Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 2: Give Your First Speech
Learning Objectives
2-1 Understand the basic moves used in speechmaking
2-2 Approach public speaking systematically
2-3 Deliver a brief first speech
2-4 Score your first speech performance to establish a baseline on which to build your
skills
Outline
I. There are three basic steps to selecting your topic: analyze yourself, consider your audience
and occasion and criteria used for choosing your topic.
A. First, analyze your interests and use this information to select a general subject area.
1. Conducting a self-analysis is a prerequisite
a. Conduct a life overview
b. Focus on this moment in time
c. Be newsy
d. Use technology
B. Second, consider your audience and the occasion.
1. Conduct an audience analysis to ensure that your speech is audience-entered.
a. How familiar is the audience with your topic?
b. What is the audience’s attitude toward your topic?
c. What would your audience like to know about your topic?
d. What is the demographic makeup of your audience?
C. Third, choose the criteria for selecting a topic.
1. There are a number of criteria used to choose a topic outside of your interests.
a. Avoid overused topics unless information is new, novel and interesting
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
b. Select an appropriate topic
c. Ensure topic fits into time allotted for speech
d. Ensure full access to materials needed for speech
e. Select a topic of interest to your audience
II. Once you have chosen a topic, decide what you want to share about it with receivers.
A. First, your speech should have a specific purpose.
1. Single sentence specifying your goal.
B. Second, you should compose a thesis statement.
1. Expresses the central idea of your speech in just one sentence
2. Along with specific purpose acts as a roadmap for building the speech
C. Third, identify your speech’s main points.
1. Easy to identify after formulating specific purpose and thesis statement.
2. Most speeches contain two or three main points
3. Each main point must support the thesis
D. Fourth, research and select materials to support main points.
1. Use personal experiences, examples and illustrations, definitions, expert
testimony, statistics and analogies
2. Research adds credibility to your speech
E. Fifth, outline your speech indicating transitions and signposts.
1. Every speech is divided into three parts: intro, body and conclusion
2. Develop the body of the speech first
a. Part that elaborates on main points
3. When complete, bring together with intro
a. Orients audience to topic
b. Piques attention and interest
c. States thesis
d. Previews main points
e. Conclusion should restate thesis in memorable way
4. An outline provides the skeleton of speech
a. Two principles guide its creation
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
1. Coordination – main points should be relatively equal in
importance
2. Subordination – support underlying main points
b. Keep main sections in mind
1. Pay careful attention to intro, body and conclusion
5. Once the outline is complete, create transitions
a. Connect parts of speech together
1. Signposts – First, second, next, last
F. Sixth, consider using presentation aids to enhance your speech.
1. Visual or audio aids
a. Objects
b. Drawings
c. Charts
d. Graphs
e. Photographs
f. Sound recordings
III. It is important to practice delivery to ensure your speech will be delivered correctly.
A. Make sure that you rehearse early and revise your speech as needed.
1. Delivery should be seemingly effortless
2. Rehearse vocal cues
a. Volume
b. Rate
c. Pitch
d. Vocal variety
3. Rehearse at least four to six times
a. In the mirror
b. In front of family and friends
c. Stand and speak aloud
d. Use a timer
d. Revise when needed
e. Replicate same conditions as when you will deliver
f. Record rehearsal
B. Make sure that you anticipate questions from the audience.
1. What would you ask if you were in the audience?
C. When it’s time to deliver your speech, remember to take the podium with confidence.
1. Harness nervous energy
2. Proper preparation makes for a great speech
3. Visualize success
IV. Conduct a self-evaluation of your first speech through a post-presentation analysis.
A. Critique yourself from one speech to the next.
1. Complete a self-assessment scorecard or checklist to compare to professor or
peer evaluations.
B. Use a rubric to evaluate each section of your speech.
1. Intro, body and conclusion
2. Evaluate strong and weak points and set goals for next speech.