Notes on Beginning and Ending the Presentation (Ch. 10)

Importance of Introductions and Conclusions

• Purpose: Understand why introductions and conclusions are essential in presentations.
• Core idea: Primacy/recency effect plus relevance drive what audiences remember.
  • Primacy/recency effect: people pay more attention to and remember information presented first and last. This is illustrated by a grocery list example where the first and last items are more memorable than the middle items.
  • Relevance: people tend to remember items most relevant to their needs (e.g., hungry shoppers remember pizza).
• Practical implication: Use primacy/recency and relevance to craft effective introductions and conclusions.

Beginning the Presentation: Overview

• The beginning (introduction) is an opportunity to prepare the audience to listen.
• Common disruption scenario: if a speaker dives into content before the audience is ready, internal interference occurs; prepare strategies to overcome it.
• Audiences want answers to:
  • What’s in it for me?
  • Why should I listen to you about this topic?
  • What can I expect to hear about the topic?
• An effective introduction should accomplish four goals:
  • Capture the audience’s attention
  • Establish the relevance of your topic to your audience
  • Establish your speaker credibility
  • Preview the body of the presentation

Four Goals of an Introduction (Expanded)

• CAPTURE ATTENTION: The first task is to get the audience to listen. An attention getter is a strong opening statement using a creative device.

  • It is the very first thing you say; avoid starting with routine self-intros like, "Hi my name is…"
  • Strategies for attention getters include:
  • ASK A RHETORICAL QUESTION: Pose questions to stir thinking without giving away the answer; can lead to a series of questions to guide the direction.
    • Example technique: use a hypothetical scenario (e.g., "What would happen if…?") to engage curiosity.
    • A sequence of questions can propel the audience to wonder where you’re headed.
  • START WITH A STARTLING STATEMENT: Begin with an unimaginable or unusual claim, often supported by a dramatic statistic.
    • Example: "More people are afraid of public speaking than of dying." (illustrative for how startles work; cite your topic accordingly.)
  • STIMULATE THE AUDIENCE’S IMAGINATION: Use imagine-if scenarios to help the audience visualize the context.
    • Example: Colosseum speech scene with 50,000 spectators and a threat to the speaker.
  • TELL A STORY: A memorable story (real or hypothetical) can evoke emotion and bolster credibility. Personal stories can enhance credibility; a hypothetical story should be plausible and relevant; reveal whether the story is true or fictional.
  • USE HUMOR: Jokes or humorous statements can engage, but must be relevant, appropriate to audience, and sensitive to context. Timing and delivery are important; humor can be risky.
  • QUOTATIONS: Opening with a quotation can anchor the topic; decide whether the quote or the speaker/source should come first for impact.
    • Example: Sam Phillips quote about the blues to illustrate a Delta Blues example.
  • The goal of attention getters: capture attention immediately and orient the audience toward the topic.

• ESTABLISHING THE RELEVANCE OF YOUR TOPIC TO YOUR AUDIENCE: Remember Chapter 6 on Analyzing Your Audience.

  • Idea: Most listeners pay attention if they find the topic personally relevant.
  • Two-step process:
    1) Indicate why listeners should care (general importance).
    2) Provide a specific relevance statement tailored to the audience.
  • When crafting relevance statements, connect to audience needs and interests (e.g., for a college class audience, reference their status and context).
  • Examples in the text connect relevance to Tornado, Colosseum, and Blues topics with audience-specific details:
  • Tornado: align with the audience’s location (e.g., Tornado Alley) and potential personal risk.
  • Colosseum: relate to broad cultural influence and historical significance relevant to students.
  • Blues: connect to local culture (e.g., Chicagoland origins) and historical roots.
  • Specific relevance statements should be tailored to the audience (e.g., "As American citizens, we should all honor our right to vote"; "As college students between the ages of 18 and 22, this election will be our first opportunity…").

• ESTABLISHING SPEAKER CREDIBILITY: Why should the audience listen to you?

  • Credibility consists of two dimensions: competence and character.
  • Competence: being prepared, organized, and knowledgeable.
  • Character: honesty, trustworthiness, and having the listeners’ best interests in mind.
  • Credibility is conveyed not only by what you say but how you present it; delivery affects credibility as well as content.
  • Consider examples from the Tornado, Colosseum, and Blues speeches to illustrate how personal background or expertise supports credibility.

• PREVIEWING THE PRESENTATION: What should the audience expect to hear?

  • The thesis provides the framework for the body of the presentation.
  • The preview statement elaborates on the main points to give listeners a roadmap before delving into the body.
  • Example structures:
  • Topic: Communication apprehension
    • Thesis: ``Communication apprehension can be treated using systematic desensitization, visualization, cognitive restructuring, and skills training.''
    • Preview: details on each element: mental/physical relaxation (systematic desensitization), negative thought restructuring, and steps to plan and present a speech.
  • Topic: Mississippi Delta Blues
    • Thesis: ``The Mississippi Delta blues was epitomized by the music of Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson.''
    • Preview: discuss Patton, then Son House, then Johnson.

• SUGGESTED ORDER OF INTRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT: Recommendations for integrating elements

  • The thesis sentence is the first thing you write.
  • Develop the body first; the introduction later.
  • The introduction should include the attention getter first, followed by relevance, credibility, and then the thesis and preview.
  • The thesis provides the framework and comes right before the preview.
  • The preview should be the last sentence of the introduction and lead into the body.
  • Refer to example introductions (tornado, Colosseum, blues) to see how elements flow together.

Ending the Presentation: Summary and Memorable Close

• After developing the body and introduction, finalize the speech with a strong ending.
• The primacy/recency effect means the most recently heard content is memorable; the conclusion should reinforce key points and provide a memorable close.
• Two goals for a conclusion:
  • Provide a summary (a review of main points).
  • Provide a memorable close that leaves a lasting impression.
• The closing may include signposts such as "finally," "in closing," or "to summarize…" and rephrase the thesis in the past tense if appropriate.
• The conclusion should also consider how to help the audience remember the key information, and which information to emphasize in a concise recap.

Providing a SUMMARY (Review) in Conclusions

• Purpose: Reinforce what was said and ensure audience comprehension.
• The summary should restate the main claims and emphasize the takeaways.
• Examples from sample speeches:
  • Tornado: Summarize key factors leading to tornado development, types of tornadoes, and related odd occurrences.
  • Colosseum: Highlight how the Colosseum influenced civilization and its legacy; discuss restoration and the reduction of violence.
• Signposting the end of the talk helps prepare the audience for closure.

Providing a MEMORABLE CLOSE

• The memorable close should be as powerful as the opening attention getter (bookends concept): reference the opening device or theme.
  • You may refer back to the attention getter, or wait to reveal the source of a quotation used at the start.
  • Consider recalling the dramatic example, answering a posed riddle, or sharing a final punchline.
  • In the Tornado and Blues speeches, the close reinforces the opening frame (e.g., returning to the defeathered chicken imagery or the soul of man).
  • Colosseum example uses a quotation from the Venerable Bede to end with a historical echo.
• The last statement should clearly signal completion without explicitly saying "thank you".

Bookends and Signposts in Endings

• Bookends: The same attention getter or theme can return at the end to bookend the speech.
• Signposts in the closing: Use phrases like "In closing" or refer back to the thesis and preview as a recap.
• The final statement should leave the audience with a sense of completion and a memorable takeaway, not a simple "I’m through".

Two Key Conclusions for any Intro/Conclusion Pair

• The two primary goals of a conclusion are:
  • Summarize the main points for clarity and retention.
  • Provide a memorable close that leaves a lasting impression.
• The overall structure of strong speeches follows a simple loop:
  • Introduction: Tell them what you’re going to tell them.
  • Body: Tell them.
  • Conclusion: Tell them what you told them.
  • This repetition (via preview and summary) helps audience memory.

Practice and Assessment (Homework and Review Questions)

• 10.1a Homework: Name and explain the four goals for an introduction.
  • Answer should cover: capture attention, establish relevance, establish credibility, preview the body.
• 10.1b Homework: Is it always necessary to include each element of the introduction?
  • Consider situations where some elements may be deemphasized or omitted, and what the implications are.
• 10.1a/b: Additional prompts may include discussing consequences of omitting components (attention getter, relevance, or credibility).
• 10.2a Homework: Name and explain the four goals for integrating elements of the introduction (focus on sequence and flow) – ensure you can connect the thesis with the preview and the body.
• 10.2b Homework: What happens if you omit attention getter, relevance, or credibility?
• 10.3a Homework: Name and explain the two goals for a conclusion.
• 10.3b Homework: How does the conclusion help the audience understand and remember the speech? What would happen if the conclusion is weak?

Additional Concepts and Terms (Key Terms)

• Attention getter
• Character
• Competence
• Credibility
• Overview
• Preview
• Signposts
• Summarize
• Thesis statement
• Primacy/recency effect
• Real stories
• Hypothetical stories
• Relevance statement
• Relevant audience
• Update on the topic (context)
• Review
• Memorable close

Real-World Examples and Narratives Mentioned

• Beginning strategies in practice:
  • Quotations: Sam Phillips example tying to Delta Blues and famous artists (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash).
  • Startling statements: e.g., more people fear public speaking than dying to illustrate the power of a bold opener.
  • Imagination: vivid imagined scenarios in the Colosseum speech to immerse the audience.
  • Storytelling: a personal or hypothetical story to strengthen credibility, while keeping it relevant to the topic.
  • Humor: used thoughtfully to engage, but with caution about audience sensitivity.
• Endings:
  • Tornado example: closing line references dramatic imagery to reinforce the topic (e.g., tornado season imagery, reference to a Ferrari in flight).
  • Colosseum example: end with a historic quotation from the Venerable Bede emphasizing the enduring importance of the Colosseum.
  • Blues example: finishing with a nod to Muddy Waters and the lineage of American music.

Theoretical and Foundational Aspects

• The communication process model (referenced from Chapter 1) identifies internal interference as a barrier to audience reception; effective introductions mitigate this barrier.
• The relationship between introduction structure and audience adaptation (Ch. 6: Analyzing Your Audience) guides how to tailor relevance and credibility for a given audience.
• The structure of a well-crafted speech rests on a simple triad: tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them. Repetition through preview and review enhances retention.

Quick Reference: Checklist for a Strong Introduction

• Attention getter selected and delivered at the very start
• Relevance established: clearly answer "What’s in it for me?" and connect to audience needs
• Credibility established: show competence and character
• Thesis stated to frame the presentation
• Preview provided to outline the main points
• Transition smoothly into the body of the speech

Quick Reference: Checklist for a Strong Conclusion

• Summary of main points (restate thesis in past tense if appropriate)
• Memorable close that is relevant to the topic and audience
• Bookend the talk by echoing the opening device or referencing the opening theme
• Clear signal that the presentation is ending (e.g., signposts like "in closing")

Summary of Key Concepts

• The primacy/recency effect explains why the first and last items on a list are remembered best; leverage this in introductions and conclusions.
• Introduction goals: capture attention, establish relevance, establish credibility, preview the body.
• Attention-getting strategies: rhetorical questions, startling statements, imagination, storytelling, humor, quotations.
• Relevance and audience connection: tailor relevance statements to audience needs and specifics.
• Credibility: competence (prepared, organized) and character (honesty, trustworthiness).
• Preview and thesis: thesis states purpose and main points; preview outlines the main claims to set expectations.
• Ending: provide a summary and a memorable close; use signposts; bookend with the introduction when possible.
• Real-world examples (Tornado, Colosseum, Blues) illustrate how introductions and conclusions can be crafted and connected to a broader narrative.
• Practice questions (homework prompts) help reinforce understanding of introduction and conclusion design, as well as potential consequences of omitting elements.

Examples in Appendix (from the Transcript)

• Tornado speech summary example (summary of factors leading to tornado development, classification, and odd occurrences).
• Colosseum speech summary example (Colosseum’s influence on civilization; restoration and bloodshed context; hopeful future).
• Blues speech example (Delta blues origins; Chicago blues influence; roots of modern American music).
• Quotations and bookend usage: Venerable Bede quotation used to close the Colosseum speech; Sam Phillips quote used in the Blues speech.

Note on Ethical and Practical Considerations

• Humor must be appropriate to audience and occasion; avoid offense.
• Personal stories can enhance credibility when relevant, but should be clearly identified as true or fictional.
• Rhetorical questions should be purposeful and drive the topic forward rather than merely filling time.
• Credibility depends not only on what you say, but how you say it (delivery matters).