英语演讲选修课教案2 selecting a topic

山东理工大学教案注：教师讲稿附后Lesson two Selecting a topic and purposeI am lucky, honored and humbled to stand here, so many students watch how I would perform on this small but terrifying platform. Frankly speaking, I am quite nervous standing here, especially before you, a large group of audience, no one is perfect, it is not shameful at all to admit my nervousness, because everybody will be nervous to some extent when asked to speak before a big audience. Why did I say so, I have proof.One of the major concerns of students in any speech class is stage fright. We may as well face the issue squarely. Many people who converse easily in all kinds of everyday situations become frightened ar the idea of standing up before a group to make a speech. If you are worried about stage fright, you may feel better knowing that you are not alone. A survey conducted in 1973 asked more than 2,500 Americans to list their greatest fears. To the surprises of the reserchers, the largest number fo people----41%----listed speaking before a group among their greatest fears. Amazing as it may seem, many Americans appear to consider public speaking a fate worse than death.This is A survey conducted in AmericaResearchers asked their respondents to list their greatest fears, here is how they responded:Greatest Fears Percent NamingA party with strangers 74Giving a speech 70Asked personal questions in public 65 Meeting a date’s parents 59First day on a new job 59Victim of a practical joke 56 Talking with sb. in authority 53Job interview 46 Formal dinner party 44Blind date 42 From the chart, we can see that speechmaking ranks near the top in provoking anxiety.Therefore, we can say that speaking in public means a great challenge to everybody. Nervousness mainly comes from the fact that we do not know what to say, how to say and less training. There are a lot of things that make a successful speech, such as your topic, your delivery, your language. Among them, the organization of the speech is the first concern of the public speaker. Then comes the second problem, How to organize you speech well. It involves several factors, such as your topic, your purpose and your central idea, and so on. They are what we are going to discuss today. Today we mainly focus on the following matters:Choosing a topicDetermining your purposeThe central ideaLet’s begin with selecting a topic:Selecting a topicThe first step in speech making is choosing a topic. It is a key element of a successful speech.. For speeches outside the classroom this is seldom a problem. Usually the speech topic is determined by the occasion, the audience, and the speaker’s qualifications. When George W. Bush lectures on a college campus, he is invited to speak about foreign policy and current events. The same is true of ordinary citizens. The doctor is asked to inform how to deal with sport injuries, the florist discusses how to grow better houseplants, Mr. Fan Yuejin is asked to talk about school management. And Certainly I will never be expected to tell you something about mathematics.In a public speaking class the situation is different. Most of your speech assignment will not come with a designated topic. You generally have great leeway in selecting subjects for your speeches. This would appear to be an advantage, since it allows you to talk about matters of personal interest. Yet how to choose a proper topic remains a difficulty.What is a suitable speech topicFirst your topic should be Worthwhil e: worthwhile topics must address issues that have significant implications for the audience. The topic must be important enough to merit the time and attention of a group of intelligent and educated persons.Second, it should be Appropriate: the best way to ensure that your topic is appropriate is to select a topic about which you know a lot and would like to learn more. It is a lot easier to please an audience when the topic interests them. The topic should also be appropriate for the occasion. Time limitations will exclude certain topics because they are too complex.Finally, your topic should be Limited in scopeThe major problem for beginning speakers is that they attempt to cover a huge topic in too short a time; the inevitable result is that nothing specific is covered – everything is touched on but only superficially. You have to narrow and limit your topic, and divide the topic into several significant parts.Determining your purposeThe purpose of your speech is your goal; it is what you hope to achieve during your speech. Generally speaking we have two types of purpose: general purpose and specific one.General purposes(the broad goal of a speech)The general purpose is he broad goal of a speech, usually it falls into one of two overlapping categories---to inform or to persuade.When your general purpose is to inform, you act as a teacher or lecturer. Your goal is to convey information ---and do it clearly, accurately and interestingly, your aim is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of your listeners---to give them information they did not have before.When your general purpose is to persuade, you act as an advocate or a partisan. Your goal is to change or structure the attitudes or actions of your audience. The difference between informing and persuading is the difference between explaining and exhorting. Your aim is to win over yourlisteners to your point of view---to get them to believe something or do something as a result of your speech.Now I will ask you what I am here for? My general purpose is to inform or to persuade?Yes, you are absolutely right. I am here to inform, to inform the audience about how to organize the speech well, and how to be a better public speaker.If I am here to tell you that public speaking means a lot of fun, it can enhance your confidence, your linguistic competence, it can help you to find a better job. And I am the best teacher who teaches public speaking (also the only one). In a term, I will make you a great public speaker, public speaking will be a piece of cake if you come to my class.What is my purpose?Yes, my purpose is to persuade. To persuade you to take my course.In speech classes, the general purpose is usually specified as part of the speech assignment. For speeches outside the classroom, however, you have to make sure of your general purpose yourself. Usually this is easy to do. Are you going to explain, report, or demonstrate something? Then your general purpose is to inform. Are you going to sell, advocate, or defend something? Then your general purpose is to persuade. But no matter what the situation, you must be certain of exactly what you hope to achieve by speaking. Knowing your general purpose is the first step. The next step is determining your specific purpose.Specific purposes:( single infinitive phrase that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in his or her speech.)Once you have chosen a topic and a general purpose, you must narrow your choices to determine the specific purpose . The specific purpose should focus on one aspect of a topic. You should be able to state your specific purpose in a single infinitive phrase.(to inform my audienceabout…; to persuade my audience to…) that indicates precisely what you hope to accomplish with your speech. Perhaps an example will help clarify the process of choosing a specific purpose. For example:If your topic is: EmergenciesYour general purpose is : To informSo far. So good. But what aspect of your topic would you discuss? The different kinds of emergencies? The emergency situations she had faced? Specific techniques such as water rescue, applyng first aid, or preventing a person from going into shock? She had to choose something interesting that she could cover in a six-minute speech. Finally, she settled on explaining the major steps involved in responding to an emergency. She stated her specific purpose this way.You should narrow your topic, focus on one aspect, and express it in a single infinitive phrase. For instance, we can define thespecific purpose as: To inform my audience of the major steps in responding to an emergency This turned out to be an excellent choice, and her speech was among the best in the class. Notice how clear the specific purpose statement is. Notice also how it relates the topic directly to the audience. That is, it states not what the speaker wants to say, but what the speaker wants the audience to know as a result of the speech. This is very important, for it helps keep the audience at the center of you attention as you prepare the speech.Specific purpose: to explain the major steps in responding to an emergencyExplain to whom? To a group of medical students? To an introductory Red Cross class? Those would be two different speeches. The medical students already know the basic fact about responding to an emergency. For them, the speaker might provide a more advanced discussion.Tips for formulating the specific purpose statementFormulating a specific purpose is the most important early step in developing a successful speech. When writing your purpose statement, try to follow the general principles outlined below.The first tip is：1. Write the purpose statement as a full infinitive phrase, not as a fragmentIf your specific purpose is: Calendars. Is it effective or ineffective?Why，because it is a fragment, not an infinitive.If your specific is:To inform my audience about the four major kinds of calendars used inthe world today.It is much more effective.Another example:If your specific purpose is: Stem cell research . Is it effective or ineffective?Why，because it is a fragment, not an infinitiveIf your specific is: To persuade my audience that the federal government should increase funding for stem cell research.Of course, it is more effective.The ineffective statements above are adequate as announcements of the speech topic, but they are not thought out fully enough to indicate the specific purposeOk, Let’s move on to tip 22. Express your purpose as a statement, not as a questionineffective: Is China’s space program necessary?Is it effective or ineffective?Yes it is ineffective.Why，because it is a question, not an statementMore effective:To persuade my audience that China’s space program provides many important benefits to people here on earthIt becomes more effective.The questions might make an adequate title, but they are not effective as the specific purposestatement. They give no indication about what direction the speech willtake or what the speaker hopes to accomplish.The third tip is:3. Avoid figurative language in your purpose statementIneffective:To inform my audience that yoga is extremely cool.More Effective: To inform my audience how yoga can improve their health.Here are two specific purpose statements, please tell which one is effective, which one is ineffective?Ineffective:To persuade my audience that the campus policy on off-campus living reallystinks.More Effective:To persuade my audience that the campus policy on off-campus living should be revised.Although the ineffective statements indicate something of the speaker’s viewpoint, they do not state concisely what he or she hopes to achieve. Metaphors, analogies, and the like are effective devices for reinforcing ideas within a speech,but they are too ambiguous for specific purpose statements.Yes ,very good.. Obviously I made myself understood.4. Limit your purpose statement to one distinct idea, or one main pointHere I give you three statements, and you decide which one is not effective. Ineffective: To inform my audience about the developments of AIDS and the recent testing procedures for HIV infectionMore Effective: To persuade my audience about the developments of AIDSMore Effective: To inform my audience about the recent testing procedures for HIV infection. Why the first sentence is ineffective? Because it has two main points: the developments of AIDS and the recent testing procedures for HIV infectionWhat you need to avoid is not simply the word “and”, but a specific purpose statement that contains two unrelated ideas, either of which could easily be developed into aspeech in its own right.5. Make sure your specific purpose is not too vague or generalIneffective: To inform my audience about the Civil WarMore Effective: To inform my audience about the role of African American soldiers in the Civil WarThe ineffective purpose statement above falls into one of the most common traps---it is too broad and ill-defined. It gives no clues about what aspect of the Civil War the speaker will cover. The more effective purpose statement is sharp and concise. It reveals clearly what the speaker plans to discuss.Here is another example, this time from a persuasive speech:Ineffective: To persuade my audience that something must be done about medical care. More effective: To persuade my audience that the government should adopt a system of national health insurance for all people in China.Tell me which one is more effective?The second one, because, it is more concise. The ineffective purpose statement is vague and indistinct. It gives no indication of the speaker’s stance toward the topic. The “something”that “should be done” could include anything. The more effective purpose statement is crisp and clear. It does not leave us guessing what the speaker hopes to accomplish.When you determine your specific purpose, you should ask yourself the following questions to see whether your purpose is appropriate.Questions to ask about your specific purposeSometimes you will arrive at your specific purpose almost immediately after choosing your topic. At other times you may do quite a bit of research before deciding on a specific purpose. Much will depend on how familiar you are with the topic, as well as on any special demands imposed by the assignment, the audience,or the occasion. But whenever you settle on your specific purpose, ask yourself the following questions about it.1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time allotted?3. Is the purpose relevant to my audience?4. Is the purpose too trivial for my audience?5. Is the purpose too technical for my audience?All right, next we are going to discuss how to phrase your central idea.Phrasing the central idea (thesis statement, subject sentence, major thought)The specific purpose of a speech is what you hope to accomplish. The central idea is a concise statement of what you expect to say.Sometimes it is called thesis statement, subject sentence, major thought. Whatever the term, the central idea is usually expressed as a simple, declarative sentence that refines and sharpens the specific purpose statement.What is the central idea?It is a one-sentence statement that sums up the major ideas of a speech. It is what you want the audience to absorb from your speech..Imagine you run into a friend on your way to speech class. She says, “ I have to dash to my history lecture, but I hear you’re giving a speech today. Can you tell me the gist of it in one sentence?”“ Sure,” you reply. “ America’s prison system suffers from three mafor problems---- overcrowding of inmates, lack of effective rehabilitation programs, and high expense to taxpayers.”Your answer is the central idea of your speech. It is more precise than your topic (America’s prison system) or your specific purpose statement ( To inform my audience of the three major problems facing America’s prison sustem”) By stating exactly what the three major problems are, the central idea sums up your speech in a single sentence.Notice that in persuasive speeches, the central idea puts forth a point of view, an opinion. The central idea is an arguable, debatable proposition. It is a non-neutral statement. You have to take your stance, whether you are for or against the preposition. Standing in the middle is not acceptableIn informative speeches, the central idea appears relatively neutral and objective.Let’s take a few examples we saw earlier in this chapter and develop them from the topic, general purpose, and specific purpose to the central idea.We start with the speech about responding to an emergency situation.Topic: EmergenciesGeneral purpose: To informSpecific purpose: To inform my audience of the major steps in responding to an emergency. Central idea: The major steps in responding to an emergency are surveying the scene, contacting an emergency medical service, and starting CPR if needed.(cardiopulmonary resuscitation)Look carefully at this example, it shows how the speaker starts with a broad subject(emergencies) that becomes narrower and narrower as the speaker moves from the general purpose to the specific purpose to the central idea. Notice also how much more the central idea suggests about the content of the speech. From it we can expect the speaker to develop the main points in the speech---eachcorresponding to one of the major steps in responding to an emergency.Another example:Topic: Alternative-fuel vehiclesGeneral purpose: To persuadeSpecific purpose: To persuade my audience that the government should speed up efforts to develop alternative-fuel vehicles.Central idea: Developing alternative-fuel vehicles will help reduce China’s dependence on foreign oil and will help reduce air pollution.From this central idea we can deduce that the speaker will develop two main points in the speech:(1) alternative-fuel vehicles have the potential to reduce China’s need forimported oil, and (2) alternative-fuel vehicles will reduce the air pollutioncaused by automobile exhaust.The central idea statement serves three useful purposes. First, it helps you generate your main ideas . Second, it suggests suitable organizational patterns and strategies. Third, it focuses the audience’s attention on your central idea.Here I will give you some guidelines for the central idea.Guidelines for the central idea1.be expressed in a full sentence2.should not be in the form of a question.3.should avoid figurative language4.should not be vague or overly generalHere, for example, are two poorly written central ideas. See if you can identify the problem with each and figure out how each might be phrased more effectively.Ineffective: Problems of fad dietsIneffective: Zibo is an awesome place for a vacation.(A fad diet is a weight loss plan or aid that promises dramatic results. These diets don't offer long-term success, and they are usually not very healthy. Some of them can actually be dangerous to your health.)The first one is too general, it does not reveal enough about the content of the speech to serve as the central idea. It should be rewritten as a full sentence that identifies the problems of fad diets to be discussed in the speech:More effective: Although fad diets produce quick weight loss, they can lead to serious problems by creating deficiencies in vitamins and minerals and by breaking down muscle tissue as well as fat.The second one is flawed by its use of figurative language. To say that Zibo is an ‘awesome’ place for a vocation does not convey the speaker’s central idea clearly and concisely. It does not indicate what characteristics of Zibo the speaker intends to discuss. Moreover, “awesome”could mean quite different meanings to different people. A better central idea would be:More effective: Zibo has many attractions for vocations, including a warm climate, excellent food, and many historical sites.SummaryThe first step in speech making i s choosing a topic. For classroom speeches, it is often best to choose a subject you know well or in which you have personal experience.After you choose a topic, you need to settle on the general purpose of your speech. Usually, the general purpose will be to inform or to persuade. When it is to inform, you act as a teacher, your goal is to communicate information clearly, accurately, and interestingly. When your general purpose is to persuade, you act as an advocate, your goal is to win listeners over to your point of view.Once you know your topic and general purpose, you must focus in on a specific purpose that you can express as a single infinitive phrase. The phrase should indicate precisely what your speech plans to achieve.The central idea refines and sharpens your specific purpose. It is a concise statement of what you will say in your speech, and it usually crystallizes in your thinking after you have done your research and have decided on the main points of your speech.. The central idea usually conveys the main points to be developed in the body of your speech.。