6: Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic
- Page ID
- 326452
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 6.1: Prelude to Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic
- This page emphasizes the importance of identifying a speech's purpose and topic, acknowledging potential challenges like originality and scope. It reassures readers that this process is manageable and promises guidance on selecting engaging topics, overcoming blank moments, and formulating a specific speech purpose. The overall goal is to simplify the speech preparation process.
- 6.2: General Purposes
- This page covers the essential purposes of public speaking: to inform, persuade, and entertain. Informative speeches share knowledge without persuasion, while persuasive speeches can be pure or manipulative based on intent. Additionally, it addresses the importance of mandatory drug testing for high school athletes to combat performance-enhancing drug use, emphasizing health risks and moral obligation.
- 6.3: Selecting A Topic
- This page addresses the complexities of topic selection in public speaking, highlighting constraints like purpose, audience, context, and time. It underscores the importance of narrowing broad subjects and conducting audience analysis for effective speeches. Additionally, it explores investment types in speech preparation, noting that a well-constructed outline is the strongest predictor of speech grades, overshadowing the role of passion.
- 6.4: What if You Draw a Blank?
- This page offers insights on selecting speech topics through personal inventories and audience polling, while stressing the significance of needs analysis to identify knowledge or skill gaps. It suggests using various finding aids, including AI tools, for brainstorming ideas. Key takeaways include understanding audience interests and implementing effective topic selection strategies, supported by exercises for enhanced analysis.
- 6.5: Specific Purposes
- This page emphasizes the significance of defining a specific purpose for a speech, following the general purpose of informing, persuading, or entertaining. It highlights the necessity of concisely articulating the "who, what, when, where, and why" to cater to the audience's needs. The page offers guidelines for creating effective specific purpose statements and stresses narrowing the speech focus to fit a limited time frame.
- 6.6: Chapter Exercises
- This page explores the ethical considerations of persuasive speaking in politics, illustrated by Rona's situation discussing Gerry Mitchell's campaign with retirees. It questions the line between persuasion and manipulation when crucial information is not disclosed. The page also includes an assessment of the aims of speaking—informing and persuading—and provides examples of suitable speech topics. Ultimately, it stresses the ethical obligations of speakers across different scenarios.