From Source to Speech: Narrowing Your Topic to Fit Your Audience
Narrowing Your Topic to Fit Your Audience
Why Narrow Your Topic?
Choosing a topic that interests you is only the beginning. A vital step in moving from topic to speech is narrowing your topic and tailoring it to fit your audience and the speech occasion.
A Case Study
Jenny is a member of the campus animal rights club and a student in a public speaking class. She is giving several persuasive speeches this semester: one to her public speaking class, one to the student council, and one in an online video for the website of the animal rights club. For all three presentations, Jenny plans to speak on the broad topic of animal rights and welfare. But she must narrow this topic considerably to fit each audience and the speech occasion, and this means different narrowed topics.
First, Jenny draws a topic map to generate ideas.
For each presentation, Jenny narrows her topic after considering her audience and the speech occasion.
Public speaking class (25–30 people):
- Mixed ages, races, and ethnicities, and an even mix of males and females
- Busy with classes, jobs, sports, and clubs
- Half live in campus housing, where pets are not allowed
Jenny eliminates poaching because it’s not an everyday concern for students.
She eliminates vegetarianism because she will be unlikely to change listeners’ minds in a six-minute speech.
Volunteering at an animal shelter may appeal to animal lovers who are not allowed to have pets on campus. Jenny argues that students should donate an hour a week to a nearby shelter, so that busy students can still participate.
Student council (8–10 people):
- Mixed demographic characteristics
- Similar interests: government, maintaining a rich campus life, an investment in ethics and the honor code, and an interest in keeping student affairs within budget
Jenny can eliminate the topic of puppy mills—though the student council may agree that they are harmful, it’s not likely that they’ll be able to do anything about the problem.
Jenny zeros in on dining hall practices because they are directly tied to campus life. A resolution to use free-range eggs in the campus dining hall benefits all students and requires the support of the council—an ideal topic for this audience.
Animal rights club website (open to all searchers of the Internet):
- Most diverse audience—unknown mix of demographic characteristics
- Likely interest in animal rights
Jenny can easily eliminate many topics, such as inhumane agricultural practices, because they are too complicated for a brief video clip.
She opts for the club’s mission as a topic. A very brief welcome message that invites Web visitors to attend a longer information session will appeal to both the curious passerby and the dedicated animal rights activist.
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