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Chapter 16
Informative Speaking
CHAPTER OUTCOMES
In this chapter, students will learn:
• The functions and specific purposes of informative speeches
• Key differences between informative and persuasive speaking
CHAPTER OUTLINE
WHAT
IS
INFORMATIVE
SPEAKING?
Whenever you want to help an audience better understand a topic, you are speaking to inform. Many of
the course lectures you attend (in person or online) fall into this category. But informative presentations
also happen in other places, such as meetings at work, “how-to” demonstrations on YouTube, and even
storytelling events.
• Informative speeches educate your audience about a topic, demonstrate how something works, tell
stories about events or people, or explain similarities and differences between things or ideas.
FUNCTIONS OF INFORMATIVE SPEECHES
• Informative presentations serve one of two functions:
1. Raise awareness about a topic for listeners.
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• The function of your speech will depend on what you discover about your listeners’ information
SPECIFIC PURPOSES FOR INFORMATIVE SPEECHES
• After determining the information needs of your audience, it’s time to write out your specific purpose
statement, one complete sentence that summarizes your goal for the speech that will help you narrow your
topic and keep you focused as you research and compose your speech and develop your speech thesis.
• Also focus the specific purpose statement on one central idea to help bring clarity to your speech
preparation.
INFORMATIVE VERSUS PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
• When you’re developing your specific purpose statement, it can be easy to confuse informative
speaking with persuasive speaking. Although both types of speeches are developed using the five
steps in speech preparation, there are important differences between the two:
• Informative and persuasive speaking have different goals.
oWhen informing an audience, you want your listeners to understand the topic better.
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informatively can be challenging, especially if your presentation is going to cover an issue
that you feel strongly about.
• Informative and persuasive presentations have two clear similarities:
oWhen you’re speaking to inform, you thoroughly investigate your topic and present the
information in a balanced, neutral way, but you still need to convince your audience that
you’re providing objective and credible information.
TYPES
OF
INFORMATIVE
SPEECHES
When determining your topic and specific purpose for an informative speech, you should also consider an
additional aspect: your approach. Not all informative presentations work in the same way. Sometimes
you may want to explain something or demonstrate how it works. Other times, you’ll share a story about
an event or draw comparisons between things.
• There are various ways of making an informative presentation. Knowing what these are can help you
EXPOSITORY PRESENTATIONS
• In an expository presentation you define a term, explain a concept, or describe an object or a place
to your audience.
oA topical pattern is the most common way expository presentations are organized.
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oUse clear, straightforward language. For a technical subject that’s unfamiliar to your audience,
don’t use a lot of specialized vocabulary or acronyms.
PROCESS OR DEMONSTRATION PRESENTATIONS
• In process or demonstration presentations you will either explain how something works or show
your audience how to do something. Since processes and activities take place over time, a
chronological pattern is often the best organizational structure for this type of presentation. For the
most effective demonstration presentations, try to:
oUse frequent signposts so the audience will be better able to follow the sequence.
oAvoid moving too quickly through each step by slowing down the pace of your delivery by using
internal summaries. This type of repetition also supports your listeners’ ability to remember the
information later.
NARRATIVE PRESENTATIONS
• Narrative presentations are when you describe an event or tell a story about a person. The best
narrative presentations tell a good story that captures and holds listeners’ interest and attention. A
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oUse language that draws your listeners into the sights, sounds, and emotions of the story.
oFocus on the right nonverbal communication to further help you capture and hold your listeners’
COMPARISON/CONTRAST PRESENTATIONS
• Comparison/contrast presentations are speeches that present the similarities and differences
between ideas, things, events, or people. A topical pattern of organization works well for most
comparison/contrast speeches, because it helps you focus on how the features or characteristics of the
things you’re comparing are similar and different. For the most effective narrative presentations:
• Start by identifying what you’ll be comparing or contrasting.
GUIDELINES
FOR
INFORMATIVE
SPEAKING
The type of informative speech you prepare is determined by the situation, your specific purpose, and the
information needs of the audience. Although the type may vary, there are common guidelines competent
speakers apply when preparing informative presentations.
CHOOSE A TOPIC YOU CARE ABOUT
• Picking a topic you care about keeps you motivated as you prepare your speech. It also helps you
come across as more animated and passionate in your speech delivery.
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oIf you seem bored by your topic, your audience will be, too.
CAPTURE—AND HOLD—YOUR LISTENERS’ ATTENTION
• Capture attention by relating your message to your audience’s own needs and interests rather than
messages they may consider unimportant. Create messages that connect with your listeners’ interests:
oStart with a compelling introduction to your speech.
oExplain how your audience will benefit from the information you’re about to share.
USE EVERYDAY LANGUAGE
• Use an oral language style to make your informative presentation more engaging.
MAKE YOUR SPEECH UNDERSTANDABLE
• If you have ideas that are unfamiliar to your audience, it helps to connect those ideas to concepts or
things that are familiar to listeners.
HELP YOUR AUDIENCE REMEMBER YOUR MESSAGE
• Many things can interfere with an audience’s ability to pay attention to and retain the information you
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oOrganize your ideas. When you show listeners how ideas go together, they’ll be more likely to
remember them. Using connectives in your speech can further help your audience see how your
main points are related.
oLimit your main points. They are the key statements or principles that support the speech thesis.
As you prepare your informative speech, try to limit your main points to between three and five.
oRepeat yourself. Repeating information helps people retain it. Help your audience remember your
main ideas by using the same basic principle of repetition. Don’t just say the same words over
and over. You will want to illustrate a main point through different means. For example, you can
oGet your audience involved. People tend to remember things that they participate in. To involve
your listeners during an informative speech, ask for a volunteer to take part in a simple
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Of the four types of informative speeches discussed in your textbook, which one do you think
would be the easiest for you to prepare and present, and which would be the hardest? Explain
your answer.
• Discuss the four types of informative speeches with your class and explain that each student will
feel more comfortable with different types. Encourage them to consider which type they feel best
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2. Discuss the differences between an informative speech and a persuasive speech. Why is it
important to understand this difference?
• Have students share their answers and discuss. Many students have a difficult time with the
distinction between the two. To further explore this concept, ask students to discuss the
3. Of the four techniques listed in your textbook to help your audience remember the information
in an informative speech, which technique do you think would be most effective? Why?
• Allow students to share their answers and then discuss how important it is to use as many
4. Why do think it is important to choose a speech topic you care about? List two examples of
topics that you care about and think would make good speeches.
• Discuss with students the importance of bringing passion and emotion into their speeches.
5. Explain the two functions of an informative speech. Give an example of a topic for each.
• Have students share their examples of topics and then discuss the importance of recognizing the
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. DIY Demonstration Presentation
Goal: To evaluate and explore the aspects of an effective demonstration presentation.
Time: 45 minutes
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1. Select an episode of a DIY-type television show. Examples can be found on Netflix or the DIY,
HGTV, and Food Network channels.
2. Show an episode of the DIY show to the class and then ask students to identify the following:
a. Did the speaker provide enough information in each step?
b. Could they easily identify the steps as they were being taken?
3. After the demonstration, ask students to discuss their answers. Did they see any technique that
they could use in their own presentations?
2. Host a Story Slam
Goal: To give students an opportunity to improve their narrative presentation skills.
Time: 60 minutes
1. Select a theme for your story slam. I suggest visiting The Moth website at http://themoth.org/ to
review previous themes and find one that your students would find interesting.
2. In advance of your selected story slam date, give students the theme of the story slam and assign
3. Hold your story slam on the specified date. Give all students a chance to participate.
4. Take a silent vote to determine who wins the story slam, or bring in guest judges for extra effect.
3. There’s a Fine Line
Goal: To help students understand the differences between informative and persuasive speeches.
Time: 25 minutes
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1. Select a transcript of three or four clearly persuasive speeches and make several copies of each.
3. Explain that each group needs to construct an informative speech using the information presented
in the persuasive speech. As they are reworking the speeches, also have them compile a list of the
differences and changes they believe are necessary to transform the persuasive speech into an
informative speech.
4. Informative Speech Oscars
Goal: To help students recognize the components of an effective informative speech.
Time: 60 minutes
1. Divide students into five or six groups.
2. Explain that each group has 20 minutes to find the video of a person giving an informative speech
online that they would like to nominate for an Oscar.
5. You Grade It!
Goal: To help students understand the criteria that will be used to judge their informative speeches.
Time: 30 minutes
1. Make each student three copies of the form you will be using to grade their informative speeches.
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3. Have the students “grade” each speech. Ask them to make comments, assess each category, and
assign a grade.
4. Discuss the results and identify how they can use this form to help them prepare their informative
speeches.
MEDIA RESOURCES
1. The History Place: Great Speeches Collection
The History Place is a website that provides information on different historical periods, by topic, and
2. Ellen DeGeneres Gives Tulane‘s 2009 Commencement Speech
Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres’s nine-minute commencement speech at Tulane
University provides a great example of how effective and inspirational a speech can be if you discuss
3. Bill Gates Talks about Africa at Stanford
Former chief executive of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill
4. Narrative Presentations
The Awesome Stories website has an extensive collection of videos of narratives with the goal of
giving context to stories and increasing their power and usefulness in learning. Students and
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5. How to Spot a Liar
Pamela Meyer, author of Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception, delivers a 19-minute
informative speech on ways to spot deception and become truth seekers. This presentation is well