Selecting and Narrowing Topic
Supporting Material
There are a variety of types of support material which can be used to illustrate or prove points you make. The following kinds of materials are commonly used to support assertions in speeches:
- example - a concrete instance of the point you are making,
- testimony - direct quotation or paraphrase of a credible source used to prove or illustrate a point,
- statistics/surveys - quantitative information which proves or illustrates a point,
- definition - providing a dictionary or personal meaning for an unfamiliar or technical word. e.g., "A tariff is a tax placed on imported goods",
- narration - A narration is a small story used in a speech or essay (usually appealing to the "mind's eye," told in chronological order),
- analogy - a comparison of the unfamiliar to the familiar. ,
- description/explanation - describing why your point is valid in your own words, usually in vivid concrete language,
- Audio/Visual aids - anything the audience can see or hear (other than your words) which helps you make a point.
How to Organize Your Speech
Organizing your main points, sub-points, and your transitions are three critical steps to creating a clear and memorable speech.
