Chapter Seven

Selecting a Topic and Purpose

Chapter Seven

Table of ContentsAssigned Versus Self-Selected TopicsIdentifying the General Speech PurposeChoosing a TopicUsing Brainstorming to Generate IdeasRefining the Topic and Purpose From Topic and Purpose to Thesis

Selecting a Topic and Purpose

The first task is to select a topic and purpose that are appropriate for the rhetorical situation, or the overall speech situation (the audience and the occasion).

Assigned Versus Self-Selected Topics

Public speakers are either given a topic, or asked to choose one of their own.

You may be given a: purpose time constraint challenge

Identifying the General Speech Purpose

General speech purpose: indicates why you are speaking on the topic for this particular audience and occasion.

Identifying the General Speech Purpose

Informing

Persuading

The Special Occasion Speech

Identifying the General Speech Purpose:

When the General Speech Purpose Is to Inform

Informative speech : increase the audience’s understanding or awareness of a topic.

Gauge the audience’s knowledge of the subject

Identifying the General Speech Purpose:

When the General Speech Purpose Is to Persuade

Persuasive speech: effect some degree of change in the audience.

Controversial issues are good topics.

Identifying the General Speech Purpose:

The Special Occasion Speech

Special occasion speech: prepared for a special occasion and for a purpose dictated by that occasion.

Such as acceptance speeches, toasts, after-dinner speeches, and eulogies.

Choosing a Topic

Broad social issues of national or global consequence

Your own interests and experiences

Choosing a Topic

Personal Interest: Looking Within

Current Events and Controversial Issues

Grassroots Issues

Choosing a Topic:

Personal Interests: Looking Within

Select a familiar topic

Personal interests run the gamut from from favorite activities to deeply held values.

Choosing a Topic:

Current And Controversial Events

Current events Few people have time to research the

news

Controversial issues Issues such as abortion, gun control,

and drug abuse profoundly affect us as a society

Choosing a Topic:

Grassroots Issues

The majority of people react with interest to issues that affect them directly.

Using Brainstorming to Generate Ideas

Brainstorming: a technique that involves the spontaneous generation of ideas

Using Brainstorming to Generate Ideas

Word Associations

Topic Mapping

Using Brainstorming to Generate Ideas:

Word Association

Word Association

Write down one topic Write down the first thing that comes to

mind As soon as your words remind you of

something, write it down. Review your list and pick two or three

topics as possible final choices.

Using Brainstorming to Generate Ideas:

Topic Mapping

Topic Mapping

Put your initial topic in the middle of the paper

Write down new ideas in clusters to form groups

Use each group to show how closely they relate both to one another and to your topic

Refining the Topic and Purpose

Now the topic and general speech purpose must be narrowed with regards to time constraints, audience expectations, and the nature of the occasion.

Refining the Topic and Purpose

Narrowing the TopicForming a Specific Speech

Purpose

Refining the Topic and Purpose:

Narrowing the Topic

Focus on specific aspects of the topic and excluding others

Consider time and research constraints

Brainstorming can help categorize different aspects of your topic.

Refining the Topic and Purpose:

Forming a Specific Speech Purpose

Specific speech purpose: expresses both topic and general purpose in action form and in terms of the speaker’s specific objectives.

“What is it about my topic that I want to affect the audience with?”

From Topic and Purpose to Thesis

Thesis statement: the theme or central idea of the speech.

Specific purpose: states in action form what you want to achieve with the speech.

From Topic and Purpose to Thesis

Making a ClaimMaking the Thesis Statement

Relevant and Motivating

From Topic and Purpose to Thesis:

Making a Claim

The thesis statement proposes that the statement being made is true or is believed.

Without the thesis, the audience cannot easily follow the speech body.

From Topic and Purpose to Thesis:

Making the Thesis Statement Relevant and Motivating

Relevant statements can be created by adding a few key words or phrases

The exact phrasing of your thesis depends on the type of audience