Introductions & conclusions …and transitions

The introduction

Primary functions of the introduction To gain the attention of your audience To introduce your topic and the purpose of your speech To establish your credibility as a speaker To preview your main points To motivate the audience to accept your goals

Gaining the attention of your audience Tell a story (a short anecdote or narrative) Establish common ground Offer unusual information Pose a provocative question (rhetorical) Use humor Use a quotation

Tell a story (a short anecdote or narrative) “On July 7th of 2009, over 750,000 fans attended a public memorial service in los angeles to mourn the death of pop music’s most famous icon, Michael jackson. Another 31 million americans watched the service on live tv and it is estimated that the event was seen by over 2.5 billion people worldwide”

Establish common ground ”many of us here can attest to the power of music. Music has the ability to touch our hearts, to stir our emotions and to bring us closer together.” “We have all experienced events in our lives that have impacted us, that have shaped us in ways that seem to have a lasting impact on who we are and what we believe.”

Offer unusual information “Michael jackson has sold over 750 million albums worldwide.” “there are more guns in the united states than there are people.”

Pose a provocative question (rhetorical) “When we think of american pop music, who is the first person who comes to mind? “How many people are killed everyday in this country as a result of gun violence?”

Use humor Can be risky, but… Can also be very effective! Often most appropriate for special occasion speaking

Use a quotation Michael jackson once said, “Let us dream of tomorrow where we can truly love from the soul, and know love as the ultimate truth at the heart of all creation.” Massachusetts senator elizabeth warren once said, “We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every day. If a mysterious virus suddenly started killing eight of our children every day, America would mobilize teams of doctors and public health officials. We would move heaven and earth until we found a way to protect our children. But not with gun violence.”

introducing your topic and the purpose of your speech Clearly state what your speech is about and what you hope to accomplish “Today, I will be speaking about gun violence in america. I hope to compel each of you to take a stand against gun violence and to take the necessary steps toward resolving this urgent problem facing our country.”

Establishing your credibility as a speaker What can you say to promote a sense of trust within your audience? Emphasize your experience, knowledge, perspective What gives you the authority to be speaking on this topic?

Previewing your main points “Today, I am going to talk about Michael Jackson and his song, Thriller. I am going to tell you: a little about the artist, Michael Jackson the meaning behind the song, Thriller and finally, why this song is important to me.” Tonight I am going to speak about gun violence in america. I will begin by explaining the problem of gun violence. I will then present what I consider to be a viable solution to this problem and lastly, I will share what we can do as individuals to contribute to this solution.”

motivating the audience to accept your goals ”after listening to my speech, I hope that each of you will gain some insight into the life and art of pop music’s most beloved icon. Additionally, I hope that you will come to share my appreciation for this wonderful song.”

The conclusion

Primary functions of the conclusion To signal the closing of your speech To summarize and recap your main points To reiterate the thesis or central idea of your speech Call to action Provide a memorable ending

Signaling the closing of your speech Very simple! “In conclusion…” ”To wrap this up…” “To bring this to a close…” Etc.

Summarizing and recapping your main points “Today, I told you about Michael Jackson and his song, Thriller. I explained: a little about the artist, Michael Jackson the meaning behind the song, Thriller and finally, why this song is important to me.” Tonight we discussed gun violence in america. I began by explaining the problem of gun violence. I presented what I consider to be a viable solution to this problem and lastly, I shared what we can do as individuals to contribute to this solution.”

reiterating the thesis or central idea of your speech These are your concluding remarks Bring ideas together into a cohesive ending “Michael Jackson was a true pop culture icon. He will live on in our memories and his music will forever touch our hearts.”

Call to action “And so I strongly urge us all to educate ourselves, to carefully and critically evaluate what we hear and what we read. I urge us to recognize that gun violence in america is a problem and that something must be done about it. But most importantly, I urge us to take action. Let us reach out to our lawmakers and to our representatives to demand that action be taken to keep our families and our children safe.”

Providing a memorable ending Drop your mic Primacy / recency Utilize introduction techniques: narrative, quote, rhetorical question, etc.

Now that we’ve covered introductions and conclusions…

Let’s talk about transitions!

Transitioning between your main points Restate – forecast “now that we’ve talked about… Let’s look at…” “Now that we know who michael jackson was as an artist, let me tell you about his favorite song of mine, ”Man in the mirror.” “Now that we better understand the problem of gun violence in america, let’s discuss ways we can resolve this problem.” Rhetorical question so, why is this song important to me? How can solve this problem?

Transitioning between ideas and subpoints