Kites Pioneer life
Digital vs. lm cameras Women photographers Juggling
Political memorabilia (19th & 20th centuries)
The idea bank shown on this page is one example created by searching in this case, a search of the Librarians Internet Index.
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HOW DO YOU SELECT A TOPIC?
3 Select Your Topic
Now that you know your general purpose and have an idea bank full of potential topics, you can select your topic. Ask yourself a series of focus questions to help identify topics that will work well and eliminate topics that will not.
Which topics in my idea bank will work for my general purpose?
Which topics t the speech assignment or request?
Which topics are most familiar to me?
Which topics am I most comfortable speaking about?
Which topics have positive aspects for the audience, occasion, speaking event, or timing of the event? Which topics might cause a negative reaction from the audience or are not appropriate?
Which topics are new or unique to this audience?
Which topics are worth the audience s time and attention?
For example, suppose you are volunteering at the local Historical Society and you create the idea bank below because the Society wants you to give an informative talk. You ask yourself the focus questions and cross out topics, such as kites, that do not relate to the Society s exhibits, because those topics may not interest visitors. You reason that visitors might like to hear a talk related to the recreated pioneer village on the property.
Connecting this thought to your hobby of woodworking, you think that investigating how the pioneers built their homes will be a good topic. It passes the test created by the focus questions.
TIP: Judging Topics
Be careful not to judge a topic too quickly. Some topics may appear to be a waste of time but can be used creatively. For example, making bubble tools and solutions may seem unworthy for a college class.
However, if your audience consists of several parents or elementary education majors, or if it is close to nals week, you might be giving your audience information they can use to involve their children or students in the creative process or a great activity to alleviate the stress of studying.
Idea Bank for Historical Society Bubbles How to make tools &
solution Fortune-telling Kites
Pioneer life Building homes
Digital vs. lm cameras Women photographers Juggling
Political memorabilia (19th & 20th century)
Pony Express
ghost towns
55
HOW DO YOU SELECT A TOPIC?
TIP: Starting Early
Remember that you need time to write and rehearse the speech. The day before your speech is too late to nd or receive a large amount of research materials.
PRACTICING ETHICS
Remember these ethical guidelines when selecting a topic.
Your topic should t the audience and the occasion.
Your topic should be worth the audiences time.
Your topic should be appropriate to you.
You should not feel like you need to hide something about the topic from your audience.
Your topic should not be harmful to you or your audience.
Your topic should not break any laws or rules set by the organization sponsoring or housing your speaking event.
Your topic selection should allow you enough time to e ectively prepare your speech.
Persuasive topics should focus on issues, not on individuals.
Ultimately, you should be able to live with the consequences of your choices.
Finally, before you commit to a topic, do some preliminary research to see if you can locate current, quality materials on the topic.
As you research, ask these questions:
Are there enough materials to create a speech that ts into my allotted speech time?
Is there a variety of quality materials for the topic?
Will I be able to locate and review the materials in time to prepare effectively for my speech?
If you are having trouble nding support materials, you may want to return to your idea bank for a new topic.
*Tab 2 explains how to do research and evaluate support materials.
How Do You Narrow Your Topic?
Narrowing your topic may not seem all that dif cult or important, but the scope of your topic can make or break your speech.
A well-de ned, speci c topic will help you:
Achieve the general purpose of your speech. A topic that is too broad will not be thorough enough to be informative, persuasive, or celebratory.
Reduce the time you spend researching and writing the speech.
Increase your con dence for giving the speech. If you feel you are trying to cover too much material in a few minutes or you cannot remember all of the speech, your nervousness will increase. A narrow topic allows you to focus on an appropriate amount of material and to feel con dent that your speech is not overloaded.
Effectively deliver your speech at a comfortable rate. A speech that tries to cover too much will run long or seem rushed because you will talk too fast.
A narrow topic helps keep the length down and allows you to speak at an understandable rate.
Keep your audience focused on your topic. A well-de ned topic will help audience members follow your speech and can prevent their minds from wandering.
A working outline is a brief sketch of the body of your speech. The working outline will contain what you have composed so far your topic, general purpose, speci c purpose, and central idea plus working main points to guide your research.
* See pages 64 65.
CONSTRUCT A WORKING OUTLINE
The central idea (also called a thesis statement, theme, or subject sentence) is a concise, single sentence summarizing and/or previewing what you will say in your speech.
* See pages 60 61.
IDENTIFY THE CENTRAL IDEA OF
THE SPEECH
57
HOW DO YOU NARROW YOUR TOPIC?
Although you can narrow your topic in different ways, the main result of any method you use should be a focused, effectively written central idea (thesis statement). Your instructor may prefer a certain method, or the following steps can help you create a focused speech topic.
IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF
YOUR SPEECH
The speci c purpose of your speech is a single statement that combines your general purpose, your audience, and your objective. The objective is the outcome or behavior you want your audience to experience or adopt after hearing your speech.
* See pages 58 59.
Once you have created an initial central idea, you need to evaluate it. An effective central idea is vital to a successful speech because everything you say in your speech should relate back to this one complete statement.
* See pages 62 63.
EVALUATE YOUR CENTRAL IDEA
How Do You Create a
Central Idea?
1 Identify the Speci c Purpose of Your Speech
2 Identify the Central Idea of the Speech
3 Evaluate Your Central Idea
1 Identify the Speci c Purpose of Your Speech
Identifying your speci c purpose is the rst step in creating a focused central idea.
The speci c purpose of your speech is a single statement that combines your general purpose, your audience, and your objective.
The objective of the speci c purpose describes the outcome or behavior you want your audience to experience or adopt. Notice how the speci c purpose examples at the top of the next page identify what the speakers want their audiences to take away from the speeches.
CHECKLIST for Evaluating a Speci c Purpose
Does my speci c purpose contain my general purpose, my audience reference, and my objective for the speech?
Is my speci c purpose an in nitive statement (to inform, to convince, to motivate, to inspire)?
Am I using clear, concise language?
Does my speci c purpose identify exactly what I want to discuss?
Does my speci c purpose focus on only one speech topic?
Does my speci c purpose relate to the audience? Does it work with the occasion and time? Is it appropriate for me?
Am I trying to do too much? Will it t the time?
59
HOW DO YOU CREATE A CENTRAL IDEA?
EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PURPOSES
AUDIENCE OBJECTIVE
GENERAL PURPOSE
The above examples follow these guidelines for composing a speci c purpose:
Begin with an in nitive form ( To ) that re ects the general purpose, such as To in- form, To persuade, or To commemorate.
Specify the audience. In the rst example, the audience is my nutrition class.
State the objective. In the rst example, the objective is to give the audience information about the health bene ts of soy products.
Use clear, concise language. Avoid ller words or technical or long descriptions. For instance, the rst example does not say, the awesome health bene ts of products made with the fermented juice of a native Asian bean.
Focus on only one speech topic. The health bene ts and manufacturing of soy products would be two distinctly different speech topics.
Returning to your pioneer homes speech, you could construct a speci c purpose this way:
To inform my nutrition class about the health bene ts of soy products.
To inform my residence-hall mates about how to prepare a special meal for under $20.
To persuade the freshman class to join the Partners in Education program.
AUDIENCE OBJECTIVE
GENERAL PURPOSE
To inform Historical Society visitors about how pioneers built homes.
Your speci c purpose should contain the key information and be concise, as the pioneer example shows. Once you have constructed a speci c purpose, always evaluate it using the checklist to the left.
If you have a sound speci c purpose, you are ready to identify and compose your central idea.
2 Identify the Central Idea of Your Speech
The central idea (also called a thesis statement, theme, or subject sentence) is a concise, single sentence summarizing and/or previewing what you will say in your speech. Any decision you make about your main points or support materials should connect back to the theme of this central idea.
How the central idea differs from the speci c purpose can seem confusing, but the difference lies in how each functions. First, the speci c purpose identi es the objective of your speech.
Then, the central idea summarizes and/or previews the ideas your speech will cover in order to achieve its objective. Here are a few examples demonstrating how the speci c purpose relates to the central idea. The objective of each speci c purpose is shown in blue.
If Your Speci c Purpose Is...
To inform my nutrition class about the health bene ts of soy products.
If Your Speci c Purpose Is...
To inform my residence- hall mates how to prepare a special meal for under $20.
If Your Speci c Purpose Is...
To persuade the freshman class to join the Partners in Education program.
Your Central Idea Could Be...
Today s market offers several soy products that are bene cial to our health.
Your Central Idea Could Be...
You can prepare a special home-cooked meal with a few basic utensils, an eye for a bargain at the supermarket, and your residence-hall kitchenette.
Your Central Idea Could Be...
As college students, we need to give back to the community by joining the Partners in Education Program, which pairs our college with a local elementary school.
Notice how the second central idea example preparing a special meal previews the speech s possible main points (utensils, supermarket bargains, and kitchenette). Some instructors may require you to preview your main points in this way as a standard part of your central idea.
61
HOW DO YOU CREATE A CENTRAL IDEA?
* The next two pages show you how to evaluate a central idea for these qualities.
WHAT DOES AN EFFECTIVE CENTRAL IDEA INCLUDE?
Let s compose a central idea for the speech on pioneer home building. Start by looking at your speci c purpose and identifying your objective.
To inform Historical Society visitors about how pioneers built homes.
OBJECTIVE SPECIFIC PURPOSE
Your central idea will then summarize and/or preview what you will cover in your speech to achieve your objective. Here is one possible central idea:
Pioneers moving westward built homes using available materials, basic hand tools, and general construction skills.
CENTRAL IDEA
Notice how this example:
Considers what your audience the Historical Society visitors identi ed in your speci c purpose will need or want to know.
Previews what your speech will include: in this case, the available materials, basic hand tools, and general construction skills pioneers used to build homes. This information comes from your preliminary knowledge and research.
Focuses on only one speech topic: how pioneers built their homes.
Uses simple, clear language that is not gurative or ambiguous. In the pioneer example, you could list the types of materials and tools, but if these types are no longer common, including them here could be confusing.
Is a complete sentence, with a noun phrase and a verb phrase.
Is a declarative statement, not a question.
These are all qualities your central idea should have in order to be effective.
3 Evaluate Your Central Idea
To evaluate your central idea for effectiveness, study it from two perspectives. First, check the mechanics; that is, make sure your central idea is written correctly with the proper parts, construction, and focus. Secondly, assess your central idea as it relates to your speech event and audience. Use the following guidelines and the checklist on the next page to help you evaluate.
MECHANICALLY SOUND
To be mechanically sound, your central idea should meet all four of the following criteria.
Your central idea should be a complete sentence. A complete sentence contains a noun phrase and a verb phrase and can stand alone.
INCORRECT:
Positive aspects of the low-impact Kickbike, a bicycle-scooter hybrid.
Although the incorrect example ends with a period, it is only a noun phrase; without a verb phrase, it is not a complete sentence. The correct version contains both noun and verb phrases and can stand alone.
Your central idea should be written as a statement, not a question.
INCORRECT:
How safe is the radiation emitted by your cell phone?
Asking a question as in the incorrect example can help you think about your speech, but your central idea needs to be a declarative sentence, as in the correct example.
TIP: Re ning Your Central Idea Keep in mind that your central idea might change slightly as you do research and organize the speech.
Be open to re ning it as you move through the creative process.
CORRECT:
The Kickbike, a European bicycle-scooter hybrid, is a low-tech, low-impact, and high- intensity piece of exercise equipment.
CORRECT:
Cell phones emit tiny amounts of radiation, which scientists believe may be linked to certain types of brain cancer.
The noun phrase
The verb phrase
63
HOW DO YOU CREATE A CENTRAL IDEA?
Your central idea should use clear, speci c, and direct language. To be clear, use language familiar to the audience and words that are concrete. Avoid vague or ller language and qualifying phrases that can lessen the impact of your central idea.
INCORRECT:
Some believe basically that the radiation silently emitted from cell phones can cause cancer.
In the incorrect example, some believe is vague who are the some ? Basically is a ller word that serves no purpose, and silently is unnecessary because all radiation is silent. The correct example drops the ller words and speci es scientists believe, as well as what types of cancer may be caused by the radiation.
Your central idea should focus on only one speech topic.
INCORRECT:
Kickbikes and elliptical trainers are low- impact, high-intensity pieces of exercise equipment.
In the incorrect example, Kickbikes and elliptical trainers are two equal topics that could each get a speech-length treatment. Notice how each of the correct examples previews possible points ( low-tech, low-impact, etc.) while focusing on a single speech topic.
APPROPRIATE FOR THE EVENT AND AUDIENCE
Because your central idea is a culmination of your broad topic, general purpose, and spe- ci c purpose, your central idea should, at this stage, be appropriate and focused enough for the event. However, you need to continue to assess if the topic is still narrow enough for the time allotted, interesting enough to grab your audience s attention, unique enough to not waste their time with something they already know, and accessible enough to not be too technical or confusing for them.
CHECKLIST for Evaluating a Central Idea
* Is the central idea written as one complete sentence?
* Is the central idea written as a statement (not a question)?
* Does the statement use clear, simple, and direct language?
* Does the central idea focus on only one speech topic?
* Can I cover this central idea in the time allotted for my speech?
* Is the central idea worth my audiences time and attention?
CORRECT:
Cell phones emit tiny amounts of radiation, which scientists believe may be linked to certain types of brain cancer.
CORRECT:
The Kickbike, a European bicycle-scooter hybrid, is a low-tech, low-impact, and high- intensity piece of exercise equipment.
CORRECT:
An elliptical trainer is a low-impact and high-intensity piece of exercise equipment.
Two nouns connected with a conjunction ( and ) may indicate you have more than one speech topic.
CHECKLIST for Evaluating Working Main Points
Does each main point cover only one key idea?
Are my main points similarly constructed (are they parallel)?
Am I roughly balancing the time spent on each point?
Do my main points relate back to the central idea?
How Do You Construct a Working Outline?
The construction of a speech is a creative process, with many ways you can approach it. Some beginning students and their instructors nd that creating a working outline at this point helps them focus and transition into the research phase of creating a speech.
A working outline is a brief (usually handwritten) sketch of the body of your speech. This outline will help you stay on track while researching your speech and give you direction on what to look for. The working outline will contain what you have composed so far your topic, general purpose, speci c purpose, and central idea plus working main points to guide your research. The working main points may or may not be the main points you use in your nal outline, but they serve the same purpose. Main points, which you will learn more about in Chapter 5, are the skeletal structure, or backbone, that makes up the body of your speech; they are the two to ve most important ideas to know about your topic. Working main points are early drafts of your main points. They may be awkward in format and can change signi cantly as you research your topic.
* Chapter 6 (Tab 3) explains how to f nalize your main points as you compose your speech.
65
HOW DO YOU CONSTRUCT A WORKING OUTLINE?
CENTRAL IDEA:
Pioneers moving westward built homes using available materials, basic hand tools, and general construction skills.
CATEGORY General construction skills KEY IDEA What were the general construction skills?
CATEGORY Available materials KEY IDEA What materials were available for pioneers to use?
CATEGORY Basic hand tools KEY IDEA
What hand tools did pioneers use to build homes?
TOPIC: Pioneer life
GENERAL PURPOSE: To inform
SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To inform Historical Society visitors about how pioneers built homes.
CENTRAL IDEA: Pioneers moving westward built homes using available materials, basic hand tools, and general construction skills.
MAIN POINT #1: What materials were available for pioneers to use?
MAIN POINT #2: What hand tools did pioneers use to build homes?
MAIN POINT #3: What were the general construction skills?
To construct your working main points:
1.
Turn to your central idea for categories. Write down your central idea and highlight its important issues. Evaluate the highlighted issues to see if you can discover two to ve main categories with one distinct key idea per category.
2.
Sum up each of your
categories with a statement or question as shown in each key idea above. These are your working main points.
Your nal main points must be statements, but for now, questions may seem easier to formulate and may help focus your research. Write in complete sentences, make your points parallel in structure, and balance them so that you will spend roughly equal time on each.
The preliminary research you did when selecting your topic can help you compose working main points, which will continue to evolve as you prepare your speech. Use the checklist on the left to evaluate your working main points.