![]() According to O’Hair, Stewart, and Rubenstein, a specific purpose statement “expresses both the topic and the general speech purpose in action form and in terms of the specific objectives you hope to achieve” (2004). Thus, it is common to frame a specific purpose statement around one of these goals. The general purpose statement of a speech may be to inform, to persuade, to celebrate, or to entertain. When deciding which main points, facts, and examples to include, you should simply ask yourself whether they are relevant not only to the topic you have selected, but also whether they support the goal you outlined in your purpose statement. Purpose statements are especially helpful for guiding you as you prepare your speech. In short, a purpose statement clearly states what it is you would like to achieve. Formulating the Purpose Statementsīy honing in on a very specific topic, you begin the work of formulating your purpose statement. ![]() To resolve this problem, speakers must also consider the audience to whom they will speak, the scope of their presentation, and the outcome they wish to achieve. This is a very broad topic and could easily lead to a dozen different speeches. For instance, you might have decided that you really care about breeds of dogs. Once you have answered these questions and narrowed your responses, you are still not done selecting your topic. It means that your entire speechwriting process will focus on something you find important and that you can present this information to people who stand to benefit from your speech. Starting with a topic you are already interested in will likely make writing and presenting your speech a more enjoyable and meaningful experience. David Zarefsky (2010) also identifies brainstorming as a way to develop speech topics, a strategy that can be helpful if the questions listed above did not yield an appropriate or interesting topic. ![]() The most important work that these questions do is to locate topics within your pre-existing sphere of knowledge and interest. What topics do you think are relevant today? There are other questions you might ask yourself, too, but these should lead you to at least a few topical choices. Students speak about what is interesting to them and their audiences. Is there some information the audience needs to know?.What beliefs/attitudes do I want to share?.Is there someone or something I can advocate for?.What important events are occurring locally, nationally and internationally?.Perhaps the simplest way to find a topic is to ask yourself a few questions, including: ![]() On the contrary, opportunities abound for those interested in engaging speech as a tool for change. More importantly, they speak when there is an opportunity to change a university policy or to alter the way students think or behave in relation to a particular event on campus.īut you need not run for president or student government in order to give a meaningful speech. In either case, it is the situation that makes their speeches appropriate and useful for their audience of students and university employees. Student government leaders, for example, speak or write to other students when their campus is facing tuition or fee increases, or when students have achieved something spectacular, like lobbying campus administrators for lower student fees and succeeding. The most common way that speakers discover topics is by simply observing what is happening around them-at their school, in their local government, or around the world. Generally, speakers focus on one or more interrelated topics-relatively broad concepts, ideas, or problems that are relevant for particular audiences. These decisions will influence and guide the entire speechwriting process, so it is wise to think carefully and critically during these beginning stages. In doing so, you lay the foundation for your speech by making important decisions about what you will speak about and for what purpose you will speak. 7.2 The Topic, General Purpose, Specific Purpose, and Thesisīefore any work can be done on crafting the body of your speech or presentation, you must first do some prep work-selecting a topic, formulating a general purpose, a specific purpose statement, and crafting a central idea, or thesis statement. ![]()
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