Choosing and Developing a Topic

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Chapter 10

• Choosing and Developing a Topic

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After studying the material in this chapter. . .

• You should understand
• the importance of defining a clear speech
  purpose.
• the differences among a general purpose, a
  specific purpose, and a thesis.
• the necessity of analyzing a speaking situation.

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After studying the material in this chapter. . .

• You should be able to
• choose an effective speaking topic.
• formulate a purpose statement and thesis
  statement that will help you develop that topic.
• analyze both the audience and the occasion in any
  speaking situation.
• gather information on your chosen topic from a
  variety of sources.

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Chapter highlights

• Your choice of topic will be one of the most
  important decisions you make in preparing your
  speech. Consider two guidelines
• Look for a topic early.
• Choose a topic that interests you.

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Chapter highlights

• Developing your topic begins with defining your
  purpose. You should understand and be able to
  state the following simply and clearly
• your general purpose (to entertain, to inform, or
  to persuade)
• your specific purpose (expressed in the form of a
  purpose statement)
• your central idea (expressed in the form of a
  thesis statement)

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Chapter highlights

• Your next step in developing your topic is to
  analyze the speaking situation.
• Analyzing the audience enables you to adapt your
  speech to your listeners.
• Analyzing the occasion enables you to customize
  your speech to its circumstances as a unique
  event.

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Chapter highlights

• Finally, you will need to gather information for
  your speech. Possible sources include
• Internet research
• library research
• interviewing
• personal observation
• survey research

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Choosing a topic

• Look for a topic early.
• Choose a topic that interests you.

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Defining purpose

• General purpose
• Specific purpose
• A purpose statement should be receiver-oriented.
• A purpose statement should be specific.
• A purpose statement should be realistic.
• The thesis statement

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Analyzing the speaking situation

• The listener audience analysis
• Audience type
• Audience purpose
• Demographics
• Number of people
• Gender
• Age
• Group memebership
• Attitudes, beliefs, and values

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Analyzing the speaking situation

• The occasion
• Time
• Place
• Audience expectations

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Gathering information

• Internet research
• Search engines
• Evaluating websites
• Credibility
• Objectivity
• Currency

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Gathering information

• Library research
• The library catalogue
• Reference works
• Periodicals
• Nonprint materials
• Databases
• Librarians

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Gathering information

• Interviewing
• Personal observation
• Survey research