4Developing Your

Purpose and Topic

General Purpose

The speaker’s overall objective• To inform• To persuade• To entertain

Determining Your General Purpose

Speaking to inform Speaking to persuade Speaking to entertain Keeping your general purpose in mind

Brainstorming for Possible Topics

Brainstorming – a free-form way of generating ideas without evaluating them

Evaluating and Selecting Topic Ideas

Consider your own interests Consider the audience Consider resource availability Consider time Consider the setting and speaking event

Identifying Your Speech Purpose

Specific purpose – what you want to achieve in your speech

General Purpose, Topic, & Specific Purpose

Phrasing Your Thesis

Thesis – summarizes your plan for achieving the specific purpose; a single descriptive sentence that captures the essence or central idea of a speech

Building Your Working Outline

An outline that guides you during the initial stages of topic development, helping to keep you focused on your general purpose and clarify your specific purpose

Building Your Working Outline Cont.

Brainstorming for topic development Grouping ides to select main points Writing the thesis

Types of Outlines

Intro

Greeting Name

Thesis

Attention Getter

Introduction

Major Speech Parts

Introduction Arouse the audience members’

attention with a quotation, question or short story

Introduce yourself (First & Last Name) Greeting Clearly state the thesis at the end of the

introduction

Body

• Use Transitions • Focus on Detail• Create additional Attention Getters• Give examples• Make Audience feel like they are a part

of your discussion

Conclusion

• Restate the thesis• Leave Audience with something to

think about/attention getter• Say Thank You• Discuss Objects (one minute or less)

• Prepare Demonstration(30 seconds or less)

• Answer questions

Relevant Websites

Developing your thesis Framing a thesis statement