Analyzing the
Audience
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Explain why public speakers must be audience centered.
2. Explain what it means to say that audiences are egocentric.
3. Identify the major demographic traits of audiences.
4. Identify the major situational traits of audiences.
5. Use a questionnaire as a method of audience analysis for classroom speeches.
6. Explain how a speaker can adapt to the audience while preparing the speech and
while delivering the speech.
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Additional Exercises and Activities
1. Below are five specific purpose statements for classroom speeches. For each specific purpose
statement, lead a class discussion that seeks to answer the question: “What steps would a
speaker with this specific purpose statement need to take to adapt her or his speech to the in-
terests, knowledge, and attitudes of this class?”
a. To inform my audience how they can protect their apartment or dorm room against bur-
glaries.
b. To inform my audience about the principles of aerodynamics that allow an airplane to fly.
c. To inform my audience about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of eating disorders.
d. To persuade my audience that the federal government should impose stronger safety
standards for school buses in the United States.
e. To persuade my audience to participate in intramural sports.
Discussion: This is an excellent alternative (or supplement) to Exercise 2 on page 113 of
2. Have students prepare an Audience Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet (see pages 114–115
of this manual) in conjunction with one or more of their speeches. Hand out the worksheets
early, so students can use them throughout the speech preparation process. You can have the
students turn in their worksheets at the same time as their initial preparation outlines, or you
can require that they be turned in on the day of each student’s speech.
CHAPTER 6—ANALYZING THE AUDIENCE 113
3. Distribute Barbara Bush’s “Choices and Change” from pages 466–470 of this manual. Have
students analyze the speech in light of how Bush adapts her message to the audience, situation,
and occasion.
Discussion: Barbara Bush’s commencement speech at Wellesley College is an excellent
114
Audience Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet
Part I
Speaker Topic
What is the audience for this speech?
What is the specific purpose of this speech?
In choosing a specific purpose, how can you narrow the topic so it will be appropriate to this
audience?
Demographic audience analysis: What special adaptation is necessary in the speech because of
the audience’s
age
religion
racial, ethnic, and cultural background
gender and sexual orientation
group membership
other (specify)
Situational audience analysis: What special adaptation is necessary in the speech because of the
audience’s
size
response to the physical setting
knowledge about the topic
interest level in the topic
attitude toward the topic
disposition toward the speaker
disposition toward the occasion
(continued in Part II)
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Audience Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet
Part II
Speaker Topic
Adaptation in the speech: Answer each of the following questions.
What device(s) did you use in the introduction to gain attention from this audience?
What steps did you take to relate the topic directly to this audience in the introduction?
What are the main points of the speech? Why did you develop these particular main points for
this audience?
What decisions did you make in choosing supporting materials for this audience?
What steps did you take to make your language clear and appropriate to this audience?
What adjustments did you make in delivery—rate of speech, volume, tone of voice, gestures, and
the like—to communicate your ideas to this audience?