Informative Speeches: How to Write an Informative Speech

Summary

This video explains the essential components of an informative speech, emphasizing the importance of clear structure and audience focus. It covers the three main goals: delivering new information, keeping the audience engaged, and making the speech memorable. The video provides a step-by-step guide to organizing an informative speech, from defining your purpose to choosing an organizational structure and outlining the main points. Practical tips, including the need for oral citations and a well-structured introduction and conclusion, are also shared to help ensure your speech is both informative and impactful.

Takeaways

• 😀 Informative speeches aim to share new knowledge that the audience doesn't already know.
• 😀 A well-structured informative speech should focus on clarity, organization, and professionalism to keep the audience's attention.
• 😀 The goal of an informative speech is not only to inform but also to ensure the audience remembers key points.
• 😀 A successful informative speech can be broken down into three key goals: telling something new, keeping the audience focused, and being memorable.
• 😀 Start the process of preparing your speech by considering the audience and their needs before anything else.
• 😀 Develop your speech by writing down the topic, purpose, central idea, and preview of the main points.
• 😀 Choose the right organizational structure (topical, chronological, or spatial) based on the content and flow of the speech.
• 😀 Research and oral citations are critical for supporting your claims and establishing credibility with the audience.
• 😀 Outline your speech using clear main points and sub-points, supported by well-researched information.
• 😀 A strong introduction should capture attention, explain the topic, justify your ability to speak on it, and provide a preview of the main points.
• 😀 The conclusion should review the key points and provide a final wrap-up to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Q & A

What is the goal of an informative speech?

The goal of an informative speech is to tell the audience something new that they don't already know, help them understand the information, and ensure the information is memorable.

Why should a speaker keep their audience focused during an informative speech?

A speaker should keep their audience focused by being professional, poised, and organized. If the speaker starts rambling or lacks clarity, the audience may lose focus and disengage.

What is the importance of being remembered in an informative speech?

Being remembered is crucial because the purpose of an informative speech is to leave a lasting impression on the audience. A memorable message can resonate with listeners, as seen with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 'I have a dream' line.

What is the first step in preparing an informative speech?

The first step is to consider the audience. Being audience-centered is essential, as every other aspect of the speech should be tailored to their needs and expectations.

How should a speaker develop their informative speech?

To develop an informative speech, the speaker should start with a blank page, write the topic, general purpose, and specific purpose. Then, summarize the speech into a central idea and create a preview sentence to outline the key points.

What is the purpose of a central idea in an informative speech?

The central idea is a declarative sentence summarizing the main message of the speech. It helps the speaker stay focused and ensures that the audience understands the core concept.

What organizational structures can be used in an informative speech?

The three recommended organizational structures for an informative speech are topical, chronological, and spatial. These structures help organize the content in a way that is easy for the audience to follow and understand.

What are the components of an outline for an informative speech?

An outline for an informative speech includes the central idea, preview sentence, main points, sub-points, oral citations for sources, and transitions between sections. It also includes a four-part introduction and a two-part conclusion.

Why is it important to cite sources during an informative speech?

Citing sources is important to provide credibility to the information being shared. It tells the audience where the information comes from, who the author is, and why the source is reliable.

What is the significance of the conclusion in an informative speech?

The conclusion is important because it reviews the key points covered in the speech and wraps up the message. It reinforces the information to ensure that the audience remembers the main takeaways.