1. Chapter 6
Selecting Your Topic

2. Selecting Your Topic: An Overview
Finding a speech topic requires:
Developing a list of options
Choosing the most promising one
Narrowing the topic to meet objectives and time constraints

3. Developing a Set of Potential Topics
Research
Brainstorming
Word Association
Mind Mapping

4. Develop a Set of Potential Topics: Research
Research may help you find an effective topic.
Sources of information include:
General newsmagazines or newspapers
Web sites
Keep track of sources to avoid plagiarism.

6. Developing a Set of Potential Topics: Brainstorming
List every idea that comes to mind without evaluating its merits.

7. Developing a Set of Potential Topics: Word Association
One idea leads to another that leads to another until a speaker finds an appropriate topic.

8. Developing a Set of Potential Topics: Mind Mapping
Write down an initial word or phrase, then surround it with additional words, pictures, and symbols.
Use colors, arrows, or visual aids to link ideas.
Be creative and enjoy the process.

10. Selecting the Best Topic
Consider the assignment
Consider your audience
Consider your own knowledge and interest
Consider the speech context
Choose a topic and stick to it

11. Selecting the Best Topic: Consider the Assignment
Your topic must meet the instructor’s criteria, which may include:
Topics to avoid
Type of speech
Research requirements

12. Selecting the Best Topic: Consider Your Audience
Your topic should meet at least one of the following criteria:
It will interest your audience.
It benefits the audience or the larger society.
It will move the audience in some way.

13. Selecting the Best Topic: Consider Your Own Knowledge and Interests
Pick a topic you are excited about to connect with listeners.
Pick a topic you are knowledgeable about.
Establishes your credibility
Streamlines research process

14. Selecting the Best Topic: Consider the Speech Context
Context is the overall situation of your presentation and is affected by:
Formality: Classroom speeches are less formal than workplace speeches
Situational characteristics: Such as audience size, mobility issues, time of day, and physical setting

15. Selecting the Best Topic: Choose a Topic and Stick to It
Changing topics will increase your preparation time.
Wavering back and forth on a topic weakens your speech.

16. Tips for Selecting the Best Topic
Tip: If you are not excited about your topic, no one else will be.
Tip: Boring your teacher will not help you get a good grade.

17. Refining Your Topic: Decide Your Rhetorical Purpose
To inform: Increasing listeners’ understanding or awareness
To persuade: Convincing listeners to consider a new position, strengthen or weaken a belief, or take action
To mark a special occasion: Honoring an occasion by entertaining, inspiring, or moving listeners

18. General Tips for Refining Your Topic
Tip: If you have a strong opinion about your topic, consider using it for a persuasive speech.
Tip: If you are going to commemorate a death, be sure you are ready to speak about it in public—you may get caught off guard by your emotions.

19. Refining Your Topic: Narrow Your Topic
Why is this important?
Speech needs to fit time limit
Gives you focus

20. Broad topic  Spring Break Fun
Narrower topic  Spring Break in Miami
Narrowed topic  Use Caution with Spring Break Tattoos

21. Narrowing Your Topic: Remember Your Audience
Make listeners care.
If they are asking “Why should I care?” your speech will not be as effective.

22. Narrowing Your Topic: Draw on Your Interests and Expertise
It is easier to speak extemporaneously on a topic that is:
Familiar
Important to you
Exciting to you

23. Narrowing Your Topic: Review Your Rhetorical Purpose
Does your narrowed topic match the rhetorical purpose?

24. Narrowing Your Topic: Evaluate the Situation
Will situational factors get in the way of your topic?
Time of day
Occasion
Overall speech context

25. Drafting Your Specific Purpose Statement
Specific purpose: The speech objective presented as a single sentence—should focus speech development
Sentence should begin with rhetorical purpose:
“To inform my audience…”
“To persuade my audience…”
“To commemorate…”

26. Tips for Drafting Your Specific Purpose Statement
Tip: Focus on what you want your audience to walk away with.
Tip: If you spend the time to develop a well-constructed specific purpose, the speech will write itself (mostly). More on this when we talk about organization!

27. Drafting Your Thesis Statement
Single sentence
Expresses the speaker’s intentions
Consistent with specific purpose

29. Thesis Statement Examples
Informative: “Hmong New Year includes many culturally distinctive features.”
Persuasive: “You should sign up for a service-learning course.”
Special Occasion: “The Duke University women’s basketball team has much to celebrate at this year’s awards banquet.”