CHAPTER 15: Informative Speaking
1. Explain four ways in which informative speaking differs from persuasive speaking.
3. Recall five strategies for informative speaking that will enhance listeners’ retention.
5. Identify five criteria to consider when evaluating information to use as supporting
material.
6. Use the online and/or print material in this chapter to prepare an informative speech
outline.
MINDTAP ENGAGEMENT QUESTION
The first student activity in Chapter 15 asks students a polling question where they are presented
with a set of answer choices. One point is awarded regardless of what answer they choose. The
question is designed to reveal beliefs or assumptions about a chapter-specific topic. As an
instructor, you can view your classes’ responses as a pie chart within MindTap and discuss the
results in class, if you choose. This chapter’s question is:
How common is informative speaking in everyday life?
2. Instruction—teach listeners something.
4. Explanation—give reasons why something happens.
6. Reporting—provide detailed information on a topic.
1. Both require forethought about listeners and the occasion, research, organization,
supporting material, and delivery.
3. Informative speeches evoke different responses from listeners than persuasive
speeches.
5. Informative speeches require different degrees of speaker credibility than
persuasive speeches. In general, a speaker who attempts to change people needs
1. Show listeners that the speaker has some expertise or experience relevant to your
topic.
2. Show listeners that the speaker cares about them or that the information offered
2. Use transitions throughout the speech.
1. Information should be limited to avoid the problem of information overload.
3. Important ideas should be repeated for increased retention.
5. Information should be delivered through multiple communication channels.
1. When possible, have listeners participate directly in the presentation.
3. Poll the listeners to find out what they think, feel, or want and what experiences
with the topic they might have had.
4. Refer to specific listeners when possible, but make sure you don’t embarrass
them.
III. Informative speeches rely on effective and ethical supporting materials.
A. Supporting material should be sufficient to achieve the speaking purpose
1. Tabloid Information
Collect or ask students to collect articles from tabloid newspapers and websites that purport to be
informative. Bring them to class and ask students to consider them. Also have students view
tabloid news programs like Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. Consider which
informative function they fulfill. Are there qualitative differences among them? Are they better
characterized as entertainment programs? Do they sometimes serve persuasive purposes as well?
Are they ethical providers of information?
2. Outline Workshop
Have students bring in a working outline of their informative speech to share with their speech
group. If you did not create speech groups, then divide the class into groups of four to six for this
3. Informative vs. Persuasive Speaking
This activity is designed to help students clearly differentiate between informative and
persuasive general and specific purposes. First, ask students to generate a list of topics. Then, ask
them to develop a specific purpose statement for an informative speech and a persuasive speech
for each topic. This activity works well as an entire class if students give suggestions out loud;
however, if the students are hesitant to participate, gives them time to brainstorm for a few
minutes on each topic before sharing aloud as a class.
For additional public speaking assignments, refer to the Public Speaking Assignments in
Section III of the IRM.
JOURNAL IDEAS
• Describe the differences between informative and persuasive messages as they relate to the
students’ particular speech topics. Prepare an outline for an informative speech and a
persuasive speech. How are the messages similar and different? What are the critical
similarities and differences between the two types of messages? How does your informative
message increase your listeners’ desire to learn about your topic? Comment on the message’s
organization and use of supporting materials to enhance listener learning. Describe the
ethical considerations and decisions you made while researching and organizing your
informative message. Were some decisions more difficult to make than others? Comment on
the process by which you evaluated the particular decision(s).
• Discuss the ethical requirements of informative speeches. To what should informative
speakers pay particular attention when researching, writing, and delivering their speeches?
What types of supporting material are appropriate for informative speaking, and what ethical
concerns are related to each?
• Record an infomercial from television on the Internet and watch it several times. Does the
infomercial blur the lines between informative and persuasive speech that your textbook
discusses? What ethical concerns do you have of the infomercials based on what you’ve read
in the text?
ss_car_sees_the_road
http://www.ted.com/talks/laura_schulz_the_surprisingly
_logical_minds_of_babies
Visit Rice University’s comprehensive site on giving
effective informative presentations.
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~comcoach/
This site includes over 26,000 quotations online from
over 3,100 authors, and more are added daily.
http://quotationspage.com/
American Memory Collection: The Library of Congress
provides source materials relating to the history and
culture of the United States that students could use in
choosing a speech topic or writing an informative
speech.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/
1. The presentation that has the goal of increasing others’ knowledge, understanding, or abilities
is referred to as what type of public message?
2. The type of informative speech that summarizes the results of something is a(n)
a. demonstration.
3. Which statement about the differences or similarities between persuasive and informative
speaking is accurate?
4. Which of the following is NOT a guideline for effective informative speaking?
5. When a speaker is asking the audience to understand new information or learn a new process
or skill, how can the speaker reduce any uncertainty the audience might experience?
6. “Who all here knows a child under the age of 5?” is an example of which of the following
listener involvement strategies?
7. Which of the following criteria are used for evaluating the ethical standards of supporting
materials?
8. Pavi says, “I know the recent crime on campus scared many of us, and we all want our
campus to be a fun, safe place to be.” Pavi’s statement is an example of what important part
of informative speaking?
9. Informative speakers should
a. provide a clear thesis statement.
10. Katrina wants to highlight key material in her informative speech. What is one way she can
accomplish this?
11. Amy says, “Some of you in this classroom are parents. Others plan to become parents. Others
may have nieces, nephews, or other children in your lives that are important to you.
Regardless of your role, I suspect each of you knows a child under the age of 10.” Amy is
doing what effective part of informative speaking?
12. Luis says, “If you knew the information I am going to provide in this four-minute speech
would save a loved one’s life, would you listen carefully? Well, it easily could. It saved my
father’s life when we were at dinner last week.” Luis is doing what effective part of
informative speaking?
13. If David were giving a speech about winter weather preparedness and wanted to find out
about the audience’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences they’ve had with the weather, what
way of involving listeners might he use?
14. Which of the following is NOT a way to design your speech to enhance learning and
retention?
15. When trying to limit the information you present during a speech to enhance learning and
retention, how many points should you strive for?
16. Which of the following statement BEST describes a speaker’s attempt to connect with the
listeners’ values and experiences?
17. When Juan was describing the history of how Dr. Seuss came to be, he used very detailed
information. What kind of informative speech would Juan have been delivering?
18. Informative presentations don’t usually present controversial ideas.
19. Informative speeches usually aim to help change listeners’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
20. Credibility is needed more with a speaker attempting to inform people versus persuade them.
21. Informative speakers, in an attempt to appear highly knowledgeable of their topic, routinely
22. Ethical standards are only of concern when preparing an informative speech.
23. A speaker can rely on only his/her opinions to support persuasive messages.
24. Repetition used in informative speeches tends to make the audience feel talked down to, so
25. Ethical supporting material in an informative speech presents accurate information fairly and
26. Most informative audiences are homogeneous.
27. Informative speakers should present all the information they can find about their topics.
28. Informative speeches should rely on multiple channels of communication.
29. Informative speeches should call for participation from the audience.
30. For an informative speech to be effective, speakers should be motivated to want what the
31. Transitions should be woven throughout your informative speech.
32. To hold listener interest during an informative speech, it is not a good idea to repeat material
33. Motivating audiences to want to listen is less important in informative speeches than it is in
persuasive speeches.
35. ____________________ are presentations that have the goal of increasing others’
knowledge, understanding, or abilities.
37. Information is so pervasive today that in order to be an effective speaker, it is a good idea to
try to ____________________ your audience to listen to your message.
39. “Would you like to be able to retire by the time you are 55?” is an example of a(n)
40. “Now that we have discussed the first point, I’d like to move on to the second one” is an
example of a(n) ____________________.
42. To be effective in informing listeners, informative speeches must include supporting material
that is both ____________________ and ____________________.
44. Persuasive speakers want listeners to take ____________________ rather than just accept
new information.
45. The ethical criteria of ____________________ for supporting materials means that the
47. List the five strategies employed in designing your speech to enhance learning and retention.
48. How would you go about involving listeners in your informative speech to most effectively
convey your message and ensure retention?
1. The presentation that has the goal of increasing others’ knowledge, understanding, or abilities
is referred to as what type of public message?
2. The type of informative speech that summarizes the results of something is a(n)
3. Which statement about the differences or similarities between persuasive and informative
speaking is accurate?
4. Which of the following is NOT a guideline for effective informative speaking?
5. When a speaker is asking the audience to understand new information or learn a new process
or skill, how can the speaker reduce any uncertainty the audience might experience?
6. “Who all here knows a child under the age of 5?” is an example of which of the following
listener involvement strategies?
7. Which of the following criteria are used for evaluating the ethical standards of supporting
materials?
8. Pavi says, “I know the recent crime on campus scared many of us, and we all want our
campus to be a fun, safe place to be.” Pavi’s statement is an example of what important part
of informative speaking?
9. Informative speakers should
10. Katrina wants to highlight key material in her informative speech. What is one way she can
accomplish this?
11. Amy says, “Some of you in this classroom are parents. Others plan to become parents. Others
may have nieces, nephews, or other children in your lives that are important to you.
Regardless of your role, I suspect each of you knows a child under the age of 10.” Amy is
doing what effective part of informative speaking?
12. Luis says, “If you knew the information I am going to provide in this four-minute speech
would save a loved one’s life, would you listen carefully? Well, it easily could. It saved my
father’s life when we were at dinner last week.” Luis is doing what effective part of
informative speaking?
13. If David were giving a speech about winter weather preparedness and wanted to find out
about the audience’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences they’ve had with the weather, what
way of involving listeners might he use?
14. Which of the following is NOT a way to design your speech to enhance learning and
retention?
15. When trying to limit the information you present during a speech to enhance learning and
retention, how many points should you strive for?
16. Which of the following statement BEST describes a speaker’s attempt to connect with the
listeners’ values and experiences?
17. When Juan was describing the history of how Dr. Seuss came to be, he used very detailed
information. What kind of informative speech would Juan have been delivering?
18. Informative presentations don’t usually present controversial ideas.
19. Informative speeches usually aim to help change listeners’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
20. Credibility is needed more with a speaker attempting to inform people versus persuade them.
21. Informative speakers, in an attempt to appear highly knowledgeable of their topic, routinely
strive to make at least five valid points in a speech.
22. Ethical standards are only of concern when preparing an informative speech.
23. A speaker can rely on only his/her opinions to support persuasive messages.
24. Repetition used in informative speeches tends to make the audience feel talked down to, so
it’s suggested to avoid repeating important ideas.
25. Ethical supporting material in an informative speech presents accurate information fairly and
without distortion.
26. Most informative audiences are homogeneous.
27. Informative speakers should present all the information they can find about their topics.
28. Informative speeches should rely on multiple channels of communication.
29. Informative speeches should call for participation from the audience.
30. For an informative speech to be effective, speakers should be motivated to want what the
audience offers.
31. Transitions should be woven throughout your informative speech.
32. To hold listener interest during an informative speech, it is not a good idea to repeat material
during the speech.
33. Motivating audiences to want to listen is less important in informative speeches than it is in
persuasive speeches.
34. Informative speaking is a part of ____________________ life.
35. ____________________ are presentations that have the goal of increasing others’
knowledge, understanding, or abilities.
36. A(n) ____________________ statement is important to include for both informative and
persuasive messages.
37. Information is so pervasive today that in order to be an effective speaker, it is a good idea to
try to ____________________ your audience to listen to your message.
38. A(n) ____________________ message helps your listeners follow along, understand, and
learn.
39. “Would you like to be able to retire by the time you are 55?” is an example of a(n)
____________________.
40. “Now that we have discussed the first point, I’d like to move on to the second one” is an
example of a(n) ____________________.
41. The statement “I want each of you to feel the fabric swatches I’m handing out” is an example
of ____________________.
42. To be effective in informing listeners, informative speeches must include supporting material
that is both ____________________ and ____________________.
43. Informative speeches should build ____________________ with the listeners.
44. Persuasive speakers want listeners to take ____________________ rather than just accept
new information.
45. The ethical criteria of ____________________ for supporting materials means that the
evidence is usually current or is historically situated.
46. List the four differences between informative and persuasive speeches.
47. List the five strategies employed in designing your speech to enhance learning and retention.
48. How would you go about involving listeners in your informative speech to most effectively
convey your message and ensure retention?