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There are many different subjects that can be used in informative speeches. College lectures about an event in history or a historical figure would be considered informative speeches.
Other examples of subjects for an informative speech include an actor or actress, the field of advertising, a classic film, the history of Dracula, social networking websites, and what causes volcanoes.
Each of the following examples lends itself to multiple types of information.
EXAMPLE
An informative speech about a particular actor or actress would likely focus on providing a description of who the person is and what movies or plays they have been in. Incorporating famous pictures or clips from these works is a way of increasing the audience's retention of the information about the particular person.EXAMPLE
An informative speech about the causes of a volcano could be considered a how-it-happens speech, which could be similar to a how-to speech. A speech about volcanoes might include a model volcano, describing how the model's functioning is similar to processes in the real world.More technical subjects, such as the field of advertising, require more technical information and specific data relevant to the industry. All informative speeches, especially technical ones, benefit from the use of visualizations, such as bar graphs or images. The choice of visual aids depends on what information the speaker wants to inform the audience of.
EXAMPLE
A speech that intends to explore the financial trends of political advertising over ten years would benefit from a bar graph. However, a speech that informs the audience on how political advertisements have functionally changed over time would benefit from actual examples of ad campaigns.In order to differentiate an informative speech from other types of speeches, it is important to stick to the basic facts of the subject. No personal biases, unsubstantiated information, or popular opinion should be included when stating the main ideas of the topic.
The goal is to educate the audience on the facts, not to provide the speaker's opinion. When crafting an informative speech, look at the subject carefully and eliminate any potential statements that have prejudice or might persuade the audience.
An effective informative speech requires the speaker to aim for a series of goals. And similar to a soccer match, hitting these goals increases the likelihood of a successful speech. The main goals of an informative speech are to help explain a specific subject and to help the audience remember the knowledge later.
One of the goals, perhaps the most fundamental goal that drives all informative speeches, is for the speaker to inform the audience about a particular topic. To aim for this specific goal, a speaker should consider how best to package the complex understanding that they have cultivated of the topic, from personal experience and research, into an easily communicable form for the audience.
A final, significant goal of an effective informative speech is to make the audience remember. Most memorable speeches have emotional appeals that audiences continue to talk about long after the speech is delivered and sometimes even after the life of the speaker.
To make sure that the audience remembers the information contained in a speech, the speaker should combine organization, repetition, and focused visualizations to increase the effectiveness of the speech and the likelihood that the audience will leave informed.
One way to help an audience remember the details of an informative speech is to maintain the interest of the audience. The challenge of an informative speech is delivering information in a neutral way that does not bore the audience.
Unlike persuasive speeches, which rely heavily on emotional appeal, informative speeches have to demonstrate why the audience should care about the information contained in the speech without compromising a neutral tone.
Some speeches contain such a wide range of information that the audience is left wondering what the speaker was trying to communicate.
A speech with a scope that is too broad complicates the audience's ability to retain information. Properly scoping a speech allows the speaker to narrow down what the speech will cover, thus increasing its ability to inform the audience.
Scope refers to the extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant. The key word here is relevance; the speech should not go in so many different directions that none of those directions relate to the original purpose and thesis of the speech.
One way to effectively scope a speech is to think of the question: "What information do I want my audience to know at the end of the speech? " Use the answer to this question as a focal point for everything else to be included in your speech. Everything included must then be relevant to your purpose and thesis. Anything superfluous or extraneous is only going to broaden the scope and take the speech away from that ultimate goal.
The evidence and supporting arguments should not only be related tangentially; there should be direct lines of relevance to every piece of information included in your speech.
Scoping a speech is not only helpful for the audience but is also to the benefit of the speaker. Keeping the speech on point and focused makes it easier for the speaker to build more credible, reinforced arguments. By narrowing the scope of the speech, the speaker improves the speaker's ability to communicate essential information to the audience effectively.
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