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Types of Supporting Materials

Importance of Supporting Materials

• Supporting materials provide evidence to reinforce ideas in speeches.

• They help validate claims and enhance credibility.

Overview of Supporting Materials

• Types to be covered include:

  • Examples

  • Narratives

  • Definitions

  • Descriptions

  • Facts (historic and scientific)

  • Statistics

  • Testimony

Examples and Narratives

• Examples: Short, specific instances that illustrate a point.

  • Example: Discussing obesity with a specific case (e.g., John putting on 200 pounds).

• Narratives: Stories that evoke emotion and engage the audience.

  • Personal anecdote: A friend shared about a tragic car accident due to improper car seat usage, emphasizing the urgency of ensuring child safety.

  • Narratives can have a powerful emotional impact compared to statistics or expert opinions.

Definitions

• Use definitions to clarify terms for the audience.

• Stipulated Definition: Defines terms uniquely for the context of speech.

• Different types of definitions:

  • Classification: Explains what something is and what differentiates it from others.

  • Operational Definition: Describes how a term or concept functions in a particular context.

  • Contrast and Comparison: Highlight similarities and differences between concepts.

Descriptions

• Effective descriptions help the audience visualize and feel experiences.

• Use sensory language to engage different senses:

  • Visual: Sight

  • Auditory: Hearing

  • Olfactory: Smell

  • Gustatory: Taste

  • Tactile: Touch

  • Kinesthetic: Movement

  • Organic: Internal body feelings (e.g., feeling of dread).

• Example of a powerful description: "The American flag draped over the coffin like a mother hugging her child."

Facts

• Distinction between verified facts and "alternative facts."

• Importance of citing sources to enhance credibility.

  • Ensure facts are accurate and reliable.

Statistics

• Understand the significance of using statistics responsibly:

  • Statistics must quantify and show relationships.

  • Definitions of common statistical terms:

    • Mean: Average of a set of numbers.

    • Standard Deviation: Variability from the mean.

    • Median: Middle value in a sorted list.

    • Mode: Most frequently occurring number.

• Guidelines for using statistics:

  • Avoid overuse, use as support rather than main points.

  • Always provide the source of statistics.

  • Use graphs for better visual representation.

  • Be clear and ethical in presenting statistics.

Testimony

• Testimonies can be powerful forms of supporting material:

  • Testimony from experts gives weight to claims.

  • Always clarify credentials of individuals being quoted.

  • Peer Testimony: Can add drama but may lack credibility compared to expert testimony.

  • Example of peer testimony: Eyewitness accounts during breaking news situations can provide immediacy but are less reliable.

Conclusion

• Importance of these different types of supporting materials in crafting effective and persuasive speeches.

• Next focus: Ensuring audience attention.