Introductions
Introductions should secure audience attention and interest, orient listeners to the plan and content of the speech and set expectations.
Do:- Get the audience’s attention with a story, quotation, personal experience, etc.
- Identify the topic and indicate why it is relevant, important, or interesting.
- Establish your credibility through words or behavior.
- Provide context, background, and definitions listeners might need.
- State your purpose, thesis, or research question.
- Preview the body of your speech.
- Make a transition to the first point in the body of the speech.
- Start with “um" or "OK.”
- Apologize for weaknesses in your content, preparation or speaking ability.
- Complain about food, accommodations, equipment, facilities or other speakers.
- Use “humor” that might disparage, offend or alienate your listeners.
- Use cheap tricks to get attention.
- Go on about how hard it was to choose a topic.
Conclusions
Conclusions should reinforce the message and give the speech unity and closure.
Do:- Summarize the main points of your speech.
- Restate your purpose or thesis.
- Create closure, a sense of finality.
- In persuasive speeches, make a final call for commitment or action.
- Open new areas of discussion or argument.
- Change position or viewpoint.
- Resort to feeble closing phrases like “and that's all I have to say.”
- Say “thank you” just because the audience doesn't seem to realize that your speech is over.
Test Bank for
The Art of Public Speaking
FLTRP Book Development Project
Stephen Lucas & Suya Yin
1
Chapter 8 Beginning and Ending the Speech
True-False Questions
Students are to indicate whether each of the following statements is true or false by
circling the appropriate letter.
1.
T
F
Regardless of what other methods you use to gain attention, you should always
relate the topic to your audience in the introduction of a speech.
2.
T
F
Establishing goodwill is more likely to be necessary in the introduction of a
persuasive speech than in the introduction of an informative speech.
3.
T
F
Under normal circumstances, the introduction should comprise about 10-20
percent of a speech.
4.
T
F
The only way to convey that your speech is ending is through the use of
words such as “In conclusion.”
5.
T
F
The preview statement in a speech introduction identifies the main points
to be discussed in the body.
6.
T
F
Under normal circumstances the introduction should constitute about 30
-
40
percent of a speech.
7.
T
F
A “rhetorical question” is a question
that the audience answers mentally rather
than out loud.
8.
T
F
As your textbook explains, working out a speech introduction in detail can boost a
speaker’s confidence.
9.
T
F
Referring back to the introduction in your conclusion is a good way to give the
speech psychological unity
10.
T
F
A speech conclusion that builds in power and intensity as it moves toward the
closing line is known as a dissolve ending.
Multiple Choice Questions
Students are to indicate the best answer for each question by circling the correct letter.
1.
All of the following are basic objectives of a speech introduction EXCEPT __________.
a.
establishing credibility and goodwill
b.
supporting your main points
c.
revealing the topic of the speech
d.
previewing the body of the speech