Chapter 9 Introductions and Conclusions

9.1 Introduction

First Impressions matter

9.2 Functions of introductions

4 functions of introductions:

Gain attention and interest:

If you can’t get the audience attention and interest then they won’t bother to listen to you

Your appearance is part of the first impression

If you are slouched over people will think you don’t care and so they won’t care what you have to say

Gain the Goodwill of the Audience:

You need the audience to think favorably about you

Can do this by showing credibility

External credibility is the type of credibility you as a speaker gain by association: use of sources that the audience finds credible

internal credibility: You develop as the speaker through specific actions.

 First: appropriately attired for a public presentation. 

Second: make eye contact with the audience before you speak. 

Third: speak clearly, fluently and confidently.

4th: demonstrating personal experience with or knowledge of the topic of your speech

5th: showing a connection to your audience, demonstrating shared experiences or shared values ex. Talking about how everyone had to bundle up to go to school today

Clearly State the Purpose

Announce topic and purpose so people can follow the speech

Preview and structure the speech

The preview statement lets the audience know how you will develop the speech

Ex. like this is first, then this, and finally this

Previews help the audience follow the content because they already know the structure

9.3 Attention Getter Strategies

Tell a Story:

stories have a built-in structure that everyone recognizes and expects

stories have a beginning, middle and end, and this built-in structure allows the audience and the speaker to immediately share this experience.

stories as attention getters lend themselves readily to a well- structured speech

Ex.

 start the story, get right to the climax, and then stop

This gets the attention of the audience; you have shared experiences with them; and now you also have the conclusion of the speech all set to go—the end of the story.

Refer to the occasion:

You can provide reasons why you and the audience is here

Ex. toasts and historical events

Refer to recent or historical events:

-creates a shared experience between the speaker and the audience

-can also establish goodwill and credibility

Ex. Gettysburg Address

Refer to previous Speeches:

If you are talking about a topic previously discussed in another speech it shows credibility to refer to the past speech

Ex. a classmate give a speech on the same topic right before you then you should refer to their speech

Refer to Personal Interest:

• You must have a personal interest in the topic

• You can describe your personal interest which also grows credibility

Use Startling Statistics:

-audience wants to listen more are receiving startling statistics because they want to learn the context of the statistics

But:

-make sure the statistic is accurate

- make sure the statistic is relevant to the topic of the speech 

- you need to place this startling statistic in the context of your speech so that everything fits together.

Use an Analogy:

you can use an analogy to show a connection between your speech topic (something new and different for the audience) and something that is known by your audience

Ex. “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get“

Use a quotation:

Using a quote is an attention getter

You are borrowing someone else’s credibility

Needs to be in context of your speech

Should be a short quote

Ex. quoting a movie line relevant to your topic to start

Ask a question:

Rhetorical questions: designed to allow you as speaker to get the audience to think about your topic without actually speaking the answer to the question

• allow you to maintain control over a speech situation, and allow you to guard against an inappropriate or even offensive response.

Ex. asking have you ever thought about… questions

Asking real questions forces the audience to pay attention in order to participate

Creates connection and credibility

Ex. how many of you have participated in….

Use Humor:

If done well:

-creates a connection between speaker and audience

-audience feels comfortable

-audience perceives speaker positively

If done bad:

-will destroy speech

-will destroy credibility

Because humor is based on understanding of language and culture

Only safe humor is light and subtle self-deprecation- but this can still end badly so you may want to just avoid humor in the speech

9.4 Preparing the Introduction

Construct the Introduction Last:

The introduction is prepared last because you want to make sure that the body of the speech drives the introduction, not the other way around. 

The introduction sets up the body, but it should not overwhelm the body of the speech, nor should it dictate the content or structure of the speech.

Make it relevant:

-prepare the introduction to relate to the speech

Ex. if you share a statistic you need to make it relevant to the topic

If the introduction is disconnected from the speech the audience will have a hard time following your ideas

Be Succinct:

Introduction needs to be concise and succinct since you are likely on a time limit

No more than 10-15% of the speech should be the introduction

Write it out word for word:

Write out word for word then delivered memorized

That way it is short and you know you have met all 4 functions

Also gives control over your speech

9.5 Functions of conclusions

Prepare audience for the end of the speech:

Use language and movements to suggest the end of the speech

Ex. you can use language cues (“now that we have seen that we can solve this problem effectively, we can review the entire situation”), movement cues (physically moving back to the center of the room where you began the speech), and paralinguistic cues (slow the rate of the speech, use more pauses) 

Present any final appeals:

The conclusion should leave the audience motivated positively toward you and the topic you have been presenting

People are likely to remember the first and last things you say so take advantage of what you want the audience to remember in the conclusion like your main points

Summarize and close:

-restate thesis and main ideas

This is a mirror image of the preview in the introduction

Restatement brings the speech full circle

End with a clincher:

• You can finish the story in the introduction

• You can retell the story from the introduction

• You can use humor- but this could always go wrong

Appeals and challenges:

Appeals are generally phrased more as requests, while challenges can take on a more forceful tone, almost ordering or daring audiences to engage in thought or action.

Ex. I have a dream speech

9.6 Composing the Conclusion

Prepare the conclusion:

Introductions and conclusions are mirror images of one another and should be prepared at the same time

Conclusions should be short only 10% of time

Should also write out conclusion and memorize

Do Not Include Any New Information:

If you present new information the audience will be confused if you are concluding or not

You won’t have time to develop new ideas in the conclusion

Follow the structure:

You can use the same quotation at the end as at the beginning, but the quotation has a new and more developed meaning. 

You can use a new quotation that draws a comparison and contrast to the beginning quotation, and also highlights what we have learned in the speech.

You can use the same questions as the introduction or a new question based on the learning in the speech

Or remind the audience of the startling statistics

9.7 Conclusion