By following the five steps of speech preparation—think, investigate, compose, rehearse, and revise—you can create compelling public speeches that engage and inspire audiences.

After determining your general purpose, you can select your speech topic by reflecting on your personal interests and experiences, brainstorming, or developing a concept map.

By conducting an audience analysis, you explore several factors, including your listeners’ demographics; attitudes, beliefs, and values; knowledge; and type.

To manage your time effectively and focus on finding relevant information, plan a research strategy. This not only helps you find and organize information but also helps you avoid plagiarism.

When researching your speech, gather relevant data from a combination of print resources, Web sites, electronic databases, and information interviews, and don’t forget to evaluate your sources.