Chapter 11

how to determine if your speeches are ethical

1. are your speeches immediate purpose and long-range goal sound? 2. does your end justify your means? 3. are you being honest with your audience?

questions to ask about surveys

1. how reliable is the source? 2. how broad was the sample used in the survey? 3. who was included in the survey? 4. how representative was the survey sample? 5. who performed the survey? 6. why was the survey done?

criteria for evaluating sources

1. is the supporting material clear? 2. is the supporting material verifiable? 3. is the source of the supporting material competent (you should be able to determine qualifications)? 4. is the source objective? 5. is the supporting material relevant?

suggestions for conducting an interview

1. on first contact with your interviewee or the interviewee's secretary, be honest about your purpose. 2. prepare specific questions for the interview 3, be respectful towards the person you interview 4. tell the interviewee you are going to take notes so you can use the information in your speech. 5. when you quote the interviewee or paraphrase the person's ideas in your speech, use oral footnotes to indicate where you got the information.

how to use library databases

1. start at the center (reference desk/broad elements of topic) and work your way out. 2. understand that not all sources are equal 3. know your databases (start from general databases to specific ones like MEDLINE) 4. recognize that good research requires reading, thinking, and more research

how to locate sources on the web

1. use a search engine 2. refine your search 3. evaluate carefully all sources of information found on the Internet.

sleeper effect

a change of audience opinion caused by the separation of the message content from its source over a period of time.

explanation

a clarification of what something is or how it works; a good one simplifies a concept by explaining the idea from the audience's point of view.

analogy

a comparison of things in some respects, especially in position or function, that are otherwise dissimilar; comparisons can only go so far.

reference librarian

a librarian specifically trained to help you find sources of information.

search engine

a program on the Internet that allows users to search for information

two-sided argument

a source advocating one position presents an argument from the opposite viewpoint and then goes on to refute that argument.

common ground

also known as co-orientation, the degree to which the speaker's values, beliefs, attitudes, and interests are shared with the audience; can be both ideological and demographic

internal references

brief notifications indicating a bibliographic reference that contains the details you are using in your speech.

aspects of credibility

competence, trust-worthiness, dynamism, and common ground.

bibliographic references

complete citations that appear in the references or works cited section of your speech outline.

definitions

determinations of meaning through description, simplification, examples, analysis, comparison, explanation, or illustration.

supporting materials

information you can use to substantiate your arguments and to clarify your position.

statistics

numbers that summarize numerical information or compare quantities; speakers should simplify OR illustrate these numbers to make more sense to the audience.

hypothetical vs factual example

one cannot be verified, whereas the other can be.

verbal citations

oral explanations of who the source is, how recent the information is, and what the source's qualifications are.

virtual library

provides links to websites that have been reviewed for relevance and usability.

examples

specific instances used to illustrate your point

celebrity testimony

statements made by a public figure who is known to the audience.

lay testimony

statements made by an ordinary person that substantiate or support what you say (ex: commercials show ordinary people using products and stating the fine qualities of them).

expert testimony

statements made by someone who has special knowledge or expertise about an issue or idea (ex: quoting a mechanic about problems with an automobile).

surveys

studies in which a limited number of questions are answered by a sample of the population to discover opinions on issues; usually seen as more credible than examples or personal experiences.

source credibility

the audience's perception of your effectiveness as a speaker

trustworthiness

the degree to which the speaker is perceived as honest, fair, sincere, honorable, friendly, and kind.

competence

the degree to which the speaker is perceived as skilled, reliable, experienced, qualified, authoritative, and informed without being explicit and arrogant.

dynamism

the extent to which the speaker is perceived as bold, active, energetic, strong, empathetic, and assertive; exhibited by voice, movement, facial expressions, and gestures.

incremental plagiarism

the intentional or unintentional use of information from one or more sources without fully divulging how much information is directly quoted.

plagiarism

the intentional use of information from another source without crediting the source.

how do you earn the right to speak?

through your experiences and accomplishments.

ethical obligations faced by speakers

to find the best possible sources of information; to cite their sources of information; to fairly and accurately represent sources.

personal experience

use of your own life as a source of information; not supposed to be too personal to make audience uncomfortable.

testimonial evidence

written or oral statements of others' experience used by a speaker to substantiate or clarify a point.