Informative Speeches

SHARE knowledge: To educate and enlighten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKuv8s00ApE
Follow the link above for extra help on writing and
delivering informative speeches

Focus on sharing knowledge

Enlighten, do not advocate or
attempt to modify attitudes, beliefs,
or behavior.
REMEMBER, analyze the audience
What do they already know?
What might be of interest to them?
Give them a reason to care; establish
that relevancy

Present new and interesting

information
Avoid sharing common knowledge,
this will tempt audiences to
disengage from your topic.
Narrow in on what you most want to
convey.
TOO MUCH is overwhelming

Ways to increase
understanding
Well organized intro that previews
main points
Clear TRANSITIONS!
An appropriate organizational pattern
Presentation aids, if allowed.

Categories of informative
speeches
Speeches about objects or phenomena
Explore anything that isnt human

Speeches about people

Information about people and groups who have made
contributions to society
Can be autobiographical
Usually provides a lesson to be taken away

Speeches about events

Noteworthy occurrences, both past and present
Who, what, when, where, and why of the facts
Perhaps draw on new and enlightening info: behind the scenes
info

Categories continued
Speeches about processes
Series of steps leading to a finished product or result
How something is done, made, or works
Can explain or actually do (demonstrative)

Speeches about issues

Inform about a problem or a matter of dispute
Provide overview or report of problems in order to raise
awareness
Be careful of crossing the line into a persuasive speech

Speeches about concepts

Focus on abstract or complex ideas, theories, or beliefs

Ways to convey your

information

Define
Describe
Demonstrate
Explain
Narrate

Defining
Identify essential qualities and meanings
Clearly define complex terms
Ways to define:
Operational: what something does
Definition by negation: what it is not
Define by example: provide concrete examples of
something (i.e. Health professionals)
Definition by synonym: compare it to something
similar
Etymology: illustrate the root meaning

Which organizational pattern could be used here?

Describe
Provide an array of details that paint
a mental picture of your topic
virtual tour
Offer vivid portrayal
Which organizational pattern could
be used here?

Demonstrate
Explain how something works or
ACTUALLY demonstrate it
Give the how-to
Which organizational pattern would
be used here?

Explanation

Provide reasons for causes

Demonstrate relationships
Offer interpretation and analysis
Common for classroom lectures
Address difficult or confusion theories
and processes

When Explaining, Reduce Confusion

New information can be hard to
grasp, so present it in simple yet
interesting ways
Use analogies to build on prior
knowledge
Link the unfamiliar with the familiar

Demonstrate underlying causes

Counter faulty misperceptions and
acknowledge them, offering a more
accurate explanation

Arrange speech points in a

pattern
Can be used with any of the 6 patterns we
discussed.
Consider these:
Objects: spatial and topical patterns
People: topical, narrative, chronological patterns
Events: topical, chronological, causal, narrative
patterns
Processes: chronological, spatial, causal patterns
Concepts: topical, causal patterns
Issues: topical, chronological, causal patterns

Remember to USE YOUR

CHECKLISTS!
See page 23 in book for guidelines
for clearly communication your
informative message.

Identifying Elements of the

informative speech: Introduction
As soon as dorm assignments were announced, we all began
friending each other on Facebook and following each other on Twitter.
This is how I found out that my roommate was an obsessive soccer fan
and had seen all of Quentin Tarantinos movies. The school also
sponsored online forums, allowing me to learn about different student
groups and to find like-minded people across campus. For example, I
connected immediately with students who share my interest in animal
rescue and adoption. These online connections and groups helped my
college friendships develop quickly and meaningfully, and gave me a
sense of belonging on campus before I even arrived. How many of us
in here can relate to the ability of social media use in finding and
developing college friendships?
What is the attention getter?
What is the credibility statement?
What is the audience connection statement?

Identify the main points in the

following thesis/preview.
Today Id like to share with you how social media is being
used, not only to help students connect but also as a
powerful tool to advance social causes and motivate us to
act on their behalf. Well start by looking at a compelling
theory of why social media is so uniquely suited to forging
connections. Next, Ill review some data on social medias
meteoric rise. Finally, well see how todays activists are
harnessing social media to support an array of social
causes to make life better for us all.
What will the first main point be?
What will the second main point be?
What will the third main point be?

Do it again: Identify the elements in

this informative introduction
A wise man once told me that if I do what I love, Ill never work a day in my life. WORK.
The word alone tends to carry such a negative connotation. How many of us have
dreaded going to work because of the seemingly endless, mundane, anything-butchallenging daily responsibilities? I am sure many of us can relate. For those who cant,
the idea of rolling out of bed EVERY morning to attend school in classes we do not
necessarily enjoy is similar. I, like many of you, have experienced those dreaded
feelings. However, Ive also been fortunate enough to find my calling, and the sense of
heading to WORK, doesnt mentally weigh me down like it used to. Today, Id like to
tell you about two simple, yet important techniques in finding our calling: tapping into
your personal interests, and challenging yourself to network with the right people. To
begin, lets recall some of those memories of dreadfully heading to work, and use those
moments to consider how we can use our own interests to do what we truly enjoy

What
What
What
What
What
What

is the attention getter?

is the audience connection?
is the credibility statement?
is the thesis?
are the main points?
is the transition statement into the body?

Sample informative speech

videos
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8jAiY
qsmUQ
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy72Lxr
TCEw

Activity
Brainstorm 10 appropriate informative
speech topics.
Consider EACH category and come up with at
least one topic from each
Objects or phenomena, people, events, processes,
issues, concepts

Write on board.
Thats a starter list!
If time: FINISH MINI RESEARCH ACTIVITY