Forming the introduction

SPE 108

Determining the general purpose & specific purpose

• What is the broad goal of your speech? General Purpose

Example: inform or persuade• What do you precisely hope to accomplish?

Specific Purpose Example: To inform my audience about the

benefits of music theory for people with cognitive delays

Structure of the Introduction

A strong introduction contains:Attention deviceSpecific purposeCentral ideaPreview statement/transition into the body

Attention and interestAttention devices:• Relate the topic to the

audience• State the importance of

your topic• Startle the audience• Arouse the curiosity of

the audience• Question the audience• Begin with a quotation• Tell a story

Reveal the topic

• Don’t confuse your audience; do not assume they know what you will be speaking about

• Do not assume your attention device is descriptive enough

• Introduce your topic clearly:• Specific purpose• Central idea

Formulating a specific purpose statement

• Write the purpose statement out as a full sentenceForces you to fully articulate your purpose• Express your purpose as a statement, not a questionA question doesn’t make you choose a direction for where

your speech will go• Avoid figurative language in your purpose statementForces you to be specific, and avoid sweeping statements• Limit your purpose to one distinct ideaForces you to focus your direction• Make sure your specific purpose is not too vague or

generalIf it is, it’s NOT a specific purpose statement

Questions to ask about your specific purpose

1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time

allotted?3. Is the purpose relevant to my audience?4. Is the purpose too trivial for my audience?5. Is the purpose too technical for my

audience?

Structure of the Introduction

A strong introduction contains:Attention deviceSpecific purposeCentral ideaPreview statement/transition into the body

The Central Idea• Central idea: a one sentence

statement that sums up the major ideas of a speech

• A concise statement about what you expect to say

• Essentially the same as a thesis statement in a written paper

• Your residual message – what you expect the audience to remember after you’re finished speaking

• The central idea usually emerges after most of your research is complete, and you have already decided on the three main points of your speech.

Guidelines for the central idea

The central idea:1. Should be expressed in a full

sentence2. Should not be in the form of a

question3. Should avoid figurative

language4. Should not be vague or overly

general

Establish credibility and goodwill

• Credibility = perception (audience)• Are you qualified to speak on this topic?• Why should we believe you are?• Whatever the source of your expertise, let the

audience know!• Goodwill = mean no harm• How can you take a topic your audience feels

negatively about and reason your side?

Preview the Body of the Speech

• Most people are poor listeners

• Preview statements let your audience know EXACTLY what you’re going to be talking about

• Identify what main points are coming up in the body of the speech

Tips for prepping the introduction

• Keep it brief – should be about 10-20% of your total speech

• When conducting research, keep an eye out for possible attention devices

• Be creative in developing the introduction• Re-work wording after you’ve completed the body of

the speech – after you’ve determined the main points, it’ll be easier to decide how to begin the speech

• Work out the introduction in DETAIL. It is the first – and most important – part of the speech

Example of introduction structureAttention deviceSpecific purposeCentral ideaCredibility build/goodwillPreview statement/transition

44% of you sleep with your phone next to, or even IN bed with you, because you are afraid to miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night, says the most recent research from the Pew Research Center. After researching this topic for weeks and being an avid smartphone user myself, I am here today to inform you about smartphone usage and it’s impact on social relationships. People are missing out on their lives due to near-constant engagement with digital content, over real life events. Today we’ll take a look at the statistics of smartphone usage, how people use their phones and the impact on friendships and family connections. First, let’s look at the numbers.