Chapter 13 Speaking to Infrom

Speaking to Inform

Functions of Informative Presentations

• Describe the different functions of informative speeches

  • Informative speeches are commonly delivered in diverse business, professional, classroom, and community settings

  • Such speeches should not be given when the speaker’s aim is really persuasive, as is the case with most issues of public controversy

  • In presenting an informative speech, the speaker may hope to do the following:

    • Share ideas and information

    • Shape listeners’ perceptions

    • Articulate alternatives

Types of Informative Speeches

• Compare and contrast the different types of informative speeches

  • Even though all informative speeches aim to help listeners gain understanding, several different types of informative presentations can be distinguished:

    • The speech of description

    • The speech of demonstration

    • The speech of explanation

    • The informative oral report

Organizing the Informative Speech

• Use appropriate strategies to organize your informative presentations.

  • Various organizational strategies are available for arranging informative speeches. Amon the organizational patterns commonly used for informative speaking are the following:

    • Chronological/sequential

    • Spatial

    • Categorical

    • Causal

  • Like other speeches, informative speeches can be approached in a variety of ways, depending on the speaker’s specific purpose.

How Audiences Learn from Informative Speeches

• Describe the different ways that speakers can make information interesting and memorable to an audience

  • Every informative speaker must be concerned with how listeners learn

    • Unfortunately, not all listeners are intrinsically motivated to learn

    • If listeners are resentful, bores, or simply convinces that they need to know what is being discussed, they can present real challenges for the speaker.

  • Listeners pay more attention if the speaker can show how his or her ideas are relevant, useful, and novel

  • The informative speaker should think about the learning process and strive to help listeners acquire information with a concern for ethical communication

    • Learning is more likely to take place if the speaker limits main points and details, provides emphasis, responds to audience questions, and actively engages the audience

    • The ethical informative speaker avoids giving a persuasive speech under the guise of an informative one and has the listeners’ best interests at heart

Key terms

Speech of demonstration - An informative speech intended to teach an audience how something works or how to do something

Speech of description - An informative speech intended to provide a clear picture of a place, event, person, or thing

Speech of explanation - An informative speech intended to help an audience understand complicated, abstract, or unfamiliar concepts or subjects

Informative oral report - An informative presentation, often technical in nature, intended to assist a group’s performance or decision making