The Art of Public Speaking - Chapter 15

Informative Speech

A speech designed to convey knowledge and understanding

Types of informative speeches (4)

Speeches about objects, processes, events, and concepts

Speeches about objects

Anything visible, tangible, and stable in form

Speech about processes

Systematic series of actions that leads to a result

Speeches about events

Anything that happens or is regarded as happening

Speeches about concepts

A belief, theory, idea, notion, principle, or the like

Guidelines for informative speeches (6)

Don't overestimate that audience's knowledge, relate the subject to the audience, don't be too technical, avoid abstractions, personalize your ideas, be creative

Don't overestimate the audience's knowledge

Break it down

Relate the subject to the audience

Use words we, you, your

Don't be too technical

Avoid technical words or jargons (specific language)

Avoid abstractions

Comparison, contrast, personlize

Be creative

Make it memorable, attention

Comparison

A statement of similarities among 2 or more people, events, idea

Contrast

A statement of differences among 2 or more people

Personalize

To present one's ideas in human terms that relate in some fashion to the experience of the audience