MODULE: OLENG01 – PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

SELECTING A TOPIC AND DELIVERING A SPEECH

At the end of this chapter, students will:

A. Understand the requirements for choosing a topic;
B. Know the qualities of an effective speaker;
C. Know the different responsibilities of a speaker.

The demand for speech is quite common now a days. Once, it was the professional man who found
this demand heavy upon him. But now, speeches are very common. In schools, colleges, and
universities, students running as candidates in school organizations deliver speeches convincing fellow
students to vote for them. Big and small companies from organizations, associations or clubs. People
who are interested to join in any of these organizations deliver speeches either from the leaders or
members. Politicians are of course expected to deliver speeches most of the time.

1. The topic must be suited to the

speaker.
This involves two separate aspects:
following: the topic should be suited to the
capabilities, experience, knowledge, and
intelligence of the speaker; and when
possible, it ought to be suited also to the
audience's concept of what the speaker's
capabilities are. In other words, due
priority should be observed in the
selection of a topic. It is generally a
mistake for an experienced youth to try to
solve some world-shaking problem
address delivered to his elders.

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2. The topic must be suited to

the audience. The successful
speaker chooses a topic to suit
the experience, knowledge, and
interest of the audience. That is,
it should make the audience feel,
"This concerns us."

3. The topic must be suited to the occasion. The

chief element of the occasion may be the date
(Independence Day, Christmas Day), the time
(morning, noon, afternoon, evening), place (school,
church, grandstand, etc.), type of activity
(graduation, political rally, commencement, or
commemorative activity).

4. The topic must be suited to the length of

time available for the speech. The speaker who
exceeds the time granted to him/her is crassly
discourteous. This is a common fault. A speaker
should bear in mind that the time does not belong
to him/her alone. There is a fault a speaker may
have which is worse than the failure to terminate
the speech. the

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5. Choose a topic that is meaningful to you. The

more meaningful a topic, t more likely you are to put
the necessary time and effort into researching and
developing your speech. The stronger your
commitment to a topic, the more enthusiastically you
will present it. A speaker's commitment to a topic
usually transfers to the audience and gets them
involved. The audience involvement in a topic can be
an effective gauge of your success as a speaker.

6. Choose a topic that will allow you to

convey an important thought to your
audience. The thought does not have to
be a matter of extreme urgency.

7. Choose a topic that is familiar and

interesting to you. This will make the
development and delivery of your speech
easier. Researching and developing a
speech will be more enjoyable if you are
interested in the topic. Choosing a topic
that interests you can increase the
likelihood of audience interest and speaker credibility.

TECHNIQUES FOR FINDING A TOPIC

If you have difficulty thinking of an interesting subject, there are some techniques that might help you:
self-inventory; brainstorming, reviewing current magazines, newspapers, and television news
programs and Internet search. All four techniques will generate a wide range of possible topics from
which you can then select the most appropriate.

Self-inventory A self-inventory is a list of subjects that you know about and find interesting. The list
might include books and newspaper articles you've read; television shows you watch; hobbies you
enjoy; sports you participate in; and community, local, national, or international issues that concern
you. Here are some sources of topics that might spark your interest:

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1. Campus or Community Issues

2. Local, regional, or international issues
3. Technology/Media
4. Health Issues
5. Sports/Recreation
6. Books, Magazines, Newspapers

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a technique used

to generate as many ideas as
possible within intensive
concentration, and list all the ideas
that come to mind as topics. To
keep things simple, write key
words or phrases only. Don't stop
to think about whether amount of
time. Set aside a short period of
time (four to six minutes) for
whether the ideas are good or bad.
The goal of brainstorming is to
generate a lot of ideas, so every
word or phrase is appropriate.

Reviewing Current Media

The third way to generate topic ideas involves the popular media. The media are channels or means
of communicating messages to the public such as through newspapers, books, magazines, radio,
television, and movies. Reviewing the current media is an excellent way of developing a list of
potential topics. The Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature is a source of hundreds of up-to-date
topics. For example, you will find listings of articles on education, government, finance, marketing,
crime, health, television violence, technology, and entertainment.

Surfing the Web

The rapid development of technology, the ever-increasing

number of websites, and the amount of new information on
the Web provide unique opportunities for students in a
speech communication class. Using one or more of the
many topics for the careful student. Because information is
often not reviewed and search engines available can provide
unique topics and sources of information accepted by
experts or authorities on the subject. Use the same process
you use when evaluating other sources and information,
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asking these questions:

1. Who is the author or producer? What are the author's

credentials?
2. How reliable is the source? What is the authority or
expertise of the individual or group that created the site?
3. How complete and accurate is the information?
4. For whom is the information intended?
5. Is the Web page up to date?
6. Does the writing on the page follow basic rules of
grammar, spelling, and usage? Is the language used
appropriately?
7. Is the Webmaster identified?

How you find your topic is not the critical issue, but it is important that you begin looking as soon as
possible. Students who have succeeded in selecting appropriate topics as soon as the assignment is
given do not find difficulty. Students who are late almost always have more difficulty finding an
appropriate topic. Whenever you come across something that you think might be a good idea, write it
down. The more ideas you can accumulate, the easier your job of selecting a good topic. The earlier
you choose your topic, the more time you will have to research, prepare, and practice your speech.
Organize the Body of Your Speech You have now chosen a topic.

Once you have thoroughly researched your topic, you can simplify your writing task by carefully
organizing your material. All speeches are Organizing your speech involves arranging its parts into a
systematic and Organized into three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. You should think
about what your thesis statement which will help you in the organizing Process.
Organize the Body of Your Speech The body of a speech presents the main content and organizing it
will help you formulate your thesis statement. To ensure that the body of your speech is well
organized, your content must be divided into main points that are thoughtfully selected and stated.

Develop the Main Points

Relate main points, specific purpose, and thesis. The main points serve as the basis for the thesis
statement. Together, the specific purpose and the thesis will determine the direction of the speech.

Here is an example:
To persuade the audience that eating breakfast can
SPECIFIC PURPOSE benefit them in three particular ways.

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Eating breakfast gives the body energy to begin and

THESIS maintain the daily tasks, causes metabolic processes to
work efficiently, and provides enough energy to make it
through the day without snacking.

Main points:

I. Breakfast is the meal that fuels the body to have energy to complete the daily tasks.
II. Breakfast is the meal that makes the metabolic process begin its work.
III. Breakfast is the meal that helps the bodies function efficiently throughout the day.

Main points, like the specific purpose and thesis should be carefully developed and written. They
should also be specific, vivid, relevant, and parallel in structure.

The more specific the main points, the less confusion they
BE SPECIFIC will create and the more meaningful they will be to the
audience.

To communicate effectively, make your message animated

USE VIVID and interesting. Direct, fresh language given in the active
LANGUAGE voice can bring a sense of excitement, urgency, and
forcefulness to what you say. You are more likely to keep
listeners interested in what you have to say using fresh
language to present your ideas in new and exciting ways.

Main points that are relevant to the audience's immediate

SHOW RELEVANCE interests encourage greater involvement and empathy.
For instance, instead of saying, "Air pollution has reached
high levels," say "Air pollution in our city has reached high
levels." Using direct references to the audience, whenever
possible, increases the link between you, what are saying,
you and your audience.

CREATE PARRALEL Main points should be expressed in parallel structure,

using similar grammatical patterns and wordings, when
STRUCTURE possible.

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LIMIT THE NUMBER

OF MAIN POINTS

The number of main points in your speech will depend on at least three considerations:
1. The time available to deliver the speech
2. The content to be covered in the speech
3. The amount of information that the audience can reasonably comprehend and remember

The time available for most classroom speeches is limited by practical considerations. As a result,
most classroom speeches have no more than five main points, and the majority have two or three.
Try to balance the amount of time that you devote to each main point. For example, if you are
assigned to five-to-seven-minute speech, plan to allow about two minutes for the introduction and
conclusion, distributing the remaining time equally among the main points.

Order the Main Points

Once you have identified your main points, you must decide the order in which to present them. The
most effective order of presentation depends on the topic, the purpose and the audience. Several
basic patterns of presentation have been recommended and used over the years. These are:

1. Time Sequence. In the time-sequence or chronological pattern, the presentation begins at a

particular point in time and continues either forward or backward. The key is to follow a natural time
sequence and avoid jumping haphazardly from one date to another. This pattern is especially useful
for tracing the steps in a process, the relationship within a series of events, or the development of
ideas. The time-sequence pattern can also be used to explain a process. Topics such as the
development of a small business, how to train a dog, how to write a research paper, all have specific
steps that must be completed in the correct sequence for successful results.

2. The Spatial Pattern. In spatial pattern of presentation, the content of a speech is organized
according to relationship in space. This method is especially appropriate for presentations describing
distances, directions, or physical surroundings. For example, explaining the floor plan of new building.
A spatial pattern describes the relationships between all the main points.

3. The Topical Pattern. The topical pattern divides the main topic into a series of related sub-topics.
Each sub-topic becomes a main point in the speech, and all main points are joined to form a coherent
whole. In this way, the topical pattern is a unifying structure.
The topical pattern is most likely to be used when none of the other patterns of organization can be
applied to the topic or purpose of a speech.

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4. The Cause-Effect Pattern. In the cause-effect pattern, the speaker explains the causes of an
event, problem, or issue and discusses its consequences results that follow from them or describe
conditions or events and then point A speaker may either describe certain forces or factors and then
show out the forces or factors that caused them.

CONNECT MAIN POINTS

A conversation can move from one unrelated topic to another without losing meaning or impact, but
for a speaker to communicate effectively with an audience, the thoughts in the speech must be
systematically connected. The four most common connecting devices that speakers use, singly or in
combination, are transitions, signposts, internal previews, and internal summaries.

Phrases and words to link ideas are called transitions.

They form a bridge between what has already been
TRANSITIONS presented and what will be presented next. Transitions
are typically used between an introduction and the body
of the speech, between main ideas, between supporting
materials, and between the body and the conclusion. A
transition can review information that has already been
presented, preview information to come, or summarize
key thoughts.

Just as a traffic sign warns drivers about travel

SIGNPOSTS conditions, signposts are words, phrases and short
statements that let the audience know what is ahead.

An internal preview gives advance warning, or a

INTERNAL PREVIEWS preview, of the point meaning of literature." or points to
be covered.

INTERNAL An internal summary is a short review statement given

at the end of a main point.
SUMMARIES

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Qualities of an Effective Speakers

By cultivating certain personal qualities, you can enhance the likelihood that you will accept your
message. The most effective speakers are ethical, knowledgeable, prepared, and self-confident.

ETHICS

Ethics plays an important role in communication. As speakers, you are responsible for what to tell
others. You must communicate with honesty, sincerity, and integrity. In addition, a responsible, ethical
speaker presents worthwhile and accurate information in a fair manner. You should cite the sources
of information you intend to use.

KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is a speaker's greatest asset. Knowing your subject is essential if you plan to reach your
listeners. Noted speakers are almost always avid readers. To enhance your understanding of events,
people, and values, you must read and observe things around you. You know that it is easier to talk
about things you are familiar with than those you are not. Many colleges, universities, and businesses
have identified the characteristics of an "educated person." As an educated person, keep abreast of
current events. You should read all kinds of books, at least one you should not only know about past
international, national, local events, but also trade (professional) magazines, and one daily
newspaper, in addition to listening to news broadcasts and documentaries.

PREPARATION

A successful speech is somewhat like a successful business meeting or athletic event - all require
planning, preparation, and work. Preparation includes not only A successful speech is somewhat like
a successful business meeting or athletic practice but also a process of thinking through all possible
audience responses so a speaker, could effectively handle questions.
Effective speakers should sound conversational, not mechanical. Too much practice, though, can
make you lose the spark of spontaneity and reduce effectiveness.