Topic Selection

SPE 108

Choosing a topic

• There are, literally, endless topics for speeches!

Two broad categories for potential topics for classroom speeches:

1. Stuff you already know a lot about

2. Stuff you want to know more about

Topics you know a lot about

• People usually speak best on topics they are already familiar with

• What kind of personal experiences could you speak about?

Topics you want to know more about

• Your speech can be a learning experience, for yourself and your audience

• You may select a topic you know a little about and research more, choose something interesting you’ll be investigating for the first time, think about your values and beliefs.

Brainstorming

• Personal Inventory: Make a quick list of your experiences, interests, hobbies, skills, beliefs, etc.

• Clustering: Take a sheet of paper and divide it into 9 columns: People, Places, Things, Events, Processes, Concepts, Natural Phenomena, Problems & Plans. Then list the first 5 things that come to mind under each heading

• Free Association: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you look at your lists?

Brainstorming

• Reference Search: Browse through reference books (dictionary, encyclopedia) and see if any topics catch your interest

• Internet Search: Google, Wikipedia

Determining the general purpose & specific purpose

• What is the broad goal of your speech? General Purpose

Example: inform or persuade• What do you precisely hope to accomplish?

Specific Purpose Example: To inform my audience about the

benefits of music theory for people with cognitive delays

Formulating a specific purpose statement

• Write the purpose statement out as a full sentenceForces you to fully articulate your purpose• Express your purpose as a statement, not a questionA question doesn’t make you choose a direction for where

your speech will go• Avoid figurative language in your purpose statementForces you to be specific, and avoid sweeping statements• Limit your purpose to one distinct ideaForces you to focus your direction

Formulating a specific purpose statement

• Limit your purpose to one distinct ideaForces you to focus your direction• Make sure your specific purpose is not too

vague or generalIf it is, it’s NOT a specific purpose statement

Questions to ask about your specific purpose

1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time

allotted?3. Is the purpose relevant to my audience?4. Is the purpose too trivial for my audience?5. Is the purpose too technical for my audience?

The Central Idea• Central idea: a one sentence statement

that sums up the major ideas of a speech• A concise statement about what you

expect to say• Essentially the same as a thesis statement

in a written paper• Your residual message – what you expect

the audience to remember after you’re finished speaking

• The central idea usually emerges after most of your research is complete, and you have already decided on the three main points of your speech.

Guidelines for the central idea

The central idea:1. Should be expressed in a

full sentence2. Should not be in the form of

a question3. Should avoid figurative

language4. Should not be vague or

overly general