Notes on Choosing Topics, Generating Ideas, Narrowing Topics, and Crafting Thesis Statements
CHOOSING TOPICS
Inspirational quote to frame topic choice: “Develop an interest in life as you see it; the world is so rich… Forget yourself.”
Chapter objectives: after reading, you should be able to:
Select and narrow a topic
Identify a general and specific purpose
Write a clear and concise thesis statement
Topic choice mindset:
Topic selection can be anxiety-inducing, but it should be exciting, not paralyzing.
Many students want to improve in topic selection; this chapter guides you to regret-free choices.
Three things to consider when selecting a topic: yourself, your audience, and your occasion.
Choose something you feel passionate about to maintain excitement.
Personal connections (life experiences, hobbies, job experiences, talents, major, organizations) build personal credibility and motivate the audience.
Consider audience interests, attitudes, and how the topic relates to their experiences to reduce insecurity.
Before finalizing a topic, ask classmates about their knowledge/feelings on your ideas to gauge interest.
Consider purpose and occasion: time available for research and presentation, assignment requirements, time of day, social climate, and current events.
Example: if presenting in October, consider a topic related to Halloween history or significance.
Civic Engagement Opportunity (CEO 5.1): If your instructor has assigned CEO 5.1, refer to it here.
GENERATING IDEAS
Goal: choose topics significant to you and your audience; topics should contribute new information to the audience.
Aim for a variety of topics that are worthy of both your and your audience’s time and energy.
Brainstorming as a key technique:
Set a reasonable time limit: 5–15 minutes to generate as many ideas as possible.
Organize thoughts with a personal inventory across categories (e.g., Places, Hobbies, Natural Phenomena, Objects, Pets, Unusual information).
Some ideas will be more suitable for speeches than others; use feedback from peers/instructor to narrow down.
Personal inventory (Table 5.1) shows sample categories and brainstormed topics:
Places: Australia, Vatican, Mt. Rushmore, etc.
Hobbies: Pottery, Guitar, Noodling, Clicker Training, Emus, etc.
Natural phenomena: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Tornadoes, etc.
Objects: Herbs, Cello, Doodles, Frisbees, etc.
Pets: Ferret, Hermit Crab, etc.
Additional categories for inventories include current events, social/local issues, beliefs, books, TV programs, games, possessions, little-known facts, etc.
Using mass media to generate ideas:
Watch local or national news and magazines; note main stories/headlines (Fig. 5.1 shows CNN and Fox).
Local media often localizes national/international stories; look for local angles relevant to your audience.
Consider a subject-based search engine (e.g., Yahoo) for topic directories; deeper directory navigation yields more detailed topic information.
CEO/MI references:
If instructor assigns related media interaction (MI 5.1) or meme interactions (M 5.1), refer to those sections.
NARROWING THE TOPIC
After selecting a topic, narrow it according to purpose and occasion to fit time limits.
Preliminary research helps determine scope:
How many search results? This indicates generality. Example: for "blues music" there were over hits; for "delta blues music" about hits; for "pre-war Mississippi delta blues" about hits.
Your research shows how others have addressed the topic and helps you decide divisions/subtopics.
Topic subdivision strategies:
Time (past, present, future), place (space or location), or subtopic (further subdivisions).
Other subdivision methods: categories, types, lists, steps, branches, functions, goals, dimensions, causes, effects, etc.
Example: if your speech is about the Pentagon, you could divide by time (pre-9/11, post-9/11), space (five sides of the building), or subtopic (the divisions within the Pentagon).
Concept mapping as a narrowing tool:
If time is insufficient, select a division and narrow further to a manageable focus.
Example narrowing for "communication apprehension": discuss it in terms of researchers, causes (heredity, situation, audience, context, skills deficit), effects (internal, external), or management strategies (systematic desensitization, cognitive restructuring, visualization, skills training).
Each division represents another layer of narrowing.
5.1 Concept Maps: If assigned Media Interaction 5.1 (MI 5.1), refer to it here; there are related speech videos on tornadoes, Colosseum, and Delta Blues.
Concept map visuals: Fig. 5.2 demonstrates narrowing a topic (e.g., communication apprehension) via branches to reach a focused, manageable topic.
5.1 CONCEPT MAPS
Concept maps help visually organize how to narrow topics and identify focus areas.
They are used to illustrate how a broad topic can be subdivided into more precise subtopics.
If instructor assigns MI 5.1, follow that guidance; other related media may include tornadoes, Colosseum, and Delta Blues videos.
TOPIC-ORIENTED OVERVIEW OF GENERAL PURPOSES, SPECIFIC PURPOSES, AND THESIS STATEMENTS
General purpose statements categorize the overall aim of a speech into one of four categories: inform, persuade, entertain, or commemorate.
For many first speeches, the focus will be on inform or persuade; understanding these purposes helps in ethical and goal-directed communication.
Ceremonial speeches (e.g., wedding toasts) serve as the exception where the presentation itself is the end, often relying on stories and sentiment.
SPEECHES TO INFORM
Role: the speaker acts as a teacher, presenting information that adds significance to the audience’s knowledge.
Goal: teach about an object, person, event, process, or concept the audience wouldn’t know otherwise.
Suitable topics: people, places, organizations, hobbies, books, TV programs, games, natural phenomena, possessions, pets, little-known/unusual information, and more.
Emphasis: ensure the audience learns something new.
Instructor warning: pick topics the instructor may not have heard many times; novelty and relevance are valued.
SPEECHES TO PERSUADE
Role: the speaker is an advocate aiming to influence audience attitudes, beliefs, or actions on a controversial issue.
Topics tend to align with current events, social/local issues, or beliefs.
Strategy: stay attuned to what’s happening around you; use newspapers, TV programs, and news websites to identify issues worth taking a position on.
Example topic: Michael Phelps could be covered informatively (career) or persuasively (argue why certain aspects of his career or behavior matter).
5.2 KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION (HOMEWORK-RELATED)
PPA 5.2b Homework (sample): Explain the difference in the speaker’s role when giving an informative speech versus a persuasive speech.
SPEECHES TO ENTERTAIN
Purpose: to make an important point in a creative or humorous way.
Approach: begin with the serious message you want to convey, then find humorous ways to present it.
Structure: should have a recognizable thesis, main points, and supporting material, but presented in a lighter, subtler manner than formal informative/persuasive speeches.
Humor considerations: tailor humor to audience culture, values, attitudes, and beliefs to avoid offense.
SPEECHES TO COMMEMORATE
Purpose: celebrate anniversaries, national holidays, or important dates; include tributes to people/events.
Style: usually formal; language should be expressive, elegant, and eloquent.
Role: combine informative (highlight facts) with advocacy (inspire the audience to apply or transfer values to the present/future).
Focus: isolate actions and values of the person/event and connect them to the audience’s context.
Emotional engagement: aim for vivid re-experiencing of emotions to motivate action.
SUMMARY OF PURPOSES AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Keep your general purpose in mind when developing your topic; avoid attempts to persuade if your aim is to inform.
Ethical speaking: stay true to your stated general purpose; avoid misalignment that would mislead or manipulate the audience.
MOVING FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Process: start with General Purpose, then derive a Specific Purpose by narrowing the topic.
Specific Purpose: what, specifically, you will inform or persuade the audience about; should be focused and researchable within the time frame.
Importance of audience and topic focus: the Specific Purpose guides what you include/exclude in research and planning.
Examples:
General: To inform
Specific: To inform my audience about the strategies for managing communication apprehension. This narrows from a broad topic to a concrete focus.
In some cases, the general topic can become the specific purpose if the occasion allows exploring the topic in full.
GUIDELINES FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE
The Specific Purpose should include:
General purpose
Focus of topic
Audience
Write as a clear, audience-directed statement (avoid questions); keep it concise.
Use the Specific Purpose to guide research decisions and speech planning.
Example running topics used in class: tornadoes, the Roman Colosseum, and the Delta blues (with complete outlines in Appendices A–C).
Suggestions for clarity:
Include the general purpose, focus, and audience in the statement.
Be specific and avoid overly broad topics.
Ensure the statement is answerable within the time limit.
Common pitfalls: broad/general phrasing, questions, and overly long statements.
If used for evaluation, align with instructor preferences for wording.
5.1 SPECIFIC PURPOSES—EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE?
Note: If CI 5.1 is assigned, refer to it here.
5.3 KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION (RESEARCH GUIDANCE)
The Specific Purpose helps with research decisions by keeping focus on audience needs and the speech’s goal.
Maintaining focus on the Specific Purpose during research ensures relevance and coherence.
THESIS STATEMENT
Definition: a clear and concise sentence that provides an overview of the entire presentation; the most important sentence of the speech.
Role: throughout the speech, reinforce the ideas presented in the thesis.
MOVING FROM THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE TO THE THESIS STATEMENT
After narrowing to a Specific Purpose, proceed to identify the main points (the thesis).
Example flow: General Purpose → Specific Purpose → Thesis Statement.
Examples:
General: To inform
Specific: To inform my audience about the treatments of communication apprehension
Thesis: Communication apprehension can be treated using systematic desensitization, visualization, cognitive restructuring, and skills training.
Note: The thesis states the main points (the “claims”) without including the general purpose (which is implied).
Other example: General Purpose: To inform; Specific Purpose with Colosseum topic; Thesis elaborates the main points (architectural wonders, Games terror, restoration plans).
By listing main points in the thesis, the audience can anticipate the organizational pattern (informative speeches often use time, space, or subtopic patterns).
Labeling main points clearly helps audience follow and remember; use parallel structure in labels (two-word or consistent forms).
LABELING MAIN POINTS AND PARALLELISM
Examples of labeling:
Ineffective labels: 1. Causes 2. Types 3. Weird things that happen
Thesis with ineffective labels: There are several causes, classifications, and oddities associated with tornadoes.
More effective labels: 1. Causes 2. Classifications 3. Oddities
Thesis with effective labels: There are several causes, classifications, and oddities associated with tornadoes.
Parallelism guidance: ensure all main points use a consistent form (e.g., two-word labels, or all nouns, etc.).
Example exercise: make tornado labels parallel (e.g., 1. Causes 2. Classifications 3. Oddities).
For the communication apprehension example, improve parallelism to make labels uniform.
A suggested set: 1. Systematic desensitization 2. Cognitive restructuring 3. Positive visualization 4. Skills training. Consider calling #3 “Positive Visualization” to maintain two-word parity across all labels.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT
Remember these guidelines for writing the thesis, mirroring the specific purpose guidelines:
Write the thesis to include general purpose, focus of topic, audience, and claims; clearly label your claims so the audience can follow.
Do not be too broad or general; in-depth treatment of a few claims is better than shallow coverage of many.
Write the thesis with as few words as possible; you have a lot of information to provide, so conciseness matters.
Write the thesis as a complete statement, not a question; your purpose is to provide information, not seek it.
The thesis should encapsulate the entire presentation and serve as the backbone of your speech.
Note: You will gain more detail about audience analysis, locating support, and organizing ideas in upcoming chapters; the thesis is foundational but not the final planning step.
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES AND TIMELINES
Before thesis work, perform audience analysis, locate supporting material, and organize ideas; these steps influence the final thesis and structure.
The next three chapters will provide more information on how to accomplish these steps.
5.2 THESIS STATEMENTS—EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE? (RELEVANT HISTORY)
If CI 5.2 is assigned, refer to it here.
Summary: a strong thesis statement is essential, but learning to craft it takes practice and alignment with audience, purpose, and research.
WHY A CLEAR THESIS MATTERS
The thesis statement is the base of the speech and ties all content back to the central idea.
A clear thesis helps the audience understand the organization and follow the argument or information flow.
A well-crafted thesis supports a well-structured, coherent presentation and aids audience retention.
WHY A THESIS MATTER (EXPLANATIONS AND STUDENT EXAMPLES)
Example rationale for clarity: a thesis helps the audience retain information by providing a clear outline.
Clear thesis guides research decisions and the selection of supporting material.
Implications of a poor thesis: lack of focus leading to audience confusion and reduced retention.
PPA/PPK HOMEWORK SECTIONS (5.4)
5.4a Homework: Unanswered/Answered prompts related to the importance of a clear thesis.
5.4b Homework: Unanswered prompts on implications of not providing a clear thesis statement; the need for clarity and organization in the speech.
Note: These sections illustrate practical guidance and assessment prompts for students.
THESIS STATEMENT PRACTICE AND EXAMPLES
General and specific examples are used throughout to illustrate how to craft effective thesis statements and supporting main points.
Exercise: Create thesis statements that clearly include topic focus, audience, and the main points (labels) to provide a roadmap for the audience.
POST-THESIS WRITING GUIDELINES
The thesis should function as a blueprint for the speech, guiding research and outlining the main points.
The content following the thesis should be organized to satisfy the stated main points, using labeled, parallel structure for readability and retention.
SUMMARY: KEY TAKEAWAYS AND TERMS
The chapter covers how to choose and narrow topics, move from general to specific purposes, and craft thesis statements.
Key processes include brainstorming, personal inventories, mass-media ideation, and concept mapping.
Important distinctions:
General purpose vs. specific purpose vs. thesis statement
Informative vs. persuasive vs. entertaining vs. commemorative speeches
Important structures and strategies:
Subdivision methods: time, place, subtopic; other subdivisions: categories, types, lists, steps, branches, functions, goals, dimensions, causes, effects
Topic narrowing through preliminary research and concept mapping (Fig. 5.2)
Labeling main points with parallel, concise language
Writing clear, complete thesis statements with audience-focused aims
Ethics and audience awareness:
Align your general purpose with ethical communication; avoid persuading when the goal is informing
Consider audience beliefs, values, and potential sensitivities (e.g., humor) in presentation design
KEY TERMS:
brainstorming
commemorative speeches
concept mapping
general purpose statements
informative speeches
oral style
parallel in structure
personal inventory
persuasive speeches
significant topics
specific purpose statement
speeches to entertain
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Figures and Tables referenced: Fig. 5.1 (News media with CNN and Fox), Fig. 5.2 (Concept Map example for narrowing a topic like communication apprehension), Table 5.1 (Personal inventory with brainstormed topics) and Table 5.1a/5.1b/5.1c (informative/persuasive topic categories).
Real-world relevance: use current events and local angles to make topics timely and engaging for audiences.
Practice prompts and example topics used in class include tornadoes, the Roman Colosseum, and the Delta blues to demonstrate how to structure informative topics and subsequent thesis statements.
A thesis statement is a clear and concise sentence that provides an overview of the entire presentation; it is considered the most important sentence of a speech.
In terms of preparing your speech, the five components that should be included in your thesis statement are:
The general purpose of the speech.
The focus of the topic.
The intended audience.
The main claims (main points) of the speech.
Clear labeling of your claims, often using parallelism, so the audience can easily follow.