15. Speaking to Inform

Question 1

Types of Informative Speaking

Answer 1

Speeches about objects - Typical Organizational Patterns: topical, spatial, chronological.

Speeches about procedures (e.g. How state laws are made) - TOP: chronological, topical, complexity

Speeches about people - TOP: chronological, topical

Speeches about events - TOP: chronological, topical, complexity, spatial

Speeches about ideas (e.g. Freedom of speech, theories of aging, communal living, etc.) - TOP: topical, complexity

Question 2

Strategies for Informing Your Listener

Answer 2

To explain new ideas: - Use definition by example, e.g if you want to define ”primitive antiques” you can display several examples of kitchen ustensils. Using negative examples coupled with positive examples can be an effective strategy for teaching defining characteristics.
Define with words/examples/negative examples/ by operation

To clarify complex processes: - give listeners the ”big picture”. E.g. if you describe how a PC works, you could say that it stores information like a filing cabinet or that a computer software works liek a piano roll on an old-fashioned player piano. = use ANALOGIES
-describe the process
- use word pictures

To change common misconceptions: - summarize the common misconceptions about the issue or idea you are discussing / state why these misconceptions may seem reasonable / dismiss the misconceptions and provide evidence to support your point / state the accurate info that you want your audience to remember

Question 3

Making Your Informative Speech Memorable

Answer 3

Present info that relates to your listeners

Establish a motive for your audience to listen to you

Build in redundancy: tell them what you are going to say / tell them / tell them what you have told them.

Use simple ideas rather than complex ones.

Pace your info flow: make sure that your audience has time to process any new info you present.

Relate new info to old

Create memorable visual aids