why the microbrewing industry is still growing.
D. Do–it-yourself kits that enable you to brew your own beer are now available for
(Internal summary: So, with the availability of local microbreweries and do-it-yourself
kits, an original handcrafted beer is within your reach.)
Conclusion
1. Summarize (overall theme) and review (each main point): I showed that the history
of brewing beer in the United States has been unique and unpredictable. I then
2. Tie to the introduction: So next time you’re channel surfing or watching your
3. Creative concluding thought (end with impact): Finally, if you are of legal drinking
age, I encourage you to be adventurous and try some of the local brews.
References
Anderson, J. (1996). Recipe exchange. Beermasters, 4, 10–15.
Bronikowski, L. (1996, April 23). There’s no cap on microbreweries. Rocky Mountain
News, p. B1.
Note: As an optional assignment, instructors can assign a research paper to students
asking them to further explore their informative speech topic.
Sample Informative Communication Research Paper
The Microbrewing World
Kyle Haugsness, University of Oklahoma public speaking student
During the height of the NCAA basketball championships, one can easily see the
popularity of sports, especially in the United States. A large part of the tradition of
Although the history of beer stretches back to Mesopotamia, beer has been brewed in
many parts of the world. Native Americans brewed beer by fermenting maize, or corn. In
addition, the passengers on the Mayflower were regular consumers of beer. Interestingly,
the absence of spirits aboard the Mayflower paved the way for its docking. As one
passenger’s journal states: “We could not now take time for further search or
William Penn, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and even George Washington often
enjoyed home-brewed beverages (Johnson, 1996). In 1840, a wave of German
immigration brought a host of German beers and sparked a revolution in the industry.
However, after the 1870s, the number of breweries began to decline as companies
consolidated in an effort to produce beer nationwide. This declining trend continued
soon became a metaphorical endangered species on the brink of extinction. However, in
the early 1980s certain states began to pass laws that deregulated the industry and
allowed microbreweries to operate. These microbreweries and brewpubs were able to
cater to regional and local tastes in addition to producing many different types of beer. In
effect, it is only in recent years that the microbrewing industry has begun to regain its
former popularity.
The result of this growth is that microbrewing has found a home in a number of states in
America, including Oklahoma. Establishments such as the Bricktown Brewery, the
Interurban Grille, and the Norman Brewing Company are local businesses with a
profitable stake in the craft. The lure of these beers often stems from their descriptive and
curious names. The Interurban Grille in Norman offers Light Honey Blonde Ale, Amber
has been germinated and then roasted to yield a certain color and flavor. A representative
from Liquid Assets Brewing Systems further explains that hops “are the female flowers
of the vine Humulus lupulus. [They] give a balance to the malty sweetness in beer and
also give it aroma” (Anonymous, 1996). The yeast converts the sugars into alcohol and
also determines if the beer will be a lager or an ale. Most of the nationally consumed
brands today are lagers, while the microbreweries focus on producing fine ales. The
Allow me to cap this brief tour of the microbrewing world with a few final thoughts. The
history of brewing in the United States has been unique and unpredictable. The
References
Anderson, J. (1996). Recipe exchange. Beermasters, 4, 10–15.
Anonymous. (1996, March 25). Create your own recipe.
www.beermasters.com/byo/recipe. html.
Bronikowski, L. (1996, April 23). There’s no cap on microbreweries. Rocky Mountain
News, p. B1.
Edgar, D. (1995, June). Craft brewing: Fastest growth in the industry. New Brewer, 13.
Johnson, A. (1996). A short history of brewing in America. New York: American.
Joseph, D. (1996, March 25). Sales Assistant, Professional Brewers, LLC. (405) 752-
7380.
Sample Outline for Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Persuasive Speech 3
Title: Becoming a Spokesperson
Speaker: Georgia Godfrey, Texas Tech University student
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to go into the communications/spokesperson
profession.
I. Introduction/Attention
A. Attention-getter: Have you ever noticed that companies, organizations, and even
celebrities have people speaking on their behalf when there is either good news to
maximize or bad news to minimize? Well, these individuals are known as
spokespeople, and they play an important role in many businesses across the
country.
B. Establishment of ethos: I’m here to talk to you today about becoming a
C. Thematic statement: Besides being financially rewarding, a job in the
(Transition: First, let’s talk about some reasons why this career is needed in the first
place.)
II. Need
A. Spokespeople are constantly needed in numerous contexts and industries because
B. Oftentimes the media can present a biased or inaccurate picture; therefore,
C. Many people aren’t educated about effective crisis communication strategies and
can’t risk sending the wrong message at the wrong time, but a spokesperson is
(Internal summary: As you can see, there is a real need for trained communication
experts when it comes to delivering messages to the media and to the general population.)
(Transition: Now that you understand this need, let’s talk about some of the options
III. Satisfaction
A. Becoming a spokesperson is both rewarding and fulfilling, and the career offers a
variety of options for people of all personalities and interests.
B. If you enjoy politics and campaigning, you can work for a political candidate, a
governor, a member of Congress, or even the president.
C. If you would rather work in big business, you can begin a career as a
spokesperson for a public relations agency or in a corporation.
(Internal summary: Whatever the option you choose, you will be helping those who
aren’t as effective at communicating, while enjoying your work at the same time.)
IV. Visualization
A. Are you energetic and outgoing? Spokespeople must be likable and fun.
C. Are you flexible? Spokespeople must be ready for anything, because you can’t
predict what your client will do or say.
D. Are you loyal? Good spokespeople care about their clients and genuinely want to
make a difference for them.
V. Call to action
A. Summarize and review taking action: Spokespeople are needed in many
different contexts and industries, come in all types of personalities, and are most
successful when energetic, driven, flexible, and loyal.
B. Tie to introduction: As previously mentioned, besides being financially
C. Creative concluding thought: So today, I encourage you to pursue a career as a
spokesperson, and I promise that you will never consider your job “boring.”
Sample Outline for Group Presentation Option 1
Title: The Brain Gain 2012 Advertising Strategy
Speakers: Ryan Fite, Sam Zecavati, Chris Thomas, Jay Johnson, and Krystal Hauserman
Specific Purpose: To promote an advertising program designed to sell the Brain Gain
2012 bar.
Intended Audience: College students
Introduction
1. Attention-getter: Imagine, if you will, that it’s 3 A.M. and you are writing a term
paper that you just started the night before. You are fighting to keep your eyes open,
and your panic increases as the pending deadline draws closer and closer. What are
you to do? We here at Mars, M&M, have the solution for you: Brain Gain 2012.
5. Introduce group members: My name is Dr. Ryan Fite, and I would like to introduce
you to my team of experts and what each person will be discussing. First, Dr.
Zecavati will discuss the problems of the current energy bars. Second, I will provide
(Transition: Before introducing our product to you, I will turn the floor over to my
colleague Sam, who will discuss the problems associated with the current energy bars.)
I. Problem
A. No snack bar currently on the market provides the long-term energy that students
need.
B. In today’s ever-increasing fast-food culture, students are relying far too much on
fast food as their primary source of nutrition.
C. Existing “energy bars,” though inferior to Brain Gain 2012, are charging upward
of four times the projected cost of our product.
(Internal summary: These three examples illustrate the current problem and provide
(Transition: I will now turn the floor back over to my colleague Ryan, who will discuss
the overview of our new product.)
II. Overview
A. Brain Gain 2012 is a low-cost, tasty treat for the average college student. The key
B. Unlike other pseudo-energy bars, Brain Gain 2012 provides college students with
C. The standard Brain Gain 2012 comes in the following flavors: cherry, grape,
orange, and our specialties Cramberry Crunch and Coronary Crunch.
III. Features and Benefits
A. The key to Brain Gain 2012’s superiority is our patented “secret brain-stimulating
students at Harvard University.
(Internal summary: As you can see, Brain Gain 2012 is nutritionally balanced and
environmentally sound.)
IV. Applications
A. The energy boost that Brain Gain 2012 provides can be utilized not only by
B. In the experiment conducted by our team of experts, it was found that students
(Internal summary: Brain Gain 2012 is a source of energy that is useful to many people,
especially college students.)
V. Specifications
A. Each Brain Gain 2012 bar will be 2.17 ounces in size.
B. Distribution and production will be handled by Mars, M&M, and its network of
specialists.
(Internal summary: Now that we are clear on the specifications of Brain Gain 2012 . . .
)
VI. Pricing
A. The standard flavored Brain Gain 2012 will be sold at the extremely low and
unprecedented price of fifty cents. The Ultra Brain bars, Cramberry and Coronary
Crunch, will each be sold at a price of one dollar.
VII. Availability
A. Brain Gain 2012 is expected to be the choice study aid of students in the new
millennium, and will be released on January 1, 2012.
10001.
VIII. Conclusion
In conclusion, we would like to thank you for your time by giving you a sample of Brain
Gain 2012 bars. Remember, “No Strain, No Gain, Just Brain Gain!” (Krystal has a tray of
bars and starts to hand out samples of Brain Gain to the audience.)
Sample Outline for Service Learning Speech
Introduction
1. Attention-getter: Imagine for a moment what it would be like if you lost everything
2. Establishment of ethos: After learning of the devastating effects of homelessness
3. Thematic statement: This semester I had the opportunity to volunteer with my local
church’s homeless ministry, and the experience is one that I will never forget.
4. Preview (each main point): Today I will discuss with you some alarming facts about
(Transition: Now, let’s begin by talking about the issue of homelessness in our country.)
Body
I. Homelessness can be conceptualized as a person or family who does not have a fixed
and/or adequate nighttime residence. It is important to understand how many people in
A. Due to the challenges of counting those without fixed residence, it is difficult to
estimate the exact number of people who experience homelessness. However, the
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that more than 3 million
growing segments of the homeless population. In a 2009 survey of 27 American cities,
B. While it is difficult to estimate the numbers associated with homelessness, it is a
bit easier to understand what factors contribute to an individual or family experiencing
homelessness.
1. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, the increased number of
foreclosures in the United States, a high unemployment rate, a growing shortage of
2004.
2. Additionally, other factors, such as a lack of affordable health care, domestic
violence, mental illness, and addiction disorders, contribute to homelessness in the
United States.
(Internal summary: Although the information I just discussed about the widespread
II. According to a 2008 article published in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, the homeless
population in Lubbock has risen 15 percent since 2006 (Hartz, 2008).
A. The article states that although the rise in homelessness in Lubbock “can’t be
narrowed to a single cause, unforgiving economic circumstances have contributed.”
Additionally, women and children have been hit hardest.
1. Many families in Lubbock are sleeping near public libraries, in parks, and in
church parking lots.
(Internal summary: In fact, many in our community are realizing that the homeless
population is growing at a rapid pace.)
III. For my service learning project, I chose to volunteer with my church’s homeless
ministry, and the experience is one that has changed my life.
1. Thankfully, I did my research, learned that the need is great, and offered my
help.
on.
1. We took donations throughout the week, requesting specific items as they were
2. If we received any cash or checks, we bought food and/or clothes with the
3. We also made sure to take the time to talk with each person we helped. It isn’t
enough to provide for their physiological needs; these individuals need interpersonal
interaction as well.
Conclusion
1. Summarize (overall theme) and review (each main point): To demonstrate
the importance of this issue, I first discussed national estimates and statistics
3. Creative concluding thought: So, if you are looking for a way to impact
References
Hartz, M. (2008, March 10). Lubbock area homeless population rises 15 percent since
2006. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
National Coalition for the Homeless. (July 2009). Why are people homeless?