Information Competency for Speech Construction John A. Cagle Vincent L. Bloom Department of Communication

Stages in Preparing a Speech Decision to Speak Purpose & Subject Information Needs Evaluate information Personal Interviews Books Periodicals Internet Organize Language Practice Deliver Speech Evaluate Results Create thesis & arguments

Exigency: n Something motivates the need for communication n You make a decision to begin

Purpose and Decision to Start n Problem exigency gives rise to need for solution and communication n Build your personal motivation for the tasks ahead n Purpose of speech determined: informative, persuasive, entertaining n Plan how to use your time well

Research Finding Information

Need for Information n Before you can speak, you've got to have something to say. n Speaking should be based on truth. n Use scholarly tools to facilitate research--the quest for information and knowledge.

Problem Question n Purpose, interests, what you know about your topic and are interested in n Process begins with forming a problem question to guide your research. n The problem question is what we expect to answer through our research. n Often the question is initially general, but it gets refined as you begin and continue your research.

Techniques to Explore, Discover, and Develop Ideas n brainstorm lists n focused freewriting n clustering n thinking

Generate Information Needs n Determine questions to identify what you need to know n Consider all the sources of information available to you –Personal resources –People to interview –Documents available –Books, periodicals, reference materials –Internet resources

n What kinds of things will you need to know to answer the question? –Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? What are the facts? –What are the critical events? What is the timeline in the history of the problem? What are the causes and effects in a problem? n Identify topics or specific questions n Seek information to answer by using personal, documentary, library, and Internet resources

RESEARCH STRATEGY CHECKLIST n Start early n Determine where you need to go. n Understand the layout of the library. n Develop primary bibliography. n Identify priorities. n Read progressively. n Read selectively. n Read efficiently. n Be open to new ideas. n Look for multiple sources & varied types of supporting material. n Know when to stop.

RESEARCH STRATEGY CHECKLIST n Start early n Determine where you need to go. n Understand the layout of the library. n Develop primary bibliography. n Identify priorities. n Read progressively. n Read selectively. n Read efficiently. n Be open to new ideas. n Look for multiple sources & varied types of supporting material. n Know when to stop.

Taking Notes and Keeping Records n “Access” books, periodical articles, and other materials n Read carefully in light of your purpose and topic n Build bibliography as you go n Keep notes clear, accurate, and organized

Invention Planning what to say

Thesis n State WHAT you want to say in the speech in a single sentence. n The central idea of the speech is called a thesis. n Remember that the thesis should be appropriate to the scope and purpose of the assignment and the occasion.

Development n Development is the expansion of the thesis, identifying the main lines of development, the major arguments proving your point, and so forth. n Types of developmental material include definitions, facts, quotations, statistics, comparisons, contrasts, examples, illustrations, and so forth.

Types of Supporting Material PERSONAL EXPERIENCE “Last semester I went out with some buddies of mine to have a good time. We were partying hard: I got really wasted. I mean I’ve never been so trashed in my life! A few weeks ago, I saw some pictures of myself that I don’t even remember being in. It was great! That is --- until I rolled my new sports car. The police tell me that I was lucky to walk out of there alive. I was even more lucky to avoid hurting someone else. Many drunk drivers aren’t so lucky.”

Common Knowledge n The beliefs and values generally shared by members of a society or culture. These are often expressed in the forms of maxims: –“If you want something done right, do it yourself.”

DIRECT OBSERVATION “When I first came to school, I thought the dorm food was really overpriced. So I decided to check the local eating places out to see if I could do better. Imagine my surprise! When I went to Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, I priced a moderate lunch -- just a sandwich and a drink -- at $4.66. A light lunch ar Burger King, only a salad and a drink, costs $4.48. In comparison, lunch at the residence hall costs $4.95, and you can eat all you want.”

EXAMPLES n Brief examples n Hypothetical example n Anecdote n Case Study

DOCUMENTS “ According to the student handbook we got as freshman, cheating is a “serious breach of our commitment to ethical behavior as students” and we will be punished with a “failing grade in the class and possible expulsion from the University.”

STATISTICS n Statistics are patterns of recording frequency with which something occurs; they take such forms as medians, averages, ratios, indices, and standardized scores. They become more meaningful when they are compared to some base line or other pattern of numbers.

TESTIMONY n Factual testimony –“It is a fact that event X happened on Wednesday, and it can be verified by those who saw the event. I am one of those who saw it.” n Opinion testimony –“It is my opinion that the Bulldogs will win more football games than they will lose in 1998”

BUILDING A SPEECH: Critically analyze and evaluate the information TESTING THE STRENGTH OF SUPPORTING MATERIAL

TESTING THE STRENGTH OF SUPPORTING MATERIAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE Are you sure your memory is reliable? Is your experience generalizable? Will others interpret it the same way? COMMON KNOWLEDGE Are you sure the audience shares it? Are you sure it is correct? DIRECT OBSERVATION Are you sure of what you saw? Might you have been swayed by bias? EXAMPLES Are they representative? Are there enough of them? DOCUMENTS Can they be trusted? Are they properly interpreted? Is the context made clear? STATISTICS Are appropriate measures used? Are they reliable and valid? Have they been interpreted properly? TESTIMONY Does the source have access to the data? Is the person an expert on the subject?

TESTING THE STRENGTH OF SUPPORTING MATERIAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE Are you sure your memory is reliable? Is your experience generalizable? Will others interpret it the same way? COMMON KNOWLEDGE Are you sure the audience shares it? Are you sure it is correct? DIRECT OBSERVATION Are you sure of what you saw? Might you have been swayed by bias? EXAMPLES Are they representative? Are there enough of them? DOCUMENTS Can they be trusted? Are they properly interpreted? Is the context made clear? STATISTICS Are appropriate measures used? Are they reliable and valid? Have they been interpreted properly? TESTIMONY Does the source have access to the data? Is the person an expert on the subject?

BUILDING A SPEECH: NEXT STEPS n Assess speech materials in terms of your thesis and arguments n Decide how much to emphasis to each argument n Go on to planning organization

Organizing the speech Planning the introduction, body, & conclusion

Introduction n Exordium: Secure attention and interest. n Narratio: Give needed background on topic (what does audience need to understand to appreciate your points? n Partitio: State the purpose of speech and preview the major parts

Partitio n Orient audience to the thesis or purpose of speech: state the thesis directly –"The purpose of this speech is to...." n "Preview" the major developmental parts of the speech: state this directly –"First, the history of the problem will be explored; second, the consequences...."

Body (Confirmatio) n Body of speech contains the main ideas of the speech and appropriate developmental material. n Arrangement of the main ideas/developmental material should be determined by the subject matter and purpose.

Conclusion (Conclusio) n Summarize thesis and main points n Show relevance to the course (or reason you wrote speech) n Stimulate audience to want to know more, do something, think of the implications of your speech, etc.)

Transitional Material n Throughout speech, thesis should be abundantly clear. n Relate each main idea to thesis and to other ideas. n Use transitional “sign post” words (therefore, however, first, etc.)

Preparing for Delivery “Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking….”

Read Through Speech Outline n Read through the entire speech aloud to familiarize yourself with the ideas and their organization n Spontaneously and creatively speak from the outline n Make note of difficult parts of outline

Prepare Speaking Notes n Reduce written plan or outline to key words n Keep notes to a minimum

Practice Delivery n Deliver speech aloud as if you were in front of audience n Strive to speak clearly n Speak directly to audience and maintain eye contact n Try not to read your notes n Go through entire speech without stopping

Practice, Practice, Practice n Review written plan or speaking notes if needed n Assess use of time and revise if needed

Delivering the speech n Review your notes just prior to speaking n Plan any last minute additions-- e.g., a comment on something a previous speaker has said n “Plunge in, and trust to God to get you out.” --Patrick Henry

Judging the Communication Product and the Process n Evaluate your speech in terms of your initial objectives and in terms of the standards of evaluating speeches

Stages in Preparing a Speech Decision to Speak Purpose & Subject Information Needs Evaluate information Personal Interviews Books Periodicals Internet Organize Language Practice Deliver Speech Evaluate Results Create thesis & arguments