Organizing and Outlining

INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Margot had asked Donna to listen to her rehearse her speech. As she stood in front of the classroom where she was practicing, she began, Today, I want to tell you some things about diamonds. There are several criteria you can use in evaluating a diamond. Whoa, Margot, Donna said. Thats your introduction? Yes, Margot replied. People know what diamonds are. Why shouldn't I just get on with the speech?

Outlining the Introduction

Goals

Getting attention Setting a tone Establishing your credibility

TYPES OF INTRODUCTION

Relate a story

e.g. A few years ago, over 100 third graders

were on a field trip at Cebu International Airport. Suddenly an 87-year old man lost control of his car and slammed into the group. One child was killed, and 67 children and 10 adults were injured.

ASK A QUESTION

Rhetorical question

Overt-response question

A question solely to stimulate interest and not to elicit a reply

A question asked to elicit a direct, immediate reply

Example of rhetorical question

With powerful radio signals being beamed into outer space at this very moment, is there any realistic chance that during our lifetime, we human beings will establish radio contact with other civilizations in the universe?

Example of overt-response question

There is only one Olympic sport in which men and women compete against each other head to head in direct confrontation. Which sport am I talking about?

PITFALLS TO AVOID WHEN ASKING QUESTIONS

Dont drag out the suspense

Never ask embarrassing questions Dont ask loaded" questions Dont expect universal participation

What is the Most Dangerous Job in the U.S.?

A. Logger

B. Fisher

C. Truck driver

MAKE A PROVOCATIVE STATEMENT

e.g. I have seen a human clone with my eyes. And so have you. Then she explained: Richard Lewontin , professor of Biology at Harvard University, says that about 30 human genetic clones appear every day in the United States. You and I know them as identical twins. Dr. Lewontin says that identical twins are genetically more identical than a cloned organism is to its donor.

e.g. There

are 40 of you sitting out there in the audience. According to medical statistics, 10 of you will someday be afflicted by one of the most dreaded of all diseases cancer.

CITE A QUOTATION
e.g. Under

pressure, people admit to murder, setting fire to the village church, or robbing a bank, but never to being bores. Would you like to know how to carry on a conversation without being a bore?

AROUSE CURIOSITY
I am addicted to a drug. I have been addicted to it for many years now. I feel like I need it to make it through the day. If I dont get this drug, my head aches. Im nervous, irritable, and I begin to tremble. Its true I am addicted. Having aroused the curiosity of her listeners, the speaker continued:

I am addicted to caffeine. Most people dont realize that caffeine is a drug and that is very addictive. It is present not only in coffee and tea and soft drinks but also in many legal drugs such as weight-control pills and pain relievers.

ORIENT THE AUDIENCE

Orienting Material is the part of the introduction that gives listeners the information they need to fully understand and believe the rest of the speech.
Preview the body of the speech Establish your credibility

Preview the body of the speech

1. State the central idea. e.g. Fad and crash diets can actually backfire, causing the person in the long run to gain more weight than was originally lost. 2. State the main points. e.g. I believe that passive-solar heating should be used in every home for two reasons: First, its easy to adapt your house to passive solar. Second, the energy from passive-solar is absolutely free.

ESTABLISH YOUR CREDIBILITY

Credibility - is the audience perception of a speaker as believable, trustworthy and competent. Poor: I am going to discuss Taxol, an extract from the Pacific yew tree, which I believe is a miracle cure for cancer. Better: I am going to discuss Taxol, an extract from the Pacific yew tree, which Dr. Eric Rowinsky of Johns Hopkins Oncology Center in Baltimore has found to be an effective drug in fighting cancer.

GUIDELINES FOR INTRODUCTIONS

Dont prepare your introduction first
Make it simple and easy to follow

Make it direct

Never apologize

Pair work
Brainstorm for the possible attention-getters to introduce speeches on a. World famine b. Global warming c. Finding a suitable credit card d. Television advertising e. Exposure to the sun