Building Credibility for Your Speech

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Building Credibility for Your Speech

• Module 10

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Establishing Necessary Resources

• Option 1 Establish your own knowledge base and
  personal resources.
• Before seeking outside sources for your speech,
  determine your existing knowledge base.
• Determine people that would be easily accessible
  to you.
• Review your existing periodicals, books, and
  other current written collateral that could
  enhance your topic.

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Option 2 Visit the Internet

• Here is how the internet can help your research
  mission
• Use the internet to review online library indexes
  and to determine library holdings.
• Use the internet to locate credible articles that
  can be accessed in this manner.
• Use the internet to locate information from
  credible websites.

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Option 2 Visit the Internet

• Here are questions you can ask yourself when
  evaluating internet site credibility?
• Is the page address prefaced by an internet
  provider, such as members.aol or geocities?
• Does the page have a current date?
• What is the credibility of the author(s) of the
  material?
• Does the extension represent a government agency
  (.gov)? Educational facility (.edu)? Business
  (.com)? Organization (.org)?
• Can the information be found on several similar
  websites?
• How objective or biased is the material?
  Remember, anyone can place any information on the
  web.

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Option 3 Visit the Library

• Your best resource at the library is the
  librarian. Ask any questions regarding
  availability of materials or even how to find
  research to support your topic.
• Search electronic Databases, indexes, and
  abstracts to narrow your search.
• Books, fiction and non-fiction, including
  biographies, case studies, self-help and other
  topical subjects.
• Magazines or journals, popular culture, academic,
  etc.
• Reference material, such as encyclopedias,
  dictionaries, almanacs, atlases, handbooks,
  manuals, yearbooks.
• Government publications.
• Multimedia, such as videotaped or audiotaped
  documentaries and biographies.

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Option 3 Visit the Library

• How old is the source of the information? Could
  the information be updated in another medium?
• What is the credibility of the author(s) of the
  information?
• What is the name of the publisher? Is the
  publisher a recognized publisher or a vanity
  press, which could indicate self-publishing.
• What is the volume or edition of the journal,
  periodical or book?
• Does an informational pamphlet, such as a
  government or organizational document, have an
  author? Or should it be cited with the name of
  the organization?
• Is the book an edited text with various authors
  writing individual chapters?
• Does the information remain consistent when
  reviewed in other sources?

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Option 4 Interview People

• You can interview people you know well or
  acquaintances.
• You can gain testimony from experts or
  eyewitnesses.
• Educators are always a strong resource.
• Find representatives of organizations.
• Be creativeanyone from a store employee to a
  member of a listserv can be very helpful.

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Option 4 How to Interview

• Always do preparatory work to find out the
  correct name and credentials of the person.
• Determine specific questions you will ask. Avoid
  vagueness and avoid questions that could be
  answered via other sources.
• Be considerate of your interviewees time.
• Mention your reason for the interview and how you
  will use the information.
• If you wish to use a tape recorder, ask your
  interviewee if they are comfortable.
• If you are uncertain about something that has
  been said, ask for clarification.
• If your interviewee tells you something off the
  record, respect that sentiment and keep it that
  way.
• Send a note of thanks to your interviewee for
  taking the time to meet with you.

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Option 5 Use a Survey

• You can survey a group of people to gain any type
  of information that would be useful in your
  research.
• For example, if you are talking about customer
  service with a computer help desk personnel, a
  survey may help determine their perspectives on
  customer service and issues that they perceive in
  their workplace.
• You can also survey people to determine consensus
  or agreement on topics.
• Surveys are helpful to determine demographic
  information.

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Option 5 Use a Survey

• Surveys should be short, no more than two pages.
  
• Those responding to the survey should be told how
  long the survey will take.
• Survey items should be written without bias so as
  not to sway the respondent.
• Always leave space so respondents can add
  additional ideas that may not have been
  considered.
• Respondents should be told how the material will
  be used.
• Determine in advance if respondents will receive
  a copy of your results.
• Do not use results from incomplete surveys.
• Do not use results from surveys that are more
  than three years old.
• Always be honest when reporting.

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Option 6 Conduct a Focus Group

• Focus groups are helpful in gathering opinions
  and reviewing open discussion about a particular
  subject.
• Determine exactly what you wish to learn from
  your group.
• Decide how many people you will need and where
  people should come from.
• Decide on a location.
• Create a clear agenda and list of questions.
• Ensure that the leader of the focus group keeps
  the meeting on track.
• Determine a note-taking system, either via tape
  recorder or writing.
• Allow each person to express thoughts.

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Final Research Tips

• Maintain good organization of information
  gathered.
• Be certain to include information in your content
  where it is cited.
• Acquire more research than you will actually
  need.
• Discard research that is ineffective to your
  content.