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Chapter 10: Topic Selection and Audience Analysis
Essay Questions
1. Explain the process of brainstorming as it is used for topic selection.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
2. Explain how self-analysis can be helpful in topic selection.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
3. Why is commitment to a topic important?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
4. Explain two methods of narrowing a topic. How can you know if you have narrowed it enough?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
5. What are some questions to ask yourself to check the appropriateness of your topic for your audience?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
6. Choose a broad topic and then create your own concept map to narrow that topic.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
7. Name four methods of audience analysis and explain each.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
8. State why demographic analysis is important to the public speaker.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
9. Define inference and explain the difference between indirect inferences and direct inferences.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
10. Distinguish among attitudes, beliefs, and values by defining and providing an example of each.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
11. What are three methods of audience analysis and how does each work?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
12. Explain three ways of gaining information about an audience through questionnaires.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
13. How does a speaker adapt language to a specific audience?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
14. How does a speaker adapt the topic to an audience?
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
15. How does a speaker adapt the purpose of the speech to a specific audience? Provide an example.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Apply
16. What are four ways you can adapt yourself and your message to the audience?
Answer: Answers will vary.
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Bloom’s level: Remember
17. List and describe the four essential features of an immediate purpose.
Answers: Answers will vary.
Bloom’s level: Understand
True/False Questions
18. Keeping questionnaires anonymous reduces the value of the information.
19. Thinking of as many topics as you can in a limited amount of time is called a self-analysis.
20. You analyze your audience to become more insightful about how you approach your topic.
21. An inference is a definite conclusion based on facts.
22. You should evaluate your topic to make sure it is important to both you and your audience.
23. Topic commitment is a stronger predictor of speech effectiveness than preparation time.
24. You should always select a topic area about which you know very little or nothing so you can learn research skills.
25. A good way to save research time is to narrow the topic when you select it.
26. Moving from abstract to concrete or from general to specific are two ways suggested in the text to narrow a topic.
27. To get the audience to remember your three main points is an example of a long-range goal.
28. Adapting your language includes modifying gestures and facial expressions.
29. Demographic analysis is the process of discovering whether the audience is captive or voluntary.
30. Your immediate purpose should move audience members toward a long-range goal.
31. An attitude is a tendency to respond favorably or unfavorably to some person, object, idea, or event.
32. A belief is a deeply rooted attitude that governs our values.
33. To make the determination that an audience favors the pro-life position because they are predominantly Roman Catholic is an example of an
observation.
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manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Answer: F
Bloom’s level: Remember
34. Using word concepts in a questionnaire is a way to discover audience attitudes toward specific issues.
35. A successful public speaker must adapt the message to the specific audience.
36. When trying to select a topic, Preston thought about what he had already experienced. What method did Preston use to select a topic?
a. brainstorming
b. surveying interests
c. assessing knowledge
d. Evaluating commitment
37. Which of the following is not required for individual brainstorming?
a. Give yourself a limited amount of time.
b. Critically evaluate every choice before listing.
c. Select items that have the most appeal to you.
d. Select items that have the most appeal to your audience.
38. Which of the following is not recommended in the book as a way to select a topic?
a. individual brainstorming
b. self-assessment
c. use of personal knowledge
d. psychic review
39. Which of the following is not one of the ways of determining if the topic is narrow enough?
a. There is sufficient information about the topic.
b. The information can be told within the time limits.
c. The topic can be discussed with enough depth to keep the audience interested.
d. The topic will appeal to the audience.
40. When selecting a topic, if you think about what particular issue currently bothers you, you are
a. surveying your interest.
b. assessing your knowledge of the topic.
c. conducting a questionnaire.
d. evaluating your commitment to the topic.
41. An attitude is
a. a conviction.
b. a predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably.
c. a deeply rooted set of beliefs.
d. a set conviction.
42. If you ask people to rank their favorite pastimes, you are asking for
a. inferences.
b. attitudinal information.
c. observations.
d. adaptation.
43. Which guideline should you follow when choosing a topic?
a. Select a trivial, fun topic.
b. Choose a subject that you’ve never heard of or examined before.
c. Do not demonstrate with visual resources that are banned on campus.
d. Select a common, overused topic.
44. Wisdom, freedom, and security are all examples of
a. values.
b. attitudes.
c. inferences.
d. beliefs.
45. Which of the following is not a method recommended in the book for gathering inferences about an audience from questionnaires?
a. Use word concepts to find out the extent to which the audience favors or disfavors them.
b. Ask audience members to rank values.
c. Ask questions that place audience members in identifiable groups.
d. Determine the audience members’ astrological signs to indicate their states of mind.
46. In public speaking which of the following are you not expected to adapt to the audience?
a. your own personal position on the issue
b. your message, the content of your speech
c. your nonverbal codes
d. your immediate and long-range purpose
47. Which of the following statements about attitudes, beliefs, and values is true?
a. Values are more specific than attitudes.
b. Beliefs are more general than values.
c. Values are deeply rooted and govern attitudes.
d. Beliefs are predispositions to respond favorably or unfavorably to something.
48. Raymond gave his persuasive speech on why you run a West Coast football offense to his general population speech class. Raymond likely
didn’t do what part of speech preparation?
a. outlining
b. research
c. demographic analysis
d. value analysis
49. Leslie really likes coffee-flavored ice cream. This would be an example of
a. an attitude.
b. a value.
c. a belief.
d. a characteristic.
50. Robert gave his informative speech on “the environment.” What is a valid critique of this speech?
a. The topic is too broad.
b. The topic is too narrow.
c. There is not enough information about the topic.
d. The topic is overdone.
