Speech: Chapter 4

What are the four methods of brainstorming for a speech topic discussed in your textbook?

-personal inventory -clustering -reference search -Internet search

____________ is a method of generating ideas for speech topics by free association of words and ideas.

Brainstorming

What are five questions you should ask about your specific purpose statement when you are preparing a speech?

Does my purpose statement meet the assignment? Can I accomplish my purpose in the time allotted? Is the purpose relevant to my audience? Is the purpose too trivial for my audience? Is the purpose too technical for my audience?

True/False: Although the specific purpose statement for a speech should not be phrased as a question, it is acceptable to phrase the central idea as a question.

False: Feedback: Neither the specific purpose statement nor the central idea should be phrased as a question. Review "Phrasing the Central Idea."

True/False: The central idea of a speech is usually formulated before the specific purpose.

False: Feedback: The central idea is usually formulated after the specific purpose. Review "What Is the Central Idea?"

Supply the general purpose, specific purpose, and central idea for a speech with the following main points: I. The first step in buying a house is seeing a loan officer. II. The second step in buying a house is deciding what features you want. III. The third step in buying a house is looking at houses that are for sale. IV. The fourth step in buying a house is making an offer.

General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the four major steps in buying a house. Central Idea: The four major steps in buying a house are seeing a loan officer, deciding what features you want, looking at houses, and making an offer."

Supply the general purpose, specific purpose, and main points for a speech with the following central idea: The Chinese meal known as dim sum features three kinds of food: steamed, deep-fried, and baked.

General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the three major kinds of food served at dim sum. Main Points: I. One type of food served at dim sum is steamed. II. A second type of food served at dim sum is deep-fried. III. A third type of food served at dim sum is baked.

What is the central idea of a speech with the following main points: I. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery, underwent a conversion experience, and became a speaker for various reform causes. II. After undergoing a conversion experience and changing her name to Sojourner Truth, she began preaching during the 1840s III. Over the next few decades, she became a celebrated speaker for various reform causes.

I. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery, underwent a conversion experience, and became a speaker for various reform causes.

Identify the flaw in the following specific purpose statement: "To persuade my audience that Congress should ban handguns and increase spending for education."

It contains two unrelated ideas.

Identify the flaw in the following specific purpose statement: "Why should the university raise tuition?"

It's expressed as a question.

Identify the flaw in the following central idea for a speech: "Something should be done about global warming."

It's too vague.

Rewrite the following statement to conform to the criteria in your textbook for effective specific purpose statements. Do you know the meaning behind the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur?

Specific purpose statements should be phrased as full infinitive phrases, not as questions. A more effective specific purpose statement would be: To inform my audience of the meaning behind the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

True/False: The central idea for a speech should be stated as a full sentence.

True

Define brainstorming

a method of generating ideas by free association of words and thoughts

Define central idea

a one-sentence statement that sums up or encapsulates the major ideas of a speech

Define specific purpose

a single infinitive phrase that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in his or her speech

The ____________ is a one-sentence statement that sums up or encapsulates the main points of a speech.

central idea

When your general purpose is to ____________, you act as a teacher or lecturer.

inform

When you want to change or structure the attitudes of your audience, your general purpose is to ____________.

persuade

The ____________ is what a speaker wants the audience to remember after it has forgotten everything else in a speech.

residual message

The ____________ is a single infinitive phrase that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in her or his speech.

specific purpose statement

"To persuade my audience that media violence is a major cause of violence in society" is an example of a(n)

specific purpose statement.

Define general purpose

the broad goal of a speech

Define topic

the subject of a speech

Define residual message

what a speaker wants the audience to remember after it has forgotten everything else in the speech