Research Help (Big 6)  » Speech Guidelines

Speech Guidelines

Use these strategies to plan and present an effective speech.

Planning a speech

Parts of a speech

Visuals

Speech presentation

Planning a speech

General Content

• Give listeners information they don't know
• Give listeners new insights -- cause them to look at the issue from a different perspective
• Make sure what you present relates to the characteristics of your audience
• Be careful of using slang words
• Explain terms audience may not know

Information

• Do thorough research on your topic
• Make sure statistics are reliable and up-to-date
• Make sure quotes are from short, to the point, and come from experts in the field
• Cite experts to add authority

Organization

• Make sure you have a clear focus
• Make 3-5 good points
• Include good support for each point made
• Use repetition to reinforce your main points: listeners can't go back to re-read what was already said
• Consider using short phrases for dramatic effect

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Parts of a speech

Beginning:   Getting attention and arousing interest in your topic

                        Use a 'hook' -- something to grab the attention of the listeners

Try one or more of these ideas:

• Try beginning with an open-ended question to get the audience thinking
• Include humor
• Tell an appropriate story
• Try rapid-fire examples
• Include a quotation
• Use a startling statement

Body: Maintaining the attention of the listener

• Demonstrate extent of problem
• Demonstrate effects of problem -- how people are affected
• Paint a visual picture
• Re-state ideas throughout the body of the speech to keep them in the mind of the listeners
• Include transitions from one to another of your 3-5 main points
• Paint an opposite terrible scenario
• Each idea should have supporting information

Conclusion

• Re-state main idea
• Summarize
• Call to action
• Give a feeling of finality

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Visuals

• Include lettering large enough to be easily read by audience
• Make sure images are clear and large enough to be easily distinguished by audience
• Visuals should compliment rather than take away from what you are saying
• Do not stand between the visuals and the audience
• Know the aid well -- don't study it as you speak

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Speech presentation

Voice

• Make sure your voice projects to the back of the room so all can hear well
• Speak with confidence
• Increase volume and intensity to emphasize important points
• Pronounce each word clearly and distinctly
• Make sure to clearly pronounce ending consonants on words
• Speak more slowly and distinctly than in everyday conversation
• Vary your pace and inflection
• Speak toward the audience, not down toward notes or toward visual aids
• Avoid over-use of the following: um, like, OK, well, all right

Make good use of pauses

• Use short pauses to separate your thoughts
• Add pauses to allow time for the audience to stop and reflect
• Pause slightly before and after unfamiliar or important terms
• Use longer pauses for dramatic effect
• Pause wheneveer the audience laughs, and continue speaking when you can be heard

Eye contact

• Sweep your eyes throughout the entire audience
• Look directlly at various persons for 3 seconds at a time
• Make your eye contact sincere
• Use eye contact to make each audience member feel involved

Body language

• Use basic speaking stance: standing straight, feet about a foot apart, weight evenly distributed
• When you walk around, do it for a planned purpose
• Be cautious about too many distracting hand gestures -- use them to good effect
• In general, the larger the audience, the slower the gestures should be
• Avoid too much of the following:
          pointing
          hands in pockets
          hand on hips
          rocking on heels
          jiggling up and down
          playing with jewelry or hair

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copyright 2005 Carolyn Jackson