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Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 6: Select a Topic and Purpose
Learning Objectives
1-1 Choose a topic appropriate for you, your audience and the occasion.
1-2 Develop an effective general purpose statement.
1-3 Develop an effective specific purpose statement.
1-4 Formulate a behavioral objective for audience members.
1-5 Create an effective thesis.
1-6 Evaluate the effectiveness of your general and specific purpose statements as well as
your thesis.
Outline
I. The first step in topic selection is to compile a list of possible subjects that interest you and
appeal to your audience.
A. Brainstorming is a process of free association in which your goal is to generate as many
ideas as possible without fear of critique.
1. Brainstorm
a. What you know about or what you want to know more about
b. Use categories as a stimulus
c. Use the ABC approach
2. Piggyback ideas
3. Don’t censor
4. Scan the media
a. Newspapers, TV, Internet, journals
5. Consult resources or an online search of “cultural mistakes” or “cultural
taboos” around the world to identify speech topics that specific groups of people
might find offensive or inappropriate for public discussion.
6. A mind map is a visual means of showing the relationships among brainstormed
ideas.
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
II. Once a topic is chosen, select general and specific purposes.
A. The general purpose is the overall effect you hope to have on your audience.
1. To inform is to act as a teacher.
2. To persuade is to an act as an advocate.
3. To entertain is to amuse an audience.
B. The specific purpose is the statement of the speech’s objective.
1. There are five characteristics of a specific purpose statement.
a. Infinitive phase that is to explain or convince
b. For personal use and written from speaker’s perspective; it identifies
concrete goal and guide research and direction of speech.
c. Focuses on single, distinct idea
d. Relates topic to audience by specifying what you want the audience to
know, think, or do as a result of the speech
e. Clear and concise
2. If a speech can’t be developed from specific purpose in the time available,
narrow down specific purpose even further.
C. In addition to formulating a specific purpose written from the speaker’s perspective, it
is also helpful to assess the speech from the audience’s perspective.
1. It is useful to compose a desired behavioral objective.
a. “After hearing my speech audience members will….”
b. Help focus content of speech on those aspects that audience members
will find most interesting or appropriate.
III. Speakers are encouraged to formulate a thesis for their speeches.
A. A thesis or central idea is a declarative sentence that divides a topic into its major
components and summarizes the main points of the speech.
1. For informative speeches, the thesis is relatively objective and neutral in
manner
2. For persuasive speeches, the thesis is called a claim and expresses and arguable
opinion or point of view.
3. An effective thesis statement fulfills five criteria.
a. Single sentence that conveys the essence of the speech
b. Focuses the attention of audience on what they should know, do or feel
after experiencing the speech.
c. Forecasts the development of an organization of the speech.
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
d. Phrased diplomatically, avoiding figurative language that is apt to
inflame.
e. Supports the specific purpose
