• Must meet the audience's informational needs • Must inform, not persuade • Should be ethical and appropriate

• People • Places • Objects • Events • Processes • Concepts • Issues • Plans • Policies

• Descriptive presentation (paints a mental picture for the audience, portraying places, events, persons, objects, or processes) • Demonstration speeches (combine explanatory narration and physical demonstration) • Definitional speeches (define a term or idea and provide answers to “what” questions) • Explanatory speeches (provide reasons or causes and demonstrate relationships)

• Arouse the audience’s interest in or curiosity about the topic • Work your topic by making the subject matter relevant to the audience

• Choose a clear organization and structure. • Emphasize important points. • Do not overwhelm the audience. • Build on prior knowledge. • Define terms that the audience may be unfamiliar with. • Use interesting and appropriate supporting material. • Use appropriate presentation aids.