Public Speaking

Summary (^135)
End Memorably
Plan your final statement carefully so that you leave a positive and memorable impres-
sion. Here are a few guidelines:
• Many of the strategies for gaining audience attention—such as rhetorical questions,
use of quotations or examples, and use of humor—are similarly effective for conclud-
ing with impact.
• Consider using parallel construction. That is, if you began with a story, end with a
story; if you began with a rhetorical question, end with a rhetorical question, and so
on. Not only is this effective, but it is another way to provide psychological closure.
• In persuasive speeches, it’s common to issue a challenge and call people to action.
• Commemorative speakers typically conclude by reinforcing a larger cultural theme
or value.
Elisia Choi (see Chapter 9) emphasizes the importance of the ending statement:^26
I spend a significant amount of time thinking about my concluding statement. Many
speakers often don’t think about what their last sentence will be and as a result, end
their speeches abruptly. I try to set myself apart by making sure my last sentence is
powerful, memorable, and impactful.
These three examples show effective conclusions for an informative, persuasive, and
commemorative speech:
Informative purpose. Homelessness affects thousands of people in Portland, and
Nightstrike is an organization that deals with this issue in the way their motto states:
Loving People Because People Matter.^27
Persuasive purpose. Our media daily bombards us with perceptions of beauty that is
unhealthy, unethical, and unrecognizably deceitful—not to mention unattainable.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, let’s not allow media to fill our minds with
thousands of far-fetched lies. Instead, let’s be conscious consumers of media who
expose media images for what they truly are and who value the beauty of everyday
people.^28
Commemorative purpose [university convocation].^29 In Shel Silverstein’s The Giving
Tr e e, we are told that by the end the tree had given the boy everything and had been
reduced to just a stump. We are also told five times in the short book that the tree was
happy; we are never told the boy was happy. The moral of the story is a simple one.
If you want to be happy, be the tree.
In summary, a good conclusion provides a transition, summarizes your major points,
gains psychological closure, and closes with a thought-provoking statement. Study some
of the speeches and outlines in Appendix B and your online resources and notice the dif-
ferent and creative ways that students memorably end their speeches.

Summary

After you’ve organized the body of your speech, plan an introduction that will take

your listeners from their various internal worlds and move them into the world of your

speech. Do this by gaining their attention, relating your topic to their concerns, estab-

lishing your credibility on the subject, and previewing your main points. Finally, plan

a conclusion that provides a transition from the body, summarizes your major points,

gives a sense of closure by referring back to the introduction, and leaves your listeners

with a challenge or a memorable thought.

Study and Review

Public Speaking: Concepts and Skills for a Diverse Society offers a broad range of

resources that will help you better understand the material in this chapter, complete

assignments, and succeed on tests. Your MindTap resources feature the following:

•   Speech videos with viewing questions, speech outlines, and transcripts

•   Activities to help you check your understanding and to apply what you’ve learned to

your own life

•   Stop and Check and Critical Thinking exercises

•   Outline Builder

•   Web Links related to chapter content

•   Study and review tools such as self-quizzes and an interactive glossary

You can access your online resources for Public Speaking: Concepts and Skills for a

Diverse Society at cengagebrain.com using the access code that came with your book or

that you purchased online.

Key teRmS

The terms below are defined in the margins throughout this chapter.

participatory question 127

rhetorical question 127

Reflect on what you’ve

learned.

Review your Flashcards.

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