Speeches About Processes

  In chapter 13 I thoroughly read and re-read the section pertaining to Speeches about Processes because my Informative Speech is a speech about a process. I am speaking about the electoral college and will be attempting to explain how it began, how it functions today, and what the importance and purpose of it is. Because my speech is about a topic that is somewhat more of a macro concept, it will not be as easy to imply a sense of impotence to my audience as a topic that is more personal or simple. If I were talking about the process of voting it would be easy to stress the importance to my audience because they can go out and vote, whereas they will not ever engage in any sort of action in relation to the electoral college. I think that will be one of my biggest challenges in this speech. This means that I should have a clear understanding going in to my speech that I am speaking with the goal of helping my audience to understand the process, rather than how to enact it themselves. Another aspect of my topic that I think will lend itself toward keeping the attention of my audience is that it is a topic that I feel most of my audience does not currently fully understand. The book says to avoid topics people already feel they have a firm grasp of because if they think that they already possess full knowledge of the subject they will not be paying close attention to you because they will not feel as though they have much to gain by doing so.