Lesson Two- Chapter 10: introductions and conclusions

Begin with an Example

- spark attention and help your listeners become emotionally involved with your topic

the functions of a conclusion

- to signal the end -to summarize the main points -to provide psychological closure -end with impact

Ask a Question

-Can use rhetorical questions &/or participatory questions -For a participatory question, alert the audience to the response you want -good questions can help establish dialogue between you and your listeners at the very outset of the speech because they invite audience responses, whether mental or physical

Provide a Vivid Description

-Describe a scene (either real or imaginary) vividly enough that your listeners can easily visualize it

What to do in a Introduction

-Gain Attention -Ask a Question -Provide a Vivid Description -Begin with a Quotation -Use an Audio or Visual Aid -Begin with an Example -Start with Startling Numbers -Refer to a Current Event -Involve the Audience Physically -Use Humor -Give Your Audience a Reason to Listen -Establish You Credibility -Preview Your Ideas

Begin with a Quotation

-a quotation or a familiar cultural proverb, either about a subject or, for a biographical speech, by the subject, is a good way to gain attention - consider sources that allow for memorable quotations

Give your Audience a Reason to Listen

-after you have their attention, answer your listeners' second question, Why should I listen to this speech? -Topic should relate to the people in the audience or the people they know and care about -you can also frame a specific topic within a larger issue -two important human characteristics are curiosity and the ability to learn new things, so some topics simply increase you audience's knowledge or satisfy their curiosity -many issues that don't seem to directly concern your listeners may actually affect their wallets, whether or not they know it. -needs, wants, emotions, and values that motivate people to listen to speeches

Refer to a Current Event

-begin with well-known current events/happenings

Review you main ideas

-briefly summarize or recap your main ideas -don't repeat or add new supporting material -combine your signal with your summary

Start with Startling Numbers

-can also capture and hold listeners' attention if they are shocking enough or if you put them into an understandable context

Use Humor

-if the audience, the occasion, and topic seem appropriate, and if you have good comedic skills, you might try using humor to gain attention and create a more informal atmosphere -humor does have its risks -remember that your opening should not simply gain attention; it must also draw attention to your topic

Establish Your Credibility

-link yourself to your subject and answer the question, Why should I listen you? - You'll describe subject-related experiences, interests, and research findings that show your interest and expertise -If another person introduces you and connects you with the subject or when your expertise on the topic is well established then it is optional to explicitly state your credibility

Provide psychological closure

-linking your conclusion to something from your introduction brings the speech full circle and provides your audience with a sense of psychological closure

End memorably

-plan your final statement carefully so that you leave a positive and memorable impression -some guidelines include: many of the strategies for gaining the audiences attention (use of quotations, humor ,etc.) can be used for concluding with impact, consider using parallel construction, issue a challenge and call people to action, reinforce a larger cultural theme or value.

Use an Audio or Visual Aid

-successfully draw attention to your topic with photographs, charts, short audio or video clips, etc.

Gain Attention

-the first step in the listening process - answer immediately to your audience's questions

Preview your Ideas

-the preview statement serves the first of these functions and provides the transition between the introduction and the body of your speech -answer the audience question, What will you cover? -state some form of your central idea and indicate how you will develop it

Signal the end

-your ending signal provides a transition to your conclusion *VERBAL IS BEST -also use nonverbal actions to signal that you're nearing the end ( pause and shift your posture, or take a step back from the podium. - a combination of both verbal and nonverbal elements generally works well

The four purposes for an introduction identified by Quintilian (a Roman educator)

1. To draw your listeners' attention to the topic 2. To motivate your audience to listen 3. To establish yourself as knowledgeable about the topic 4. To preview the major ideas of your speech

The four basic audience questions are...

1. What's this all about? 2. Why should I listen? 3. Why should I listen to you? 4. What will you cover?

True or False: A good introduction draws attention to your topic, relates the subject to your listeners, links you to the subject, and previews your major ideas.

True

True or false: In a introduction you can also provide definitions or background information that your listeners need.

True

"Today, we will first look at the problems associated with over-prescription of the drug Ritalin and then we'll look at some possible solutions" answers which of these listener questions?​

What will you cover?

An especially good way to invite the audience to respond internally to your topic is to ________​

ask a rhetorical question

​A good introduction answers all these listener questions EXCEPT ______ a. What's this all about? b. How long will this take? c. Why listen to this speaker? d. ​Why does this matter to me? e. What are the main ideas of the speech?

b. How long will this take?

How can you signal that you are coming to the end of your speech?​ a. Use nonverbal actions. b. Say, "in conclusion" or "finally." c. Use verbal cues. d. Pause and shift your posture. e. All of these are creative ways to signal you are coming to the end of your speech

b. Say, "in conclusion" or "finally."

Using parallel structure ________ ​a. means if you start with a story, end with a story. b. provides psychological closure. c. All of these are correct. d. ties the conclusion in with the introduction. e. it helps a speaker end memorably.

c. all of these are correct

Which is NOT part of the introduction?​ a. establishing why you are competent to speak on the topic b. showing the audience why they should listen to this topic c. a statement of the central idea d. drawing attention to the topic e. information from your research that explains your main points

e. information from your research that explains your main points

True or False: Statistics are rarely effective as attention getters, because they're inevitably dry and boring.

false

True or False: You should save audio or visual aids for the body of your speech to support your major ideas.

false

true or false: Ending a speech with "that's it" is enough to provide psychological closure for your audience.​

false

Rhetorical Questions

questions that listeners answer in their minds

Participatory Questions

questions that listeners answer overtly

In his conclusion, Eli says, "Today we've examined how to prepare haminados, when they are eaten, and how to eat them." This is an example of a ________​

review of main ideas

Involve the Audience Physically

some topics lend themselves well to physical actions by the audience

True or False: Appearing disorganized at the end takes away some of the positive impressions you've built up during the speech

true

True or False: Establishing one's credibility to speak on a topic is unnecessary in some circumstances. ​

true

True or False: Even if you don't have experience with your topic, you can still be a credible speaker because of research you've done. ​

true

True or False: It's important in the introduction to link the topic to your listeners' lives and interests. ​

true

True or False: Reviewing your main ideas satisfies the, "tell them what you've told them" axiom. ​

true

True or False: To evaluate a conclusion, ask yourself how well the speech signals the end of the speech, reviews main ideas, provides psychological closure, and ends memorably.

true

True or False: a good conclusion provides a transition, summarizes your points, gains psychological closure, and closes with a though-provoking statement.

true

True or False: failure to restate your thesis and review you main points is a missed opportunity to reinforce your speech goals

true