Clarifying the General Purpose of Your Speech

In many real-life situations, choosing a topic and purpose for a speech is not a difficult task. You speak because you volunteered—or were forced—to speak on a specific topic for which your expertise is relevant to the situation. For example, you are a public health nurse giving a community presentation on the importance of early screening for breast or prostate cancer. In other cases, the parameters for a speech are quite general: a high school valedictorian or keynote speaker, for example, has to write a speech that both honors and inspires a large group. The possibilities for such speeches are endless. This communication class may provide a similar challenge—finding a speech topic and purpose that fit within your instructor’s guidelines, which may range from very specific (“give a five-minute speech defending the constitutional right to free speech”) to quite vague (“give a persuasive speech”).

Speaking assignments usually fit within one of three general purposes: informative, persuasive, and special occasion.