Building Content for Your Speech

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Building Content for Your Speech
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Types of Support Examples

• Why examples are effective
• They give an audience a secondary picture of
  the speakers idea.
• They help an audience make logical connections
  between new ideas and ideas with which they
  already identify.
• They bring relevance to a subject and allow an
  audience to see why the material is, indeed,
  important to them.

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How to Use Examples

• Examples can be short to quickly support an idea.
  
• Examples can be lengthy to bring more substance
  to a possibly less-understood idea.
• Examples can be authentic to give credence to
  something that has already occurred.
• Examples can be hypothetical to pose a future
  possibility.
• Examples should connect to the presented idea.
• Examples should be relevant to the audience.
• Remember less is more Sometimes overtly
  graphic words or thoughts negatively impact an
  audience.
• If examples are hypothetical, rather than
  authentic, should be revealed.

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Types of Support Stories

• Why stories are effective
• Human beings love telling stories and hearing
  stories.
• Narratives help people connect to each others
  experiences.
• Stories help a speaker infuse creative, vivid
  language.

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How to Use Stories

• Keep story length relative to the overall
  speaking time.
• Find stories of real people or historical
  figures.
• Consider personal experiences as a basis if you
  feel uncomfortable owning the experience, use a
  fictitious name.
• Begin a story in the speech introduction and then
  interweave it through the speech content.
• Ensure that the language used for the story is
  appropriate to the topic and audience.
• Consider delivery modifications for a story. If
  the story requires energetic delivery, adjust
  vocals and facial expressions accordingly.
• Heavily emotional stories provide better impact
  after hard facts.

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Types of Support Statistics

• Why statistics are effective
• Statistics help people determine tendencies among
  groups.
• Statistics use real numbers that most people can
  comprehend.
• Statistics substantiate facts.

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How to Use Statistics

• Be certain to cite the source of the statistics
  do not simply say studies show.
• Ensure that statistics are updated and that the
  source is credible.
• Dont use statistics gratuitously. Only use
  statistics when they work in favor of the point
  being made.
• Beware of too many statistics. An audience can
  become overwhelmed by numbers quickly.
• If possible, use a visual aid for increased
  audience comprehension.

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Types of Support Facts

• Why facts are effective
• Facts involve concrete ideas about people,
  events, dates, and places.
• Facts involve hard research, which validate a
  speakers claim.
• Facts help a speaker build credibility.
• An audience is more likely to accept a speakers
  point of view when assertions are supported by
  solid evidence.

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How to Use Facts

• Make sure that all facts come from credible and
  viable sources.
• Facts should come from a variety of sources.
• Attempt to check facts via several sources to
  ensure unified perception.
• Facts should be up-to-date.
• Beware of using irrelevant facts, which can
  change the scope of the thesis statement.
• Always cite the source of the facts.

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Types of Support Testimony

• Why testimony is effective
• A speaker enhances credibility by adding
  credibility of experts.
• Testimony can often reveal the voice of the
  people.
• Testimony can substantiate a speakers written
  facts.
• Testimony can add first-hand insight into a
  particular issue.
• Testimony can outline opposing viewpoints.

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How to Use Testimony

• Use expert testimony when authority is needed to
  validate information.
• Use lay testimony for eyewitness accounts or as a
  representative voice of regular citizens.
• Ensure that the person spoken to is credible.
• Ensure that the person spoken to is unbiased and
  honest about their position.
• Do not quote the source out of context.
• You may paraphrase testimony as long as the
  intended meaning is unchanged.
• Differentiate whether the testimony contains
  facts or opinions.
• Represent your source properly to the audience.