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When gathering information to develop a speech, be aware that you can use supporting materials to back up your major and subordinate points. Supporting materials should clarify your point or offer proof--that is, it should demonstrate that your claim has some probability of being true. Some forms of support are more useful for clarity, whereas others are more useful for proof.

7.1 TYPES OF SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Illustrations

Hypothetical illustrations ask the listener to imagine a situation or a series of events.

In contrast, factual illustrations refer to a real situation or event.

Condensed examples that are used to clarify or to prove a point are called specific instances.

An exposition gives the necessary background information to listeners so they can understand the material being presented.

An audience may need historical information as well.

Listeners also may need a bridge between the speaker and the topic to understand why the speaker is discussing the subject or to establish the speaker's expertise.

Explaining the process that the presentation will follow or the results the speaker wants to achieve also may he helpful to listeners.

Statistics

Analogies

Testimony

Before you accept testimony as support, assess it by asking the following questions:

1. Is the material quoted accurately?

2. Is the source biased because of position, employment, or affiliation?

3. Is the information relevant to the issue being discussed?

4. Is the source competent in the field being discussed?

5. Is the information current,

Visualizations allow the audience to see a relationship between things by creating pictures or images in the mind's eye of the listener.

Humor, the quality of being funny or witty, is useful strategy for gaining and holding the audience's attention.

What are you looking for in using humor? Ask yourself:

1. Is the item funny?

2. Would you feel comfortable saying it?

3. Is it performable humor?

4. Will it offend the audience, if offense is not your purpose?

5. Is it appropriate to the tone of the speech?

6. Is it appropriate for the topic and purpose of the speech?

7.2 VEHICLES FOR PRESENTING SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Attention devices focus the listener's concentration on one stimulus over all others in the environment.

Try to choose concrete supporting materials, which are specific rather than general or abstract. Abstractions are usually not interesting to listeners.

You also should choose familiar supporting materials,

To be a compelling speaker, you must work to be vivid--distinct and graphic--in your presentation.

You may also wish to use novelty by treating the subject in a unique or surprising fashion.

Another device is suspense, whereby you develop expectation and uncertainty in your audience. A series of questions might create suspense:

Material that demonstrates conflict--strife and confrontation--is another effective attention device.

Restatement

Forecasting

7.3 SUPPORTING MATERIALS--ACCURACY, CURRENCY, PRESENTATION

Accuracy of Materials

Before accepting statistics or any other information as truth and using them in your speech, ask yourself:

1. Who says so?

2. How does he or she know?

3. Is any information missing?

4. Did somebody change the subject?

5. Does it make sense?15

Statistical Surveying

Currency of Data

Presentation of Data

7.4 SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS

Is the aid relevant to the presentation?

Will listeners better understand the material through the use of an aid?

Will the aid create potential problems for me?

Aids are intended to facilitate listener understanding, not function as decorative touches; they are to help, not hinder.

Visual aids appeal to our sense of sight. They can include real objects, models, photographs, pictures, diagrams, charts, cutaways, and mockups.

Presentation Graphics

Many speakers have turned to computerized presentation graphics for preparing and displaying their visual aids. Presentation graphics packages such as PowerPoint, Astound, and Action, incorporate word processing, outlining, graphs, tables, logos, clip art, illustrations, photography, video images, audio clips, and Internet connectivity. They offer ways to develop images which can be projected directly from a computer, printed on transparencies for use on an overhead projector, made into hard copy for use with an opaque project, or to produce slides. *** Try these links.

Tips for developing effective presentations using the Windows 95 version.

http://www4.zdnet.com/wsources/content/960717/ppointnf.html

Microsoft site for further information about PowerPoint.

http://www.microsoft.com/powerpoint/default.htm

Acadia University PowerPoint Resource Center (Windows)

Flinders University of South Australia PowerPoint Skills for the MAC

http://cmetwww.cc.flinders.edu.au/courses/powerpoint_4.0/power.html

Audio aids such as records, tape recordings, and other sound duplication mechanisms may be the only way to demonstrate a point accurately to listeners.

Audiovisual aids such as films, videotapes, and audiotapes combined with slide shows mix sight and sound.

Listening to Supporting Material

Some basic questions can guide the listener in assessing the speaker's evidence:

1. Is the evidence clear?

2. Is the evidence consistent with other known evidence?

3. Is the evidence consistent with the speaker?

4. Is the evidence timely?

5. Is the evidence applicable to the argument?

6. Is the evidence pertinent to the argument?

7. Is the source of the evidence reliable?

8. Is the source of the evidence competent in the area cited?

9. Is the source of the evidence free to report all findings?

10. Is the source of the evidence suppressing or distorting facts?

11. Is the source of the evidence sincere?21

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Identify the types of supporting materials and explain their role in the development of a speech.

Describe the vehicles for support used in public speeches.

Explain why it is important to consider the accuracy, currency, and presentation of supporting materials.

Identify the different types of visual, audio, and audiovisual aids that speakers use.

Listen to and evaluate supporting material.

Supporting material can be used to develop the major and subordinate points within the body of the speech. Supporting material should clarify the speaker's point or demonstrate that the point has some probability of being true.

Supporting material includes illustrations, specific instances, exposition, statistics, analogies, testimony, and humor.

Three means for presenting and focusing supporting material are attention devices, restatement, and forecasting.

Using visual, audio, and audiovisual aids is often a valuable way to help the listener understand the message.

Types of visual aids include real objects, models, photographs, pictures, diagrams, charts, cutaways, and mockups.

Listeners need to be aware of the types of devices speakers are using and realize that they are intended for the listener's benefit.

illustrations

hypothetical illustrations

factual illustrations

specific instances

exposition

statistics

analogy

testimony

expert

humor

attention devices

concrete supporting materials

familiar supporting materials

vivid

novelty

suspense

conflict

restatement

forecast

statement of declaration

statistical surveying

random sampling

supplementary aids

visual aids

real objects

scale model

synthetic model

chart

cutaway

mockup

computerized presentation graphics

audio aids

audiovisual aids

National Communication Association Student Clubs

http://uamont.edu/~scauso/scasc/