PS Final 08

What is one tip for evaluating examples you want to use in your speech to ensure they help make your point?

Keep in mind that what works well with one audience may not click with another.

Which of the following is TRUE concerning the use of facts and statistics in your speeches?

Your honest opinions and personal convictions are fine to express, but should be justified with facts.

Even more than examples and other types of supporting materials, narratives are good for describing _____.

a sequence of actions over time

Disinformation refers to any type of communication that _____.

distorts information to advance hidden agenda

Citing the words of someone who is highly qualified in your topic area or trained in the field or profession you are exploring involves the use of _____.

expert testimony

"On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas." This statement, as used in the introduction of a speech, is a(n) _____.

fact

Which types of supporting materials specifically affirm that your message will appear to be grounded in reality?

facts and statistics

What are the four main categories of elements that make up supporting materials for public speaking?

facts and statistics, testimony, examples and narratives

A hypothetical example is one that _____.

is offered not as real, but as representative of actual people or situations

When speakers are restating what others have said in their own words, they are _____.

paraphrasing

As noted in an earlier chapter and repeated here, what are the three elements of a narrative - whether a lengthy or brief story - that must be developed for a speech?

prologue, plot, and epilogue

In our culture, what are used to describe size, make predictions, illustrate trends, or demonstrate comparisons?

statistics

A fact-based interpretation is much more useful and adds far more value to a speech than an opinion, because it has authoritative support - though someone could still argue with it.

true

Gallup International's "The Voice of the People" gathers and disseminates the viewpoints of the public. This is just one of many popular opinion polls representing the feelings and beliefs of ordinary citizens, creating a collective form of _____ testimony.

lay

A local politician really wants to bring home his message to ordinary people and voters who appreciate common sense, folk wisdom, and street smarts. Which supporting materials would help him the most in accomplishing this?

lay testimony

A well-known author uses a single narrative as her entire speech, shaping the whole presentation into the form of a story. What kind of narrative does not merely support the speech but is the speech?

master narrative

The text cautions speakers to use hypothetical examples with care, particularly because these types of examples _____.

may distort the truth in order to make a point

In testing the two brief stories that support two points in her speech, Sarah wants to make sure that they seem plausible and authentic, and that they ring true for her listeners, considering their interests and experiences. Sarah is particularly concerned about _____.

narrative fidelity

What two qualities help speakers evaluate stories for use in their speeches?

narrative probability and narrative fidelity

Jennifer uses what is intended to be a humorous narrative to support a main point in her speech, but it fails to really move toward a climax - in fact, it does not even have a punch line. In this way, it has failed in the area of _____.

narrative probablity

A diet guru shares quite a few personal feelings and convictions in her presentation on losing weight, though she does not back these up with any supporting materials. What has she included in her speech?

opinions

One problem area that often arises in speeches with regard to facts and figures is that we, as speakers, tend to _____.

overemphasize them

A civic leader is asked to give a ceremonial speech at the dedication of the new city park. Which type of testimony would act as a source of inspiration in such ceremonial speaking, lending a heightened sense of elegance and wisdom to her dedication speech?

prestige testimony

Which types of narratives used in speeches have long been a favorite of Americans because they effectively transmit one of our cherished cultural traditions?

"rags to riches" stories

A _____ mentions a concise, specific instance to demonstrate a more general statement or illustrate a larger point.

brief example

Generally, what is the most authoritative and qualified way to use testimony for establishing the validity of your assertions, particularly when the subject is controversial, complicated, or unfamiliar to listeners?

citing sources your audience will recognize as experts on the topic

A speaker begins with these words: "If you were young in the 1980s, chances are you had a Cabbage Patch doll or knew someone who did." What is the principal type of supporting material that she is using here?

example

What are the verbal illustrations that clarify and humanize speeches with their concrete applications of abstract ideas?

examples

If your ideas seem too distant or abstract, the text suggests you add which two types of supporting materials?

examples and narratives

Statistics are defined by the text as ________.

facts that can be measured mathematically

A speaker must decide whether the general way or the precise way of expressing facts will work best for the speech. If uncertain, the text advises that it is best to err on the side of generalization.

false

If you are referring to the words and ideas of other people so you can support your own ideas in your speech, you are employing narratives.

false

In public speaking, a story that illustrates an idea, establishes a mood, or conveys the theme of a speech is referred to as an example.

false

In reviewing narratives and their placement, be aware that the popular idea of starting with a joke, whether relevant or not, is not a cheap trick. It is a good way to get audience attention and establish yourself as inviting and credible.

false

In selecting supporting materials and using them in your speech, the text advises that above all else, keep your materials at the center of your thinking.

false

A dynamic speaker uses actual testimony that is based on reality, but he twists quotations so that they no longer reflect the original intent of their authors. He is _____.

quoting out of text

A speaker has found such fascinating stuff while doing research that she throws in a couple extra facts that have nothing to do with her precise topic or her main points, saying, "By the way, did you know that ??" She has forgotten to test her materials for their _____.

relevance

The four R's are important when evaluating information and also important when testing facts and figures. What are the four R's?

relevance, representativeness, recency, and reliability

In preparing a speech on high blood pressure, Grace found a quote from a drug company executive admitting that research shows a healthy diet, exercise, and relaxation are just as effective in lowering blood pressure as his company's popular medication. This statement is an example of _____.

reluctant testimony

Including direct quotations to support some of the points in your speech means you are _____.

repeating the exact words of another person

What types of supporting materials are combined in this speech excerpt? "Mayor Jane Blake recently stated that our city has seen a drastic rise in unemployment. At this time last year we had an unemployment rate of 9 percent. Now it is 11.5 percent."

statistics and expert testimony

Since the dawn of time, humans have used _____ to entertain each other, celebrate heroic deeds, teach and reaffirm shared values, and explain the human experience.

stories

Amber decides to use a brief narrative to help make her point, and as she concludes it she reflects on the meaning of the little story and applies this to her larger idea. What element of the narrative is Amber now describing?

the epilouge

Because narration and storytelling are more intimate forms of communication, speakers should come out from behind the lectern or desk and move closer to the listeners while presenting these segments of the speech.

true

Factual examples will give very strong support for your ideas because they involve things that actually did happen - so they validate and authenticate the point you are trying to make.

true

It is best to keep your examples short and concise. Then you can leave it to listeners to provide details on their own and fill out the scenarios with their imaginations.

true

Lay testimony represents the wisdom of ordinary people, and can add authenticity to a speech.

true

Syrena reviews her ideas with her professor and is advised to find supporting materials that act as illustrative examples, define and explain basic concepts, and provide analogies familiar to the audience. Most likely, Syrena's topic is highly _____.

unfilmaliar

"It's a beautiful, cold, clear January day. You have been cross-country skiing for hours in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and are now miles from the lodge. An avalanche suddenly begins high above you. Picture what you would do." This speaker is using a(n) _____ narrative.

vicarious experience

Valerie has found a number of supporting materials and now has to decide what to use in her speech and what to put aside. One critical question to ask herself involves considering which supporting materials _____

will make the biggest impression on listeners