issue.
A. Introduction
How to Hook Your Audience (Connolly, 2018)
1. Ask a question
Think of a question that will spark the interest of the
listeners and challenge them to think about your topic.
You may do this through a rhetorical question or an
overt-response question.
• Rhetorical question
This is designed to make your audience consider
your argument and does not elicit a response.
Example:
“Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of
a system where workers who pick our fruit and make
our beds never have a chance to get right with the
law? Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of
ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we
a nation that values families, and works to keep them
together?” – Barack Obama, 2014
• Overt-response question
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This type of question is in the form of polls (e.g.,
“Raise your hand if…”) and free-response (e.g.,
“There is only one Olympic sport which men and
women compete against each other head to head in
direct confrontation. Which sport I am talking
about?”)
2. Begin with a powerful quote
A quotation from someone that your listeners
respect will help in both introducing and elevating the
message. Position yourself as a fellow admirer of the
wisdom imparted by this person. This will help you build
a connection with the audience as they will find it easier
to relate to someone who has something in common.
3. Show a visual
A visual will help the audience have a better picture
of what you are talking about. If your goal is to raise
funds for the benefit of typhoon victims, showing photos
of the typhoon’s aftermath and the devastated
communities will give a sense of concreteness to your
presentation. When you are nervous, visuals help draw
the audience’s attention away from you.
4. Present a surprising fact or statistic
A fact or statistics could be a powerful attention-
grabber, especially when it refutes a widely-held belief.
It can also have an emotional impact on the audience and
raise the credibility of the speaker.
Example:
“Did you know that clothes dryers cause 15,000
home fires in the United States every year? Often a
fire results from the buildup of lint that blocks the
flow of air. You can avoid the problem by cleaning the
lint trap every time you use your dryer.” ("Safety Tips
from Portland Fire & Rescue’s Prevention Division",
2010)
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5. Sprinkle some local flavor
If you will talk outside your hometown or out of the
country, mention something that demonstrates your
familiarity with the area. You might say something about
a local sports team, a popular local tourist destination, or
some other topic of local interest.
6. Tell a story
People love to listen to personal narratives as these
invite the audience to join the speaker in his/her world.
When crafting your speech, think of a short but relevant
story that will lead to the topic you want to talk about.
7. Use humor
A good joke softens the crowd and helps in
measuring the audience’s interest and level of humor.
However, maintain your professionalism. If there is a
chance you will hurt someone’s feelings or speak
inappropriately, do not throw the punchline anymore.
B. Body
The body can contain two (2) to four (4) main points that
develop the main idea of the speech. There are several
guidelines for devising the main points:
1. Restrict each main point to a single idea
Do not bombard the audience with too much
information. Consider the length of your speech,
time allotment, and the number of new information
that you want to present to them. Also, think how
much information can the audience comfortably pay
attention to, understand, and remember.
When outlining the body of your speech, the
main points should focus on just one (1) idea.
Poor: The new mass rail transport system is
faster compared to the older one, and
more accessible to the public.
Better: The new mass rail transport system is
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faster compared to the older one.
The new mass rail transport system is
more accessible to the public.
2. Avoid announcements
Instead of announcing the topic that you will talk
about, have a clear declaration of the idea that you
want to convey.
Poor: I will talk about the constitutionality of
Oplan Tokhang.
Better: Oplan Tokhang violates one’s right to
due process and the presumption of
innocence as it requires suspected drug
personalities in a community to execute
an affidavit and waiver, which contains
multiple admissions of guilt.
3. Customize points for each audience
Ensure that your listeners would benefit from
your speech by tailoring it according to their needs
and desires. Gregory (2018) gave a good example of
customizing the points for the audience:
You plan to give speeches in your community
aimed at persuading people to take up nature
photography as a hobby. If you talk to a group of
college students, you can anticipate that they will
raise the objection that photography is too
expensive. So you create a main point—
“Photography is not out of reach for people with
modest incomes”—and devote a good portion of
your speech to giving specific examples and prices.
If, however, you speak to an audience of wealthy
individuals who could easily afford any kind of
camera, this point may be unnecessary.
4. Use parallel language whenever possible
Parallel language refers to the use of the same
grammatical forms throughout a sentence or a
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paragraph. To make your points sound pleasant to
the ear, use parallel language in your speech
whenever possible.
Specific purpose: To persuade my audience to jog as
a form of exercise
Main Idea: Jogging is one of the easiest exercises to
perform as it does not require any
equipment, reduces the risk of a heart
attack, and manages the weight better.
Main points:
I. Jogging does not require any equipment.
II. Jogging reduces the risk of heart attack.
III. Jogging manages the weight better.
Five (5) Patterns of Organization
1. Chronological
This pattern arranges information according to the
progression of time, either forward or backward. The
chronological pattern works well when a topic is best
understood in terms of different segments of time, such
as processes and procedures needed in crafting an object
or demonstrating an act and historical events.
2. Spatial
This pattern arranges information according to how
things fit together in physical space (e.g., top to bottom,
left to right, north to south, inside to outside, etc.).
3. Cause–Effect
This pattern shows the different causes and effects
of various conditions. It is effective when writing a
persuasive speech in which the writer advocates an
action to solve the problem because it shows important
relationships between variables.
There are two (2) major variations to this pattern: (a)
dividing the outline into two (2) major sections
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comprising causes and effects or (b) dividing the outline
according to the different causes, with the effects of each
cause contained within the larger “causes” section.
4. Problem–Solution
This pattern divides information into two (2) main
sections: one that describes a problem and one that
describes a solution. This pattern is typically used in
persuasive writing, where the writer’s general purpose is
to convince the reader to support a certain course of
action.
The pattern is designed to compel the reader to
make some change in opinion or behavior by establishing
that a problem exists, then providing a solution. In the
problem section, the writer identifies different aspects of
the problem being discussed and offers evidence of
these problems. In the solution section, the writer
identifies a potential solution and supports the
effectiveness of this solution over others.
5. Topical
This pattern arranges information according to
different sub-topics within a larger topic (main idea), or
the “types” of things that fall within a larger category.
Using this pattern, each “type” represents a main section
of information.
C. Conclusion
Since the conclusion is the last thing the audience will
hear from you, spend time crafting an ending that will give
them a sense of finality.
1. Four (4) tips to avoid pitfalls in conclusions (Gregory,
2018)
• Do not drag out the ending
Avoid droning on and on once you already
signaled the end of your speech by either giving a
summary of the key idea, issuing a challenge, or
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giving an illustration. Think of a graceful way of
ending your speech beforehand to avoid this pitfall.
• Do not end weakly
End your speech with the same enthusiasm and
energy when you started it. Be confident and avoid
statements such as “In respect of time, allow me to
wrap up my talk” or “I guess that’s about I’ve got to
say.”
• Do not end apologetically
Apologies will make you look incompetent. You
do not have to apologize, especially if you have
prepared a lot for that speech. On the other hand,
some people may not have noticed anything wrong
with your speech or your delivery.
• Never bring in new main points
It is a good idea to use fresh material for your
conclusion as long as it does not contain a new main
point. Giving the audience a new material in the
conclusion would drag out the speech.
2. Techniques in concluding a speech
• Summarize key ideas
You might lose the attention of your audience
toward the end of your speech. But once you signal
that you are about to finish, they will suddenly have
an extra burst of energy for a few more minutes. You
may use this as an opportunity to restate the main
idea and/or main points of your speech.
• Reinforce the main idea with a clincher
The clincher refers to the final statement in the
speech that drives home the key concept of the
speech. It can be in the form of a quotation, an
appeal or a challenge, an illustration, or a reassertion
of the introduction.
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References:
Beqiri, G. (2018, April 11). Ethos, pathos, logos: 3 pillars of public speaking and
persuasion [Web log post]. Retrieved from
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/ethos-pathos-logos-public-speaking-
persuasion.
Connolly, A. (2018). Public speaking for dummies. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Gregory, H. (2018). Public speaking for college. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Evaluating internet resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.library.georgetown.edu/tutorials/research-guides/evaluating-
internet-content
Safety tips: Preventing clothes dryer fires. (2010, March 29). In
PortlandOregon.gov. Retrieved from
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/fire/article/293432
Web directories and specialized search engines. (n.d.). In Webconfs.com. Retrieved
from https://www.webconfs.com/web-directories-and-specialized-search-
engines-article-18.php

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