Information speeches http://www.albany.edu/~neuage/InformationFriday.htm

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Example of a PowerPoint presentation

CIO Craig Luigart attended the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) on June 26, 2001. The presentation is available in Microsoft PowerPoint [386K] and as a text outline Found online at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCIO/media_room/index.html (accessed Wednesday, September 08, 2004)

In a case like this you will need to hand up the text outline.

 Example of a written out speech http://www.msha.gov/MEDIA/SPEECHES/2004/06282004.asp There are many examples online – of course you are to write your own as I will put in key words from your speech into a search engine to see that no one in the history of the Internet is saying the same thing.

The purpose of the informative speech is to provide interesting, useful, and unique information to your audience. By dedicating yourself to the goals of providing information and appealing to your audience, you can take a positive step toward succeeding in your effort as an informative speaker.

 Before beginning

Huh? What? Etc – when you begin to think what you want to present on a lot comes into play.

      Should we be Kool and say something to impress everyone? Yes, definitely – as long as;

      You are excited/enthusiastic about the topic

      Brainstorm – Braincloud - ????

four phases of creativity of most events we choose to format

  1. Preparation – Forage - Explore

Gathering materials, analyzing the topic and audience and making the first attempts at putting the parts together

  1. Incubation – reflect – adopt (over and over)

Marked by frustration – speech is usually set aside – have a think

  1. Illumination – nurture - judge

Pieces fit together

  1. Refinement – revision – doing the task 

Checking details – refinement

MAKE A REALISTIC TIMETABLE FOR YOUR SPEECH PREPARATION Start Early

Paste this time frame on your fridge

v     Feb. 1 Wednesday   TODAY re. Information Speeches

v     Feb. 6 Monday Audience 

v     Feb. 8 Wednesday  Evidence and Reasoning and Research

v     Feb. 13 Monday  Organisation

v     Feb. 15 Wednesday  Delivery

Week 6  Feb. 27 Monday Speech 1 

  1. List the tasks you will need to complete to prepare the speech and estimate the time needed for each

For example; tasks such as analyzing your topic – for each task jot down the most optimistic estimate of the time needed. You may need to interview someone or research in the library.

  1. Determine which tasks depend on the prior completion of other tasks – what is your speech goal? Make an outline – research etc
  2. set intermediate deadlines for the major stages of preparation and practice
  1. initial decisions and analysis
  2. research,
  3. development of speech materials
  4. and practice
  1. compose your speech orally – think out loud
  2. AVOID COMMON PLANNING PITFALLS
  1. No time for incubation ~ be sure to allow time for reflections before settling down to the job of composing your speech
  2. No margin for error – give yourself a schedule that gives you some breathing room
  3. “Writer’s” block – stop getting ready to create and start creating well before the deadline – MONDAY- to hand in your thesis statement
  4. “Speaker’s” block – start talking aloud early in the process

Essential features of informative speeches:

  1. Clarity – the result of effective organization and careful selection of words so your audience can follow and understand what you are saying
  1. only include the points that are essential to the message
  2. clarify relationships between the main points by using clear coordination and transition
  3. simplify as much as possible without losing essential information
  4. use a precise and an accurate vocabulary without getting too technical
  1. Association of new ideas with familiar ones helps your audience to grasp new facts and ideas easier
  2. Coherence is an organizational factor that finds a pattern which fits your major points and sub-points together in a meaningful manner
  3. Motivation of the audience is essential in gaining their attention and getting them involved.

Types of informative speeches

  1. Objects

Speeches about objects focus on things existing in the world. Objects include, among other things, people, places, animals, or products. Because you are speaking under time constraints, you cannot discuss any topic in its entirety. Instead, limit your speech to a focused discussion of some aspect of your topic. Some example topics for speeches about objects include: the Central Intelligence Agency, tombstones, surgical lasers, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the pituitary gland, and lemmings.  To focus these topics, you could give a speech about Franklin Delano Roosevelt and efforts to conceal how he suffered from polio while he was in office. Or, a speech about tombstones could focus on the creation and original designs of grave markers.

  1. Processes

Speeches about processes focus on patterns of action. One type of speech about processes, the demonstration speech, teaches people "how-to" perform a process. More frequently, however, you will use process speeches to explain a process in broader terms. This way, the audience is more likely to understand the importance or the context of the process. A speech about how milk is pasteurized would not teach the audience how to milk cows. Rather, this speech could help audience members understand the process by making explicit connections between patterns of action (the pasteurization process) and outcomes (a safe milk supply).

  1. Event

Speeches about events focus on things that happened, are happening, or will happen. When speaking about an event, remember to relate the topic to your audience. A speech chronicling Woodstock or the evolution of hip hop is informative, but you should adapt the information to your audience and provide them with some way to use the information. As always, limit your focus to those aspects of an event that can be adequately discussed within the time limitations of your assignment.

  1. Concepts

Speeches about concepts focus on beliefs, ideas, and theories. While speeches about objects, processes, and events are fairly concrete, speeches about concepts are more abstract. Take care to be clear and understandable when creating and presenting a speech about a concept. When selecting a concept, remember you are crafting an informative speech. Often, speeches about concepts take on a persuasive tone. Focus your efforts toward providing unbiased information and refrain from making arguments. Because concepts can be vague and involved, limit your speech to aspects that can be readily explained and understood within the time limits. For example, astrological concepts may be difficult to bring across to an audience but with references to its origins and illustrations you could be successful.

  1. Definitions

Speeches of Definition

    1. Is not a dictionary definition.
    2. Seeks to define concepts or processes in ways that make them relevant to the situation or problem that an audience faces.
    3. When we define something such as standard deviation, two things occur:
      1. We offer the audience a vocabulary standard deviation.
      2. We offer the audience an orientation, a way of thinking about a phenomenon. Thus, a good definition speech provides the audience with a vocabulary it can attach to ideas and situations with orientations that organize bits of information into coherent wholes.
  1. Instructions and demonstrations – we have had displays of how to play Texas Holden and how to prepare a dinner for a date – could also include job training or how to get a date or not to get a date.

 

1.    Instructions Verbal communications that explain complex processes.

2.    Demonstrations Verbal and nonverbal messages explaining and illustrating processes.

3.    Essential features:

      1. Serial presentation of information.
      2. Organized in chronological or spatial patterns.
  1. Demand great clarity.

1.    Research information with great care.

2.    Even if you have been asked to make a bare facts report, have all the information you need at hand, because you may be asked to provide more details.

3.    When making recommendations, rather than merely reporting information, provide a complete rationale for the recommendation.

4.    Use visual aids when giving reports.

5.    Help keep attention

6.    Provide much info in short time.

7.    Stay within the bounds of the assignment you were given.

8.    Don't step on other people's territory.

9.    Don't make recommendations when not asked to.

10.  Ask about assignment if it is not clear.

Features of Informative Speeches

    • Clarity
    • Organization
    • Choose words carefully.
    • Don't try to cover too many points
    • Clarify the relationship between you main points by observing the principles of coordination.
    • Use words like "First," "Second," "Furthermore," etc.
    • Keep speech moving forward according to a well developed plan.
    • Use precise vocabulary without being too technical for the audience.
    • Simplify whenever possible.
    • Use reiteration, but avoid repeating with exactly the same words.
    • Association of new ideas with more familiar ones.
    • Example: comparing pupil of eye with aperture of camera lens.
    • Coherence
    • Find a pattern than fits your subtopics: spatial, chronological, etc.
    • Use motivational appeals, interesting intros, etc., to keep audience interested.

Writing your thesis statement – you will need to do this by next Monday (the 6th) and hand it in and I will go over them at the start of class.

Frame a thesis statement as a single declarative sentence that states the essence of your speech content.

The 'purpose statement' is where you simply state what your goal is. However, it is not possible to use this in the speech. You need to convert it to a 'thesis statement'. A thesis statement is one sentence in the introduction in which you declare your purpose and topic.

For example, a thesis statement about eating tofu could be; 'Eating tofu does not need to be a boring experience.' The purpose statement would be, ‘I will explore the wonderfully flippant culinary art of your taste buds thinking they were on holiday, dancing with soy beans.’ You would not say your purpose statement in your speech or at the pub for that matter. Your purpose statement helps you format what it is you will be on about.

For example;

NOT: My speech is on crews.

OR EVEN: Young people find crews attractive

And especially;

[Mos Def]
Yo, I am the world renowned, verb adjective adverb
pronoun preposition suffix prefix
Original or remix, sunburst and eclipse (This Means You ------Talib Kweli; Source: http://www.sing365.com Wednesday, February 01, 2006)

BUT: There a number of sociological and developmental reasons for crews being attractive to youths.

Writing a preview  statement

The preview statement is nothing more than your main point headings linked together in sentence form using connector words. Connector words are words such as “first”, “next”, and “finally”.

For example “First, we will cover the materials needed to make spaghetti. Next, I will explain how to make spaghetti. Finally, we will discuss the benefits of making your own spaghetti.