Speaking: Speech and Informative Speeches
Speaking to Inform
I. Speaking to inform is one of the most important skills a student can develop. A. Informative speaking is vital to success in business. 1. In one survey, informative speaking was ranked as the most important speech skill in the workplace. 2. In another survey, 62% of the respondents said they used informative speaking “almost constantly.” B. Nor are people in business the only ones who rely on informative speaking. 1. There are endless situations in which people need to inform others. 2. The ability to convey knowledge and understanding will prove valuable to students throughout their lives. C. There are three criteria for effective informative speaking. 1. The information should be communicated clearly. 2. The information should be communicated accurately. 3. The information should be meaningful and interesting to the audience.
II. Informative speeches can be classified into four types. A. Some informative speeches are about objects. 1. Speeches about objects describe something that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. a. Objects may have moving parts or be alive. b. They may include places, structures, animals, even people. 2. Speeches about objects need to be sharply focused. a. A speaker cannot convey everything about an object in a brief speech. b. It is important to choose a specific purpose that is not too broad to be achieved in the allotted time. 3. Speeches about objects can use a variety of organizational patterns. a. A speech about the history or evolution of an object would be arranged in chronological order. b. A speech about the main features of an object might be arranged in spatial order. c. Most informative speeches about objects will fall into topical order. B. Some informative speeches are about processes. 1. A process is a systematic series of actions that lead to a specific result or product. 2.
I. Speaking to inform is one of the most important skills a student can develop. A. Informative speaking is vital to success in business. 1. In one survey, informative speaking was ranked as the most important speech skill in the workplace. 2. In another survey, 62% of the respondents said they used informative speaking “almost constantly.” B. Nor are people in business the only ones who rely on informative speaking. 1. There are endless situations in which people need to inform others. 2. The ability to convey knowledge and understanding will prove valuable to students throughout their lives. C. There are three criteria for effective informative speaking. 1. The information should be communicated clearly. 2. The information should be communicated accurately. 3. The information should be meaningful and interesting to the audience.
II. Informative speeches can be classified into four types. A. Some informative speeches are about objects. 1. Speeches about objects describe something that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. a. Objects may have moving parts or be alive. b. They may include places, structures, animals, even people. 2. Speeches about objects need to be sharply focused. a. A speaker cannot convey everything about an object in a brief speech. b. It is important to choose a specific purpose that is not too broad to be achieved in the allotted time. 3. Speeches about objects can use a variety of organizational patterns. a. A speech about the history or evolution of an object would be arranged in chronological order. b. A speech about the main features of an object might be arranged in spatial order. c. Most informative speeches about objects will fall into topical order. B. Some informative speeches are about processes. 1. A process is a systematic series of actions that lead to a specific result or product. 2.