The Informative Speech (100 pts)

Purpose: In informative speaking situations, the speaker seeks to deepen understanding, raise awareness, or increase knowledge about a topic. When you speak to inform, you want audience members to learn something from your speech. To do this, you share information with them.

At the root of all human communication is the connection people make when they share information. When you speak informatively, you make this important connection with your listeners. For this to happen, your listeners must find the speech meaningful, the information accurate, and the message clear. These three qualities form the basis of your competence as an informative speaker. (Time Frame: 6-8 min.)

Preparation: There are five types of informative speeches: speeches about objects and places, about people and other living creatures, about processes, about events, and about ideas and concepts. See the back of this handout for many examples of each type.

After you have brainstormed for possible topics, ask yourself, What do I want my audience to learn? What do they need to know? Keep in mind that your specific purpose and thesis should clarify your topic for your audience, make it meaningful, express the main ideas accurately, and pique the audience’s interests.

Finally, determine what organizational pattern will work best for you (Chronological? Spatial? Topical? Narrative? Cause and Effect?). When choosing a pattern for your informative speech, pick one that complements your topic and promotes your specific purpose. Also determine the best ways to incorporate presentation media.

I will evaluate this informative speech based on your topic selection, evidence of careful preparation/practice, organization, use of research, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, your use of presentation media, and on your ability to receive and adapt to feedback.

Delivery: Before your speech, practice the relaxation and preparation techniques we learned about in class. During your speech, monitor your pace, pitch, volume, etc., try to eliminate vocalized pauses, and control your body movements.

Good luck!

Objects / Places / IMAX cinema / “Beyond Cinerama: The IMAX Film”
“The Top Three IMAX Films Ever”
snowboarding equipment / “Early Innovators of Snowboarding Equipment”
“Snowboarding Equipment Under $500”
extraterrestrials / “Ancient Beliefs in Extraterrestrials”
“Humorous Films about Extraterrestrials”
Thai food / “The Secret Spices of Thai Food”
“Thai Food and Drink as Healthy Alternatives”
blogs / “What Makes a Successful Blog”
“The Daily Read: My Favorite Blogs”
People / Other Living Creatures / Michelle Wie / “The Asian Wave in Women’s Golf”
“Michelle Wie: Professional Golf’s New Superstar”
Koko, the “talking gorilla” / “If Gorillas Talk, What Do They Say?”
“Learning about Human Speech from Koko”
Stephen Colbert / “The Real World of Comedian Stephen Colbert”
“The Many Roles of Stephen Colbert”
dinosaurs / “When Dinosaurs Ruled the World”
“Dinosaurs and the Great Extinction Debate”
Prince William of England / “Prince William and England’s Succession to the Throne”
“Who is Prince William of England?”
Processes / matching DNA samples / “How DNA Affects Criminal Prosecutions”
“DNA and Genetics: Our Genes Tell Our Stories”
selling an item on eBay / “How to Sell Your Stuff on eBay”
“The Do’s and Don’ts of Selling on eBay”
fighting wildfires / “Tactics and Techniques Used for Fighting Wildfires”
“What I Learned Fighting Wildfires”
buying camping equipment / “Buying Good Camping Equipment at a Low Price”
“Choosing Camping Equipment to Fit Your Budget”
tracking climate change / “The Main Indicators of Global Climate Change”
“Tracking Global Climate Change Over the Centuries”
Events / birthday parties / “Ten Essential Ingredients for a Perfect Birthday Party”
“Birthday Celebrations in Different Cultures”
Chinese New Year / “The Ancient Tradition of Chinese New Year”
“The Best Chinese New Year’s Parades in America”
World Cup soccer / “World Cup Soccer: Who Gets to Play?”
“”The Cultural Significance of World Cup Football”
the Grammy Awards / “The Grammy Awards as a Pop Culture Ceremony”
“The Grammy Awards Yesterday and Today”
Ramadan / “Ramadan: The History of Islam’s Holy Ninth Month”
“The Importance of Fasting during Ramadan”
Ideas / Concepts / religious fundamentalism / “The Roots of Religious Fundamentalism”
“What Does It Mean to be a Religious Fundamentalist?”
marriage / “Views of Marriage Across Cultures”
“How Marriage Has Changed with the Times”
dance therapy / “Dance Therapy as a Psychological Technique”
“Effective Dance Therapy Techniques”
individual human rights / “What Are Your Individual Human Rights?”
“Individual Human Rights: A Guarantee from the United Nations”
distance learning / “The Beginning of Distance Learning”
“Future Directions in Distance Learning