400 Part 4 Public Speaking
- Take a look at the outline of this chapter in the Contents (p. xxix). Do you see
a clear hierarchy of points and subpoints? Within the chapter, how are transi-
tions used to move from point to point? How might the techniques used in this
chapter work in your speech? - Read a famous or familiar speech (such as Martin Luther King’s “I Have a
Dream” speech) or watch one online. (A great site to consider is TED, which
offers inspirational speeches about “ideas worth spreading.” See ted.com.) Next,
create an outline for your chosen speech. Can you follow a clear sequence of
points? Do the subpoints support the speaker’s main points? - When creating the outline for your speech, write each main point on a separate
index card. Spread the cards out on a table and then pick them up in the most
logical order. Does this order match the order of your outline? How did you
choose to arrange the topics—spatially, chronologically, or topically? - Establishing a relationship with the audience is important when giving a speech.
Make a list of all of the possible members of your audience. How do you plan
to connect with all members of the audience? Pretend you are giving a speech at
your old high school. Will your introduction affect the seniors the same way it
will affect the principal? - Pick a general topic and try to come up with several different attention getters
for that topic. Here’s an example for the topic “dogs”:
c Tell a funny story about your dog.c “Did you know that the human mouth contains more germs than a dog’s
mouth?”c “In my hometown, there is a dog that walks upright like a human because he
does not have any front legs.”c “Did you know that approximately 10 million unwanted dogs are eutha-
nized annually in the United States?”Try this with a topic such as your favorite food, favorite vacation spot, or some
other appealing topic.