Chapter 8 - Supporting Your Ideas

Mode

the number that occurs most frequently in a group of numbers

Paraphrasing

to restate or summarize a source's ideas in one's own words.

Peer Testimony

testimony from ordinary people with firsthand experience or insight on a topic

Expert Testimony

testimony from people who are recognized experts in their fields

Direct Quotation

testimony that is presented word for word

Median

the middle number in a group of numbers arranged from highest to lowest

Statistics

numerical data

Testimony

quotations or paraphrases used to support a point

Quoting out of context

quoting a statement in such a way as to distort its meaning by removing the statement from the words and phrases surrounding it

Brief Example

A specific case referred to in passing to illustrate a point.

Example

A specific case used to illustrate or represent a group of people, ideas, conditions, experiences, or the like.

Extended Examples

A story, narrative, or anecdote developed at some length to illustrate a point.

Hypothetical Examples

An example that describes an imaginary or fictitious situation.

Mean

The average value of a group of numbers

Supporting materials

The materials used to support a speaker's ideas. The three major kinds of supporting materials are examples, statistics, and testimony.

Chapter 8 Summary

Good speeches need strong supporting materials to bolster the speaker's point of view. The three basic types of supporting materials are examples, statistics, and testimony. In the course of a speech you may use brief examples—specific instances referred to in passing—and sometimes you may want to give several brief examples in a row to create a stronger impression. Extended examples are longer and more detailed. Hypothetical examples describe imaginary situations and can be quite effective for relating ideas to the audience. All three kinds of examples help clarify ideas, reinforce ideas, or personalize ideas. To be most effective, they should be vivid and richly textured. Statistics can be extremely helpful in conveying your message as long as you use them sparingly and make them meaningful to your audience. Above all, you should understand your statistics and use them fairly. Make sure your figures are representative of what they claim to measure, that you use statistical measures correctly, and that you take statistics only from reliable sources. Citing the testimony of experts is a good way to make your ideas more credible. You can also use peer testimony, from ordinary people who have firsthand experience on the topic. Regardless of the kind of testimony, you can either quote someone verbatim or paraphrase his or her words. Be sure to quote or paraphrase accurately and to use qualified, unbiased sources. When citing sources in a speech, you need to let your audience know where you got your information and why they should accept it as qualified and credible. In most cases, this means identifying the document you are citing, its date of publication or posting, the author or sponsoring organization, and the author's credentials.