17.8: Activities and Glossary

Review questions

1. What are the four basic functions of introductions, and why are these functions important?

2. List and give one original example of each of the ten attention-getting devices.

3. What are three reasons why stories are effective as introductions?

4. Why is humor both useful and dangerous at the same time?

5. What is a preview statement, and why is it important as part of an introduction?

6. What are the four basic functions of conclusions, and why are these functions important?

7. Compare and contrast an appeal and a challenge. When would you use each technique?

8. What does it mean to “follow the structure” in a conclusion?

9. Why are introductions and conclusions prepared last?

Activities

1. Review the following speech and then write a brief (150-200 words) analysis on how the speaker used (or did not use) effective introduction and conclusion techniques.

   msustr0.campus.mnsu.edu:8080/...PersSpeech.wmv

2. Read Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (http://americanrhetoric.com/speeches...urgaddress.htm) and then rewrite the introduction to use:

   a. Humor b. Rhetorical Question c. A story

   Each introduction should be relevant to the topic and no more than 100 words in length.

3. Working with a partner, create at least five analogies that could be used as part of an effective introduction for any of the topics listed below

•  Commonalities of the world’s major religions
•  Dealing with gaming addiction
•  Selecting a college
•  Why the penny should be eliminated
•  My worst first date
•  Protecting your identity online and offline
•  Making the perfect lasagna
•  The three most important factors in choosing an automobile
•  The dangers of radon
•  Traveling through Europe on a budget

4. Locate an informative or a persuasive speech on Youtube. Watch the speech once in its entirety, and then watching it a second time, answer these questions.

a. What attention-getting technique was used? Was it effective?

b. Did the speaker establish his / her credibility effectively?

c. Was the thesis or purpose of the speech clear?

d. Did the speaker preview the main points of the speech.

e. Did the main points of the speech correspond with the preview?

f. Did the speaker prepare the audience for the end of the speech?

g. Did the speaker present any final appeals? Was this effective?

h. What type of clincher (closing technique) was used? Was it effective?

Glossary

Analogy

A figure of speech that essentially compares something that your audience knows and understands with something new and different.

Preview

Sometimes called a road map, a preview is a brief oral outline in which the speaker clearly and concisely states the main points of the speech.

Internal Credibility

This is a form of credibility based on attributes that are largely controlled by a speaker, such as appearance, confidence, charisma, trustworthiness, and speaking ability.

Expectancy Violation

Expectancy violations occur when people engage in behavior that is unexpected or inappropriate for the situation.

External Credibility

This is a form of credibility based on attributes that a speaker can “borrow,” such as using credible sourcesand referring to credible and popular people and events.

Primacy Effect

According to this principle, audiences are likely to remember what they hear or read first.

Recency Effect

According to this principle, audiences are likely to remember what they hear or read last.

Rhetorical Question

When a speaker asks a question that is not meant to be answered outloud, or a question for which the audience already knows the answer. This is often used as a way to get an audience to think about the topic.

Thesis

One sentence or statement that succinctly and accurately lets the audience know what the speech will be about and what the speaker plans to accomplish in the speech.