Chapter 4 Choosing a Topic – AFTER reading the chapter
What’s wrong with these purpose statements?
To inform my audience how to make perfect popcorn every time.
To inform my audience about the growth of credit card fraud and the methods of sound
financial planning.
What is obsessive compulsive disorder?
To inform my audience why square grooves are superior to U-shaped grooves on golf clubs.
To inform my audience about Thailand.
Donate blood.
After you chose a topic, you have to decide what your general purpose is (to inform,
persuade, entertain, etc.). Then you create a specific purpose (text pages 94-101). The specific
purpose should indicate precisely what the speaker wants the audience to know or believe after
the speech.
There are five tips for forming a good specific purpose statement.
1.
It should be a full phrase, not a fragment.
2.
It should be phrased as a statement, not a question.
3.
It should avoid figurative language (meaning, no fluff).
4.
It should be limited to one distinct idea.
5.
It should not be too vague or general.
Next you create a Central Idea (text pages 101-105). The central idea is a concise statement of
what the speaker expects to say in the speech. It is more precise than the topic or the specific
purpose statement. It sums up the speech in a single statement (aka “a thesis statement”).
The heading below goes at the top of every speech, but you don’t actually say them in this
order. The central idea will probably be in your intro though.
Example:
Mrs. Brogley
Fundamentals of Public Address Informative Speech
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the four major steps in making
pottery.
Central Idea:
The four major steps in making pottery are preparing the
clay, shaping the clay, decorating and glazing the clay,
and firing the finished product.
Now you try it…
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Central Idea:
The four stages of alcoholism are the warning stage, the danger stage, the
crucial stage, and the chronic stage.
And one more time…
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Central Idea:
You should join a sorority or fraternity because of the social, academic,
and economic benefits.
In your small groups grab a few newspapers or magazines from the corner area. Look to see what
is going on in society today that is interesting. It doesn’t have to be worldly – it could be a
potential topic at the local or state level. Below write three clusters of statements is if you were
giving 3 speeches on those 3 topics.
Potential Speech #1
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Central Idea:
Potential Speech #2
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Central Idea:
Potential Speech #3
General Purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Central Idea: