GUIDE TO SPEAKING AND LISTENING

102.14 14. REDUCING CONFUSION

Information can prove difficult to digest when it relates to a complex topic (e.g., prosody in poetry), a highly abstract process (e.g., accounting standards in business), or an idea that challenges conventional thinking (such as low-fat foods may not actually be healthier). You can help your audience absorb and retain complex information by:

Comparing unfamiliar concepts to familiar ones using analogies. For example, a speaker might explain antibodies and illnesses by likening them to a local militia and an invading force.
Correcting erroneous assumptions the audience may hold about the topic. For example, Twizzlers are advertised as a low-fat food, but they contain a lot of sugar and are devoid of nutritional value.