Good speech is simply the art of good conversation carried a step beyond the usual. It is largely through the spoken word that we communicate with each other, develop understanding, exchange knowledge and find mutually acceptable goals. But that’s not about the spoken words only; it’s also about the script that we write. That’s why we need to prepare the written form of our speech as best as we can.
Writing the Speech
The common framework used to deliver an idea of speech is as
follows:
a)
Opening/ introduction
Establish topic and
core message; list supporting points
b)
Body
1.
Supporting Point One
2.
Supporting Point Two
3.
Supporting Point Three
c)
Conclusion
Recap main points; summarize core
message; call-to-action
After you have
analyzed your audience, selected the topic, collected supporting materials, and
written an outline, it is time to write the speech.
A. The Introduction
The introduction
usually states the purpose of the speech. A good introduction serves as an
attention getter, previews the topic and main ideas, and establishes your
credibility as a speaker (O'Hair, Rubenstein, & Stewart, 2007). Some good
ways to grab attention include using a quotation, telling a story, posing questions,
using humor, using startling facts or statistics, providing an illustration or
anecdote, or referencing historical or recent events. A preview statement
identifies the main points of the speech, helping the audience focus on the key
points of the remainder of the presentation.
The audience
determines your credibility based on the introduction; they want to know why
they should believe what you have to say. Therefore, establishing yourself as a
credible speaker in the introduction is imperative, especially for a persuasive
speech, so that the audience will want to be persuaded by you. You should
include some experience or knowledge that shows why you are credible on the
topic.
B. The Body
The body is the
largest part of the speech, where you provide the audience with the major
supporting materials. The main points of the speech are contained in this
section. Main points should flow from the speech's goal and thesis statement.
It is advisable to limit your content to include between two and five main
points, with a maximum of seven main points. Speeches with three main points
are common. If you have too many main points, your audience will forget them.
Focusing on a few points and providing effective supporting points for each
makes your speech more memorable. Supporting points are the supporting
materials you have collected to justify your main points. These help to
substantiate your thesis.
C. The Conclusion
The conclusion wraps
up the presentation by providing a summary of what the audience was supposed to
have learned or have been persuaded to do during the presentation. You can
signal that the conclusion is approaching by using key phrases, such as
"finally," "let me close by saying," "I'd like to
stress these three points," and "in conclusion." Because the conclusion
is the last opportunity to motivate your listeners, it should end strongly. For
a persuasive speech, a strong ending would be a call to action, where you tell
the audience members they should do something with the information they have
learned.
D. Tips to Write a Good Speech
You should write the speech like you talk. Follow
these writing tips to make your speech as conversational as possible:
·
Use short sentences of 20 words or less
You usually do not use long sentences
in a conversation. Short sentences—even sentence fragments—are fine for a
speech.
·
Avoid complicated sentence structures
Simple sentences that have a subject,
verb, and object are perfect for public speaking.
·
Use contractions
"Do not" and
"cannot" are usually too formal for most speeches. "Don't"
and "can't" are fine. Be careful of contractions ending in
"-ve" (e.g., "would've," "could've") because they
sound like "would of" and "could of."
·
Avoid jargon or technical language
Use words that your audience knows.
·
Round large numbers.
Detailed numbers should be left out.
·
Use repetition
The same word or phrase used repeatedly
emphasizes a major point.
·
Write with visual imagery
Make your listeners "see"
what you are saying. Help them visualize the situation you are describing.
