What are five ways to structure a speech so audiences listen and remember it?
You've decided on your topic. You've selected your purpose. It could be: to inform or to persuade or to entertain. You are now ready to do the research.
Do you research just the topic OR should you also bear in mind the organisation of the main body of your speech?
Robert M. Krauss, in his paper on "The Psychology of Verbal Communication", emphasises that speech requires the speaker to perform two cognitively demanding tasks simultaneously: conceptualizing the information to be conveyed, and formulating a verbal message that is capable of conveying it.
What are the best ways to convey a speech? Pubic speakers have discover five major ways to organise and convey a speech so that the audience listens and remembers it. The five main ways are:
1. Chronological
2. Topical
3. Cause and Effect
4. Spatial
5. Problem Solving
What do you mean by CHRONOLOGICAL structure?
Chronological structures are based on time. Year or week. Before or after. Then or now. The sequence of events depends on a time factor. One follows another. It is a step-by-step or one-after-another-other approach. The chronological structure uses 'and then', 'next', 'after that' etc.
What do you mean by TOPICAL structure?
Topical structure is a series of qualities or characteristics related to your topic. The qualities are related by association. They may not seem to be connected until you reflect on a connection. They can often be found by doing a brainstorm. The topical structure uses words like 'like', 'similar to' or 'compared with' etc.
What do you mean by CAUSE-and-EFFECT or CAUSAL structures?
The cause-and-effect or causal structure, is when you arrange ideas from cause to effect or from effect to cause. It describes a chain of events that bring about a more favourable outcome. The causal structure uses 'because', 'as a result', 'which resulted in' etc
What do you mean by SPATIAL structure?
The spatial structure organises ideas in a sequence governed by space relationships. It is directional. Ideas move from place to place from one physical area to another. It is used when moving from one location to another. It can be from one country to another or from one part of a room to another. The spatial structure uses words like 'here, there', 'on the left, on the right', 'this country, that country' etc
What do you mean by PROBLEM-SOLVING or PROBLEM-SOLUTION structures?
The problem-solution structure suggests itself when there are a variety of ways to solve a problem. Some solutions have disadvantages and some have advantages.
The speaker explains why a situation has problems. Then reflects on who or what the problem affects. Then suggests a range of possible solutions. And finally offers the best solution.
In this structure, the speaker considers the criteria for the solution and selects the best solution.
Conclusion
In this session, you have covered the five main structures for organising your speech. The five structures make your speech more easily understood and remembered by your audience. I hope you have found this session useful. Every success.
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