INFORMATIVE SPEECH ASSIGNMENT

PURPOSE:  to provide the audience with NEW insight or understanding of a complex process, idea, policy or issue.  The focus is on applying audience motivation, attention and retention strategies, appropriate organizational designs and supporting materials.  The goal of the Informative Speech is to broaden the knowledge of the audience and offer information that can be understood and remembered.  (You are not to try to convince the audience to do or believe something--that is persuasion.)

SPECIFIC TYPES OF INFORMATIVES:

1.  Expository: Informing the audience about abstract and complex ideas, policies or issues. (Can be linked to persuasive speech.) 

2.  Demonstrative:  Showing the audience how to do something, instructing them about a process or procedure.

TIME: 5 - 7 minutes.

THE ASSIGNMENT

Present a 5-7 minute speech informing the audience about some object, process, place, concept, event, or person.  You may use one 5x7”note card, employing an extemporaneous delivery style. Use of a visual aid is required.  Refer to your notes and chapter material on what is appropriate for a visual aid.

SELECTING AN INFORMATIVE TOPIC

When you select your topic, inventory your personal life to see if there is something which you already find interesting.  You may choose to speak on a person, place, object, event, concept, or process.  READ THE ASSIGNED CHAPTERS ASAP!

ISSUES TO THINK ABOUT

·        Criteria for topic selection:  picking something (1) substantive, (2) complex, (3) new, (4) that the audience needs to know, (5) that has relevance to their lives and experience as well as the speaker’s.

·        Content/support issues:  (1) how many outside sources?  (2) how much variety of type of support?  (3) visual aids used?  (4) how to avoid the “term paper” or “essay-on-hind-legs” trap; (5) how to make sure that the audience puts themselves “into” the speech; and (6) creating an original, unique speech event.