Kinds of Public Speaking

Public speaking can accomplish different objectives, depending on the goals of the speaker. Some speeches are meant to give audience members information about a specific topic, while other speeches are designed to persuade listeners to think or behave in a certain way. In order to determine what kind of public speaking is appropriate, a speaker will evaluate the audience and the event to tailor the speech to the specific occasion.

Definition Speeches

Definition speeches are designed to clarify the meaning of a term or concept. These types of speeches are made when the topic is vague and there's a lot of room for interpretation. Definition speeches are also used when the term has several definitions and the speaker wants to discuss the meaning of each one.

Reports

Reports are informative speeches that give an analysis of an event that has occurred. These speeches are presented in a journalistic way and answer questions about what happened during an event, discussing the facts in chronological order. Reports, which tend to be shorter than other types of speeches, do not offer analysis about an event; speakers stick to discussing the facts.

Actuating Speeches

Actuating speeches are persuasive, designed to get members of the audience to behave and think a certain way. Such speeches may be made to get to audience members to buy a certain product, participate in volunteer activities, vote for a particular candidate or join a specific group. Actuating speeches often are written for audiences that already agree with the points that the speaker is making.

Convincing Speeches

A speaker might give a convincing speech when he is trying to persuade an audience that does not subscribe to a particular position, whether individuals have not decided about the subject of the speech, are opposed to the subject of the speech or are indifferent about the subject of the speech. These speeches are usually not written in an emotional way, but rather rely on the reasoning skills of the speaker. Speakers who make speeches intended to convince use supporting evidence to back up their claims, such as statistics, explanations and examples.

Introductions

Introductions are informative speeches that describe people, places or events, often to an audience that has not heard of the subject before. These speeches can cover topics such as a historical event, the description of a popular vacation destination or the accomplishments of a particular person.

References

• "Speaking With a Purpose"; Arthur Koch; 2007
• "Human Communication: The Basic Course"; Joseph A. DeVito; 2008
• "Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach"; Steven Beebe; 2003
• "Public Speaking: Strategies for Success"; David Zarefsky; 2007
• "Mastering Public Speaking"; George L. Grice and John F. Skinner; 2009