Chapter 10 Introductions and Conclusions Introductions and Conclusions

Chapter 10 Introductions and Conclusions

Introductions and Conclusions: Introduction • Your introduction and conclusion can make or break your presentation. • A strong introduction establishes rapport with listeners by: – Capturing their interest – Orienting them to your speech – Establishing your credibility as a speaker • A strong conclusion leaves an impression of you and your speech.

Introducing Your Speech: An Overview • A good introduction should: – Gain your audience’s attention – Signal your thesis – Show the importance of your topic – Establish your credibility – Preview your main points

Introducing Your Speech: Gain Your Audience’s Attention • Use an attention-getter: material that will capture your audience’s attention and interest at the start of the speech.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Tell a Story or Anecdote • Stories personalize a speech and entertain listeners. – Use a story that is relevant to your main message. – Make sure the story comes across as believable.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Offer a Striking or Provocative Statement • Surprise listeners by presenting a fact or startling idea that is: – New – Ironic – Counterintuitive • Use vivid language to grab the audience’s attention.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Build Suspense • Build suspense by providing an ambiguous or unfinished example to increase your audience’s curiosity.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Let Listeners Know You’re One of Them • Highlighting similarities helps: – Listeners trust you – Bridge the audiencespeaker gap

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Use Humor • Use humor to put the audience at ease by telling a(n): – Joke – Amusing story – Funny anecdote • Make the humor relevant to your topic, audience, and the occasion. – Avoid offensive humor

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Use Humor • Note that humor is a high risk/high reward approach.

Tips for Using Humor • Tip: A joke that makes its point effectively can increase your confidence and audience appeal, whereas a joke that falls flat or is “off color” can damage the introduction. • Tip: A humorous story from your own experiences often works more effectively than a joke.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Ask a Rhetorical Question • Ask a rhetorical question that has an obvious answer and does not require a response. • When using a rhetorical question: – Ensure that the question gets listeners thinking. – Avoid overly general questions that do not address audience’s real concerns and issues.

Gain Your Audience’s Attention: Provide a Quotation • Quote someone with high credibility whom your audience likes and respects. • Consider using a thought-provoking or counterintuitive quotation.

Introducing Your Speech: Signal Your Thesis • The thesis statement should reveal the speech’s “bottom line. ” • Make it clear that your attention-getter is over and you are about to reveal the main points of your real topic. • The thesis should clearly convey your topic and your purpose in delivering the presentation.

Introducing Your Speech: Signal Your Thesis

Introducing Your Speech: Show Your Audience “What’s in It for Them” • Motivate audience members to believe that you have their best interests in mind.

Introducing Your Speech: Establish Your Credibility • Demonstrate your knowledge and competence. • Briefly and modestly emphasize your recent, most relevant credentials.

Introducing Your Speech: Preview Your Main Points • Signal what main ideas the audience can expect, and in what order, with a preview. • Use signposts to help listeners understand the structure of your speech: – First – Next – Finally

Preview Your Main Points

Tips for Introducing Your Speech • Tip: Be sure any attention-getting device you use is linked to your topic. • Tip: The introduction is your first chance to help the audience pay attention to and understand your speech; make it easy for them.

Concluding Your Speech: An Overview • Conclusions should take one minute or less. • Sum up the speech body’s message and leave a memorable impression. • Conclusion format: – Transition to your conclusion. – Summarize your main points. – Finish with a memorable clincher.

Concluding Your Speech: Transition to Your Conclusion • Use transitional language that signals you are wrapping things up. • For example: – “Today, we have seen how important it is for every member of this class to participate in our annual campus food drive. ” – We have seen indicates you are finished with the main part of the speech and ready to move on to the next.

Concluding Your Speech: Summarize Your Main Points • A conclusion begins with a summary that reminds the audience of your thesis and reviews all the main ideas. • Summarize your main ideas in a compound sentence covering each main point or restate each point in a complete sentence.

Concluding Your Speech: Summarize Your Main Points

Concluding Your Speech: Finish with a Memorable Clincher • A clincher should be about 30 seconds long and leave an imprint on audience members’ minds. • Tie your clincher to the introduction. • End with a striking sentence or phrase that sums up your speech.

Concluding Your Speech: Finish with a Memorable Clincher • Conclude with an emotional message, particularly if you are delivering a persuasive or commemorative speech. • End with a story or anecdote that illustrates your message.

Tips for Concluding Your Speech • Tip: If you say, “and finally…” you better be wrapping up. Your audience will be irritated if you indicate you are almost done and keep on talking. • Tip: Your conclusion as well as your introduction should be written and prepared after you write the body of your speech.