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CHAPTER 8
THE INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter discusses the significance of carefully planned introductions and
conclusions. The information provided gives a solid foundation on which to create
attention-getting introductions and memorable conclusions. The proper outlining of
these two major speech elements is illustrated with a completed outline at the end of the
chapter, combining the organizational fundamentals from both Chapters 7 and 8.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction (p. 132): This chapter focuses on the completion of the organizational
process discussed in Chapter 7, by creating an introduction that gets attention and
leads into the body, creating a conclusion that summarizes the material and motivates
listeners to remember, writing a title, and completing a list of sources used to develop
the speech.
I. The introduction. An introduction is generally about 10 percent of the length of
the speech (p. 132)
A. Get attention: create an opening that will win your listeners’ attention by
arousing curiosity and motivate them to want to know more about your
topic. Determine which attention-getting device to use by considering what
emotional tone is appropriate for your topic.
1.
Make a startling statement, a sentence or two that grabs your listeners’
attention by shocking them in some way.
4.
Tell a joke, an anecdote or a piece of wordplay designed to make
people laugh.
5.
Supply a personal reference, a brief account about something that
happened to you or a hypothetical situation that listeners can imagine
B. Establish listener relevance by creating clear listener relevance links: a
statement of how and why your speech relates to or might affect your
listeners.
C. Establish your credibility through building the perception your audience has
about you as knowledgeable, trustworthy, and personable.
1.
To be successful, you need to begin to establish ethos (competence,
D. State your thesis statement to introduce your audience to your general goal,
specific goal, and main points.
II. The conclusion (p. 140). A strong conclusion can heighten the impact of a good
speech; therefore it is important that it be carefully planned.
A. Summarize your goal and main points.
B. Clinch.
1.
Leave the audience with a vivid impression of your message with a
3.
Appeal to action, the behavior you want your listeners to follow after
they have heard your arguments, is a common way to end some
persuasive speeches.
III. Complete formal outline with reference list (p. 144).
A. Listing sources enables you to direct audience members to the specific
source of the information you have used and to quickly find the information
at a later date.
1.
Many formal bibliographical styles can be used in citing sources (MLA,
1.
A title lets the audience know what to expect.
creative.
C. Reviewing the formal outline. Use this checklist to complete the final review
of the outline.
1.
Have I used a standard set of symbols to indicate structure?
LECTURE IDEAS
1.
Because of their trade, journalists have a limited number of words with which to
relate their story. Such pressure results in the use of the “inverted pyramid”—
presenting the most newsworthy information first and then moving toward the least.
2.
Too often, students do not put forth the effort when writing their conclusion that they
did when writing their introduction. Understandably, the introduction needs to grab
the audience’s attention so it is stressed more in the text, leaving the conclusion to
3.
Search the journal Vital Speeches of the Day, for examples of powerful speeches.
Analyze these speeches for their introductions and conclusions. As a class, discuss
4.
Allow the students to share their perceptions about the speech introductions and
conclusions found in these exercises. Discussion should focus on the effectiveness
1.
Many speakers begin with “Hello, I am …, and today I am going to talk about…” Is
this an effective means of beginning a speech? Why or why not? Many speakers
also say “In conclusion” at the end of a speech. Is this effective? Why or why not?
4.
Which is more difficult for the speaker, the introduction or conclusion? Why? What, if
anything, can be done to make it easier?
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Activity 8.1: Impromptu Speech Introductions
Provide each student with a note card displaying one of the six types of speech
introductions. You will use all eight types—startling statement, question, story, personal
reference, joke, quotation, action, suspense—therefore if you have 24 students you will
Activity 8.2: Pivotal Introductions and Conclusions
Obtain copies of three or four major speeches from history (or current events), and
distribute them to the students. Individually or in groups, have students identify the
Activity 8.3: Outside Speech Research
Have students attend a speech outside of class, observing the style of introduction and
conclusion used by the speaker. What type of introduction/conclusion was used? Was it
appropriate? Was it effective?
Activity 8.4: Writing Introductions and Conclusions Using Speech Builder
Express
For homework, direct students to the Speech Builder Express website and have them
Activity 8.5: Evaluation of Introductions and Conclusions
Select three students to deliver either an introduction or conclusion, or both (depending
WORKSHEET: EVALUATION OF INTRODUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Speaker:
Type of Introduction:
1.
Does the introduction relate to and reinforce the topic?
Type of Conclusion:
1.
Did the speaker restate the thesis?
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
action: an attention-getting act designed to arouse interest in the topic
direct question: a question that seeks an overt response from the audience, usually by
a show of hands
formal outline: a complete sentence representation of the hierarchical and sequential
relationships among the ideas presented in the speech
joke: an anecdote or a piece of wordplay designed to make people laugh
personal reference: a brief account about something that happened to you or a
hypothetical situation that listeners can imagine themselves in
TEST QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 8
Multiple Choice
1.
When telling a joke to get the audience’s attention, it must meet the three R’s. They
are .
a.
respect, results, and relevant
b.
results, realistic, and repeatable
c.
realistic, relevant, and repeatable
d.
repeatable, realistic, and respectful
2.
When establishing credibility, Aristotle believed that listeners would be motivated
by .
a.
ethos
b.
pathos
c.
logos
d.
all of these
ANS: d SEE PAGE 137
3.
The use of a as a technique for getting attention during the introduction
demands an overt response from the audience.
a.
quotation
b.
rhetorical question
c.
joke
d.
direct question
4.
One way to determine whether your introduction is appropriate for your speech is to
.
a.
prepare several then select the best one
b.
use introductions that have succeeded in the past
c.
practice saying the introduction many times
d.
decide if it can be memorized
5.
Speakers ask rhetorical questions in order to .
a.
educate the audience
b.
stimulate a mental response from audience
c.
study the audience
d.
segment the audience
ANS: b SEE PAGE 133
6.
An attention-getting act designed to highlight and arouse interest in your topic is
known as a(n) .
a.
story
b.
startling statement
c.
action
d.
personal reference
ANS: c SEE PAGE 136
7.
If a speaker begins by saying, “It is nature’s best bug control, and night-blooming
flowers depend on it for pollination. As North America’s most endangered animal,
the Chiroptera, or ‘bat,’ is in serious trouble,” what type of introduction is he/she
trying to use?
a.
quotation
b.
story
c.
personal reference
d.
create suspense
8.
A speaker who begins with, “It’s a pleasure to return to State University. As you
know, I am a graduate of State. Though it was some time ago, the last few days I’ve
spent on campus have made me feel as though I never left,” is using what type of
introduction?
a.
personal reference
b.
story
c.
quotation
d.
rhetorical question
ANS: a SEE PAGE 135
9.
The conclusion offers a speaker one last chance to do all of the following EXCEPT
.
a.
summarize the speech’s main points
b.
leave the audience with a vivid impression
c.
motivate the audience to action
d.
introduce new information
10.
Psychologists suggest that because of the we are more likely to
remember the first and last items conveyed orally in a series than the items in
between, meaning that we are more likely to remember the beginning and ending of
your speech than what you say in the body.
a.
primacy effect
b.
recency effect
c.
primacy-recency effect
d.
organizational effect
11.
A strong conclusion has two major goals, which include .
a.
summarizing and providing closure
b.
summarizing and ending with a quotation
c.
beginning the conclusion with a startling statement and then ending in a
memorable way
d.
listing sources and an outline
12.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four primary goals of an introduction?
a.
get audience attention
b.
establish credibility and goodwill
c.
appeal to action
d.
identify thesis statement
13.
A conclusion that states, “We must not permit our forests to die. Please, the next
time you are camping, practice the suggestions I have made you,” is using the
type of clincher.
a.
appeal to action
b.
vivid imagery
c.
summary
d.
pathos
14.
Most people enjoy a well-told story, so it makes a good attention getter. What is the
one drawback to telling a story as an attention getter?
a.
the story may be boring
b.
the story may not have happened
c.
the story may take too long to tell
d.
the story may be offensive
15.
Regardless of the type of speech, all conclusions should include a(n):
a.
argument
b.
personal reference
c.
story
d.
summary
16.
To complete the formal outline of your speech, which of the following is NOT
necessary?
a.
compile a list of source material
b.
get attention
c.
review your outline
d.
create a title
17.
Which of the following is a reason for listing sources?
a.
it can be listed in many different formal bibliographical styles
b.
it will enable you to quickly find the information at a later date
c.
it may be organized alphabetically or by content categories
d.
it organizes your research cards
18.
A title is probably necessary in which of the following situations?
a.
when you will be formally introduced
b.
when your speech will be publicized
c.
when your speech will be published
d.
all of these
19.
A good title will do all of the following EXCEPT .
a.
attract the audience
b.
build interest
c.
introduce the main points
d.
preview the content
20.
The final stage in completing the outline is .
a.
creating a title
b.
reviewing the outline
c.
adding the source list
d.
reviewing the facts
True-False
21.
T F Because the introduction establishes a relationship with the audience,
it is worth the time to compare different openings.
22.
T F You should create the introduction before you create the body of your speech.
23.
T F A speech’s introductory remarks set the overall tone for the speech.
24.
T F Regardless of length, all four goals must be present for an introduction
to be effective.
25.
T F Telling a joke during your introduction has no risk associated with it.
26.
T F Stories told during the introduction should be actual, not hypothetical.
27.
T F After you have gained the audience’s attention, the listener relevance link is a
means to keep them interested in the speech.
28.
T F You can use clinchers with informative speeches only.
29.
T F Being physically present does not guarantee that people will actually listen to
your speech.
30.
T F All academic disciplines use the same bibliographic style.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Gring-Pemble, L., & Watson, M. S. (2003). The rhetorical limits of satire: An
analysis of James Finn Garner’s politically correct bedtime stories. Quarterly
Journal of Speech, 89(2), 132–154.
Hart, M. (2000). A compelling introduction leads to a good presentation.
Presentations, 14(8), 82.
