The purpose of an informative speech is to
communicate new information or a new
perspective on a topic to an audience and bring the
listeners to greater understanding or insight.
optimizing
Speaking to Inform
knowledge
motivation
skills
• A competent speaker– Appreciates
informative speaking in the informative age
– Realizes that understanding and retention of information is difficult
– Respects the importance of informative ethics
• A competent speaker– Uses the five organizational patterns– Develops an outline– Gathers and uses support materials– Overcomes the challenges
• A competent speaker understands
– What informative speaking is
– The three types and how to use them
– The challenges
Types of Informative Speeches
• Speaking to Describe– Descriptions are used when the listeners are
unfamiliar with the information.
• Speaking to Explain– Explanations are necessary to clarify something
that is already known but not well understood, or to explain how something works.
• Speaking to Instruct– Instructions are useful when the objective is to
teach the audience.
optimizing
introduction
topic
chronology
space
comparison and contrast
cause and effect
conclusion
body
Organizing the Informative Speech
The body of an informativespeech is structured using any one of the fiveorganizationalpatterns.
Five Organizational Patterns
• Topical organization divides information into subcategories that will be the main points.
• Chronological organization describes changes or developments in any situation or circumstance.
• Spatial organization is based on the positioning of objects in physical space, or relationships between locations.
• Comparison and contrast describes or explains how a subject is similar to, or different from, something else.
• Cause and effect examines why something happens and what happens as a result.
Using Supporting Materials to Inform
• Definitions and descriptions add clarity and precision.
• An example is a specific item, person, or event that helps explain or illustrate an idea, clarify a difficult concept, or add interest and reality.– A hypothetical example is something that hasn’t
actually happened but could happen.
• Stories elicit emotional responses and set the tone for the speech.
• Testimonies utilize the opinion of an expert or the account of an event by a witness. – A quotation makes use of a person’s exact words.
• A fact is an individual piece of information that listeners could verify for themselves.
• Statistics are numerical summaries of facts, figures, and research findings that provide pictures of data.– Descriptive statistics describe or present pictures of what
whole groups of people do, think, or are like.
View the following video clip and then discuss how
storytelling can elicit emotional responses and set the tone for a speech.
CN
N,
Hum
an C
om
munic
ati
on,
Vol. I
A visual aid can be used to dramatize a descriptive statistic
BONE MARROWTRANSPLANT DONORS
96% don’t get donors
A visual aid can be used to dramatize a descriptive
statistic.
BONE MARROWTRANSPLANT DONORS
96% don’t get donors
4% get donors
Challenges to Informative Speaking
• Inappropriate subject or topic
• Faulty information
• Poor organization
Overcoming Challenges to Informative Speaking
• Select a topic that evolves from your own knowledge and is appealing to the listeners.– According to the Greeks, common places are
standardized ways of finding something to say based on common knowledge or awareness of a subject.
• Organize simply and logically.• Motivate listeners to learn.
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