Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Lecture Notes
Chapter 13: Developing a Presentation
Learning Objectives
1. Explain the four principles of presentation organization and development.
2. Describe the organizational patterns that can be used in the development of the body of a
4. Determine which components should be included in a conclusion to a presentation.
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
A. Developing an argument: Provide thesis/claim; support it with material.
B. Developing introductions and conclusions: Enact relational connection with audience.
C. Introduction: Establish credibility; relationship with audience; importance of topic;
prepare audience for body of presentation.
II. The Body: How Do You Develop an Argument?
A. Arrangement of main points: Purpose of engaging, delighting audience.
B. Basic ideas behind development not new: Similar to presenting argument to friends.
C. More structure, planning than everyday argument.
D. Principles of Presentation: Organization and Development
i. Logical development: Points, unity, balance.
ii. Relational development: Guidance.
iii. Points principle: Basic building blocks of argument: Main points, subpoints.
Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
iv. Unity principle: Stay focused; provide only information supporting thesis, main
points.
a. Include only acknowledgement, rebuttal of contrary points: Enhances
credibility.
v. Balance principle: Points must be equal in scope and importance.
a. Equal time, equal amount of development and support.
vi. Guidance principle: Speaker must guide, direct audience throughout
E. Organizational Patterns
i. Organizational pattern: Arrangement of main points that best enables audience
comprehension.
ii. Chronological pattern: Arrange main points according to position in time.
a. Characterize them by clues, such as “First…”, “Second…,” and so on.
b. Often selected when explaining a process to audience.
iii. Spatial pattern: Main points arranged according to physical relation.
a. Left to right, top to bottom, north to south, forward to backward.
iv. Causal pattern: Main points arranged according to cause-effect.
a. Works best when explaining connection between two topics; or convincing
audience that one thing causes another.
v. Question–answer pattern: Posing questions audience may have; answering them
Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
vii. Problem–solution pattern: Divides body into two sections; first, address the
problem; then, offer a solution.
viii. Elimination pattern: Systematically eliminate each solution from a serious
offered, until left with supported one.
a. Solutions offered must be widely accepted/legitimate; reasons for elimination
III. Introductions and Conclusions
A. Introduction: Lays foundation for argument; builds on connection with audience.
B. Conclusion: Reinforces, completes presentation; reinforces relationship with
audience.
C. Work on both parts together, after developing body.
D. Dedicate 25% of presentation to introduction; 10% to 15% to conclusion.
E. Introducing Your Presentation
i. Significance of initial impression.
ii. Dramatic style of delivery.
iii. Grab audience’s attention, and hold it.
iv. Attention Getter
a. Attention getter: Used to draw audience to speaker, presentation.
b. Comes first in introduction; one sentence to a few lines.
v. Purpose and Thesis
a. Explicit information about purpose, thesis.
b. Increases listeners’ understanding of information provided.
Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
a. Convey knowledge, trustworthiness, goodwill.
b. Knowledge must be conveyed immediately: Prepare thoroughly to establish
expertise.
vii. Orientation Phase
a. Orientation phase: Provide information allowing better
understanding/appreciation of body material.
b. Definitions of unfamiliar terms, brief explanation of topic, overview of
viii. Impact of the Topic
a. How topic connects with audience members’ lives: How they may benefit
from listening to speaker.
b. Establishing audience’s relationship with material: Giving them a reason to
listen.
c. Enhances credibility: Conveying to audience a concern about its well-being.
ix. Enumerated Preview
a. List main points: May be included any point after attention getter; generally
located at end of introduction.
b. Helps position audience for body of presentation; provides lead into argument.
F. Concluding Your Presentation
Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
i. Not just logical end; entails maintenance of relationship between speaker,
ii. Making audience feel their relationship to ideas/commitments expressed will
continue beyond the presentation.
iii. Reinforce thesis and purpose; underscore audience involvement; provide adequate
closure.
iv. Plays predominant role in whether audience uses information/is persuaded.
v. Wrap-Up Signal
a. Indicating that conclusion has been reached.
b. Nonverbal signals: Tone, extended pause, decrease in speech rate.
vi. Restatement of the Thesis
a. Underscore main idea.
b. Help audience remember ideas after the presentation.
c. Can occur at any point in conclusion.
vii. Summary of Main Points
a. Stress key issues.
b. Helps audience retain important information.
viii. Audience Motivation
a. Motivate audience to take action; reiterate purpose.
b. Positive relationship increases likelihood of motivated audience.
ix. Relational Reinforcement
a. Reinforce relationship between audience and material.
b. Between audience and speaker.
c. Increases motivation to act.
Instructor Resource
Duck, Communication in Everyday Life: The Basic Course Edition With Public Speaking, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
d. Maintains relationship with material.
x. Clincher Statement
a. Clincher statement: Encapsulates entire address; leaves audience in good
frame of mind.