Speech Chpt. 8 (The Introduction and Conclusion)

Primacy-recency effect

the tendency to remember the first and last items conveyed orally in a series rather than the items in between

Startling Statement

an expression or example that grabs listeners’ attention by shocking them in some way

Questions

requests for information that encourage audience members to think about something related to the topic

Rhetorical Question

a question that does not require an overt response

Direct Question

a question that invites an overt response from the audience, usually by a show of hands

Story

an account of something that has happened (actual) or could happen (hypothetical)

Joke

an anecdote or a piece of wordplay designed to be funny and make people laugh

Personal Reference

a brief story about something that happened to you or a hypothetical situation that listeners can imagine themselves in

Quotation

a comment made by and attributed to someone other than the speaker

Action

an attention-getting act designed to highlight and arouse interest in your topic or purpose

Creating Suspense

wording an attention getter so that what is described generates initial uncertainty or mystery and excites the audience

Multimedia Clips

audio or audiovisual snippets or visual screen grabs that spark curiosity about the speech topic

Clincher

a short concluding statement that provides a sense of closure by driving home the importance of your speech in a memorable way

Appeal to action

a statement in a conclusion that describes the behavior you want your listeners to follow after they have heard your arguments

Formal Outline

A full sentence outline of your speech that includes internal references and a reference list.