1. Building Credibility for Your Speech
Module #10

2. Establishing Necessary Resources
Option 1: Establish your own knowledge base and personal resources.
Before seeking outside sources for your speech, determine your existing knowledge base.
Determine people that would be easily accessible to you.
Review your existing periodicals, books, and other current written collateral that could enhance your topic.

3. Option #2: Visit the Internet
Here is how the internet can help your research mission:
Use the internet to review online library indexes and to determine library holdings.
Use the internet to locate credible articles that can be accessed in this manner.
Use the internet to locate information from credible websites.

4. Option #2: Visit the Internet
Here are questions you can ask yourself when evaluating internet site credibility?
Is the page address prefaced by an internet provider, such as “members.aol” or “geocities”?
Does the page have a current date?
What is the credibility of the author(s) of the material?
Does the extension represent a government agency (.gov)? Educational facility (.edu)? Business (.com)? Organization (.org)?
Can the information be found on several similar websites?
How objective or biased is the material? Remember, anyone can place any information on the web.

5. Option #3: Visit the Library
Your best resource at the library is the librarian. Ask any questions regarding availability of materials or even how to find research to support your topic.
Search electronic Databases, indexes, and abstracts to narrow your search.
Books, fiction and non-fiction, including biographies, case studies, self-help and other topical subjects.
Magazines or journals, popular culture, academic, etc.
Reference material, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, atlases, handbooks, manuals, yearbooks.
Government publications.
Multimedia, such as videotaped or audiotaped documentaries and biographies.

6. Option #3: Visit the Library
How old is the source of the information? Could the information be updated in another medium?
What is the credibility of the author(s) of the information?
What is the name of the publisher? Is the publisher a recognized publisher or a vanity press, which could indicate self-publishing.
What is the volume or edition of the journal, periodical or book?
Does an informational pamphlet, such as a government or organizational document, have an author? Or should it be cited with the name of the organization?
Is the book an edited text with various authors writing individual chapters?
Does the information remain consistent when reviewed in other sources?

7. Option #4: Interview People
You can interview people you know well or acquaintances.
You can gain testimony from experts or eyewitnesses.
Educators are always a strong resource.
Find representatives of organizations.
Be creative—anyone from a store employee to a member of a listserv can be very helpful.

8. Option #4: How to Interview
Always do preparatory work to find out the correct name and credentials of the person.
Determine specific questions you will ask. Avoid vagueness and avoid questions that could be answered via other sources.
Be considerate of your interviewee’s time.
Mention your reason for the interview and how you will use the information.
If you wish to use a tape recorder, ask your interviewee if they are comfortable.
If you are uncertain about something that has been said, ask for clarification.
If your interviewee tells you something “off the record,” respect that sentiment and keep it that way.
Send a note of thanks to your interviewee for taking the time to meet with you.

9. Option #5: Use a Survey
You can survey a group of people to gain any type of information that would be useful in your research.
For example, if you are talking about customer service with a computer help desk personnel, a survey may help determine their perspectives on customer service and issues that they perceive in their workplace.
You can also survey people to determine consensus or agreement on topics.
Surveys are helpful to determine demographic information.

10. Option #5: Use a Survey
Surveys should be short, no more than two pages.
Those responding to the survey should be told how long the survey will take.
Survey items should be written without bias so as not to sway the respondent.
Always leave space so respondents can add additional ideas that may not have been considered.
Respondents should be told how the material will be used.
Determine in advance if respondents will receive a copy of your results.
Do not use results from incomplete surveys.
Do not use results from surveys that are more than three years’ old.
Always be honest when reporting.

11. Option #6: Conduct a Focus Group
Focus groups are helpful in gathering opinions and reviewing open discussion about a particular subject.
Determine exactly what you wish to learn from your group.
Decide how many people you will need and where people should come from.
Decide on a location.
Create a clear agenda and list of questions.
Ensure that the leader of the focus group keeps the meeting on track.
Determine a note-taking system, either via tape recorder or writing.
Allow each person to express thoughts.

12. Final Research Tips
Maintain good organization of information gathered.
Be certain to include information in your content where it is cited.
Acquire more research than you will actually need.
Discard research that is ineffective to your content.