Public Speaking Handbook

consider Your Audience 3.1 31

Consider Your Audience

3.1 Explain why it is important to be audience-centered during each step of
the speechmaking process.

Why should the central focus of public speaking be the audience rather than,
perhaps, topic selection or research? The simple truth is that your audience in-
fluences the topic you choose and every later step of the speechmaking process.
In a very real sense, your audience “writes” the speech.^1
Think of this first step of speechmaking less as a “step”—something you
do once and go on to the next step—and more as the beginning of a continuous
process. Whether pondering what to speak about or delivering your conclud-
ing remarks, we suggest that you never stop thinking about the reason you are
speaking—to communicate with your audience.

3.1

Figure 3.1 this model of the speechmaking process emphasizes

the importance of considering your audience as you work on each

task involved in designing and presenting a speech.

copyrighted by Pearson education, upper saddle river, nJ.

Deliver

Speech

Generate

Main Ideas

Develop

Central

Idea

Gather

Supporting

Material

Select and

Narrow

Topic

Rehearse

Speech

Determine

Purpose

Organize

Speech

CONSIDER

THE

AUDIENCE