Chapter 7: Selecting a Topic and Purpose

Identify the General Purpose of Your Speech

Once you have an idea for a topic, you’ll need to refine and adapt it to your general speech purpose. The general speech purpose (also called rhetorical purpose) for any speech answers the question “What is my objective in speaking on this topic to this audience on this occasion?” Public speeches typically accomplish one of three general purposes: to inform, to persuade, or to mark a special occasion.

The rhetorical situation—the circumstances that call for the speech—often determines or at least suggests what might be an appropriate purpose. For example, a town leader invited to address a civic group about opening up nearby land to wind farm installations may choose a persuasive purpose to encourage the group to get behind the effort. However, if invited to describe the initiative to the town finance committee, the speaker may choose an informative purpose, in which the main goal is to help the finance members understand project costs. Addressing the same topic in different circumstances, the speaker selects a different general speech purpose to suit the audience and occasion.

When the General Speech Purpose Is to Inform

The general purpose of an informative speech is to increase the audience’s understanding and awareness of a topic by defining, describing, explaining, or demonstrating your knowledge of the subject. When selecting a topic for an informative speech, try to gauge how much the audience already knows about it. There’s no surer way to lose audience members’ attention than to speak over—or under—their heads. Just about any topic is appropriate for an informative speech (see Tables 7.2 and 7.3), as long as you present it with the goal of giving the audience something new to expand their understanding and awareness.

When the General Speech Purpose Is to Persuade

The general purpose of a persuasive speech goes beyond informing to effect some degree of change in the audience’s attitudes, beliefs, or even specific behaviors (e.g., “Only eat wild salmon”). Topics or issues on which there are competing perspectives are particularly suitable for persuasive speeches. Issues such as U.S. policy on the Middle East, the popularity of problem celebrities, and hazing on college campuses naturally lend themselves to a persuasive purpose because people hold strongly contrasting opinions about them. Most any topic is suitable for a persuasive speech as long as the speaker can fashion it into a message that is intended to effect some degree of change in the audience (see Table 7.4).

TABLE 7.2 Some General Categories of Informative Topics

Objects	People	Events	Concepts	Processes	Issues
Their origin, construction, function, symbolic or concrete meaning. For example, history of the personal computer; the many facets of a diamond.	Their biographies, noteworthy achievements, anecdotes about them. For example, Barack Obama’s childhood; the professional life of Sheryl Sandburg.	Noteworthy or unusual occurrences, both past and present. For example, major storms of the 21st century, so far; highlights of the 2012 Summer Olympics.	Abstract and difficult ideas or theories. For example, the nature of love; the definition of peace; the theory of intelligent design.	A series of steps leading to an end result. For example, how “fracking” works; how to prepare bananas Foster.	Problems or matters of dispute. For example, U.S. border security; whether reality television is really real.

Consider the topic of hazing. A persuasive purpose (e.g., “To persuade my audience to report incidents of hazing”) would be appropriate if:

The audience feels considerably different about the topic than you do (e.g., members of the audience are part of a community that tends to ignore hazing).
The audience holds similar attitudes and beliefs about the topic as you do but needs direction in taking action (e.g., the audience consists of people who want to curb the incidence of hazing and are seeking strategies to do so).
The audience agrees with your position but is likely to encounter opposing information or circumstances in the near future (e.g., fraternities and sororities tend to fall back on old habits as the new pledge class arrives at school).

TABLE 7.3 Sample Informative Speech Topics

• The Role of Sleep in Academic Success

• Taking Distance Courses as a Resident Student

• The Popular Consumption of Pomegranate Juice

• Using Your Smartphone as a Learning Aid

• Booming Careers That Have No Major

• What’s Behind the Immigration Issue

TABLE 7.4 Sample Persuasive Speech Topics

• Manage Your Sleep Habits to Improve Academic Performance

• Enroll in Distance Courses to Put Slack in Your Campus Schedule

• Drink Pomegranate Juice for Better Health

• Learn by Using Your Smartphone in Class

• Use Your Major to Develop a New Career Area

• Take a Stand on Immigration Reform

When the General Speech Purpose Is to Mark a Special Occasion

Speeches are often a key, if not featured, part of a special occasion. Special occasion speeches serve the general purpose to entertain, celebrate, commemorate, inspire, or set a social agenda and include speeches of introduction, acceptance, and presentation; roasts and toasts; eulogies; and after-dinner speeches, among others. Special occasion speeches sometimes have secondary specific purposes to inform or to persuade. For example, a speech to mark the occasion of Veterans Day might include a message to contribute to or volunteer with organizations like Wounded Warriors Project.