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Selecting Topics For Informative Speech

This document provides guidance on selecting topics and preparing informative speeches. It discusses analyzing the audience to understand their needs, interests, and existing knowledge. The speaker should determine the purpose of informing or persuading the audience. When selecting a topic, the speaker should consider the audience, whether the topic is interesting, relevant and if they have enough knowledge or can find supporting sources. The topic should also be narrow, current, and avoid sensitive issues. The document outlines how to write an effective title that catches the audience's attention and provides tips on gathering relevant information from libraries, websites and interviews.

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NURFARAHIN ABDUL NASIR
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77 views23 pages

Selecting Topics For Informative Speech

This document provides guidance on selecting topics and preparing informative speeches. It discusses analyzing the audience to understand their needs, interests, and existing knowledge. The speaker should determine the purpose of informing or persuading the audience. When selecting a topic, the speaker should consider the audience, whether the topic is interesting, relevant and if they have enough knowledge or can find supporting sources. The topic should also be narrow, current, and avoid sensitive issues. The document outlines how to write an effective title that catches the audience's attention and provides tips on gathering relevant information from libraries, websites and interviews.

Uploaded by

NURFARAHIN ABDUL NASIR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PUBLIC SPEAKING:

SELECTING TOPICS

Prepared by:
ELC590 Resource Team, APB UiTM Shah Alam
Updated 20 February 2020
Similarities Between Public Speaking
and Conversation

• Organizing thoughts logically


• Tailoring the message to the
audience
• Telling a story for maximum impact
• Adapting to listener feedback
Differences Between Public Speaking
and Conversation

• Public speaking is more highly


structured
• Public speaking requires more
formal language
• Public speaking requires a
different method of delivery
The Speech Communication
Process
• Speaker
• Message
• Channel
• Listener
• Feedback
• Interference
• Situation
The Speech Communication Process

• Insert Figure 1.1


SPEAKING TO
INFORM

PREPARING DELIVERING
PREPARING AN INFORMATIVE
SPEECH
Analyze
The Choose a Narrow the
Audi Topic Topic
ence

Organize Prepare Gather


The Visual Informati
Speech Aids on
ANALYZING THE AUDIENCE

⧫ Know your audience’s

✔ Expectations

✔ Needs

✔ interests
ANALYZING THE AUDIENCE
⧫ Find out
✔ their attitudes towards the topic (against or
in favor?)

✔ their relationship to you (superior or


subordinates?)

✔ the level of knowledge or experience

✔ the information they require from your talk


Selecting a Topic

TOPIC
The subject of a speech
▪ Determine your
■ Audience
■ Purpose

▪ Explore your topic

▪ Make a plan
Determine Your Audience

▪ Your Audience is composed of those who


will listen to your speech.

▪ Ask yourself:
Who are my audience?
What do my audience know about my topic?
What do my audience need to know about my
topic?
What do my audience feel about my topic?
Cont…
What do my audience expect?
■ Standard spoken English
■ Correct grammar and spelling
■ Accurate information
■ Logical presentation of ideas
■ Followed directions of the assignment!!!
What are my length requirements?
What is my time limit?
What does the speech consist of?
Is research required?
What format should be used?
Determine Your Purpose

▪ Purpose is the reason you are presenting

▪ Whenever you speak, you always have a


purpose. Most speaking fits into these
categories:
To inform
To persuade

▪ Both may be used, but one will be primary.


Brainstorm for Topics
WHAT TO CONSIDER?
✔ A topic that is interesting
✔ A topic that is relevant to your audience
✔ A topic that you know about
/ comfortable with
✔ A topic that is current / new to
the audience
✔ Availability of sources
- Can you support your topic with a
graph / graphs?
WHAT TO CONSIDER?

✔ A topic that won’t make your


audience uncomfortable
✔ A topic that does not involve sensitive
matters / will make you too emotional
✔ A topic that you don’t know much
of but willing to find out
✔ A topic that is not too broad
✔ A topic that is not lengthy
WHAT TO CONSIDER?
✔ A topic that is not opinion based
- English class can be Interesting
- Delicious Food in Haadyai
✔ A topic that is not sexist
✔ Is the topic too trivial ?
✔ Is the topic too technical ?
✔ Does the topic meet the purpose of
the assignment?
✔ Can I accomplish my purpose in the time
allotted?
Narrowing Your Topic

⧫ Is your topic specific?


⧫ Does your topic contain only one idea?
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Traditional Medicine

⧫ Is your topic achievable?


History of China
Writing Titles
Effective vs. Ineffective
▪ Topic: Cheating in College

▪ Ineffective Titles:
Don’t Do It!
Cheating
Students Cheat for Many Different Reasons

▪ Effective Titles:
Cheaters Never Win!
Cheating in Higher Education
Why Do Students Cheat?
Cheat! Why Not?
Effective vs. Ineffective Titles

▪ Topic: Bermuda Triangle

▪ Ineffective Title:
3 Secrets of Bermuda Triangle

▪ Effective Title:
Bermuda Triangle: What You Don’t Know!
Other titles…

▪ Deadly Sins of Presentations


▪ Motivating People in Boring Jobs
▪ The Physics of Football
▪ Facebook Poisoning - The Antidote
GATHERING INFORMATION
▪ Start with yourself
▪ Go to the library
▪ Locate and evaluate research
▪ Search websites
▪ Browse encyclopedias,
yearbooks
▪ Conduct interviews
23

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