Objects
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If you’re giving an informative speech about an object, you have a virtually unlimited range of possibilities to choose from. The one thing all objects have in common, though, is that they’re not human. The following table shows just a small sampling of the much larger universe of possible objects your speech could address.
Type |
Examples |
| Mechanical/Technological | motorcycle blender cell phone weapons system |
| Natural | flowering plant river elephant planet |
| Cultural | painting building book gourmet dish |
| Personal | jacket credit card ice skate necklace |
In giving an informative speech about a particular object, you could use a number of techniques. For example, suppose you’re preparing a presentation about the benefits of chocolate—which is a food and therefore an object. In this case, you could easily use description to inform your audience. You might for instance, describe the smooth, creamy texture and sumptuous flavor of a high-quality chocolate truffle and the feeling of well-being that can come from eating it.
Depending on the purpose of your speech, you could also use one or more of the other techniques. For example, you might use
- definition to clarify what chocolate is and how it differs from other consumable products derived from cacao beans,
- explanation to trace the process by which chocolate bars are made,
- demonstration to show how you might bake a chocolate cake,
- narrative to convey chocolate’s popularity as a romantic gift.
Finally, note that an informative speech about an object may also have elements of process in it—especially if that object has moving parts. For instance, to deliver a presentation on how a motorcycle operates, you might explain how the bike’s fuel and transmission systems work together to create the process of acceleration.