I.

SPEECH ACCORDING TO PURPOSE AND

FUNCTION

A. INFORMATIVE SPEECH/ SPEECH TO INFORM

PURPOSE OF THE SPEECH TO INFORM
An informative speech provides information to an audience. The purpose of an
informative speech is to help your audience understand and remember the information
you are presenting. While no one can foretell accurately what kind of speeches you may
be called upon to present in the future, it is a safe bet that you will speak many times to
inform people. Because so many speeches are informative in nature, you are offered
here the opportunity to become acquainted with the informative speech.
Explanation of the speech to inform
The speech to inform people provides them a clear understanding of the speakers
ideas on a subject. It also arouses interest in the subject because the material which is
presented is relevant to the lives of those who hear it. It is important that the speaker
provide this material while making it relevant and interesting to the audience. To
accomplish the ends of informative speaking, it is necessary to select a subject of
interest to himself and his listeners. This can be done by analyzing the audience in
this case your classmates. You as the speaker are charged further with the serious
responsibility of knowing what you are talking about, knowing more about it, in fact, than
anyone in your audience does. For this reason, your talk demands that you study not
one but several sources of information.
How to Choose a Topic
Select something that interests you and that is appropriate to the audience you are to
address. Be sure that you can find information about the topic you select. Do not put off
choosing a topic. Always look carefully at your topic to see that you have limited it to a

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manageable size. If the topic is too broad, consider particular features or a specific

perspective from which the topic can be examined.

How to Prepare a Speech to Inform
To prepare for this speech, you must know and follow certain fundamentals of
preparation. These consist of the following steps:
1. Choose your subject.
2. Analyze the occasion.
3. Diagnose the audience.
4. Gather your material.
5. Organize and support your main points with evidence.
6. Word your speech by writing it out in full, in part, or by rehearsing it from an outline.
7. Practice aloud.
Organizing the Body of an Informative Speech
You can select from a variety of ways to organize the body of your informative speech.
The following list gives specific suggestions about applying these methods to organize
an informative speech.
1. Chronological Order- arranges details or events according to the order in which they
occurred in time. Chronological order is often useful for speeches that present a history
of something. It is also useful in speeches that explain procedures or events step by
step.
2. Topical Order- A topic is broken down into its parts and then arranged in an order
determined by the speaker and stated in the specific purpose. Topical order is also used
for a process speech that addresses more than one main point. In this method of
organization, the main points are arranged in topical order, and then their subdivisions
are arranged chronologically.
3. Spatial Order-details are arranged according to their position in space. This
arrangement is often used for descriptions.
4. Climactic Order-arranges items according to their order of importance, usually
starting with the least important item of information and ending with the item of

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information that is the most important.

5. Cause-and-Effect Order-information is arranged to show causes or conditions and

the effects or results of those causes or conditions.
6. Comparison-and-Contrast Order-items of information are arranged to show the
similarities and differences between the items.
If you wish to organize your thoughts logically, you should decide early what objective
you hope to attain and what reaction you want from this particular audience. Next, the
information you present must be accurate. For accuracy of information, acceptable
sources of information written by reliable and competent authorities must be consulted.
Your audience should know where you get your material. What is more, you are the
person to identify these sources and authorities. You are expected to go even further in
this matter of giving information: you are expected to offer your conclusions and views
and evaluations of your information.
EXAMPLES OF INFORMATIVE SPEECHES
The Declaration of War on the US by Adolf Hitler
Alexander Stephens - Secession Is The Height Of Madness
Bill Gates Speech at Stanford University
Enoch Powell Speech - Rivers Of Blood
General Dwight D Eisenhower - D Day Order
George W Bush Speech - Capture Of Saddam Hussein
Golda Meir - Gaza Strip
J K Galbraith Speech - The Affluent Society
John Brown Speech - To The Court At His Trial
King Edward VIII - Abdication Speech
Margaret Thatcher Speech - Foreign Policy Of Great Britain
Neville Chamberlain - On The Nazi Invasion Of Poland
Newton N Minow - Wasteland Speech
Russell Conwell Speech - Acres Of Diamonds
Spiro Agnew Speech - Television News Coverage

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Thomas Babington Macaulay - Copyright Law

Thomas Babington Macaulay Speech - Government Of India

B. PERSUASIVE SPEECH/ SPEECH TO PERSUADE (or

convince)
Persuasive speech- A speech that tries to convince someone to think, believe, or act
the way the speaker wants them to is a persuasive speech. A persuasive speech is one
that:
Establishes a fact
Changes a belief
Moves an audience to act on a policy
Types of Persuasion- Persuasive speeches deal with three types of questions that can
be answered in more than one way.
A question of fact concerns statements that can be seen as either true or false.
You offer proof to support a statement of fact, but the audience determines
whether you have convincingly proved the statement of fact is true.
A question of belief focuses on what is right or wrong, good or bad, best or worst,
moral or immoral. While you cannot prove that a belief is true or false, you can
supply convincing information to justify a belief.
A question of policy focuses on a particular action. You try to convince the
audience to act on some policy or to agree that some policy should be changed.
A good persuasive topic is one that :
1. you feel strongly about
2. other people may have different views on
USING PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES

Applying Logical Reasoning means building an argument that is based on

reasons supported by evidence.
To find reasons to support your thesis, you can use three sources
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* yourself
* other people
* reference material
A reason is a statement that explains or justifies your point. It answers the questionWhy? .
Testimonials are statements attesting to the worth of someone or something.
Evidence is material that establishes the soundness of each reason.
How to Evaluate Reasons
1. Is each reason relevant to you point? Does it answer the question why concerning
your point?
2. Each reason should be separate from your other reasons (distinct).
3. Does each reason provide strong support for your point?
4. Will the audience consider the reason important?
5. Do you have the right amount of reasons?...too few and the audience may feel you
have not answered the question why? . Too many and they may be overwhelmed
and lose the thread of your argument.
A fact is an item of information or a statement that can be verified, or checked, by
testing, by observing, or by consulting reference materials.
An expert opinion is a statement of belief about a subject by a knowledgeable person
recognized as an authority on that subject. Such statements cannot be proved, because
they express value judgments. Expert opinion is not always perceived by an audience to
be as strong as factual evidence.
How to Evaluate Evidence
1. Is the evidence relevant to the reason it supports?
2. Is the evidence verifiable and reliable?
3. Is there enough evidence?

Developing Emotional Appeals-An emotional appeal is a statement that

arouses strong feelingspleasure or anger, joy or sadness, pride or shamein
an audience. You can develop emotional appeals for any persuasive speech in

three ways:
1. Citing Specifics. When you cite specifics, you mention or refer to details or examples
that clearly illustrate a point you want to make. By citing specifics, you may remove
any uncertainty your audience may have about your meaning.
2. Using Vivid Language. When you use descriptive language effectively, you enable

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your listeners to picture situations that you are referring to.

3. Including Personal References. When you refer to the audience directly or when you
relate the topic you are discussing to the audiences direct experiences, you make
your listeners feel that they have a personal stake in the topic and you increase their
interest.

Establishing Your Credibility Credibility is the quality of being believable. A

credible person is trustworthy, someone you see as competent, sincere, and

dynamic.
1. Competence is the state of being well qualified. It comes from knowledge and
preparation. To establish your competence, you have to know your topic thoroughly
and show that you are knowledgeable.
2. Sincerity is the quality of being genuine. It is primarily conveyed by your tone of
voice, and it usually cant be faked. To establish your sincerity, you have to genuinely
care about both your topic and your audience.
3. Dynamism is the quality of being energetic and enthusiastic. It is expressed by your
tone of voice as well as by your nonverbal behavioryour appearance, eye contact,
facial expressions, gestures, and posture. Enthusiasm is contagious. The more
dynamic you are, the more receptive to your ideas your audience is likely to be.

Meeting Ethical Standards- Ethical standards are societys guidelines for

right, just, and moral behavior. Violating ethical standards can destroy a
speakers credibility. It is unethical for speakers
To lie or deceive
To distort
To engage in name-calling
To attack a person or an idea without giving evidence
To deny the opposition the right to reply
Your goal is to persuade the people in your audience, not to manipulate them.

Persuasion uses logical reasoning and emotional appeals to convince your listeners to
agree with you of their own free will. You want them to adopt your view point or to take
specific action, but you are not coercing, or forcing, them to do so. By contrast,
manipulation is the shrewd or devious management of facts for your own purpose. It is
based on the unethical distortion of information: withholding key information, presenting

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half-truths, purposely misrepresenting ideas and details.

If you try to manipulate your audience or follow any other unethical practices, you
will probably fail to achieve your goal. Once your listeners discover that you have
deceived them, you lose your credibility and become totally ineffective.
Adapting Your Persuasive Speech to Your Audience
With the persuasive speech more than with any other, adapting your speech so that it
both reaches and moves your audience is crucial to your success. While individual
members of an audience may have different attitudes about a topic there are four main
types of audiences.
Favorable audienceis one in which the majority of listeners agree, from slightly
to completely, with your thesis. Listeners with this type of favorable attitude need
to have their existing feelings strengthened to such a degree that they will act on
their feelings.
Neutral audienceis one in which the majority of the listeners have not reached
a decision about your thesis. Neutral audiences will generally give all sides an
equal hearing. They need information to persuade them to take a stand.
An apathetic audience is one in which a majority of the listeners have no
interest in your thesis. These listeners need to be shown how your thesis affects
them personally.
A hostile audienceis one in which the majority of the listeners oppose your
thesis. These listeners need to be shown that they are being fair in listening to
you, that what you have to say matters to them, and that you are worth listening
to. A good approach may be to compliment your listeners on their fairness for
listening to you and acknowledge the validity of their point of view.
ORGANIZING YOUR SPEECHPersuasive speeches are organized according to two
approaches: deductive and inductive.
Using a Deductive ApproachIn a deductive approach, you begin with your
thesis and then present reasons to support it. When you organize your
material deductively, you try to move your audience from the general to the

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specific. Three types of deductive approaches are:

The statement of reasons method

The problemsolution method
The comparative advantage method

Statement of Reasons Method. The statement of reasons method is the

classic deductive approach in which the thesis is stated directly and followed by
supporting reasons. This method works well with a favorable audience, since your

listeners are not likely to be turned off by a direct approach.

Problem Solution MethodWith the problem-solution method, you first present a
problem and then offer at least one possible solution for that problem. You continue
with this pattern for each problem you have identified. This method works well with
both favorable and neutral audiences. It can also succeed with apathetic audiences

if you personalize both the problem and the solution convincingly.

Comparative Advantage MethodThe comparative advantage method presents
each reason as a benefit to the audience. Sometimes the advantage of each reason
is stated directly, using words like more or better; other times it is simply implied, or
suggested. This method works well with neutral audiences. By directly presenting
the benefits, you might sway a neutral audience to adopt your viewpoint.
Using an Inductive ApproachIn an inductive approach, you begin with your
reasons and lead up to your thesis. When you organize your speech
inductively, you try to move your audience from the specific to the general.
The inductive approach is the opposite of the deductive approach. Three
types of inductive approaches are:
The criteria-satisfaction method
The negative method
The Monroe motivated sequence

Criteria-Satisfaction Method. The criteria-satisfaction method has the purpose of

getting the audience to agree to the soundness of certain criteria, or standards. Then
you show how your proposal satisfies those criteria. This method is especially useful
with hostile audience members who need to be shown that what you have to say
matters to them and that you are worth listening to.
Negative Method. With the negative method, you show that no option other than the

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one you propose is acceptable. This method can work well with a hostile audience if
you give your listeners enough solid evidence to convince them to agree with every

one of your reasons. Monroe Motivated Sequence.

The Monroe motivated sequence, is based on the premise that in order to convince
an audience to act, a speaker must
1. draw attention to the problem
2. show a need for some action
3. outline a plan that will satisfy that need
4. help the audience visualize the benefits of that plan of action
5. suggest a specific action that puts the plan into practice

EXAMPLE OF PERSUASIVE SPEECHES

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Mandatory reporting in healthcare. Adverse events to be accurately reported.

Food additives and unhealthiness.
Overreaction to cholesterol.
The dangers of asbestos removal.
The glut of paper products.
Meat consumption and health.
The hazards of Ill-fitting shoes.
Legalization of marijuana.
Underground gasoline tanks leaks.
Pension plans going broke.

C. ENTERTANING SPEECH/ SPEECH TO ENTERTAIN

(Occasional)
Entertainment is a universal human need, more in demand today than ever before.
Conventions and civic, professional and social club meetings always need entertaining
speakers for their programs. Many speakers assume that entertaining is easy and end
up boring their audience to tears. Taking time to learn and practice the fundamentals will
help you project that lighthearted relaxation audiences love.
The primary purpose of a speech to entertain is to have the audience relax, smile and
enjoy the occasion. The speech should have a central theme or a focus. A series of

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jokes will NOT work well for this type of speech. Good speeches to entertain typically

mix humor with more serious morals, lessons learned, or experiences. In other words,
they have a real point to make they are not just silly, slapstick humor. You can tell a
lighthearted, personal story that reveals a life lesson youve learned or examine a
familiar subject from a different and unexpected viewpoint or take a lighthearted look at
a particular issue
A speech that entertains is like the sizzle in a steak. It is not substantial within itself
and it is not meant to be. Its value lies in the enjoyment of the audience. People do not
want to work hard mentally, and they don't want to hear anything negative or gloomy.
While some entertaining speeches include humor, a speech need not be funny in order
to entertain. The dramas you watch on television, for example, may not have a single
funny line in them and yet you thoroughly enjoy them. Your audience may be
entertained by your presentation of interesting information or the story of your recent
trip. Hearing a dramatic narrative can be just as pleasurable as a humorous talk.
Whatever your approach, keep in mind that you are not there to give the audience deep
understanding. Your purpose is to provide an interesting diversion. This doesn't mean
the speech can't have a message. But the message should not be the major focus of
the speech.
Selecting a Topic
Consider what you do in your free time, what you enjoy reading about, your general
interests and use these subjects as the basis for your talk. You could also speak about a
common experience with which your audience is familiar.
For example, you could talk about driving, shopping, or other dayto- day experiences
your audience will have shared. If the group you will be speaking to has a specific
purpose, relate your talk at least loosely to the group and its purposes. For example, if
you will be speaking to a gardening club, your talk should be related to gardening and
your gardening experiences. When a speaker is personally involved with a topic, most
likely the audience will become involved as well. The more personal involvement,
interest and enthusiasm you bring to a speech, the more likely your audience will

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respond positively.

Organizing Your Speech

An entertaining speech is more loosely organized than most other types of speeches,
but it still should have the following structure:
Opening. The opening should provoke an immediate response from the
audience, setting the mood for the talk.
Body. There should be a general direction to your speech, but it need not
be rigidly organized into points and transitions. Make the body of the
speech a sequence of little buildups to a climax or punch line, followed by
a breathing space for the audience to get ready for the next buildup. The
construction may be loose and casual, but is should never be careless.
Keep the momentum going all the way to the end.
Conclusion. The conclusion should be brief, sudden and definite. Save
some of your best material for last. Your conclusion should not be an
anticlimax. Avoid leaving the impression that you have suddenly run out of
material. The audience should feel that your intention has been
accomplished and you have reached a natural stopping point.
Have a Good Time
If you want your audience to enjoy themselves, you must appear to be enjoying
yourself. Be good-natured and optimistic. Avoid focusing on negative things except to
make fun of them. The audience does not want argument, persuasion or lecture. They
want to be entertained and they expect you to be their leader. As you construct your
speech, keep these points in mind:
Simplicity. The audience should not have to work too hard to follow your
presentation. Keep your thoughts and speech organization simple.
Vividness. Choose your words carefully and make them have impact. For
example, instead of saying, "He stood up," say, "He leaped from his chair, his
eyes blazing." Strive to create images so real they will linger in listeners' minds.
Twists. The secret of a successful story is the use of unexpected twists and
turns. Your audience is ready to be delighted and thrilled by the unexpected, just
as if they were in an amusement park. Don't disappoint them by plodding along in

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a straight line.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
An entertaining speech need not be funny. It simply gives the audience an opportunity
to enjoy themselves in some way. The speech may have a message, but the message
is not the major focus of the speech. Relate your talk to the audience and its interests,
incorporating personal experiences. Be positive, avoid lecturing and strive for simplicity.
The audience should not have to work too hard to follow your presentation.
EXAMPLE OF SPEECH TO ENTERTAIN

Summer jobs: Summer jobs for high schoolers: The daily diary of the
American Nightmare.

D. SPEECH TO ACTUATE
Speeches to actuate are designed to motivate particular behaviors. Think of a time
when you found yourself up at 2 a.m. watching infomercials. Someone on the television
screen was trying very hard to sell you a $20 spatula that morphed into a spoon with the
click of a button. The salesperson described its utility and innovation for your kitchen,
and he described why it would be a good purchase for youafter all, how does a busy
person like you have time to use two different utensils? But wait, he would say, theres
more! In case he had not already convinced you that you needed this kitchen tool, he
ended his spiel with a final pleaan extra Spoonatula for free. In this infomercial, the
salesperson attempted to convince you that you needed to buy the kitchen toolit will
save you time and money. Thus, not only was the commercial an attempt to convince
you to change how you felt about spoons and spatulas, but also an effort to incite you to
action to actually purchase the Spoonatula. This illustrates a function of persuasive
speeches, to motivate behavior.

II.

SPEECHES ACCORDING TO OCCASION

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Purpose of special occasion speeches

In your personal and professional life, you will likely have the opportunity to give at
least one ceremonial speech to celebrate an event or contribute to a companys
corporate image. Regardless of the occasion, epideictic or ceremonial speaking calls for
language that is arousing, clear, and inspiring. In addition, Osborn and Osborn (1994)
suggest that language use and delivery style should serve to magnify and identify.
Magnification means giving benefit to the audience, amplifying emotion, and exceeding
expectations. This technique involves promoting positivity and goodwill among the
people gathered for the occasion as well as helping to build the audiences feelings
toward the person honored or the reason for the occasion. Identification involves
creating familiarity and closeness. Special occasion speaking, among other things,
helps build community, and a speakers language and delivery style can serve to
enhance feelings of togetherness.
A special occasion or ceremonial speech, regardless of the level of formality, should
have a purpose that is clear to the speaker and the audience members. A ceremonial
speech can do a variety of things, such as celebrate an event, commemorate a person,
entertain an audience, or inspire people (OHair, Stewart, & Rubenstein, 2001). Each
type of ceremonial speaking occasion has its unique considerations, and each speech
needs to be adapted to the audience, the honored person(s), the social context, and the
event. This section covers several types of ceremonial speeches: speech of
introduction, toast and roast, award presentation, acceptance speech, keynote address,
commencement address, commemorative speech or tribute, and after-dinner speech.

A. WELCOME SPEECH
The Welcome Speech is must in a formal meeting. It is normally the president who
delivers the welcome speech or the welcome address as it is formally
known. Welcome speech marks the start of any special event or occasion requiring a
formal opening. It could be a meeting, a lecture, a workshop, or a celebration.

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Some guidelines:

1. Salutation: This is the first formal speech in a meeting. It is the duty of the
speechmaker to start building a bridge between the audience and the people on the
dais (Incidentally, the stage is called Dais pronounced dayis and not dayas) and so, his
salutation will include the names and designations of all the people on the dais.
2. General Welcome: It is my pleasant duty to welcome you all to this meeting.
3. History: A few words about the past events those which happened before the event
that is happening.
4. Purpose of the meeting : In the formal set up, the purpose of the meeting should be
explained to the audience so that they will start expecting something out of the
meeting.
5. Individual Welcome: All the people on the dais who are not members of your
organization need to be individually welcomed. The order is first, the most important
person for that meeting, generally the chief guest. Followed by the guest of honor, if
any. Do not begin the individual welcome by saying, "when we went to meet Mr our
chief guest"
This is irrelevant. Similarly phrases like "Who readily accepted our invitation" "Who has
come here in spite of his busy schedule" These are clichs and spoil the impact of your
speech.
It would be much nicer to say:

We are honoured with the presence of

We welcome you Sir.
A long pending desire has been fulfilled today with presence of Mr. . in our
midst, I welcome you sir.

6. Specific Welcome: Welcome the VIPs in the audience, not necessarily by name, such
as, "The past presidents of our chapter, presidents of the Rotary and Lions Clubs,
Pressperson present in our midst. ... "
7. General Welcome: Once again, welcome everyone present.
8. Conclusion: "I hope you will have a pleasant evening" Thank you.
QUESTIONS from audience are a welcome sign. It shows they have listened to you.

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Answer if you can, otherwise ask all present to answer. Do not bluff. Do not feel hurt.

Answer with wit, tact and humor. Answer short and sweet. Be at your best.
NEVER try to recall what you had written & rehearsed. Speak as it comes to you
naturally. It will be far superior to the write up.
IGNORE if you have erred and no one noticed. ADMIT & correct if it is pointed out.

Writing an Effective Welcome Speech

When you are put in charge of greeting a new addition to your team or organization, you
have to think carefully about how to go about writing an effective welcome speech. It is
proper etiquette to welcome an individual or group to an organization with a welcome
speech: It is a formality that makes people feel welcomed, supported, and motivated.
Take the time to write one, and you will instantly win over the support and affection of a
crowd.
Formatting Your Welcome Speech
Your welcome speech should be about five minutes long. Include the following
information in your speech:

A greeting to both the original members of an organization, any honorary people

present, and the new addition or additions to your group or organization.
Sometimes, the people joining you that you are addressing in the welcome speech
will be a few individuals you can point out by name. Other times, it might be a
particular group such as The Class of 2010, The Quality Assurance Team, or
the wildly popular rock band, Aerosmith.

Some background information about why you have come together on this day,
and what will take place after the greetings are over.

Share some goals that will motivate everyone to accept the new members of the
group and that will initiate bonding and teamwork among everyone.
Send everyone off to work together in a motivating fashion. Leave everyone
excited about what is to come, and use your welcome speech to start everything out
on a positive note.
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Making the Speech Effective

Think about doing your research beforehand so that you can prepare everyone well with
solid information for what is to come. Make sure you get everyones titles and names
correctly and make sure you know how to correctly pronounce them.
The key is to get everyone excited about what is in the future not explain everything
that will happen in detail. It can be annoying and frustrating to listen to a long, drawn-out
speech that will only spoil the events, meetings and ideas that are to come.
What to Avoid in Your Speech
Try to steer clear of revealing extremely personal information with the crowd. Your
speech should serve as a welcoming introduction, not a full briefing on each individual.
By saving some details for later, you make sure that people will excited to personally
meet with each other and learn from each other.
Engage Your Audience
Remember this is when people will be most excited and attentive. Everything is just
starting, and everyone is just meeting each other. This being said, you shouldnt have to
work too hard to engage your audience. Be honest, and share why it is exciting to all be
together and welcome each other.
Make sure that you keep a positive, upbeat attitude as you read your short speech. It
should feel honest and welcoming. Try to be friendly and courteous to all parties you are
welcoming, and share why it is an incredible opportunity to all together in the same
place.
Towards the end of your short speech, share a little information on what will directly
follow your speech be it a brunch, a formal lecture, or another activity. You should
know that you can also share some big goals of what will happen while you are all
together. Perhaps you can put together some ideas about the benefits of working
together, such as building team spirit and engaging with each other. For more
information about writing an effective welcome speech, ask your colleagues what they

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are expecting to hear at the meeting.

B. SPEECH OF INTRODUCTION
The purpose of a speech of introduction is to introduce the person who will give an
important address. Keynote speakers are introduced, as are commencement speakers
and speakers delivering inaugural remarks. When you deliver this type of speech, think
of yourself as the conduit through which the audience learns something about the
speaker. This speech is important because it has the potential to enhance the
introduced speakers credibility.
A speech of introduction can be viewed as creative mini-speech. Even the
speech of introduction has an introduction, body, and conclusion. It is your job to
heighten the anticipation and to prepare your audience for a positive experience. You
can accomplish these goals by describing the speakers accomplishments in an
appropriate way. Tell your listeners about the speakers background and why he or she
was invited to address the gathering.
The following four guidelines will help you prepare appropriate introductory
remarks:
1. Set the tone and be brief but personal
The tone of the speech of introduction should match the tone of the speech one
is introducing. If a comedian is going to do his/her act the following the speech of
introduction, then a humorous tone is warranted. If the main speaker will be
discussing something serious, then the speech of introduction should set the
tone.
As part of the introduction speakers preparation, it is helpful to talk with the
featured speaker. Doing so may give you important information for the speech as
well as some indication of the persons expectations for introduction. Oftentimes,
professional or experienced speakers will have prepared a hort introduction for
you to tailor into your remarks. Be sure to find out how you can hel with your
comments by asking the speaker.
2. Create Realistic Expectations
By telling the audience, This is the funniest speech youll ever hear,
or This woman is known as a brilliant communicator, you are making

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it difficult for the speaker to succeed. Identify what you hope the

audience will experience without creating a bar too high for anyone to
clear.
3. Avoid Summarizing the Speakers Intended Remarks
Your job is to provide an enticement to listen, not a summary of the remarks to
follow. You might tell an audience of college students that you brought a wellknown financial advisor to your college to help you make wise financial decisions.
Avoid saying, This speaker will tell you to reduce your spending, save a little
money each month, distinguish between wants and needs, and pay your credit
card balance on time. This is clearly interfering with the speakers plan. Teasing
a message means providing your audience with a hint of what is to come by
mentioning something specific they will want to learn from the speaker. If you
have any questions about how much to include in the introduction, share your
proposed comments with the main speaker before your presentation.
4. Recognize the Potential for Spontaneity
Spontaneous introductions are sometimes appropriate. An unexpected guest
who you want to acknowledge may be in the audience. Something may have
happened to the speaker, in the audience, or in the world just before the
introductory speech, making the planned introduction less effective.
EXAMPLE OF SPEECH OF INTRODUCTION
The person giving our keynote address is someone we all know and admire.
Not only is Dr. Brian Garcia an alum of our university and department, but he has gone
on to make major contributions to our field. As one of our nations foremost experts in
end-of-life care and communication, Dr. Garcia has written over 50 journal articles and
book chapters on this field. We are privileged today to hear him speak on hospice care
and the Hispanic population. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Brian Garcia.

C. PRESENTATION SPEECH
The presentation speech is delivered as part of a ceremony to recognize an individual
or group chosen for special honors. Our personal and professional lives are marked, in
part, by attendance and participation in awards ceremonies to recognized personal

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achievement. We also witness these presentations in the public forum. Some occasion

for presentation speeches include commencements (high school, college, and graduate
school) where special presentations are made to students with exceptional academic
and community service records, and corporate awards ceremonies where employees
are honored for their years of service or exemplary performance. Televised ceremonies
involve award presentations such as the Academic Awards, the Emmy Awards, and
Country Music Awards. Each of these ceremonies includes one or more presentation
speeches.
Every speech of presentation should accomplish four goals.
1. State the Importance of the Award
The award may be worth $100 or it may be $5,000. Regardless of the monetary
value, the audience wishes to understand why the award is important. We also
describe the people or organizations that sponsor the award.
2. Explain the Selection Process
The selection process may involve peers, students, teachers, or a standard
committee. The audience needs to know that the award was not given arbitrarily
or based on random criteria. Explaining the criteria and selection process may
help to further establish the significance of the award. If the award is competitive,
you may wish to mention the nature of the competition, but do not
overemphasize the struggle for victory at the expense of the other candidates.
3. Note the Honorees Qualifications
Many organizations honor their members and employees for specific
accomplishments. The nature of the award suggests what to say about the
honoree.
4. Be Brief
Like speeches of introduction the key to a successful presentation speech is
brevity. Choose your words with care so that the power of your message is not
diminished by unnecessary detail. Within this limited context, try to humanized
the award recipient through a personal-perhaps humorous- anecdote.
As a final note about speeches of presentation, occasionally it is appropriate to
ask past recipients of the award to stand up and receive applause. This decision
should be based, in part, on your conviction that this acknowledgement will
magnify the value of the award to the current recipient as well as to the audience.

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EXAMPLE OF PRESENTATION SPEECH

Our next award is the Outstanding Graduate Research Award, which goes to
the graduate student who has made the most significant contribution to our department.
The recipient of this award certainly deserves this honor because he does today what
others do not in order to achieve tomorrow what others will not. Therefore, I proudly
present this years Outstanding Graduate Research Award to Jeremiah Polk.

D. ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
The main purpose of an acceptance speech is to express gratitude for an award. It is
personal, gracious, and sincere. Most speakerssomething like, I am genuinely grateful
for this award, and I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone here.
Most acceptance speeches are brief. Following are four guidelines for the successful
speech of acceptance:
1. Restate the Importance of the award
Restating the importance of the award shows the audience as well as those
involved in the award that the recipient values and acknowledges the importance
of the award. For example, scholarships are generally established by an
individual, an organization, or a group of individuals have contributed financially.
Representatives of the scholarship, along with the scholarship committee,
appreciate hearing that the scholarship is viewed as important. Along with this,
communicate to your audience what receiving the award means to you.
2. Be Sincere
An acceptance speech is built around the theme of thank you. You thank the
person, group, or organization bestowing the award. You recognize the people
who helped you gain it. Your acceptance should be sincere and heart-felt. If you
know you will be asked to give a brief acceptance speech, think about who
deserves recognition. It is not necessary to give a long list of all the individuals
who have influenced you in your life time, but you want to acknowledge those
who have had an impact on you in some way that relates to your accomplishing
this goal. A well-developed and delivered acceptance speech allows the listeners

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to be part of the moment and share the recipients joy or amazement.

3. Describe How you Reached This Point of Achievement
As you are thanking people, you can mention in a humble tone how you reached

this point of recognition, if you are gymnast, you can talk about your training and
gymnastic meets. If you are a pianist, you can talk about practice and recitals.
The audience wants to know that you worked for this award, that you deserve it,
but that you are gracious and humble too.
4. Use Anecdotes
Stories about your life, or personal anecdotes, give people a lasting impression
of your achievement. Instead of simply telling your listeners, I am grateful to
everyone who supported me in this project, provide your audience with a
personal anecdote. For example, when Joanne received an award for being the
Most Valuable Player on her soccer team, she provided this story as prt of her
acceptance speech.
EXAMPLE OF ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Thank you very much for presenting me with the Outstanding Graduate
Research Award. I want to thank the professors on the award committee for selecting
me, and the other faculty for their encouragement and support. I especially thank Dr.
Jane Griffin for her mentorship and belief in my abilities as a graduate student and an
aspiring researcher. I will remember this honor and strive to be deserving of it as I
complete my doctoral program. Again, thank you all for this incredible honor.

E. NOMINATION SPEECH
Persuasive and enthusiastic. Speech to actuate. Like a speech of tribute. Business-like,
energetic, and your goal is to stress the qualifications of the person involved. Begin with
statement of intent"to rise to place a name in nomination"; state the requirements
needed for the job; name the candidate and state the persons qualifications for the
positionyour job is to show why the nominee is an excellent choice; finally urge the
audience to endorse the candidate as you formally place their name in nomination.
Alternatively, you might start with the persons name if they are already well known and
understood to be a potential candidate.
1. Stress dominant traits.

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2. Mention only outstanding achievements.

3. Give special emphasis to the skills of the person.

4. Narration and anecdote is appropriate here, as are metaphors.
5. Try to "whip up the crowd"especially supporters.

REFERENCES

Audrieth, A. L. (1998). The art of using humor in public speaking. Retrieved May

2, 2007 from http://www.squaresail.com/auh.html

Eisenberg, E. M., Goodall, H. L., Jr., & Tretheway, A. (2007). Organizational
communication: Balancing creativity and constraint (5th Ed.). New York:

McGraw-Hill.
Wisdom Engine. (2006). The best commencement speeches quotes. Retrieved

May 1, 2007 from http://www.graduationwisdom.com

Freeley, A. J. (1993). Argumentation and Debate: Critical Thinking for

Reasonable Decision-Making, 8th Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

http://www.dentonisd.org/cms/lib/tx21000245/centricity/Domain/1250/6__Informat

ive_Speech.pdf
http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/speech-topics/informative-

speeches.htm
http://www.dentonisd.org/cms/lib/tx21000245/centricity/Domain/549/Persuasive_

Speech.pdf
http://persuasivespeechideas.org/100-good-persuasive-speech-topics/
mayospeech.com
wikispaces.com
xa.yimg.com
http://www.english-for-students.com/The-Welcome-Speech.html
http://www.write-out-loud.com/welcome-speech.html
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/writing-an-effective-welcome-

speech.html
www.kendallhunt.com/butland_competence

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Bedford/St. Martins.
Gregory, H. (2002). Public speaking for college and career (6th Ed.). New York: