I. Type of Speech

There are four general types of speeches: the Impromptu; the Memorized; the speech Read From a Manuscript; and the Extemporized. The latter two are the most common types of public speeches.

II. General Purposes of Speeches

The five general purposes of speeches are:

1. to entertain;
2. to inform;
3. to convince;
4. to stimulate (to action on an issue...);
5. to activate (in the more immediate sense of the term).

Most speeches are a mixture of these purposes, at least in a general sense. Your speech will probably be either of the second or third categories, either to "inform" us of the facts in a certain area, or to "convince" us of a certain point where we (the audience) are already generally aware of the facts.

III. Building Steps of the Speech

1. Selecting and Narrowing the Subject.
   • The topic selection process is usually dictated by the circumstances or demands of the occasion. Usually, basic data can be used which is already familiar and available and relevant to the occasion.
   • The most important step is narrowing the subject to a topic suitable for a speech, and also suitable for the length of time and type of audience that you have. Remember that communication in a speech is a "one-shot affair"; the audience either "catches" it the first time or else they miss it altogether. The cliché for speeches is that they consist of "one idea and two jokes" since that is all an audience is capable of grasping on one occasion. The key is to remember that a speech is not an essay; it is an oral communication which must be kept simple and concise in order to be effective.

2. Determining the Purpose.
   • Decide exactly what it is you hope to accomplish with your speech. Is it to tell us facts about a situation that we are not aware of; to convince us that a point of view is "right" or "wrong" or "misleading"; to amuse us; to stimulate us to do something; or what? Your speech should support one basic objective -- you must thus decide what this objective is.

3. Analyzing the Audience and Occasion.
   • To present an effective speech, you must know what kind of people you will be speaking to, roughly how many there will be, what sort of room you will be in, the audience's intellectual ability and (likely) background knowledge on the subject, and what other speakers of the day may be saying about the same subject. Effective speeches are always keyed to a specific time, place, and audience.
   • Therefore, tailor your vocabulary, factual content, jokes, and the overall tone of your speech to your specific audience. What works for one audience will not always work for another. Speeches may be adapted for "second" occasions, but will seldom work directly a second time.

4. Gathering Material
   • Material can be gathered from books, magazines, newspapers, other speeches, other media; from all possible sources. First establish your basic objective, and then build supporting material around this objective in such a way that your speech is clear, sound, logical, appropriate, and understandable to your specific audience.
   • Remember that a speech is not an essay. Simple facts will bore your audience even if they understand them. Use examples, situations, and concrete comparisons to "enliven" the speech and make facts "real" to your listeners. Example: instead of saying "skyscraper X is 290 meters tall" you might say instead that "skyscraper X is five times taller than Hotel Ilves." This puts a concrete comparison into peoples' minds -- much more effective than a simple, dry fact or statistic.

5. Making an Outline
   • An outline will help organize the skeleton of your speech, and establish the main points and balance the supporting material for each point. It usually makes writing the final speech easier.

6. Wording the Speech
   • Attention should be paid to the educational level and other language competence of the audience in deciding the vocabulary. Consider also words which might be "special" and need explanation to be clear. Try to avoid words which may have more than one meaning, unless you are using them for that purpose especially.
   • Think about the ease of pronunciation of your words, and their context within your sentences. Often the "sound" of the words will determine whether they can "fit" into your sentences along with the other words you have (rhythm, cadence, stress, alliteration, etc.).

7. Practicing Aloud
   • After your speech is written and ready, you must practice it aloud in order to check the rhythm of your phrasing and sentences, the pronunciation of words, the length of the speech, etc. This will also help you to be more confident in your speech delivery, and lessen nervousness during the actual occasion.

IV. Organization of the Speech

• The second cliché about speeches is that the effective speech has only three parts: an Introduction, in which you state what you intend to do; the Body, in which you present your main points and their supporting detail; and the Conclusion, in which you repeat the objective presented in the Introduction and built up in the Body.
• The most important section is the Introduction. This begins with the Title, which should be short, provocative, clear, and relevant to your particular audience. From there, the Introduction should clearly "catch" the audience's attention; appropriate jokes or anecdotes are an effective way to do this. Consult sources such as "The Public Speakers' Treasure Chest", "Vital Speeches of the Day," etc., for examples.
• The Introduction must clearly give the audience the impression that your speech is going to be interesting, relevant to their interests, and therefore worthwhile listening to. Use short sentences, specific examples, comparative illustrations, and concentrate on the personal dimension of your message to the audience. Furthermore, make sure the development of the speech is logical and easily followed. Analogies, hypothetical illustrations, etc., if apt, are usually certain to keep the audience "with you."

V. Technical Aspects of Speech Preparation and Delivery

1. Preparing the Manuscript
   • The manuscript should be typed in double- or triple-spacing with a large, "readable" typeface. Leave generous margins on the left and right for last-minute notes or corrections. Both indent and extra-space for paragraphs. It is often useful to underline words or phrases to which you plan to give special voice stress.
   • Do not fasten the pages together, so that you will be able to move easily from one page to another during the speech without a great deal of paper-shuffling and folding. Do, however, indicate the page numbers clearly so they don't get confused! For longer speeches, use a loose-leaf notebook as an organizer.

2. Checking the Locale
   • If possible, check out the room you'll be speaking in well before the speech. Note the size of the room and the acoustics. If there is an amplification system, try it to see what the power, effect, and distortion is. Make sure you "fit" the rostrum or podium available, and know how to adjust it (and the mikes) if not.
   • If using visual aids, check that they can be seen from all parts of the room, and that you know how to operate any necessary equipment. Also check backdrops, especially for color. Make sure it harmonizes (rather than clashes) with the colors you are planning on wearing; if not, wear something else.

3. Visual Considerations
   • If using visual aids, in addition to making sure they are visible, also make sure that they explain their point clearly, but that they do not somehow "distract" from either the point or the speech by their appearance.
   • Likewise, a conservative approach to dress is usually best. The males in the audience may love that stylish microskirt, but will they be listening to your speech? Otherwise, also dress appropriately to the audience; if they're in jeans, you will be conspicuous in a suit.

4. Delivery
   • Remember adequate volume, and the care in enunciation, pronunciation and phrasing required for speaking in large rooms. Plan and practice any gestures you want to use to reinforce points.
   • Make sure you have good eye contact with all parts of the audience throughout the speech.
   • Mark your manuscript with "symbols," if necessary, to indicate places where you will be "starting again" (when reading a manuscript) after your eyes return from audience contact at the ends of sentences or paragraphs. You may also use your finger as a temporary marker.
   • Remember to position yourself properly on the rostrum and then pause for a moment longer before beginning your speech. After completion of the speech, again pause briefly before acknowledging the "end" to the audience and stepping down from the rostrum.

Many examples of speeches may be found at Rio Hondo College's Speeches and Addresses Archive.