The first step in speechmaking is choosing a topic for your speech.
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Outside the classroom, the topic of a speech is usually determined by the occasion, the audience, and the speaker's qualifications.
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It is usually a poor idea to choose a speech topic that requires research.
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You should usually avoid drawing on your personal knowledge or experience when choosing a speech topic.
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You should usually avoid choosing speech topics that you feel strongly about.
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Brainstorming is a method of generating ideas for a speech through free association of words and ideas.
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Brainstorming is a way of clearing your mind so you can relax while choosing a speech topic.
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No matter how you go about choosing a speech topic, it is important to start the process early.
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After choosing a topic, the next step in speech preparation is determining your central idea.
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Once you choose the central idea of your speech, the next step is to formulate your general purpose.
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After choosing a topic, the next step in speech preparation is determining your general purpose.
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After choosing a topic, the next step in speech preparation is determining your specific purpose.
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Most often, your general purpose as a speaker is to inform or to persuade.
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Most often, a speaker's general purpose will fall into one of two categories—to inform or to demonstrate.
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The difference between informing and persuading is like the difference between explaining and entertaining
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When your general purpose is to persuade, you act as a teacher or lecturer.
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The difference between informing and persuading is like the difference between teaching and advocating.
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When your general purpose is to inform, you act as an advocate or an opponent
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The specific purpose statement indicates precisely what the speaker hopes to accomplish in a speech.
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The specific purpose reveals more about the content of a speech than does the central idea.
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The specific purpose of a speech usually "sums up" the main points to be developed in the body of the speech.
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The following is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech: "The three major elements of the architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright are low-pitched roofs, functional designs, and lines that blend into the landscape."
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The specific purpose statement should focus on one aspect of a topic and be expressed in a single infinitive phrase.
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"To inform my audience of the major steps in responding to a medical emergency" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for an informative speech.
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"To inform my audience of the major accomplishments of the space shuttle program" is a well-worded specific purpose statement for an informative speech.
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"To inform my audience about the causes and effects of lead poisoning in children" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"To persuade my audience that our school should provide more on-campus parking for students" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech.
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"To persuade my audience that the federal government should require seat belts on all school buses" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech.
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"To inform my audience about terrorism" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for an informative speech.
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"To inform my audience about depression" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"To inform my audience about golf" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"The effects of light pollution in major cities" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement.
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"Making a difference through voting" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech.
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"Conducting regular car maintenance" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"Learning water safety guidelines" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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It is important to keep your audience in mind as you formulate the specific purpose for your speech.
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"To explain three basic hand-sewing techniques" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement.
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"To explain the causes and treatment of compulsive hoarding" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement.
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A specific purpose statement should usually be phrased as a question.
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"What should you consider when choosing a study abroad program?" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"What can we learn about ourselves from our dreams?" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for a speech.
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It is acceptable for a specific purpose statement to include two unrelated ideas.
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"To inform my audience about the origins of martial arts and how to perform yoga" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for an informative speech.
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"To inform my audience about the current status of tennis as an international sport" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"To inform my audience how to build a birdhouse and about the migratory patterns of birds" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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The central idea reveals more about the content of a speech than does the specific purpose.
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The central idea of a speech often emerges after you have done your research and have decided on the main points of the speech.
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The central idea is usually determined after the bulk of the research for a speech is completed.
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The central idea should encapsulate or sum up the main points to be developed in the body of the speech.
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The central idea of a speech should be expressed as a full sentence.
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The following is an example of a well-worded central idea for a speech: "A diet that encourages eating only foods high in fat and protein has major advantages as well as serious risks."
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"To persuade my audience that the federal government should institute a national sales tax to help pay for social programs" is an example of an effective central idea for a speech.
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"The three most distinctive traits of Chow Chows are their black tongues, their thick coats, and their manes" is an example of a well-worded central idea for a speech.
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"The three major expenses for people traveling abroad are transportation, food, and lodging" is an example of an effective specific purpose statement for a speech.
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"The three major expenses for people traveling abroad are transportation, food, and lodging" is an example of a well-worded central idea for a speech.
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"The major responsibilities of an athletic trainer are preventing, diagnosing, and treating injuries" is an example of a well-worded central idea for a speech.
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"The major responsibilities of an athletic trainer are preventing, diagnosing, and treating injuries" is an example of a well-worded specific purpose statement for a speech.
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The following is an effective central idea for a speech to persuade: "You should vote a $10 increase in student fees to pay for a new intramural athletic facility because such a facility is both necessary and practical."
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