what to give a informative speech on

50 Interesting Informative Speech Topics for College

26 September, 2020

15 minutes read

Author:  Mathieu Johnson

Informative speeches grant speakers a responsible mission of educating people about significant ideas and themes. They’re also about sharing thoughts and opinions on this or that topic, aimed at expanding understanding and providing listeners with relevant insights for further deliberation. Therefore, it’s a particular type of speeches given to put things into sharp focus and offer food for thought. Read up to know which informative speech topics have the most impact.

What is an informative speech?

As mentioned above, it’s a kind of speech that, well, informs the audience about your topic. Sounds simple enough, but simplicity is deceptive, and there are enough secrets behind this science. Specifically, not all people are fully aware of the fact that the “what” question is a key element that needs to be answered, for with informative speeches, you want to choose a topic most likely to be well received.

Of course, you can speak about something you already know, but you can also talk about the topic which is absolutely new to you. In this case, however, you must make sure that the theme will be relatively easy to research and studied before speech delivery. Another important point worth noticing is that organizational requirements and type of information for informative speech usually intertwines with those for an informative essay, for the latter is often an extension of the first.

How to write an informative speech?

So, now it’s time to move from theory to practice and write an informative speech. But where do you start from?

Although there are many different processes involved in the process, we’ll narrow them to essentials to help you better grasp the idea of how a perfect speech should be tailored.

Stage 1. Research and Brainstorming

Think about the topic.

The first and most crucial step is about choosing the right topic. We’ve mentioned before that it’s vital to select the issue you feel free to talk about. However, there are also cases when professors assign a specific task for you. Either way, the point here is to conduct thorough research based on the given or chosen topic.

If you want to explain the history of some company, band or event, for example, make sure to deliver the message clearly, without going here and there. For this, consider talking about particular points which will cover the whole speech and help the audience quickly digest it. Otherwise, your speech will depart from the topic, and listeners will find it challenging to follow your thoughts.

Gather Evidence

Every scholarly work proves its credibility by the inclusion of relevant sources to show both the audience and the instructor that you’ve put enough effort into the work to sound authoritative. This is a great chance to get a good mark, but more importantly, earn trust from listeners. To cite the evidence correctly, you can search for some facts, stats, or numbers in a variety of sources. These include textbooks, books, and encyclopedias (online ones work as well), scholarly articles, reputable news bureaus, and government documents. If these are hard to find for you, think of alternatives, like online journals and magazines. But be careful and don’t use sources from there if they are not credible and reputable. As an example, use The New York Times, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, SAJE journals, Forbes, etc.

Also, keep in mind that the evidence you’ll use should depend on the subject of your talk. If it’s about science, check scientific publications. If it’s about medicine – embark upon texts on this specific sphere. Finally, don’t forget to create a works cited page at the end of your speech and put all your sources there. Even if your instructor does not specify such a requirement, create a list anyways. This will help you keep references organized, and you will be able to pick a suitable one from the list.

Generate a Nice Thesis

A thesis is the core of impactful speech that tells listeners about its focal points. It also reveals the purpose of your speech and provides the audience with an insight into what the speech is all about. Notably, your thesis should not exceed the length of one-two sentences and be as precise as possible. More so, thesis, like the speech itself, is not about convincing people to take your topic stance immediately. Rather, it’s about informing listeners about significant events or cases which they could analyze and make relevant conclusions themselves. No need to push them or force to change the perspective, just try to be genuine and honest with people you’re talking to. Considering that it’s a scholarly piece of work, there’s no room for appealing to emotions or subjective claims. So in informative speeches, objectivity is the key player.

Informative speech outline

The outline is a skeleton of your speech that briefly explains each of your points. This is basically a list of short sentences which reveal the meaning of your main speech ideas. Remember that this list is not for the audience; it’s for your own use. So the task here is to write about every point in a way you’ll understand. You can also use notecards instead of paper so that it’ll be much easier for you not to get lost in a sea of ideas and organize the speech properly. Tip: include numbers and capital letters for headings, and bullet points or other figures to mark subheadings.

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. Our essay writers will easily answer the to the question “Who can write my speech?”

Stage 2. Writing

Once the sketches are ready and you have a clear understanding of what to speak about, move on straight to writing.

Craft an Engaging Intro

What does engaging stand for in this case? It denotes some speech elements which will be enticing for listeners from the first sentence. It’s a common practice to start speeches with different hooks to call for more people’s attention. There are a plethora of techniques you can use to make an unforgettable first impression: jokes, anecdotes, examples from personal life, interesting statistics, rhetorical questions, quotes of famous people. You can even invent your own attention-grabber which will help you knock down listeners.

Give More Detail in the Main Body

Once you managed to create impact by the introduction and made sure everyone will be eager to listen to you further, you need to expand the explanation of key speech ideas in a well-structured, organized manner. Like in regular life, you start a story from the beginning to the end, while gradually moving from one idea to another. The same goes for informative speech – you need to ensure that the flow of your narration is logical and concise, fully elaborated, and precise. Also, don’t forget about making transitions between sentences. They will make your speech flow naturally, helping the audience to process the information much easier and effortlessly.

Wrap Everything Up in Conclusion

The ending of your informative speech should restate the main idea and the thesis you’ve mentioned in the introduction. There’s no need to say new things that will only confuse your audience. Instead, all the conclusion needs is a nice wrapping of the already stated claims.

So basically you want to review your main points and thereby deliver listeners a message which they will perceive as a major takeaway from what you’ve just told them. However, the introductory part should by no means repeat previous information word by word. It’s just a short restatement that covers up the main points.

Proofread and Edit the Final Version

Once the text is written entirely, it’s a must for you to double check it to avoid possible mistakes. If your informative speech turns out not as informative as expected due to grammatical or lexical errors, you’ll not be taken seriously, which we bet is not the purpose of delivering your talk. So, to prevent casualties from happening, you’ll need to use reliable editing and proofreading tools. Grammarly is an excellent source for this. Its accurate algorithm detects all kinds of mistakes and fixes them on the fly in a matter of seconds. And you can also check the text for plagiarism to make sure that it has no analogs anywhere on the web.

Stage 3. Perfecting Speech Delivery

Memorize your speech.

Half work is done – you have a writing piece. Now it’s time to learn it. Of course, it’ll take you time to do this, but with a little patience and enough time, you can memorize it even faster than expected. Besides, it’s not recommended to learn the speech from A to Z, inside out and upside down by heart. If your instructor is indulgent enough, feel free to memorize your talk in a way that allows you to explain your ideas clearly and consistently. To facilitate the process of learning, you can memorize sentence by sentence until you’re confident. And even if you forget something during delivery, you can always count on the outline that’ll give you a hint on what to talk about next.

Practice Reading Speech Aloud

When the final product is finally ready and polished, you need to concentrate on reading it.

Practice the speech in a mirror, to a friend/relative/pet, or record yourself to trace the tone and intonation. This way, you’ll make sure that your informative speech is brilliant and you deliver it just the way you wanted. Besides, this practice can help you critically evaluate the flaws and correct them before the actual delivery. Have enough time for this, because even experienced speakers always rehearse their speeches. Finally, focus on the way you use gestures, the way you stand and look at the audience, and facial expressions.

List of informative speech topics

There are lots of easy informative speech topics to choose from, but we offer you to review our topics list with some of the most alluring ones to get you started. Let’s examine pro informative topics that’ll help you write a memorable speech.

Topics for informative speech about music

• Frank Sinatra – a beloved father of music
• The drastic evolution of french music
• Deep house – the most popular music style among youngsters
• Why did rock and roll became an epitome of popular dance music
• Why does reggae music most known under the name of Bob Marley
• The psychological and physical benefits of listening to music
• Chill, lounge and electronica has market the era of progressive sound
• The impact of rap music on society at large
• The art of playing the violin
• The evolution of jazz music and its connection to historical movements

Informative speech topics about animals

• Why are so many animals under extinction today and how do we fix it?
• Why dogs are considered as humans best friend?
• The history and evolution of polar bears
• Why does rhinos horn trimming in South Africa still allowed
• How to properly raise chinchillas
• The most dangerous types of dogs on the planet
• Staggering intellectual abilities of elephants baffle even scientists
• How to keep snakes away and save your life
• Different types of butterflies
• The history of bees and their role in the world

Topics for informative speech about global warming

• Patterns in climate change: rising temperatures and flooding
• What Effects does Climate Change have on the Earth and its Inhabitants?
• What are the practical solutions to global warming
• What is global warming and what causes it?
• The future of global warming: dismal predictions and statistics
• Controversial opinions about global warming
• The greenhouse effect as the top one reason of climate change
• The global issue of global warming: what’s next?
• Humans are responsible for the emergence and progress of global warming
• Sanctions against generation of greenhouses: will they ever take place?

Informative speech ideas about sports

• How sports improve human physical and psychological health
• Is golf the game of the past?
• The real life of sport teams: from trainings to furious games
• Can roller skating be considered a kind of sport?
• What’s more dangerous: white water rafting or ice diving?
• The history of sports: whom do we owe respect?
• Hockey 101: gear, playing techniques, team spirit
• Why is boxing the most dangerous type of sports
• The most unusual kinds of sports humans have invented
• The importance and potential threat of football for the world 

Interesting speech topics about food and drinks

• How to bake a cake and not put on weight
• Why does alcohol bring so much trouble to contemporary youth?
• There are no superfoods, the study shows
• Does fast food really cause addiction?
• The secret ingredient of Coca Cola and why you’ll never want to drink it again
• If the fruit diet useful for health?
• Why bananas can save the world
• Eating vegetables and olive oil is a golden ticket to rejuvenation
• What’s the difference between natural and processed foods?
• Why eating pizza is the worst way to get away with cooking

As you can see from the list of topics for speeches, informative speech is a perfect occasion to explore interesting themes in depth and share your knowledge with people who are most likely to learn new things with you. Discovering a variety of topics and writing them on paper is perhaps the most engaging task your instructor has ever assigned you. And if you find it challenging to come with the right idea for a good topic, just send a “ write my speech ” request, and we’ll complete your order in no time.

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How to Write an Informative Speech

Last Updated: October 6, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,390,876 times.

An informative speech tells an audience about a process, event, or concept. Whether you’re explaining how to grow a garden or describing a historical event, writing an informative speech is pretty straightforward. Knowing the topic inside and out is key, so start by conducting thorough research. Organize your speech logically so your audience can easily follow, and keep your language clear. Since speeches are recited out loud, be sure to set aside time after writing to perfect your delivery.

Researching the Topic

• Suppose your prompt instructs you to inform the audience about a hobby or activity. Make a list of your clubs, sports, and other activities, and choose the one that interests you most. Then zoom in on one particular aspect or process to focus on in your speech.
• For instance, if you like tennis, you can’t discuss every aspect of the sport in a single speech. Instead, you could focus on a specific technique, like serving the ball.

• For example, if your speech is about a historical event, find primary sources, like letters or newspaper articles published at the time of the event. Additionally, include secondary sources, such as scholarly articles written by experts on the event.
• If you’re informing the audience about a medical condition, find information in medical encyclopedias, scientific journals, and government health websites.

Tip: Organize your sources in a works cited page. Even if the assignment doesn’t require a works cited page, it’ll help you keep track of your sources. [3] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• For instance, if your speech is on growing plants from seeds, explain the process step-by-step to a friend or relative. Ask them if any parts in your explanation seemed muddy or vague.
• Break down the material into simple terms, especially if you’re addressing a non-expert audience. Think about how you’d describe the topic to a grandparent or younger sibling. If you can’t avoid using jargon, be sure to define technical words in clear, simple terms.

• For example, if your speech is on the poet Charles Baudelaire, a strong thesis would be, “I am here to explain how city life and exotic travel shaped the key poetic themes of Charles Baudelaire’s work.”
• While the goal of an informative speech isn't to make a defensible claim, your thesis still needs to be specific. For instance, “I’m going to talk about carburetors” is vague. “My purpose today is to explain how to take apart a variable choke carburetor” is more specific.

• For instance, a speech meant to persuade an audience to support a political stance would most likely include examples of pathos, or persuasive devices that appeal to the audience's emotions.
• On the other hand, an informative speech on how to grow pitcher plants would present clear, objective steps. It wouldn't try to argue that growing pitcher plants is great or persuade listeners to grow pitcher plants.

Drafting Your Speech

• Delivering memorized remarks instead of reading verbatim is more engaging. A section of a speaking outline would look like this: III. YMCA’s Focus on Healthy Living  A. Commitment to overall health: both body and mind  B. Programs that support commitment   1. Annual Kid’s Day   2. Fitness facilities   3. Classes and group activities

• For example, you could begin with, “Have you ever wondered how a figure skater could possibly jump, twist, and land on the thin blade of an ice skate? From proper technique to the physical forces at play, I’ll explain how world-class skaters achieve jaw-dropping jumps and spins.”
• Once you've established your purpose, preview your speech: “After describing the basic technical aspects of jumping, I’ll discuss the physics behind jumps and spins. Finally, I’ll explain the 6 types of jumps and clarify why some are more difficult than others.”
• Some people prefer to write the speech's body before the introduction. For others, writing the intro first helps them figure out how to organize the rest of the speech.

• For instance, if your speech is about the causes of World War I, start by discussing nationalism in the years prior to the war. Next, describe the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, then explain how alliances pulled the major players into open warfare.
• Transition smoothly between ideas so your audience can follow your speech. For example, write, “Now that we’ve covered how nationalism set the stage for international conflict, we can examine the event that directly led to the outbreak of World War I: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. [11] X Research source

• For instance, your conclusion could point out, “Examining the factors that set the stage for World War I shows how intense nationalism fueled the conflict. A century after the Great War, the struggle between nationalism and globalism continues to define international politics in the twenty-first century.”

• Typically, speeches aren’t read verbatim. Instead, you’ll memorize the speech and use a bare bones outline to stay on track.

Avoid information overload: When you compose your speech, read out loud as you write. Focus on keeping your sentence structures simple and clear. Your audience will have a hard time following along if your language is too complicated. [14] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

Perfecting Your Delivery

• While it’s generally okay to use slightly different phrasing, try to stick to your complete outline as best you can. If you veer off too much or insert too many additional words, you could end up exceeding your time limit.
• Keep in mind your speaking outline will help you stay focused. As for quotes and statistics, feel free to write them on your notecards for quick reference.

Memorization tip: Break up the speech into smaller parts, and memorize it section by section. Memorize 1 sentence then, when you feel confident, add the next. Continue practicing with gradually longer passages until you know the speech like the back of your hand.

• Instead of slouching, stand up tall with your shoulders back. In addition to projecting confidence, good posture will help you breathe deeply to support your voice.

• Have them point out any spots that dragged or seemed disorganized. Ask if your tone was engaging, if you used body language effectively, and if your volume, pitch, and pacing need any tweaks.

• If you keep exceeding the time limit, review your complete sentence outline. Cut any fluff and simplify complicated phrases. If your speech isn’t long enough, look for areas that could use more detail or consider adding another section to the body.
• Just make sure any content you add is relevant. For instance, if your speech on nationalism and World War I is 2 minutes too short, you could add a section about how nationalism manifested in specific countries, including Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Serbia.

Sample Informative Speeches

Expert Q&A

• You're probably much better at informative speeches than you think! If you have ever told your parents about your day at school or explained to a friend how to make chicken noodle soup, you already have experience giving an informative speech! Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• If you get nervous, try to relax, take deep breaths, and visualize calming scenery. Remember, there’s nothing to worry about. Just set yourself up for success by knowing the material and practicing. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• When composing your speech, take your audience into consideration, and tailor your speech to the people you’re addressing. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-realworldcomm/chapter/11-1-informative-speeches/
• ↑ https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-communication-studies/s11-01-informative-speeches.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/11-1-informative-speeches/
• ↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/informative-speaking
• ↑ https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/337550
• ↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
• ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/oralcommunication/guides/how-to-outline-a-speech
• ↑ https://wac.colostate.edu/resources/writing/guides/informative-speaking/
• ↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/structuring-speech
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/speeches/
• ↑ https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/High-School-Competition-Events-Guide.pdf
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/10-4-physical-delivery/

About This Article

To write an informative speech, start with an introduction that will grab your audience's attention and give them an idea of where the rest of your speech is headed. Next, choose 3 important points that you want to make to form the body of your speech. Then, organize the points in a logical order and write content to address each point. Finally, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points and ends with a message that you want your audience to take away from it. For tips on researching topics for an informative speech, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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25 Topics for an Informative Speech

3-minute read

• 20th November 2023

Have you been asked to give an informative speech, or do you simply want to practice your public speaking skills ? If the answer to either question is yes, then the first thing you need to do is choose a topic for your speech. But with so many potential topics, how can you pick just one? In this post, we’ve narrowed down 25 topics for an informative speech to help you find the one that works best for you.

Choosing a Topic

Informative speeches aim to educate the audience on a particular subject or industry. Unlike persuasive speeches , informative ones are not meant to convince the listener to believe or act a certain way; they are meant to be purely descriptive and explanatory.

The best topics for informative speeches are engaging, interesting, valuable, and relevant to the target audience . Choose a topic about which you have a comprehensive understanding or one you intend to research substantially. After all, it’s easy to deliver an engaging presentation and educate your audience when you’re extremely knowledgeable about the topic! Next, let’s take a look at 25 interesting topics for an informative speech, organized by subject.

Science and Technology

●  The impact of artificial intelligence on society

●  Recent advancements in space exploration

●  Recent breakthroughs in medical research

●  The science behind climate change and its effects

●  The evolution of social media

●  What is 3D printing?

Health and Wellness

●  The effect of regular exercise on overall health

●  How sleep impacts brain functioning

●  Understanding stress and stress management techniques

●  How does sugar impact the body?

●  Key figures in the Civil Rights movement

●  Significant women in history

●  Sculpture of the Renaissance

●  A history of fashion in the Victorian era

●  An exploration of the Olympics from their beginning

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●  The history and impact of open-access education

●  An exploration of virtual learning over the past 25 years

●  How high schools differ around the world

●  A look back at education in 19th-century America and the way it compares to current methods

●  The history of homework

The Environment and Sustainability

●  How to reduce your carbon footprint

●  What is zero-waste living?

●  The significance of global water conservation

●  The impact of air pollution on public health

●  The impact of oil spills on the environment

Tips for Giving an Informative Speech

If you’re giving an informative speech, remember to:

●  Do your research! Gather information from credible, authoritative sources when composing your speech. Avoid sources that discuss strictly the opinion of the author and look for solid, factual evidence to support your topic.

●  Consider your audience. Do they have at least a baseline knowledge of the topic? The answer to this question will help determine how deep you should go in your explanations and what kind of language to use.

●  Organize your ideas . Before you begin writing, create a comprehensive outline that includes the introduction, main ideas, and conclusion.

●  Use anecdotes or examples to make your content more engaging and relevant to your audience.

●  Anticipate potential questions and jot down notes you can easily refer to.

Here’s one last essential speech writing tip: to ensure a smooth delivery and enhance your writing, have your speech professionally proofread and edited. Our editors can make sure your informative speech effectively conveys your message and engages your audience. Send in your free sample today to get started.

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Informative Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is an informative speech?

An informative speech uses descriptions, demonstrations, and strong detail to explain a person, place, or subject. An informative speech makes a complex topic easier to understand and focuses on delivering information, rather than providing a persuasive argument.

Types of informative speeches

The most common types of informative speeches are definition, explanation, description, and demonstration.

A definition speech explains a concept, theory, or philosophy about which the audience knows little. The purpose of the speech is to inform the audience so they understand the main aspects of the subject matter.

An explanatory speech presents information on the state of a given topic. The purpose is to provide a specific viewpoint on the chosen subject. Speakers typically incorporate a visual of data and/or statistics.

The speaker of a descriptive speech provides audiences with a detailed and vivid description of an activity, person, place, or object using elaborate imagery to make the subject matter memorable.

A demonstrative speech explains how to perform a particular task or carry out a process. These speeches often demonstrate the following:

How to do something

How to make something

How to fix something

How something works

How to write an informative speech

Regardless of the type, every informative speech should include an introduction, a hook, background information, a thesis, the main points, and a conclusion.

Introduction

An attention grabber or hook draws in the audience and sets the tone for the speech. The technique the speaker uses should reflect the subject matter in some way (i.e., if the topic is serious in nature, do not open with a joke). Therefore, when choosing an attention grabber, consider the following:

What’s the topic of the speech?

What’s the occasion?

Who’s the audience?

What’s the purpose of the speech?

Common Attention Grabbers (Hooks)

Ask a question that allows the audience to respond in a non-verbal way (e.g., a poll question where they can simply raise their hands) or ask a rhetorical question that makes the audience think of the topic in a certain way yet requires no response.

Incorporate a well-known quote that introduces the topic. Using the words of a celebrated individual gives credibility and authority to the information in the speech.

Offer a startling statement or information about the topic, which is typically done using data or statistics. The statement should surprise the audience in some way.

Provide a brief anecdote that relates to the topic in some way.

Present a “what if” scenario that connects to the subject matter of the speech.

Identify the importance of the speech’s topic.

Starting a speech with a humorous statement often makes the audience more comfortable with the speaker.

Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the audience needs to know to understand the speech in its entirety.

The thesis statement shares the central purpose of the speech.

Demonstrate

Preview the main ideas that will help accomplish the central purpose. Typically, informational speeches will have an average of three main ideas.

Body paragraphs

Apply the following to each main idea (body) :

Identify the main idea ( NOTE: The main points of a demonstration speech would be the individual steps.)

Provide evidence to support the main idea

Explain how the evidence supports the main idea/central purpose

Transition to the next main idea

Review or restate the thesis and the main points presented throughout the speech.

Much like the attention grabber, the closing statement should interest the audience. Some of the more common techniques include a challenge, a rhetorical question, or restating relevant information:

Provide the audience with a challenge or call to action to apply the presented information to real life.

Detail the benefit of the information.

Close with an anecdote or brief story that illustrates the main points.

Leave the audience with a rhetorical question to ponder after the speech has concluded.

Detail the relevance of the presented information.

Before speech writing, brainstorm a list of informative speech topic ideas. The right topic depends on the type of speech, but good topics can range from video games to disabilities and electric cars to healthcare and mental health.

Informative speech topics

Some common informative essay topics for each type of informational speech include the following:

Informative speech examples

The following list identifies famous informational speeches:

“Duties of American Citizenship” by Theodore Roosevelt

“Duty, Honor, Country” by General Douglas MacArthur

“Strength and Dignity” by Theodore Roosevelt

Explanation

“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry

“The Decision to Go to the Moon” by John F. Kennedy

“We Shall Fight on the Beaches” by Winston Churchill

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Informative Speech Outline – Template & Examples

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Informative speeches are used in our day-to-day lives without even noticing it, we use these speeches whenever we inform someone about a topic they didn’t have much knowledge on, whenever we give someone instructions on how to do something that they haven’t done before, whenever we tell someone about another person. Informative speaking is fairly new to the world of public speaking. Ancient philosophers like Aristotle, Cicero and, Quintilian envisioned public speaking as rhetoric, which is inherently persuasive.

In this article:

What is an Informative Speech?

Here are some ways to prepare for your speech, 1. develop support for your thesis, 2. write your introduction and conclusion, 3. deliver the speech, example of an informative speech outline.

An informative speech is designed to inform the audience about a certain topic of discussion and to provide more information. It is usually used to educate an audience on a particular topic of interest. The main goal of an informative speech is to provide enlightenment concerning a topic the audience knows nothing about. The main types of informative speeches are descriptive, explanatory, demonstrative, and definition speeches. The topics that are covered in an informative speech should help the audience understand the subject of interest better and help them remember what they learned later. The goal of an informative speech isn’t to persuade or sway the audience to the speaker’s point of view but instead to educate. The details need to be laid out to the audience so that they can make an educated decision or learn more about the subject that they are interested in.

It is important for the speaker to think about how they will present the information to the audience.  

Informative Speech Preparation

When you are preparing your informative speech, your preparation is the key to a successful speech. Being able to carry your information across to the audience without any misunderstanding or misinterpretation is very important.

1. Choose Your Topic

Pick a topic where you will explain something, help people understand a certain subject, demonstrate how to use something.

2. Make a Thesis Statement

Think about what point you are trying to get across, What is the topic that you want to educate your audience on? “I will explain…” “I will demonstrate how to…” “I will present these findings…”

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3. Create Points That Support Your Thesis

Take a moment to think about what would support your thesis and take a moment to write the points down on a sheet of paper. Then, take a moment to elaborate on those points and support them. 

Typical Organization for an Informative Speech:

How to Speech: 4 Key steps to doing what you are talking about.

Example: Step One: Clean the chicken of any unwanted feathers and giblets. Step Two: Spice the chicken and add stuffings. Step Three: Set oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Step Four: Place chicken in the oven and cook for an hour. 

History/ What Happened Speech: Points listing from the beginning to the latest events that you want to discuss in your speech.

Example: First, Harry met Sally. Second, Harry took Sally out to the roadhouse. Third, Harry and Sally started their courtship. Fourth, Harry and Sally moved in together and adopted a dog named Paco.

What is it Speech: Two to Four main points that discuss the key elements of your subject.

Example: First, there must be four wheels. Second, the car’s engine must be functioning. Third, the doors must be functional. Fourth, in order to get to your destination, the car’s steering has to be functional.

Explain it Speech: Two to Four main points that go through the key elements of the topic to explain it.

Example: Firstly, the car drives by the engine that powers it to move forward. Secondly, by the wheels that rotate in a forward or backward motion. Thirdly, the car’s engine is powered by gas which gives it the ability to function and essentially move the car.

Write down support for your points. Take some time to research your topic thoroughly. It is good to gather statistics, expert opinions, facts, and much more to make your speech unique and effective. 

There are three main types of support you should use to strengthen your speech: 

Interest supports.

Interest supports are used to increase the audience’s interest in the topic you are presenting.

• Personal experiences
• Interaction (e.g., Questions to the audience)

Evidence Supports

Evidence increases solid factual support in your speech. Examples of evidence supported are statistics, expert opinions, direct quotations. Studies, surveys, and facts.

Multimedia Aids

Multimedia aids such as posters with pictures and writing, DVDs, music or recordings on a stereo player, videotapes, and PowerPoint presentations.

Write your introduction. Provide a quick attention getter, state your thesis, elaborate on why it is important to you and your audience. It is expected that you preview your main points in the introduction by listing all your main points of discussion in your introduction.

Write your conclusion. Tie the speech together, build to a higher point and give it a sense of conclusion.

Practice your speech until you feel confident. Present your material as effectively as possible.

Informative Speech Outline

Creating an outline for an informative speech will help you organize your ideas and information to share with your audience in an effective manner. A well-planned outline will ensure that all the important information is included in your speech and ensure that you don’t wander off-topic.

Topic: This will be the title of your speech.

Purpose: To inform the audience about the topic.

Thesis: A theme statement that clearly describes the topic and points made in the presentation.

• Introduction
• Attention-grabbing opening statement
• Reason to listen to the speech
• Thesis statement
• Preview of points to be covered
• First main point
• First subpoint
• Supporting detail
• Second subpoint
• Second main point
• Third main point
• Restatement of main points
• Restatement of thesis
• Concluding remarks

When developing an outline, follow these rules to ensure a successful speech:

• Include one idea for every point, subpoint, or supporting detail.
• If there is one point, there must be a second point. If there is one supporting point, there should be a second supporting point. 
• Be consistent. If you are using full sentences to describe points and subpoints, use full sentences throughout the outline. Ensure that the verb tense is consistent throughout your outline as well.

Informative Speech Outline Examples

Topic: Adoption

Purpose: To inform people about adoption

Thesis: Adoption is the act of transferring parental rights and duties to someone other than the adopted person’s biological parents. The number of children adopted each year by American families is an estimate only.

• What do Edgar Allan Poe, John Lennon, Steve Jobs, and Eleanor Roosevelt all have in common? They were all adopted. Adoption is the act of transferring parental rights and duties to someone other than the adopted person’s biological parents. The adoption process is lengthy, expensive, and varies from country to country and even state to state. Not only does adoption vary from state to state, but sometimes the adoption process even varies within regions of a state.
• Many children get adopted every year. No one knows how adoption works.
• Adoption is a life-changing event, not just for the children involved but also for every single family made whole through adoption.
• Adoption processes vary from place to place. Types of adoption. Benefits and detriments to adoption. Many children who are adopted have experienced neglect and abuse.
• Adoption processes vary from place to place.
• The adoption process varies from state to state.
• It is more expensive in certain states than in others.
• The amount of paperwork throughout the process also depends on the state legislature.
• The adoption process varies within a state.
• In certain states, the adoption process is different from one region to the next.
• The process is different depending on the child protection laws set in each region inside a state.
• Types of adoption
• There are different types of adoption.
• There is step-parent or other family member adoption
• There is also adoption across state lines
• The more traditional adoption types are commonly known.
• There is private adoption which is most commonly found throughout the U.S.
• Adoption through foster care is a good thing to try for first-time adopters.
• The adoption process is expensive.
• There are a lot of upfront expenses.
• You are subjected to adoption agency fees to help you find a suitable match for your family.
• You also have to pay to adopt the child you want to adopt.
• There are a lot of big expenses in terms of the child too.
• Readying a living space to suit a child’s wants and needs can be expensive.
• Many new expenses come to light like healthcare, school, etc.
• Adoption processes vary from state to state. There are many different types of adoption. Adoption can be expensive, so you have to ensure that you are financially capable of caring for another human being.
• Adoption is the act of transferring parental rights and duties to someone other than the adopted person’s biological parents. The number of children adopted each year by American families is an estimate only.
• Adoption is an absolutely life-changing adventure, but everyone needs to be more educated before walking into a demanding process. There will be many emotions, expenses, and frustration, but it truly is worth it in the end.

Topic: Snakebites and how they’re treated

Purpose: To inform the audience of the dangers of snakes and how to respond to being bitten by a snake.

Thesis: Snakebites are dangerous and could ultimately lead to loss of life if not acted upon correctly.

• Imagine that you and your friend are walking in the woods, one sunny day in the fall when leaves cover the ground. Suddenly, your friend accidentally steps on a snake and gets bitten.
• Your friend’s chance of survival depends on your knowledge of acting promptly and taking proper measures in this situation.
• Today I will inform you about three common poisonous snakes seen in our country and explain to you the effects of a snake bite.
• Three poisonous snakes. Effects of the snake’s venom. How to administer first aid in the event of a snake bite.
• Three poisonous snakes
• There are two types of Rattlesnakes.
• William Pinkston: Responsible for more deaths in this country.
• Western diamondback: found from Texas to Eastern California.
• Copperhead and Cottonmouth
• Before striking, it opens its mouth wide to reveal its white inside.
• That’s how it got its name.
• The effects of snake venom on the human body
• Hepatotoxic
• Destroys blood vessels and red blood cells.
• Deadly and fatal to the victim.
• It affects the optic nerves in the eyes, causing blindness.
• It affects the nerves controlling the respiratory muscles, causing suffocation and eventually leading to death if left untreated.
• How to administer first aid in the event of a snake bite.
• Immobilize the bitten area slightly lower than the heart.
• Apply a flat constricting band 2-4 inches above the bite.
• With a sterile scalpel or knife, make one incision that connects the fang marks.
• Squeeze venom gently from the incision with your fingers for 30 minutes.
• Get the victim to the hospital as soon as possible.
• Snake bites are dangerous and could ultimately lead to loss of life if not acted upon correctly.
• Snake bites are dangerous and could ultimately lead to loss of life if they are not cared for properly, and the victim doesn’t get the necessary treatment in time.

Informative speeches have one main goal: to inform the audience of a specific topic of interest. For you to have an effective and successful informative speech, it is important to do your research and draw up an informative speech outline. The speech outline ensures that you do not wander off topic or get carried away with one point. 

If, on the other hand, you have to prepare persuasive speech, we have a guide on outlining and preparing for it the right way right here .

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How to Write an Informative Speech Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

It’s the moment of truth — the anxiety-inducing moment when you realize writing the outline for your informative speech is due soon. Whether you’re looking to deliver a report on the migratory patterns of the great white stork or give a lecture on the proper techniques of candle making, knowing how to write an effective outline is essential.

That’s why we’ve put together this complete, step-by-step guide on how to write an informative speech outline. From selecting a topic to transitioning during your speech, this guide will have you well on your way to writing a compelling informative speech outline . So grab your pen and paper, put on your thinking cap, and let’s get started!

What is an Informative Speech Outline?

An informative speech outline is a document used to plan the structure and core content of a public speech. It’s used by speakers to ensure their talk covers all the important points, stays on-topic and flows logically from one point to another. By breaking down complex topics into smaller, concise sections, an effective outline can help keep a speaker organized, set objectives for their talk, support key points with evidence and promote audience engagement. A well-structured outline can also make a presentation easier to remember and act as an invaluable reminder if nerves ever get the better of the speaker. On one hand, an informative speech outline enables speakers to cover multiple ideas in an efficient manner while avoiding digressions. On the other hand, it’s important that speakers remain flexible to adjust and adapt content to meet audience needs. While there are some tried-and-tested strategies for creating outlines that work, many successful speakers prefer to tweak and modify existing outlines according to their personal preferences. In conclusion, preparing an informative speech outline can boost confidence and create an effective structure for presentations. With this in mind, let’s now look at how to structure an informative speech outline

How to Structure an Informative Speech Outline

The structure of your informative speech outline should be based on the points you need to cover during your presentation. It should list out all of the main points in an organized and logical manner, along with supporting details for each point. The main structure for an informative speech should consist of three parts: the introduction, body and conclusion.

Introduction

When starting to craft your structure, begin by introducing the topic and giving a brief synopsis of what the audience can expect to learn from your speech. By setting up what they will gain from your presentation, it will help keep them engaged throughout the rest of your talk. Additionally, include any objectives that you want to achieve by the end of your speech.

The body of an informative speech outline typically consists of three parts: main points, sub-points, and supporting details. Main points are the core topics that the speaker wishes to cover throughout the speech. These can be further broken down into sub-points, that explore the main ideas in greater detail. Supporting details provide evidence or facts about each point and can include statistics, research studies, quotes from experts, anecdotes and personal stories . When presenting an informative speech, it is important to consider each side of the topic for an even-handed discussion. If there is an argumentative element to the speech, consider incorporating both sides of the debate . It is also important to be objective when presenting facts and leave value judgments out. Once you have determined your main points and all of their supporting details, you can start ordering them in a logical fashion. The presentation should have a clear flow and move between points smoothly. Each point should be covered thoroughly without getting overly verbose; you want to make sure you are giving enough information to your audience while still being concise with your delivery.

Writing an informative speech outline can be a daunting yet rewarding process. Through the steps outlined above, speakers will have created a strong foundation for their speech and can now confidently start to research their topics . The outline serves as a guiding map for speakers to follow during their research and when writing their eventual speech drafts . Having the process of developing an informative speech broken down into easy and manageable steps helps to reduce stress and anxiety associated with preparing speeches .

• The introduction should be around 10-20% of the total speech duration and is designed to capture the audience’s attention and introduce the topic.
• The main points should make up 40-60% of the speech and provide further detail into the topic. The body should begin with a transition, include evidence or examples and have supporting details. Concluding with a recap or takeaway should take around 10-20% of the speech duration.

While crafting an informative speech outline is a necessary step in order for your presentation to run smoothly, there are many different styles and approaches you can use when creating one. Ultimately though, the goal is always to ensure that the information presented is factual and relevant to both you and your audience. By carefully designing and structuring an effective outline, both you and your audience will be sure to benefit greatly from it when it comes time for delivering a successful presentation .

Now that speakers know how to create an effective outline, it’s time to begin researching the content they plan to include in their speeches. In the next section we’ll discuss how to conduct research for an informative speech so speakers are armed with all the facts necessary to deliver an interesting and engaging presentation .

How to Research for an Informative Speech

When researching an informative speech, it’s important to find valid and reliable sources of information. There are many ways that one can seek out research for an informative speech, and no single method will guarantee a thorough reliable research. Depending on the complexity of the topic and the depth of knowledge required, a variety of methods should be utilized. The first step when researching for an informative speech should be to evaluate your present knowledge of the subject. This will help to determine what specific areas require additional research, and give clues as to where you might start looking for evidence. It is important to know the basic perspectives and arguments surrounding your chosen topic in order to select good sources and avoid biased materials. Textbooks, academic journals, newspaper articles, broadcasts, or credible websites are good starting points for informational speeches. As you search for information and evidence, be sure to use trustworthy authors who cite their sources. These sources refer to experts in the field whose opinions add credibility and can bolster your argument with facts and data. Evaluating these sources is particularly important as they form the foundation of your speech content and structure. Analyze each source critically by looking into who wrote it and evaluating how recent or relevant it is to the current conversation on your chosen topic. As with any research paper, one must strive for accuracy when gathering evidence while also surveying alternative positions on a topic. Considering both sides of a debate allows your speech to provide accurate information while remaining objective. This will also encourage audience members to draw their conclusions instead of taking your word for it. Furthermore, verifying sources from multiple angles (multiple avenues) ensures that information is fact-checked versus opinionated or biased pieces which might distort accuracy or mislead an audience member seeking truth about a controversial issue. At this stage in preparing for an informative speech, research should have been carried out thoroughly enough to allow confidently delivering evidence-based statements about a chosen topic. With all of this necessary groundwork completed, it’s time to move onto the next stage: sourcing different types of evidence which will allow you to illustrate your point in an even more helpful way. It is now time to transition into discussing “Sources & Evidence”.

Sources and Evidence

When crafting an informative speech outline, it is important to include accurate sources and valid evidence. Your audience needs to be sure that the content you are presenting not only reflects a clear understanding of the topic but is also backed up with reliable sources. For example, if you are speaking about climate change, include research studies, statistics, surveys and other forms of data that provide concrete evidence that supports your argument or position. Additionally, be sure to cite any sources used in the speech so that your audience can double-check the accuracy. In some cases, particularly when discussing sensitive topics, each side of the issue should be addressed. Not only does this make for a more balanced discussion, it also allows you to show respect for different points of view without compromising your own opinion or position. Presenting both sides briefly will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and show your ability to present a well-rounded argument. Knowing how to source accurately and objectively is key to creating an informative speech outline which will be compelling and engaging for an audience. With the right sources and evidence utilized correctly, you can ensure that your argument is both authoritative and convincing. With these fundamentals in place, you can move on to developing tips for crafting an informative speech for maximum impact and engagement with the listeners.

Tips for Crafting an Informative Speech

When crafting an informative speech, there are certain tips and tricks that you can use to make sure your outline is the best it can be. Firstly, if you are speaking about a controversial issue, make sure you present both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner. Rely on researching credible sources, and discuss different points of views objectively. Additionally, organize and prioritize your points so that they are easy to follow and follow a logical progression. Begin with introducing a succinct thesis statement that briefly summarizes the main points of your speech. This will give the audience a clear idea of what topics you will be discussing and help retain their attention throughout your speech. Furthermore, be mindful to weave in personal anecdotes or relevant stories so that the audience can better relate to your ideas. Make sure the anecdotes have a purpose and demonstrate the key themes effectively. Acquiring creative ways to present data or statistics is also important; avoid inundating the audience with too many facts and figures all at once. Finally, ensure that all visual aids such as props, charts or slides remain relevant to the subject matter being discussed. Visual aids not only keep listeners engaged but also make difficult concepts easier to understand. With these handy tips in mind, you should be well on your way to constructing an effective informative speech outline! Now let’s move onto exploring some examples of effective informative speech outlines so that we can get a better idea of how it’s done.

Examples of Effective Informative Speech Outlines

Informative speeches must be compelling and provide relevant details, making them effective and impactful. In order to create an effective outline, speakers must first conduct extensive research on the chosen topic. An effective informative speech outline will clearly provide the audience with enough information to keep them engaged while also adhering to a specific timeframe. The following are examples of how to effectively organize an informative speech: I. Introduction: A. Stimulate their interest – pose a question, present intriguing facts or establish a humorous story B. Clearly state the main focus of the speech C. Establish your credibility– explain your experience/research conducted for the speech II. Supporting Points: A. Each point should contain facts and statistics related to your main idea B. Each point should have its own solid evidence that supports it III. Conclusion: A. Summarize supporting points B. Revisit your introduction point and explain how it’s been updated/changed through the course of the discussion C. Offer a final statement or call to action IV. Bibliography: A. Cite all sources used in creating the speech (provide an alphabetical list) Debate both sides of argument if applicable: N/A

Commonly Asked Questions

What techniques can i use to ensure my informative speech outline is organized and cohesive.

When crafting an informative speech outline, there are several techniques you can use to ensure your speech is organized and cohesive. First of all, make sure your speech follows a logical flow by using signposting , outlining the main ideas at the beginning of the speech and then bulleting out your supporting points. Additionally, you can use transitions throughout the speech to create a smooth order for your thoughts, such as ‘next’ and ‘finally’. Furthermore, it is important that each point in your outline has a specific purpose or goal, to avoid rambling and confusion. Finally, use visual aids such as charts and diagrams to emphasise key ideas and add clarity and structure to your speech. By following these techniques , you can ensure your informative speech outline is well organized and easy to follow.

How should I structure the order of the information in an informative speech outline?

The structure of an informative speech outline should be simple and organized, following a linear step-by-step process. First, you should introduce the topic to your audience and provide an overview of the main points. Next, give an explanation of each point, offer evidence or examples to support it, and explain how it relates to the overall subject matter. Finally, you should conclude with a summary of the main points and a call for action. When structuring the order of information in an informative speech outline, it is important to keep topics distinct from one another and stick to the logical progression that you have established in your introduction. Additionally, pay attention to chronology if appropriate; when discussing historical events, for example, make sure that they are presented in the correct order. Moreover, use transition phrases throughout your outline to help move ideas along smoothly. Finally, utilize both verbal and visual aids such as diagrams or graphics to illustrate complex knowledge effectively and engage your audience throughout your presentation.

What are the essential components of an informative speech outline?

The essential components of an informative speech outline are the introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduction: The introduction should establish the topic of your speech, provide background information, and lead into the main purpose of your speech. It’s also important to include a strong attention-grabbing hook in order to grab the audience’s attention. Body: The body is where you expand on the main points that were outlined in the introduction. It should provide evidence and arguments to support these points, as well as explain any counterarguments that might be relevant. Additionally, it should answer any questions or objections your audience may have about the topic. Conclusion: The conclusion should restate the purpose of your speech and summarize the main points from the body of your speech. It should also leave your audience feeling inspired and motivated to take some kind of action after hearing your speech. In short, an effective informative speech outline should strongly focus on bringing all of these elements together in a cohesive structure to ensure that you deliver an engaging presentation that educates and informs your audience.

14 Informative Speeches

Speeches to Educate, Explain, or Describe

In this chapter . . .

In this chapter we examine our first type of public speech, the informative speech. This is used in lectures, briefings, and anytime you want to transmit fact-based information to an audience. We cover what makes an informative speech unique, the types of informative speeches, and how to construct this type of speech.

What is an informative Speech? Defining what an informative speech is can be both straight-forward and somewhat tricky at the same time. Very simply, an informative speech can first be defined as a speech based entirely and exclusively on facts. An informative speech conveys knowledge, a task that every person engages in every day in some form or another. Whether giving someone who is lost driving directions, explaining the specials of the day as a server, or describing the plot of a movie to friends, people engage in forms of informative speaking daily.

An informative speech does not attempt to convince the audience that one thing is better than another. It does not advocate a course of action or incorporate opinion as its basis. This can be the tricky part of developing an informative speech because some opinion statements sound like facts (since they are generally agreed upon by many people) but are really opinions.

For example, in an informative speech on George Washington, you might want to say, “George Washington was one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.” While this statement may be agreed upon by many people, it’s not irrefutable, meaning someone could argue against this claim. However, you could include this statement in an informative speech if you present the opinion from a reputable source: “Ron Chernow, in his 2011 best-selling biography of George Washington, describes the first president as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.” That is an acceptable way of presenting an opinion within the framework of a factual speech. While you may not be able to avoid opinion, you don’t want your central idea, your main points, and most of your supporting material to be opinion or argument in an informative speech.

Additionally, you should never take sides on an issue in an informative speech, nor should you “spin” the facts to influence the opinions of the listeners. Even if you are informing the audience about differences in views on controversial topics, you should simply and clearly explain the issues.

This doesn’t mean that an informative speech will have no effect on the audience. An audience can learn things from an informative speech that will affect what they do or how they think about something—that’s their choice. Your only focus is to provide the clearest and most factual information you can.

Types of Informative Speeches

While the topics to choose from for informative speeches are nearly limitless, they can be categorized according to five broad categories based on the primary goal of the speech. Understanding the type of informative speech that you will be giving can help you to figure out the best way to research and speechwriting.

Type 1: History

An informative speech on the history or development of something. Your focus is to explain to an audience how something came into existence. History speeches can be about objects, places, ideas, or even events. For example, imagine your informative speech was on the history of the football (the object, not the game). Someone at some point in history was the first to develop what is considered the modern football. Who was it? What was it originally made of? How did it evolve into the football that is used by the NFL today? For the history of a place, like a university, you would describe the specific year it opened, the number of students who were initially enrolled, and how it got its name. It’s also possible to provide the history of an idea, like “democracy.” By explaining the civilizations and cultures that adopted forms of democracy throughout history, it’s possible to provide an audience with a better understanding of how the idea has been shaped into what it has become today.

Type 2: Biography

A biographical speech is similar to a history one, but in this case the subject is a person, whether living or deceased. As with histories of objects, places, or ideas, there are specific and irrefutable facts that provide the details of someone’s life. Your focus is to tell the audience about someone’s life.

Type 3: Processes

Process speeches are informative speeches that explain how to do something or how something is achieved. These speeches require you to provide steps that will help your audience understand how to accomplish a specific task or process. We see examples of “how-to” presentations frequently—especially on YouTube. There’s a second type of process speech that focuses not on how the audience can achieve a result, but on how a process is achieved. The goal is understanding of a process instead of the performance of a process. After a speech on how to change a car tire, for example, the audience members could probably do it (they might not want to, but they would know the steps). However, after a speech on how a bill goes through Congress, the audience would understand this important part of democracy but not be ready to serve in Congress. Either way, if your speech aims at teaching the audience how something works, it’s a process speech.

Type 4: Ideas and Concepts

It is possible to have an informative speech about an idea or concept where your primary focus isn’t on the history of the idea, but how it exists now. In the examples above, we have seen two types of speeches about democracy: democracy as the topic of a speech that focuses on its history and democracy in a speech that focuses on a process in democratic legislation. In this fourth type of informative speech, you could focus on the concept of democracy as interpreted, for example, in three different countries. Your speech is neither about history nor about process but focuses on the definition itself.

Type 5: General

Sometimes an informative speech topic doesn’t lend itself to a focus on history, process, or concept. In those cases, the topics tend to fall into the general category of informative speeches. The focus in this type of informative speech is determined by the topic. For example, imagine a speech about customs to know when traveling in Japan. This isn’t a speech about the history of anime , nor a biography of a former emperor. It’s not about the process of planning a trip to Japan, nor is it about the concept of kawaii . Customs of Japan falls into the “general” type of informative speech.

Tips for Informational Speeches

Use the type of speech to determine the structure.

Identifying the type of informative speech being given can help in several ways (conducting research, writing the introduction and conclusion), but the biggest benefit is that the type of informative speech being given will help determine the organizational pattern that is best for a speech.

For example, a How-To speech must be in chronological order (step 1, step 2, step 3). Similarly, most speeches that focus on providing history or biography will be organized chronologically, but not always. It makes sense to use chronology to explain the history of the football from the moment it was first developed to where it’s today, but for an informative speech on Benjamin Franklin a student might choose a topical pattern (idea 1, idea 2, idea 3) as their three main points: 1) His time as a printer, 2) His time as an inventor, 3) His time as a diplomat. These main points are not in strict chronological order because Franklin was a printer, inventor, and diplomat at the same time during periods of his whole life. However, this example would still be one way to inform an audience about him without using the chronological organizational pattern.

As for general informative speeches, since the topics that can be included in this category are so diverse and cover a range of possible subject matter, the way they are organized will be varied as well and may use chronological, spatial, or topical structures. (Refer to Chapter x on speech structure and organization).

Keep Your Topic Specific

One of the biggest and most common mistakes students make is pursuing a topic that is much too broad. Let’s consider the example of a student who proposes the topic “To inform my audience about the Civil War.” The Civil War was, conservatively speaking, four years long, resulted in over 750,000 casualties, and arguably changed the course of human history. To think that it’s possible to cover all of that in a speech is unrealistic. Even a very experienced professor in American history would find it difficult to deliver a one-hour lecture that accomplished that goal.

The better approach in this case is to be as specific as possible. A revised specific purpose for this speech might be something like “To inform my audience about the Gettysburg Address.” This topic is much more compact (the Gettysburg Address is only a few minutes long) and doing research will be easier—although you will still find hundreds of sources on it. An even more specific topic would be “To inform my classmates of the specific places in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that are considered haunted.”

Avoid Fake Informative Speech Topics

Sometimes students think that because something sounds like an informative speech topic, it’s one. This happens a lot with political issues that are usually partisan in nature. Some students may feel that the speech topic “To inform my audience why William Henry Harrison was a bad president” sounds factual, but really this is an opinion—in other words, it’s a fake informational speech because it’s a persuasive speech disguised as an informational speech. Similarly, a few topics that include conspiracy and paranormal subject matter are usually mistaken for good informative topics as well. It is common for a student to propose the topic “To inform my audience about the existence of extraterrestrials,” thinking it’s a good topic. After all, there is plenty of evidence to support the claim, right? There are pictures of unidentified objects in the sky that people claim are from outer space, there are people who claim to have seen extraterrestrials, and most powerful of all, there are people who say that they have been abducted by aliens and taken into space.

The problem here, as you have probably already guessed, is that these facts are not irrefutable. Not every single person who sees something unknown in the sky will agree it’s an alien spacecraft, and there can be little doubt that not everyone who claims to have been abducted by a UFO is telling the truth. This isn’t to say that you can’t still do an informative speech on alien sites. For example, two viable options are “To inform my audience about the SETI Project” or “To inform my audience of the origin of the Area 51 conspiracy.” However, these types of speeches can quickly devolve into opinion if you aren’t careful, which would then make them persuasive speeches. Even if you start by trying to be objective, unless you can present each side equally, it will end up becoming a persuasive speech. Additionally, when a speaker picks such a topic, it’s often because of a hidden desire to persuade the audience about them.

Be Selective about Content

Even if you have chosen a specific and focused topic, you must still make choices about what you can and cannot include. Writing an informative speech isn’t about dumping enormous amounts of information on your audience that you can only get to by speaking at breakneck speed. It’s about carefully choosing what to include, making it interesting and clear, and presenting it to your audience at a comfortable pace. What’s better: too much information that audiences can’t grasp or less information for audiences that hear every word? Regardless of the topic, you will never be able to cover everything that is known about your topic, so don’t try. Select the things that will best help the audience gain a general understanding of the topic that will interest them, and that they hopefully will find valuable.

Be Accurate, Clear, and Interesting

A good informative speech conveys accurate information to the audience clearly and keeps the listener interested in the topic. Achieving all three of these goals—accuracy, clarity, and interest—is the key to being an effective speaker. If information is inaccurate, incomplete, or unclear, it will be of limited usefulness to the audience.

Part of being accurate is making sure that your information is current. Even if you know a great deal about your topic or wrote a good paper on the topic in a high school course, you will need to verify the accuracy and completeness of what you know, especially if it’s medical or scientific information.

What defines “interesting?” In approaching the informative speech, you should keep in mind the good overall principle that the audience is asking, “what’s in it for me?” The audience is either consciously or unconsciously wondering “What in this topic for me? How can I use this information? Of what value is this speech content to me? Why should I listen to it?”

Keep in Mind Audience Diversity

Finally, remember that not everyone in your audience is the same, so an informative speech should be prepared with audience diversity in mind. If the information in a speech is too complex or too simplistic, it will not hold the interest of the listeners. Determining the right level of complexity can be hard. Audience analysis is one important way to do this (see Chapter 2). Do the members of your audience belong to different age groups? Did they all go to public schools in the United States, or are some of them international students? Are they all students majoring in the same subject, or is there a mixture of majors? Never assume that just because an audience is made up of students, they all share a knowledge set.

Learning how to give informative speeches will serve you well in your college career and your future work. Keep in mind the principles in this chapter but also those of the previous chapters: relating to the informational needs of the audience, using clear structure, and incorporating interesting and attention-getting supporting evidence.

Something to Think About

Here are three general topics for informative speeches. Write specific purposes for them and explain how you would answer the WIIFM question.

• Type 1 diabetes
• The psychological effects of using social media

Public Speaking as Performance Copyright © 2023 by Mechele Leon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Informative Speech Topics and Ideas: The Ultimate Guide

Before proceeding to the main topic, let us get some idea on Informative speech. Well, it is the type of speech that gives information about a particular subject to audiences.

Its main goal is to help audiences to recognize the information presented by you. Additionally, it makes a complex topic simple to understand providing different opinions and perspectives.

It also provides engaging information which is unique and desired by the audience.

Besides, informative speech can include objects, procedures, events, and other innovative ideas. This does not include the limited list as it is the topic plan that every useful speech contains. Speech can only be handy if it delivers genuine and informative information.

Informative speech describes the topic of your interest. For an instance, if you are giving an informative speech on coffee, focus on the topic.

Think about, what does coffee do, why do you love coffee, and how does it affect your health.

Also, to get rid of the health effect how much coffee do you need to drink per day. You can also conclude by summarizing all these things in a creative way. This makes your speech more interesting.

When you present, you might like to expand some topics or reduce the others. Here, you should be sensitive to your audience and think too much like this can distract the topic.

So focus on your plan and subject. Keep in mind, informative speech just to inform audiences. Do not pick up the topic based on your view as it is a convincing speech.

Remember, too much argumentative speech attempting to influence might take your audiences away.

These kinds of speech are polemical and are wrongly argumentative. You can also find places and time to make an appropriate polemical speech. But, it is not good to include it in the middle of the speech.

You can mention like “Coffee encourages me to work, giving me company during the work. I start my day with a cup of coffee.

It also inspires me to carry out research well. Yet, it can affect my health as well. So, I need to be conscious and drink coffee to the limit”. You can add more here describing different circumstances.

Table of Contents

Informative Speech Topics in History:

Informative speech topics in health and medicine:, informative speech topics in teaching, education, and students:, informative speech topics in music:, informative speech topics in food:, informative speech topics on environment:, informative speech topics in technology:, informative speech topics on economy:, informative speech topics in life:, other informative speech topics, 1. introduction, body, and conclusion, 2. clear, influential, and grabbing introduction, 3. seamless transitions, 4. do not forget to summarize at last, sample of informative speech, a) note list of wide-ranging subject area corresponding your knowledge and expertise, b) focus on the subject area relevant you don’t know yet but would love to, c) pick up the particular purpose of your speech, d) from the list of your topics, pick the one you can express clearly, a) carry out the initial research, b) think about how your research might change your topic, a) think about your audiences earlier than writing the speech, b) summarize your speech, c) elaborate the key points to make it interesting, d) write an introduction, e) write conclusion, a) make sufficient time to practice your speech, b) practice slowing down, c) if possible practice your speech with your friends, 1) make sure you do not speak fast, 2) practice speaking clearly and comprehensibly, 3) speak with your parents and friends, 4) get help from the internet, 5) carry out the outline properly, 6) understand the difference between persuasive and informative speech, 1) the audiences, 2) languages, 4) try to become clear and concise, 5) use audio or visuals if possible, informative speech topics.

• The Great Depression
• Famous riots
• The British Royal Family
• Women in the military
• Unique funeral customs across the world
• The origin of alphabets
• The history of tobacco use
• The evolution of marriage
• Top secret government experiments
• The most fascinating accidental inventions
• History of witchcraft
•      The history of language
• History of beauty products
•  The Industrial Revolution
• The Middle Ages
• How did the Olympics come to be?
• Albert Einstein’s Contributions to Science
• Helen Keller’s Life
• History of art and expression
• Civil disobedience
• Why do we celebrate Valentine’s day?
• Where did fortune cookies come from
• A look into World wars
• Understanding cults
• Evolution of comic books
• Most exciting prison breaks of history
• Why have street gangs been so prevalent?
• Life and Works of Mahatma Gandhi
• Most shocking murders the world has seen
• Evolution of immigration in the US
• Life and Works of Mother Teresa
• People Who Changed the World
• How the Earth was formed
• How antibiotics came to be
• The history of greyhound dogs
• Different philosophical perspectives
• Evolution of movies
• How Modern art came to be
• Understanding Millenials and Gen-Z
• History of Superstitions
• History of Genocide
• Indian Culture
• Haitian Music
• The trucking industry
• The 80’s: more than just denim and hairdos
• The funniest inventions ever
• An analysis of smoking in movies through the years
• Women in space
• World’s most wanted criminals
• Most ridiculous laws throughout history
• Medicines from nature
• Memory loss
• How the brain works
• Mental illnesses
• Fast food culture
• Basic first aid
• Lucid dreams
• Organ donation
• Medicinal properties of ginger
• Why I am better than you: A look into Narcissistic Disorder
•  Are home remedies actually worth it?
• How DNA testing changed the world
• How vitamins can enrich your everyday life
• Why you need to stretch before your workout
• Different personality disorders
• The true horror of chemical warfare
•  How makeup affects your skin
• Birth control and its negative effects
• Leaps made by stem cell research
• Signs of early on-set Alzheimers
• How vaccines work
• How to avoid wrinkles
• Understanding insomnia
• Understanding addiction
• How nicotine deteriorates your life
• Herbs as medicine
• Life as a child of a drug addict
• Why do we itch?
• Botox: the good and the bad
• Human cadavers – history of, uses of
• How to have a better memory
• DNA evidence.
• The intelligence of dolphins
• Is dark chocolate healthy?
• Importance of vitamins and minerals
• Pros and cons of LASIK surgery
• Weight Issues.
• Teen pregnancy
• How stress can cripple your health
• How a vegan diet can better your life
• Why understanding health is vital to your weight loss journey
• Unique medical conditions
• Crazy things people have done on an adrenaline rush
• Why does our body crave danger?
• How to make an income while a student
• How to survive freshman year
• How to take the GRE
• How to get a student job on campus
• How to save money while in college
• Virtual learning and its impact on Modern Education
• Education and its role in unemployment
• Great vacation bargains for students
• Ethnic diversity for a more open learning experience
• What to do in your senior year
• Why do you need a college degree?
• Moving out of the dorm to an apartment off-campus
• Freebies and discounts for students
• How to pay off your student loans in 10 years
• Graduation checklist
• How to pick a major you care about
• The evolution of testing
• The basics of financial aid
•  How to get that great internship
• Current issues in education and what we can do about them
• Basics of getting a fellowship
• Learning disabilities teachers should be aware of
• Banned books
• Why travel is beneficial to education.
• Diploma mills
• Poverty and its impact on students
• A look at the different testing methods
• Online learning: A breakthrough in Modern Education
• What to do on spring break?
• Is homeschooling an effective learning method?
• The history of your favorite musical group
• How music has changed the world
• What music has been to society
• Classical and Modern Music: A comparison
• The benefits of Music Therapy
• Music and its effects on mood
• Music and its effects on plant growth
• Music and its effects on the psychological response of infants
• The impact your favorite artist has had in the music world
• The evolution of music
• How different genres of music promote empowerment through self-expression
• Modern earphones and tinnitus
• Music and devotion explained through the life of an artist
• How our brain reacts to music
• How music can be used in rehabilitation
• Does our music tastes define our personality?
• What really makes a rockstar?
• Strangest musical instruments across the world
• Food additives: What are they and how they affect us
• Food etiquettes across different countries
• The food crisis
• We are what we eat
• Culinary modernism
• The most exotic foods you can eat
• Different types of coffee
• Can peanut butter and jelly get any better than it is?
• Understanding the food chain
• Understanding food allergies
•      Understanding nutrition
• Playing matchmaker: Condiments in foods
• Baking your own bread
• Wedding cakes: The bigger the better?
• How to plan a diet that works
• How to make the perfect cocktail
• A quick guide to wine tasting
• Junk food: More than just a packet of chips
• Food disorders: What we can do to help
• What is better than sliced bread?
• How branding is shaping our perception of food
• Cereal, soda, and obesity
• Eggs: the most versatile food
• How to go green in our eating habits
• A practical guide to balanced eating
• Are superfoods all that they claim to be?
• How to master herbs and spices
• How to make your own pasta
• How to pair your wine with your food?
• How to plan a culinary itinerary?
• Ocean pollution and how serious the issue has become
• Organic agriculture: Why the switch is worth it
• The true impact of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Pollution laws and who it is actually protecting
• Is it over for coal?
• Plant species that have gone extinct
• Animal species that have gone extinct
• Our environment is dying and here’s why
• Water shortage across the globe
• How much of what we eat is pesticides and insecticides?
• Domestic wastes and how to better manage it
• What we can do to protect our environment?
• COVID-19 as a blessing to Mother Nature
• How a meat-based diest impacts the environment
• How to preserve finite resources?
• How we are contributing to global pollution
• How Global Warming is coming for us
• How corporations are destroying our environment
• Are rainforests going extinct?
• Genetically modified crops: Boon or curse?
• How would life adjust without electricity?
• 3D printers have been a game-changer
• Evolution of computer programming
• Gadgets I love most
• Useful websites
• The internet as a boon or curse for human interaction
• How Google became the widespread power that is is
• Choosing a digital camera
• New technologies
• Biometrics: New development or a threat to biological data?
• Pros and cons of going electric
• How do 3D glasses work?
• Violence and Video Games: Is this still a thing?
• Evolution of content consumption
• How to stay safe online?
• How the content we consume makes us
• How to start a good personal inventory
• How search engines work
• Social Networking
• The Evolution of video games
• VR gaming: Blurring the line of reality
• The downside of smartphones
• Pros and Cons of Smartphones
• Is freedom of speech real over the Internet?
• How technology has compromised our safety
• Are blogs the new diaries?
• How to build better credit
• What you need to know about online banking security
• Is your money safe?
• Taxing the rich: Is that the solution?
• The best investment tactics
• How to beat the market
• How to get a credit card
• Price hike in the agricultural field
• Where does our currency come from?
• The ever-increasing cost of education
• How education affects economy
• Economic impacts of people growing their own foods
•      Why you need to save money
• How to eat well on just $5 a day?
• The budgeting secret you’ve needed all your life
• How to get along with your roommate
• Some inexpensive places to take your date
• What to do when your roommate moves out
• Being Confident.
• Believing in Yourself.
• Breaking Bad Habits.
• Being Optimistic in Life.
• Being a Positive Talker.
• Types of birth control
• How to fall for the right person
• Choosing the right tires for your car
• How to perform a magic trick
• How a single parent upbringing affects the child
• How to build your own brand?
• How to achieve Goals
• How Does Self-motivation Work?
• Different leadership styles and how they help employee productivity
• Handling Responsibility
• Importance of Discipline
• Importance of Meditation
• Powerful Communication
• The most dangerous jobs
• Should assisted suicide be legalized?
• The secret for a lasting marriage
• How to grow your own home garden
• How to retain good employees
• How to recognize toxic behaviors
• How to master negotiations
• Become a more persuasive speaker
• The benefits of reading every day
• Differences in male and female communication
• Muscle cars
• Antique collecting
• Dog training
• My first job
• Overcoming conflict
• Favorite place
• My favorite food
• Prohibition
• Airplane stunts
• Model railroading
• Roadside attractions
• Multi-Level marketing
• Why are smiles contagious
• Is it love or simply a habit?
• Interesting world records
• Favorite TV Shows
• The Welfare system
• City planning
• Reality TV shows
• Coin collecting
• Ice cream making
• Reality of a dream
• What winners do to win?
• Near-death experiences
• The beauty of wolves
• Funeral oration
• Pesticide use in agriculture
• How to change a flat tire
• How to drive a stick shift

What to include in informative speech?

Know what to include in an informative speech.

Usually, an informative speech contains an introduction, an informative body, and a meaningful and convincing conclusion. You have to follow the format one after another.

While working on the introduction part, you have to be clean to draw the attention of the audience. Generally, an introduction is a gateway to the key points.

The way you present the introduction part of the speech can influence the audience. It should have a clear relationship between the presenter and the topic.

Add some interesting example that attracts them and does not get bored. Focusing more on the body, develop the speech. Make sure your audiences will listen with an interest from the start.

While delivering an informative speech, the body should harmonize the main points. It must also present the information. Better follow the given time limit and convey information in an understandable way. This makes the audience convenient to engage and understand.

You need to think about a comfortable and natural way of presenting the speech. This way your speech gets appreciated by the audience. Here, the presenter should reveal a vibrant interest or desire for the topic. Keep the correct eye contact. The advancement from one point to another should not look uncomfortable.

In the conclusion part, do not forget to summarize your previous points. The main goal of the conclusion is to end with the main points of the speech. This will set your information in the mind of audiences. The ending should be the medium speaker signals the speech is heading towards an end.

Besides, analyze and repeat the most projecting ideas, innovations, or features of the speech. You should conclude the speech in a similar flow used during the speech. The essential thing to note down is that ending the speech is important. It needs to take the attention of the audience until the last hour.

For your ease, here are some samples that can be helpful for efficient informative speech.

How to write informative speech?

1) pick up the the topic.

The informative speech should cover all the procedures and ideas focusing on the topic. Better to start with a larger image and convincing points that you are confident to speak on.

For an instance, work on the subjects that you usually do or love to do. You can also include the activities that you have been practicing for years. The more you understand the topic, the easier it will be to carry out the useful speech.

Spend some time on the speech that builds up the confidence to deliver the speech. Prepare and come with a long-tail list. This benefits you with more choices to improve the speech that you love to present.

For example, if you like traveling, you might have lots of interesting travel experiences. You will feel comfortable speaking on that topic. Also, you love researching more on the topic of your interest.

Better include these kinds of topics in the list of your subject area. For an instance, you can say that you want to become a tech blogger. But you might not know much about the subject.

You can show it, saying you need to research more on the topic to pursue your aim. This makes your speech and subject influential.

First of all, find out the time you take to cover the topic and focus on completing the speech within the allocated time.

Pick up the particular purpose of the speech to direct the attention of your audience.

Think about making your speech influential. Only delivering the important speech is not going to help to attract your audiences.

Delivering the thing that your audiences already know might bore them. So make it interesting including the practical things and add your experience as well.

Be precise with the topic, do not move away from the topic. Suppose, you are speaking on the National animal of a country.

Focus on the topic of national animals, do not divert your speech explaining more about the country. Your speech may look meaningless.

Deep research and understanding of the topic make your speech more remarkable and appealing.

Better focus on a particular topic that you can express without too much work. If you try to speak about an unfamiliar topic, you might be in trouble later. Better pick up the topic workable for you to speak.

2) Research on the topic

One of the rules to write an informative speech is -Know your subject. Carry out your research with proper understanding and honesty. You can do this by utilizing trustworthy resources to write the notes.

While gathering research elements, divide the resources that you will use in the speech. Also, try to learn more about the subject area related to the topic. You may have to respond to the queries about the speech topic. Better learn the things that are helpful to answer the queries.

For an instance, you are speaking about European culture. If the audience asks about it, you should be smart enough to answer to the query.

Once you complete your research, find something new that makes your speech more effective. Instead of ignoring it, take some time to prepare it.

When preparing an informative speech on social media, you understand different things during the research. You may find the research on Social media Myth more interesting. If you have more confidence to speak on the social media myths, you can pursue it. You have done lots of research that makes you able to deliver the speech in an interesting way.

3) About writing the speech

It is ideal to expect your audiences are a little familiar with your topic. Keeping in mind, you may still deliver the background information of the related topic. Beware of the shortcuts you use while explaining the topic. Until your task says otherwise, do not rush to clarify anything.

Nobody desires to know about the actors and actresses when you are giving a speech in the movie. You do not need to provide lots of background information as they are already familiar with the topic.

List out the information you are willing to include and keep it in logical order. To carry out how to informative speech, including the reason for what you are doing and how you do it will be fine.

For example, if your speech is on preparing hamburgers, you should explain every step you carry out. Additionally, do not forget to explain how you use the ingredient for the perfect result. This makes your speech interesting.

Better elaborate on the main points to make your informative speech more interesting and informative. The common method to carry out the speech is to emerge with the key points. These key points for a speech should be in sequential order or spatial order.

This procedure helps to give a useful, informative, and engaging speech. For an instance, start the speech on My trip to Lumbini with a short introduction of Lumbini. Then, your experience while visiting Lumbini and conclude with summarizing them.

The introduction is the main gateway to your speech. It should take the attention of audiences and let them understand what you are talking about. Usually, if your speech is long or complicated, make sure to provide the points you aim to cover.

Better start the speech with interesting jokes or quotes related to your topic. Make sure you will not speak out of the topic. This will be useful to build a strong connection between your speech and the audience. Yet, it might go wrong if you prefer unpleasant statements or meaningless jokes.

For an instance, starting the speech as “I just came from the universe” might sound weird. This can make your speech boring and unimpressive. Better try some relevant sentences and speech.

The conclusion should sum up the key points of your speech. Better conclude the speech with your opinion. The audience usually remembers the first and last things they hear.

Thus, be sure, you are in the right sequence to deliver your message to your audiences. It will help to start and conclude your speech with some essential memorizing messages.

Attempt to put your conclusion into the introduction. Emerging with a complete circle provides will make your speech in the heart of your audience.

For an instance, you used some precise jokes or quotes making the speech impressive. If your movie speech started with a story about an actor struggling to make his career.  

It might sound useless and inappropriate with the topic. So, talk about the thing that is necessary and appropriate.

4) Practicing your speech

Practice makes us perfect so make enough time to practice your speech. Include or cut off the points as necessary.

Try completing your speech in the precise time. Even if you are not assigned the time limitation, do not make the speech long and boring. You might not know this while delivering the speech. Better think about it earlier than you give the speech.

If you are speaking for some event, be sure that it does not cross the time limitation. Audiences might get your speech boring if you take a too long time or you may have to end with an incomplete speech. So, be sure that it works according to the time.

While presenting in a mass of people, you might f try to end the speech instantly. You may also speak quickly and in that way, audiences might not understand you.

To be sure the audiences enjoy what you present, attempt to slow down. Better use, video recorder while practicing. This way you can analyze your speech by yourself. It will be effective if you point out the mistakes and work to fix that.

Try to include dramatic pauses to make your speech more attractive. Dramatic pauses can strike a particular bit of information providing the audience time to reflect.

Best speakers use them carefully with great consequence. You have to be alert about the list of information. Make some time to practice after you list out the information.

You might be nervous to present in front of a huge mass of people. So, try practicing in front of your friend. This makes you able to build confidence.

Being nervous will mess up your speech. Better prepare well by working with your friends. Get feedback from them as an audience and work on the drawbacks. If you go with the wrong plan then recover from the mistake. This gives you the strength to deliver an interesting speech.

So, these are some effective ways to write informative speeches. Following these points will help to deliver an interesting speech.

Tips for Informative Speech

Now, let us proceed towards the tips to make your informative speech more efficient

While presenting in front of lots of people, it is likely to get nervous. When you get nervous, you try to complete the speech by talking quickly.

This might make the speech confusing and unimpressive. Think about it, while practicing try to slow down and make your speech clear and loud.

Even if you are good at writing the speech, it will not be effective unless you speak clearly. If you mumble while speaking, it might sound unclear. So, practice more and more until you speak clearly and comprehensibly.

You are most likely good at informative speech but you might not realize that. You can speak with your parents and friends about different topics of your interest. This builds up your confidence to speak in public.

If you are having a problem deciding on the topic of your speech, get help from the internet. There, you can find lots of websites with a list of prospective and interesting topics.

Or else, you can also think about the time you spend the most. For an instance, you spend most of your time cooking.  Talk about cooking the dishes that you are proficient at.

Your outline plays a significant role to help you take your speech in an organized way. Yet, you should not take it lightly.

When you work on the speech, you might get that some points mentioned in the outline is unnecessary. You can add essential points and remove the points which you do not need. As outline helps to find necessary points, do it properly.

Persuasive and informative speeches are two different things. You should know that. Persuasive speech is convincing while informative speech gives information about a particular topic.

Simple ways to approach an informative speech

Think about your audience. This is the most challenging as the speaking circumstances, forums, and topics can vary. Before presenting the speech, analyze who your audiences are? Why are they present in your speech? Focusing on these details, you can explore the best ways to present your speech.

If you are speaking about lung cancer, you should know its basics as well. Some audiences might not understand the depth.

So start your speech from the basics. Do not presume that audiences are familiar with the background of your topic. Again, do not assume they do not know. This is the main reason, knowing the audience is essential. Besides, it depends on the situation of the speech.

Use proper language. Speak the language that audiences desire to listen to. You deliver the speech with the goal to provide useful information to the audience.

If audiences do not understand what you speak, the speech becomes useless. The main target of an informative speech is to give knowledge about a particular topic.

If you can explain well the topic in simple language better use it. Try to make the speech simple and understandable.

Do not rush to complete the speech quickly. Instead, think about educating your audiences with your speech. Explain the term if necessary.

Understanding the time flow of the speech will be helpful to make your speech effective. Speakers should create a link between their topic and the interest of audiences.

Here describe the significance of the topic. Also, express the main points with some interesting examples and quotes.

A speaker confessing their own experience encourages the audiences to share the same interest.

To become a good speaker, you have to be clear and concise at first. Spend lots of time on simple concepts instead of the harder ones.

Since giving many examples to prove a single point might not work well. This way your audiences may find your speech boring.

Better, explore some new ideas and prepare the topic well. Try to provide detailed information. Most of the audience gets influenced by details and descriptive presentation.

Try practicing using audio or visuals if possible. They help to find out your mistake. You can improve after you know where the mistake is.

Additionally, informative speech can be effective with demo presentation and visual support. So, using them properly helps to deliver your speech in a proper way.

The above-mentioned topics and tips for informative speech should help you prepare and deliver a powerful informative speech. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please let me know in the comment below.

Informative Speech

Learn How to Write and Deliver an Effective Informative Speech

12 min read

Published on: May 20, 2022

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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Informative Speech Topics To Engage and Delight Your Audience

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Have you ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling bored and uninterested? 

As students, we are often required to give presentations, and it's essential that we know how to captivate our audience. That's where informative speeches come in!

Informative speeches are an excellent way to inform and educate while keeping your audience engaged. 

In this blog, we'll explore what an informative speech is and why it's essential to master this skill. We will also explore how you can give an informative speech that leaves a lasting impression.

So, get ready to learn the art of delivering an informative speech that will leave your audience wanting more!

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Informative Speech Definition & Importance

An informative speech aims to educate the audience about a specific topic, providing them with valuable information, insights, and knowledge.

Importance of Informative Speech

Here is why informative speeches are important:

• Knowledge dissemination: Informative speeches play a crucial role in sharing knowledge and information with the audience. It allows the audience to expand their understanding and broaden their perspectives.
• Education and learning: Informative speeches offer a chance to learn, gain insights, and enhance intellectual growth.
• Promoting awareness: Informative speeches can help raise awareness about important social, cultural, or environmental issues. It encourages the audience to take action or make informed decisions.
• Professional development: It helps enhance public speaking skills, and research abilities, which are valuable assets in both personal and professional settings.
• Engaging and entertaining: Well-crafted informative speeches captivate the audience by delivering information in an enjoyable manner.
• Building credibility: Presenting informative speeches on topics of expertise establishes the speaker as an authority, building trust among the audience.
• Influencing opinions: I nformative speeches shape audience opinions, attitudes, and behaviors through credible information.
• Fostering curiosity: Informative speeches spark curiosity and encourage further exploration of the topic among the audience.

Types of Informative Speeches

Let's take a brief look at the various types of informative speeches:

• Descriptive Speech: Portrays vivid images of people, places, objects, or events using sensory details.
• Explanatory Speech: Clarifies complex concepts or processes by providing step-by-step explanations and examples.
• Demonstration Speech: Guides the audience through a specific task or skill using visual aids or live demonstrations.
• Definition Speech: Offers clear explanations of abstract or specialized terms to enhance understanding.
• Comparative Speech: Highlights similarities and differences between subjects, fostering understanding through balanced analysis.
• Persuasive Speech: Presents arguments and evidence to influence the audience's opinions or actions.
• Historical Speech: Explores past events, eras, or figures to provide historical context and insights.
• Biographical Speech: Examines the life and achievements of notable individuals, sharing their contributions and impact.
• Current Events Speech: Discusses recent news, issues, or trends to provide up-to-date information and analysis.
• Instructional Speech: Teaches the audience how to perform a specific task or acquire a particular skill through clear instructions.

Check out this informative blog to improve your speech-writing abilities and get practical tips for your upcoming speech.

Informative Speech Outline

Here is how to structure an informative speech:

Here is a sample outline for an informative speech about events. Take a look:

Informative Speech Outline Example

How to Prepare for an Informative Speech 

Preparing for an informative speech involves several important steps to ensure that your presentation is engaging and well-organized. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to prepare for an informative speech:

Step# 1 Choose a Topic

Select a topic that is interesting, relevant, and suitable for your audience. Consider your own knowledge and expertise in the subject to ensure that you can provide valuable information.

Step# 2 Research your Topic

Gather information from credible sources such as books, scholarly articles, reputable websites, and interviews with experts. Take detailed notes and keep track of your sources for future reference.

Step# 3 Define your Objective

Determine the purpose of your speech. Are you aiming to educate, raise awareness, or provide a comprehensive overview of a specific subject? Clearly articulate your objective to guide the content and structure of your speech.

Step# 4 Analyze your Audience

Consider the characteristics and interests of your audience. Tailor your speech to their level of knowledge and use language and examples that resonate with them. Understanding your audience will help you make your speech more engaging and relevant.

Step# 5 Outline your Speech

Create a clear and logical structure for your speech. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction to hook your audience, followed by a well-organized body that presents the main points.  Finally, end with a concise and memorable conclusion.

Step# 6 Develop Key Points

Identify the main points you want to convey in your speech. Limit them to a manageable number to ensure that you can effectively cover each point within your allotted time. Arrange the points in a logical order, such as chronological, cause and effect, or problem-solution.

Step# 7 Support Your Points

Gather supporting evidence, examples, statistics, and anecdotes to back up your main points. Use a variety of sources to provide credibility and make your speech more compelling. Ensure that your information is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to your topic.

Step# 8 Create Visual Aids

If appropriate for your speech, consider using visual aids such as slides, charts, or props to enhance your presentation. Visual aids can help clarify complex information, engage the audience, and make your speech more memorable.  Keep the visuals simple, uncluttered, and easy to read.

Step# 9 Practice your Speech

Rehearse your speech several times to become familiar with the content and improve your delivery. Pay attention to your pacing, clarity of speech, body language, and eye contact. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or present to a small audience for feedback.

Step# 10 Time Management

Keep track of your speech's length and ensure that it fits within the allocated time. Make adjustments if necessary by trimming or expanding certain sections. It's essential to respect the time constraints to maintain the audience's interest and engagement.

Step#  11 Seek Feedback

Before delivering your speech, ask trusted friends, family members, or colleagues to provide feedback on your content, delivery, and overall effectiveness. Incorporate their suggestions to refine and improve your presentation.

Step# 12 Prepare for Questions

Anticipate potential questions from the audience and be ready to address them. Familiarize yourself with the topic beyond the main points to demonstrate your expertise and provide comprehensive answers.

By following these steps, you'll be well-prepared to deliver an informative speech that captivates your audience.

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Methods of Informing

In this section, we will explore the diverse methods of informing, each offering distinct ways to captivate and enlighten an audience.

Informing through Definition

This method involves providing a clear and concise definition of a concept or term to help the audience understand its meaning. 

For example: If you are giving a speech on climate change, you may define it as 

"the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns on Earth, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation."

Informing through Description

With this method, you provide vivid and detailed descriptions to paint a picture in the audience's mind. 

For instance, if you are describing a famous landmark like the Taj Mahal, you might say:

"The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. Its magnificent architecture features intricate carvings, domed roofs, and reflective pools, creating a mesmerizing sight that symbolizes eternal love."

Informing through Demonstration

This method involves physically showing or illustrating a process or technique to help the audience understand it better. 

For example, if you are teaching a cooking class and explaining how to make a soufflé, you would demonstrate the step-by-step process . It will show the audience how to beat the egg whites, fold in the ingredients, and bake them to perfection.

Informing through Explanation

This method involves providing a detailed explanation of a concept, process, or idea. It may involve breaking down complex information into simpler terms or providing a logical sequence of events. 

For instance, if you are explaining the theory of relativity , you might explain how Einstein's theory revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and gravity. You can do that by describing the concepts of time dilation and the bending of light.

Examples of Great Informative Speeches

Let’s take a look at some inspiring, informative speech examples: 

Informative Speech Harvard

Informative Speech About Ramadan

Informative Speech About Covid-19

Informative Speech About Communication

Here are some informative speech examples from well-known personalities: 

5 Lessons from Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Address

Ellen DeGeneres' Tulane University Commencement Speech

Neil deGrasse Tyson's "The Most Astounding Fact"

Informative Speech Topics

Here is a list of informative speech topics that you can consider:

• The History and Significance of Space Exploration
• The Rise of Veganism: Benefits for Health and the Environment
• The Impact of Music on Mental Health and Well-being
• The Importance of Financial Literacy for Young Adults
• The Science Behind Mindfulness and Its Effects on Stress Reduction
• The Role of Women in STEM (Science, Technology and Engineering) Fields
• The Importance of Physical Exercise for a Healthy Lifestyle
• Understanding and Managing Anxiety and Panic Attacks
• The Origins and Cultural Significance of Traditional Festivals
• The History and Evolution of Fashion Trends

Informative Speech Topics For College Students

Here are some good informative speech topics for college-level students: 

• The Starting Point - Navigating the Transition from High School to College
• Engaging Audience Members - Techniques for Captivating and Connecting with Your Audience
• The Impacts Of Climate Change And Sustainable Solutions
• The Rise Of Mental Health Issues Among College Students
• The Influence Of Social Media On Society And Relationships
• The Importance Of Financial Literacy For Young Adults
• The Science Behind Mindfulness And Its Effects On Stress Reduction
• Exploring The Pros And Cons Of Renewable Energy Sources
• The History And Significance Of Space Exploration
• The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On The Job Market

Informative Speech Topics For University Students

• The Importance of Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills in Higher Education
• The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-being
• Exploring the Future of Artificial Intelligence and Its Ethical Implications
• Understanding the Science of Climate Change and Its Effects on the Environment
• The Rise of Online Education: Advantages and Disadvantages
• The Significance of Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions
• The Power of Effective Time Management and Productivity Strategies for Students
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Personal and Professional Success
• Exploring Sustainable Lifestyle Choices: Green Living on Campus and Beyond
• Navigating Mental Health Challenges in University: Resources and Support Systems

Tips for Delivering an Effective Informative Speech

Here are some tips for delivering an effective informative speech:

• Start with a strong opening to grab the audience's attention.
• Use clear and concise language to communicate your message.
• Utilize visual aids effectively to enhance your speech.
• Engage the audience through interactive elements.
• Vary your delivery to keep the speech dynamic.
• Maintain eye contact with the audience.
• Incorporate storytelling techniques for relatability and memorability.
• Transition smoothly between points.
• Summarize key points periodically to reinforce information.
• Conclude with a strong ending that leaves a lasting impression.
• Remember to practice your speech for improved delivery and confidence.

Need help finding the perfect topic for your informative speech? This blog has you covered with an extensive list of thought-provoking informative speech topics .

Common Mistakes to Avoid in an Informative Speech

Here are common mistakes to avoid in an informative speech:

• Overwhelming the audience with excessive information.
• Using complex language or jargon that the audience may not understand.
• Neglecting to engage the audience through interactive elements or visual aids.
• Speaking too quickly or monotonously makes it difficult for the audience to follow.
• Failing to maintain eye contact with the audience.
• Lacking clear transitions between points, causing confusion.
• Providing inaccurate or outdated information .
• Neglecting to summarize key points for reinforcement.
• Running over the allotted time , disregarding time management.
• Ending abruptly without a strong conclusion or call to action.

By avoiding these mistakes, you can deliver an informative speech that effectively communicates your message and engages the audience.

In conclusion, we have covered everything you need to know about informative speeches, from outlines to examples and topics.  We hope this blog has helped you gain a clearer understanding and provided you with tips to deliver an impactful speech.

If you're still struggling to get started, don't hesitate to contact CollegeEssay.org. Our college essay writer team is here to help you craft an outstanding speech tailored to your needs. 

Don't struggle alone with your informative speech. Use our AI essay writing tools today to get started!

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

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Planning and Presenting an Informative Speech

In this guide, you can learn about the purposes and types of informative speeches, about writing and delivering informative speeches, and about the parts of informative speeches.

Purposes of Informative Speaking

Informative speaking offers you an opportunity to practice your researching, writing, organizing, and speaking skills. You will learn how to discover and present information clearly. If you take the time to thoroughly research and understand your topic, to create a clearly organized speech, and to practice an enthusiastic, dynamic style of delivery, you can be an effective "teacher" during your informative speech. Finally, you will get a chance to practice a type of speaking you will undoubtedly use later in your professional career.

The purpose of the informative speech is to provide interesting, useful, and unique information to your audience. By dedicating yourself to the goals of providing information and appealing to your audience, you can take a positive step toward succeeding in your efforts as an informative speaker.

Major Types of Informative Speeches

In this guide, we focus on informative speeches about:

These categories provide an effective method of organizing and evaluating informative speeches. Although they are not absolute, these categories provide a useful starting point for work on your speech.

In general, you will use four major types of informative speeches. While you can classify informative speeches many ways, the speech you deliver will fit into one of four major categories.

Speeches about Objects

Speeches about objects focus on things existing in the world. Objects include, among other things, people, places, animals, or products.

Because you are speaking under time constraints, you cannot discuss any topic in its entirety. Instead, limit your speech to a focused discussion of some aspect of your topic.

Some example topics for speeches about objects include: the Central Intelligence Agency, tombstones, surgical lasers, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the pituitary gland, and lemmings.

To focus these topics, you could give a speech about Franklin Delano Roosevelt and efforts to conceal how he suffered from polio while he was in office. Or, a speech about tombstones could focus on the creation and original designs of grave markers.

Speeches about Processes

Speeches about processes focus on patterns of action. One type of speech about processes, the demonstration speech, teaches people "how-to" perform a process. More frequently, however, you will use process speeches to explain a process in broader terms. This way, the audience is more likely to understand the importance or the context of the process.

A speech about how milk is pasteurized would not teach the audience how to milk cows. Rather, this speech could help audience members understand the process by making explicit connections between patterns of action (the pasteurization process) and outcomes (a safe milk supply).

Other examples of speeches about processes include: how the Internet works (not "how to work the Internet"), how to construct a good informative speech, and how to research the job market. As with any speech, be sure to limit your discussion to information you can explain clearly and completely within time constraints.

Speeches about Events

Speeches about events focus on things that happened, are happening, or will happen. When speaking about an event, remember to relate the topic to your audience. A speech chronicling history is informative, but you should adapt the information to your audience and provide them with some way to use the information. As always, limit your focus to those aspects of an event that can be adequately discussed within the time limitations of your assignment.

Examples of speeches about events include: the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, Groundhog's Day, the Battle of the Bulge, the World Series, and the 2000 Presidential Elections.

Speeches about Concepts

Speeches about concepts focus on beliefs, ideas, and theories. While speeches about objects, processes, and events are fairly concrete, speeches about concepts are more abstract. Take care to be clear and understandable when creating and presenting a speech about a concept. When selecting a concept, remember you are crafting an informative speech. Often, speeches about concepts take on a persuasive tone. Focus your efforts toward providing unbiased information and refrain from making arguments. Because concepts can be vague and involved, limit your speech to aspects that can be readily explained and understood within the time limits.

Some examples of topics for concept speeches include: democracy, Taoism, principles of feminism, the philosophy of non-violent protest, and the Big Bang theory.

Strategies for Selecting a Topic

In many cases, circumstances will dictate the topic of your speech. However, if the topic has not been assigned or if you are having difficulty figuring out how to frame your topic as an informative speech,the following may be useful.

Begin by thinking of your interests. If you have always loved art, contemplate possible topics dealing with famous artists, art works, or different types of art. If you are employed, think of aspects of your job or aspects of your employer's business that would be interesting to talk about. While you cannot substitute personal experience for detailed research, your own experience can supplement your research and add vitality to your presentation. Choose one of the items below to learn more about selecting a topic.

Learn More about an Unfamiliar Topic

You may benefit more by selecting an unfamiliar topic that interests you. You can challenge yourself by choosing a topic you'd like to learn about and to help others understand it. If the Buddhist religion has always been an interesting and mysterious topic to you, research the topic and create a speech that offers an understandable introduction to the religion. Remember to adapt Buddhism to your audience and tell them why you think this information is useful to them. By taking this approach, you can learn something new and learn how to synthesize new information for your audience.

Think about Previous Classes

You might find a topic by thinking of classes you have taken. Think back to concepts covered in those classes and consider whether they would serve as unique, interesting, and enlightening topics for the informative speech. In astronomy, you learned about red giants. In history, you learned about Napoleon. In political science, you learned about The Federalist Papers. Past classes serve as rich resources for informative speech topics. If you make this choice, use your class notes and textbook as a starting point. To fully develop the content, you will need to do extensive research and perhaps even a few interviews.

Talk to Others

Topic selection does not have to be an individual effort. Spend time talking about potential topics with classmates or friends. This method can be extremely effective because other people can stimulate further ideas when you get stuck. When you use this method, always keep the basic requirements and the audience in mind. Just because you and your friend think home-brew is a great topic does not mean it will enthrall your audience or impress your instructor. While you talk with your classmates or friends, jot notes about potential topics and create a master list when you exhaust the possibilities. From this list, choose a topic with intellectual merit, originality, and potential to entertain while informing.

Framing a Thesis Statement

Once you settle on a topic, you need to frame a thesis statement. Framing a thesis statement allows you to narrow your topic, and in turns allows you to focus your research in this specific area, saving you time and trouble in the process.

Selecting a topic and focusing it into a thesis statement can be a difficult process. Fortunately, a number of useful strategies are available to you.

Thesis Statement Purpose

The thesis statement is crucial for clearly communicating your topic and purpose to the audience. Be sure to make the statement clear, concise, and easy to remember. Deliver it to the audience and use verbal and nonverbal illustrations to make it stand out.

Strategies For Framing a Thesis Statement

Focus on a specific aspect of your topic and phrase the thesis statement in one clear, concise, complete sentence, focusing on the audience. This sentence sets a goal for the speech. For example, in a speech about art, the thesis statement might be: "The purpose of this speech is to inform my audience about the early works of Vincent van Gogh." This statement establishes that the speech will inform the audience about the early works of one great artist. The thesis statement is worded conversationally and included in the delivery of the speech.

Thesis Statement and Audience

The thesis appears in the introduction of the speech so that the audience immediately realizes the speaker's topic and goal. Whatever the topic may be, you should attempt to create a clear, focused thesis statement that stands out and could be repeated by every member of your audience. It is important to refer to the audience in the thesis statement; when you look back at the thesis for direction, or when the audience hears the thesis, it should be clear that the most important goal of your speech is to inform the audience about your topic. While the focus and pressure will be on you as a speaker, you should always remember that the audience is the reason for presenting a public speech.

Avoid being too trivial or basic for the average audience member. At the same time, avoid being too technical for the average audience member. Be sure to use specific, concrete terms that clearly establish the focus of your speech.

Thesis Statement and Delivery

When creating the thesis statement, be sure to use a full sentence and frame that sentence as a statement, not as a question. The full sentence, "The purpose of this speech is to inform my audience about the early works of Vincent van Gogh," provides clear direction for the speech, whereas the fragment "van Gogh" says very little about the purpose of the speech. Similarly, the question "Who was Vincent van Gogh?" does not adequately indicate the direction the speech will take or what the speaker hopes to accomplish.

If you limit your thesis statement to one distinct aspect of the larger topic, you are more likely to be understood and to meet the time constraints.

Researching Your Topic

As you begin to work on your informative speech, you will find that you need to gather additional information. Your instructor will most likely require that you locate relevant materials in the library and cite those materials in your speech. In this section, we discuss the process of researching your topic and thesis.

Conducting research for a major informative speech can be a daunting task. In this section, we discuss a number of strategies and techniques that you can use to gather and organize source materials for your speech.

Gathering Materials

Gathering materials can be a daunting task. You may want to do some research before you choose a topic. Once you have a topic, you have many options for finding information. You can conduct interviews, write or call for information from a clearinghouse or public relations office, and consult books, magazines, journals, newspapers, television and radio programs, and government documents. The library will probably be your primary source of information. You can use many of the libraries databases or talk to a reference librarian to learn how to conduct efficient research.

Taking Notes

While doing your research, you may want to carry notecards. When you come across a useful passage, copy the source and the information onto the notecard or copy and paste the information. You should maintain a working bibliography as you research so you always know which sources you have consulted and so the process of writing citations into the speech and creating the bibliography will be easier. You'll need to determine what information-recording strategies work best for you. Talk to other students, instructors, and librarians to get tips on conducting efficient research. Spend time refining your system and you will soon be able to focus on the information instead of the record-keeping tasks.

Citing Sources Within Your Speech

Consult with your instructor to determine how much research/source information should be included in your speech. Realize that a source citation within your speech is defined as a reference to or quotation from material you have gathered during your research and an acknowledgement of the source. For example, within your speech you might say: "As John W. Bobbitt said in the December 22, 1993, edition of the Denver Post , 'Ouch!'" In this case, you have included a direct quotation and provided the source of the quotation. If you do not quote someone, you might say: "After the first week of the 1995 baseball season, attendance was down 13.5% from 1994. This statistic appeared in the May 7, 1995, edition of the Denver Post ." Whatever the case, whenever you use someone else's ideas, thoughts, or words, you must provide a source citation to give proper credit to the creator of the information. Failure to cite sources can be interpreted as plagiarism which is a serious offense. Upon review of the specific case, plagiarism can result in failure of the assignment, the course, or even dismissal from the University. Take care to cite your sources and give credit where it is due.

Creating Your Bibliography

As with all aspects of your speech, be sure to check with your instructor to get specific details about the assignment.

Generally, the bibliography includes only those sources you cited during the speech. Don't pad the bibliography with every source you read, saw on the shelf, or heard of from friends. When you create the bibliography, you should simply go through your complete sentence outline and list each source you cite. This is also a good way to check if you have included enough reference material within the speech. You will need to alphabetize the bibiography by authors last name and include the following information: author's name, article title, publication title, volume, date, page number(s). You may need to include additional information; you need to talk with your instructor to confirm the required bibliographical format.

Some Cautions

When doing research, use caution in choosing your sources. You need to determine which sources are more credible than others and attempt to use a wide variety of materials. The broader the scope of your research, the more impressive and believable your information. You should draw from different sources (e.g., a variety of magazines-- Time, Newsweek, US News & World Report, National Review, Mother Jones ) as well as different types of sources (i.e., use interviews, newspapers, periodicals, and books instead of just newspapers). The greater your variety, the more apparent your hard work and effort will be. Solid research skills result in increased credibility and effectiveness for the speaker.

Structuring an Informative Speech

Typically, informative speeches have three parts:

Introduction

In this section, we discuss the three parts of an informative speech, calling attention to specific elements that can enhance the effectiveness of your speech. As a speaker, you will want to create a clear structure for your speech. In this section, you will find discussions of the major parts of the informative speech.

The introduction sets the tone of the entire speech. The introduction should be brief and to-the-point as it accomplishes these several important tasks. Typically, there are six main components of an effective introduction:

Attention Getters

Thesis statement, audience adaptation, credibility statement, transition to the body.

As in any social situation, your audience makes strong assumptions about you during the first eight or ten seconds of your speech. For this reason, you need to start solidly and launch the topic clearly. Focus your efforts on completing these tasks and moving on to the real information (the body) of the speech. Typically, there are six main components of an effective introduction. These tasks do not have to be handled in this order, but this layout often yields the best results.

The attention-getter is designed to intrigue the audience members and to motivate them to listen attentively for the next several minutes. There are infinite possibilities for attention-getting devices. Some of the more common devices include using a story, a rhetorical question, or a quotation. While any of these devices can be effective, it is important for you to spend time strategizing, creating, and practicing the attention-getter.

Most importantly, an attention-getter should create curiosity in the minds of your listeners and convince them that the speech will be interesting and useful. The wording of your attention-getter should be refined and practiced. Be sure to consider the mood/tone of your speech; determine the appropriateness of humor, emotion, aggressiveness, etc. Not only should the words get the audiences attention, but your delivery should be smooth and confident to let the audience know that you are a skilled speaker who is prepared for this speech.

The crowd was wild. The music was booming. The sun was shining. The cash registers were ringing.

This story-like re-creation of the scene at a Farm Aid concert serves to engage the audience and causes them to think about the situation you are describing. Touching stories or stories that make audience members feel involved with the topic serve as good attention-getters. You should tell a story with feeling and deliver it directly to the audience instead of reading it off your notecards.

Example Text : One dark summer night in 1849, a young woman in her 20's left Bucktown, Maryland, and followed the North Star. What was her name? Harriet Tubman. She went back some 19 times to rescue her fellow slaves. And as James Blockson relates in a 1984 issue of National Geographic , by the end of her career, she had a $40,000.00 price on her head. This was quite a compliment from her enemies (Blockson 22).

Rhetorical Question

Rhetorical questions are questions designed to arouse curiosity without requiring an answer. Either the answer will be obvious, or if it isn't apparent, the question will arouse curiosity until the presentation provides the answer.

An example of a rhetorical question to gain the audiences attention for a speech about fly-fishing is, "Have you ever stood in a freezing river at 5 o'clock in the morning by choice?"

Example Text: Have you ever heard of a railroad with no tracks, with secret stations, and whose conductors were considered criminals?

A quotation from a famous person or from an expert on your topic can gain the attention of the audience. The use of a quotation immediately launches you into the speech and focuses the audience on your topic area. If it is from a well-known source, cite the author first. If the source is obscure, begin with the quote itself.

Example Text : "No day dawns for the slave, nor is it looked for. It is all night--night forever . . . ." (Pause) This quote was taken from Jermain Loguen, a fugitive who was the son of his Tennessee master and a slave woman.

Unusual Statement

Making a statement that is unusual to the ears of your listeners is another possibility for gaining their attention.

Example Text : "Follow the drinking gourd. That's what I said, friend, follow the drinking gourd." This phrase was used by slaves as a coded message to mean the Big Dipper, which revealed the North Star, and pointed toward freedom.

You might chose to use tasteful humor which relates to the topic as an effective way to attract the audience both to you and the subject at hand.

Example Text : "I'm feeling boxed in." [PAUSE] I'm not sure, but these may have been Henry "Box" Brown's very words after being placed on his head inside a box which measured 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 1\2 feet for what seemed to him like "an hour and a half." He was shipped by Adams Express to freedom in Philadelphia (Brown 60,92; Still 10).

Shocking Statistic

Another possibility to consider is the use of a factual statistic intended to grab your listener's attention. As you research the topic you've picked, keep your eyes open for statistics that will have impact.

Example Text : Today, John Elway's talents are worth millions, but in 1840 the price of a human life, a slave, was worth $1,000.00.

Example Text : Today I'd like to tell you about the Underground Railroad.

In your introduction, you need to adapt your speech to your audience. To keep audience members interested, tell them why your topic is important to them. To accomplish this task, you need to undertake audience analysis prior to creating the speech. Figure out who your audience members are, what things are important to them, what their biases may be, and what types of subjects/issues appeal to them. In the context of this class, some of your audience analysis is provided for you--most of your listeners are college students, so it is likely that they place some value on education, most of them are probably not bathing in money, and they live in Colorado. Consider these traits when you determine how to adapt to your audience.

As you research and write your speech, take note of references to issues that should be important to your audience. Include statements about aspects of your speech that you think will be of special interest to the audience in the introduction. By accomplishing this task, you give your listeners specific things with which they can identify. Audience adaptation will be included throughout the speech, but an effective introduction requires meaningful adaptation of the topic to the audience.

You need to find ways to get the members of your audience involved early in the speech. The following are some possible options to connect your speech to your audience:

Reference to the Occasion

Consider how the occasion itself might present an opportunity to heighten audience receptivity. Remind your listeners of an important date just passed or coming soon.

Example Text : This January will mark the 130th anniversary of a "giant interracial rally" organized by William Still which helped to end streetcar segregation in the city of Philadelphia (Katz i).

Reference to the Previous Speaker

Another possibility is to refer to a previous speaker to capitalize on the good will which already has been established or to build on the information presented.

Example Text : As Alice pointed out last week in her speech on the Olympic games of the ancient world, history can provide us with fascinating lessons.

The credibility statement establishes your qualifications as a speaker. You should come up with reasons why you are someone to listen to on this topic. Why do you have special knowledge or understanding of this topic? What can the audience learn from you that they couldn't learn from someone else? Credibility statements can refer to your extensive research on a topic, your life-long interest in an issue, your personal experience with a thing, or your desire to better the lives of your listeners by sifting through the topic and providing the crucial information.

Remember that Aristotle said that credibility, or ethos, consists of good sense, goodwill, and good moral character. Create the feeling that you possess these qualities by creatively stating that you are well-educated about the topic (good sense), that you want to help each member of the audience (goodwill), and that you are a decent person who can be trusted (good moral character). Once you establish your credibility, the audience is more likely to listen to you as something of an expert and to consider what you say to be the truth. It is often effective to include further references to your credibility throughout the speech by subtly referring to the traits mentioned above.

Show your listeners that you are qualified to speak by making a specific reference to a helpful resource. This is one way to demonstrate competence.

Example Text : In doing research for this topic, I came across an account written by one of these heroes that has deepened my understanding of the institution of slavery. Frederick Douglass', My Bondage and My Freedom, is the account of a man whose master's kindness made his slavery only more unbearable.

Your listeners want to believe that you have their best interests in mind. In the case of an informative speech, it is enough to assure them that this will be an interesting speech and that you, yourself, are enthusiastic about the topic.

Example Text : I hope you'll enjoy hearing about the heroism of the Underground Railroad as much as I have enjoyed preparing for this speech.

Preview the Main Points

The preview informs the audience about the speech's main points. You should preview every main body point and identify each as a separate piece of the body. The purpose of this preview is to let the audience members prepare themselves for the flow of the speech; therefore, you should word the preview clearly and concisely. Attempt to use parallel structure for each part of the preview and avoid delving into the main point; simply tell the audience what the main point will be about in general.

Use the preview to briefly establish your structure and then move on. Let the audience get a taste of how you will divide the topic and fulfill the thesis and then move on. This important tool will reinforce the information in the minds of your listeners. Here are two examples of a preview:

Simply identify the main points of the speech. Cover them in the same order that they will appear in the body of the presentation.

For example, the preview for a speech about kites organized topically might take this form: "First, I will inform you about the invention of the kite. Then, I will explain the evolution of the kite. Third, I will introduce you to the different types of kites. Finally, I will inform you about various uses for kites." Notice that this preview avoids digressions (e.g., listing the various uses for kites); you will take care of the deeper information within the body of the speech.

Example Text : I'll tell you about motivations and means of escape employed by fugitive slaves.

Chronological

For example, the preview for a speech about the Pony Express organized chronologically might take this form: "I'll talk about the Pony Express in three parts. First, its origins, second, its heyday, and third, how it came to an end." Notice that this preview avoids digressions (e.g., listing the reasons why the Pony Express came to an end); you will cover the deeper information within the body of the speech.

Example Text : I'll talk about it in three parts. First, its origins, second, its heyday, and third, how it came to an end.

After you accomplish the first five components of the introduction, you should make a clean transition to the body of the speech. Use this transition to signal a change and prepare the audience to begin processing specific topical information. You should round out the introduction, reinforce the excitement and interest that you created in the audience during the introduction, and slide into the first main body point.

Strategic organization helps increase the clarity and effectiveness of your speech. Four key issues are discussed in this section:

Organizational Patterns

Connective devices, references to outside research.

The body contains the bulk of information in your speech and needs to be clearly organized. Without clear organization, the audience will probably forget your information, main points, perhaps even your thesis. Some simple strategies will help you create a clear, memorable speech. Below are the four key issues used in organizing a speech.

Once you settle on a topic, you should decide which aspects of that topic are of greatest importance for your speech. These aspects become your main points. While there is no rule about how many main points should appear in the body of the speech, most students go with three main points. You must have at least two main points; aside from that rule, you should select your main points based on the importance of the information and the time limitations. Be sure to include whatever information is necessary for the audience to understand your topic. Also, be sure to synthesize the information so it fits into the assigned time frame. As you choose your main points, try to give each point equal attention within the speech. If you pick three main points, each point should take up roughly one-third of the body section of your speech.

There are four basic patterns of organization for an informative speech.

• Chronological order
• Spatial order
• Causal order
• Topical order

There are four basic patterns of organization for an informative speech. You can choose any of these patterns based on which pattern serves the needs of your speech.

Chronological Order

A speech organized chronologically has main points oriented toward time. For example, a speech about the Farm Aid benefit concert could have main points organized chronologically. The first main point focuses on the creation of the event; the second main point focuses on the planning stages; the third point focuses on the actual performance/concert; and the fourth point focuses on donations and assistance that resulted from the entire process. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be followed on a calendar or a clock.

Spatial Order

A speech organized spatially has main points oriented toward space or a directional pattern. The Farm Aid speech's body could be organized in spatial order. The first main point discusses the New York branch of the organization; the second main point discusses the Midwest branch; the third main point discusses the California branch of Farm Aid. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be traced on a map.

Causal Order

A speech organized causally has main points oriented toward cause and effect. The main points of a Farm Aid speech organized causally could look like this: the first main point informs about problems on farms and the need for monetary assistance; the second main point discusses the creation and implementation of the Farm Aid program. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that alerts the audience to a problem or circumstance and then tells the audience what action resulted from the original circumstance.

Topical Order

A speech organized topically has main points organized more randomly by sub-topics. The Farm Aid speech could be organized topically: the first main point discusses Farm Aid administrators; the second main point discusses performers; the third main point discusses sponsors; the fourth main point discusses audiences. In this format, you discuss main points in a more random order that labels specific aspects of the topic and addresses them in separate categories. Most speeches that are not organized chronologically, spatially, or causally are organized topically.

Within the body of your speech, you need clear internal structure. Connectives are devices used to create a clear flow between ideas and points within the body of your speech--they serve to tie the speech together. There are four main types of connective devices:

Transitions

Internal previews, internal summaries.

Within the body of your speech, you need clear internal structure. Think of connectives as hooks and ladders for the audience to use when moving from point-to-point within the body of your speech. These devices help re-focus the minds of audience members and remind them of which main point your information is supporting. The four main types of connective devices are:

Transitions are brief statements that tell the audience to shift gears between ideas. Transitions serve as the glue that holds the speech together and allow the audience to predict where the next portion of the speech will go. For example, once you have previewed your main points and you want to move from the introduction to the body of the Farm Aid speech, you might say: "To gain an adequate understanding of the intricacies of this philanthropic group, we need to look at some specific information about Farm Aid. We'll begin by looking at the administrative branch of this massive fund-raising organization."

Internal previews are used to preview the parts of a main point. Internal previews are more focused than, but serve the same purpose as, the preview you will use in the introduction of the speech. For example, you might create an internal preview for the complex main point dealing with Farm Aid performers: "In examining the Farm Aid performers, we must acknowledge the presence of entertainers from different genres of music--country and western, rhythm and blues, rock, and pop." The internal preview provides specific information for the audience if a main point is complex or potentially confusing.

Internal summaries are the reverse of internal previews. Internal summaries restate specific parts of a main point. To internally summarize the main point dealing with Farm Aid performers, you might say: "You now know what types of people perform at the Farm Aid benefit concerts. The entertainers come from a wide range of musical genres--country and western, rhythm and blues, rock, and pop." When using both internal previews and internal summaries, be sure to stylize the language in each so you do not become redundant.

Signposts are brief statements that remind the audience where you are within the speech. If you have a long point, you may want to remind the audience of what main point you are on: "Continuing my discussion of Farm Aid performers . . . "

When organizing the body of your speech, you will integrate several references to your research. The purpose of the informative speech is to allow you and the audience to learn something new about a topic. Additionally, source citations add credibility to your ideas. If you know a lot about rock climbing and you cite several sources who confirm your knowledge, the audience is likely to see you as a credible speaker who provides ample support for ideas.

Without these references, your speech is more like a story or a chance for you to say a few things you know. To complete this assignment satisfactorily, you must use source citations. Consult your textbook and instructor for specific information on how much supporting material you should use and about the appropriate style for source citations.

While the conclusion should be brief and tight, it has a few specific tasks to accomplish:

Re-assert/Reinforce the Thesis

Review the main points, close effectively.

Take a deep breath! If you made it to the conclusion, you are on the brink of finishing. Below are the tasks you should complete in your conclusion:

When making the transition to the conclusion, attempt to make clear distinctions (verbally and nonverbally) that you are now wrapping up the information and providing final comments about the topic. Refer back to the thesis from the introduction with wording that calls the original thesis into memory. Assert that you have accomplished the goals of your thesis statement and create the feeling that audience members who actively considered your information are now equipped with an understanding of your topic. Reinforce whatever mood/tone you chose for the speech and attempt to create a big picture of the speech.

Within the conclusion, re-state the main points of the speech. Since you have used parallel wording for your main points in the introduction and body, don't break that consistency in the conclusion. Frame the review so the audience will be reminded of the preview and the developed discussion of each main point. After the review, you may want to create a statement about why those main points fulfilled the goals of the speech.

Finish strongly. When you close your speech, craft statements that reinforce the message and leave the audience with a clear feeling about what was accomplished with your speech. You might finalize the adaptation by discussing the benefits of listening to the speech and explaining what you think audience members can do with the information.

Remember to maintain an informative tone for this speech. You should not persuade about beliefs or positions; rather, you should persuade the audience that the speech was worthwhile and useful. For greatest effect, create a closing line or paragraph that is artistic and effective. Much like the attention-getter, the closing line needs to be refined and practiced. Your close should stick with the audience and leave them interested in your topic. Take time to work on writing the close well and attempt to memorize it so you can directly address the audience and leave them thinking of you as a well-prepared, confident speaker.

Outlining an Informative Speech

Two types of outlines can help you prepare to deliver your speech. The complete sentence outline provides a useful means of checking the organization and content of your speech. The speaking outline is an essential aid for delivering your speech. In this section, we discuss both types of outlines.

Two types of outlines can help you prepare to deliver your speech. The complete sentence outline provides a useful means of checking the organization and content of your speech. The speaking outline is an essential aid for delivering your speech.

The Complete Sentence Outline

A complete sentence outline may not be required for your presentation. The following information is useful, however, in helping you prepare your speech.

The complete sentence outline helps you organize your material and thoughts and it serves as an excellent copy for editing the speech. The complete sentence outline is just what it sounds like: an outline format including every complete sentence (not fragments or keywords) that will be delivered during your speech.

Writing the Outline

You should create headings for the introduction, body, and conclusion and clearly signal shifts between these main speech parts on the outline. Use standard outline format. For instance, you can use Roman numerals, letters, and numbers to label the parts of the outline. Organize the information so the major headings contain general information and the sub-headings become more specific as they descend. Think of the outline as a funnel: you should make broad, general claims at the top of each part of the outline and then tighten the information until you have exhausted the point. Do this with each section of the outline. Be sure to consult with your instructor about specific aspects of the outline and refer to your course book for further information and examples.

Using the Outline

If you use this outline as it is designed to be used, you will benefit from it. You should start the outline well before your speech day and give yourself plenty of time to revise it. Attempt to have the final, clean copies ready two or three days ahead of time, so you can spend a day or two before your speech working on delivery. Prepare the outline as if it were a final term paper.

The Speaking Outline

Depending upon the assignment and the instructor, you may use a speaking outline during your presentation. The following information will be helpful in preparing your speech through the use of a speaking outline.

This outline should be on notecards and should be a bare bones outline taken from the complete sentence outline. Think of the speaking outline as train tracks to guide you through the speech.

Many speakers find it helpful to highlight certain words/passages or to use different colors for different parts of the speech. You will probably want to write out long or cumbersome quotations along with your source citation. Many times, the hardest passages to learn are those you did not write but were spoken by someone else. Avoid the temptation to over-do the speaking outline; many speakers write too much on the cards and their grades suffer because they read from the cards.

The best strategy for becoming comfortable with a speaking outline is preparation. You should prepare well ahead of time and spend time working with the notecards and memorizing key sections of your speech (the introduction and conclusion, in particular). Try to become comfortable with the extemporaneous style of speaking. You should be able to look at a few keywords on your outline and deliver eloquent sentences because you are so familiar with your material. You should spend approximately 80% of your speech making eye-contact with your audience.

Delivering an Informative Speech

For many speakers, delivery is the most intimidating aspect of public speaking. Although there is no known cure for nervousness, you can make yourself much more comfortable by following a few basic delivery guidelines. In this section, we discuss those guidelines.

The Five-Step Method for Improving Delivery

• Read aloud your full-sentence outline. Listen to what you are saying and adjust your language to achieve a good, clear, simple sentence structure.
• Practice the speech repeatedly from the speaking outline. Become comfortable with your keywords to the point that what you say takes the form of an easy, natural conversation.
• Practice the speech aloud...rehearse it until you are confident you have mastered the ideas you want to present. Do not be concerned about "getting it just right." Once you know the content, you will find the way that is most comfortable for you.
• Practice in front of a mirror, tape record your practice, and/or present your speech to a friend. You are looking for feedback on rate of delivery, volume, pitch, non-verbal cues (gestures, card-usage, etc.), and eye-contact.
• Do a dress rehearsal of the speech under conditions as close as possible to those of the actual speech. Practice the speech a day or two before in a classroom. Be sure to incorporate as many elements as possible in the dress rehearsal...especially visual aids.

It should be clear that coping with anxiety over delivering a speech requires significant advanced preparation. The speech needs to be completed several days beforehand so that you can effectively employ this five-step plan.

Anderson, Thad, & Ron Tajchman. (1994). Informative Speaking. Writing@CSU . Colorado State University. https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=52

A Helpful Guide for Good Informative Speech Topics, Tips, and Examples

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Published Date : November 9, 2020

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Many individuals fear the thought of speaking in public. However, creating good informative speech topics and delivering an informative speech is not as hard as you perceive it. 

During an informative speech , the speaker aims to tell the audience what they are unaware of or give additional knowledge about something they want to know more about. You can inform individuals about a new method to reckon with an old way of perceiving a new subject. 

Moreover, you can also tackle a not fully recognized concept or a theory they have not heard yet. As the speaker, you must be interested in your informative speech topics for a smooth and easy presentation.

However, if you are still hesitant about giving an excellent informative speech , and this is your first time, this handy guide has covered you! 

Read this article further to learn more about informative speech , gain helpful tips in choosing informative speech topics, and have the best examples for inspiration. 

What is an Informative Speech?

The kind of speech that aspires to inform and educate the audience about a specific topic is an informative speech . Informative speeches have various types, including describing the subject’s conditions and instructing the audience on how to act. 

Furthermore, an excellent informative speech comprehensively gives accurate information to the people, making the topic discussion interesting for the listener. You also need to consider the three factors for effective informative speaking:

With these three components, you can have a guide regarding your presentation in front of your audience. Note that there are no informative speech topics that you can deliver complete information on, so we recommend carefully narrowing them down. 

Careful narrowing of informative speech topic ideas makes it possible to illustrate your particular subject accurately, and it does not become misleading. 

What is the Primary Purpose of an Informative Speech?

What comes to mind when you come across the word “purpose”? Technically, it refers to why something existence, how we utilize the object, or why we create something. All three of these apply to public speaking , for example, presenting an informative speech . 

An informative speech ’s primary purpose is to give engaging, unique, and useful information to the audience. This thought corresponds to why you must convey accurate and comprehensive knowledge, which I mentioned earlier. 

It is about helping your audience obtain information they do not previously have through different informative speech topics. Then, your spectators can utilize that knowledge to:

• Understand more about something
• Perform a new piece of work
• Enhance their skills

Informative speaking is imparting knowledge and letting the people gain it. If you dedicate yourself to providing facts and appealing to your listeners , you can eventually advance your career and efforts in this field.

What is the Best Way to Write an Informative Speech?

After knowing the purpose of informative speeches, you must consider the best way to start making your speech . Writing an informative speech includes delivering information without expressing your point of view about informative speech topics. 

You are only informing your audience, not motivating or persuading them. This concept may give you a dull impression, but creating an informative speech is still creative. 

Below, we have listed seven essential components in writing your informative speech . The following will help you get all those thoughts and share them with your listeners clearly and deliberately. 

1. Attention getter

To get the attention of your audience, motivate them to listen. You can think of creative ways to engage them in your talk and make the whole presentation exciting and informative. 

Additionally, it would help if you cover informative speech topics that are not yet well-known to your listeners but still relevant to them. If you select a topic they already know, better provide additional information. 

Consider your audience’s age, interests, and knowledge level when choosing and preparing good informative speech topic ideas.

2. Show Credibility 

Another vital element is showing your professional experiences from the informative speech topics, building authenticity, and exhibiting credibility. To do so, research and use reliable materials when writing down good informative speech topics. 

During your study elements gathering, ensure that you comprehend them well because you might be required to answer the people’s questions about your presentation. Your understanding will help you answer your audience’s queries after your speech . 

3. Provide testimony 

One of the most important things you must not forget is providing expert testimony to support your claims. An informative speech imparts knowledge to the people, so you would not want to give them empty and misleading words.

Moreover, your listeners pick up necessary information from you, so it is best not to utter baseless claims without references. Backing up your talk with professional testimonies makes it more informative and credible.

4. Thesis statement

A thesis statement’s purpose is to give a preview regarding the primary point or argument of your informative speech topic. 

After choosing good informative speech topics, it is time to draft your thesis statement. If you have done it correctly, your thesis statement will summarize your whole speech in a brief but comprehensive sentence.

5. Preview your points

Before going directly to your primary points, you must give your audience a heads-up first. This method will provide them with a preview of the topics for discussion.

Giving them an initial view of your points also guides your listeners as you go on through your informative speech . 

6. Transition

Of course, it is essential to explain your main points. Make a speech transition that best elaborates on the different main points of your informative speech .

Ensure that each point has adequate discussion time before proceeding to the next one. Also, be mindful of how you do your transitions so that your presentation’s flow will not confuse the audience and make it easy for them to participate. 

7. Conclusion 

Your conclusion summarizes the primary points of your speech . It would be more logical and natural to mention your viewpoint because people typically recall your first and last communications. 

Doing so ensures you utilize an appropriate order when delivering your informative speech topics. It might be helpful to start and end it with a few fundamental memorizations for a lasting impression. 

Furthermore, you can also try to include a part of your conclusion in your introduction to create a full cycle. In this way, your listeners will remember your speech .

Practice your speech with Orai, where you get feedback on your tone, tempo, confidence , and conciseness .

What are Some Topics to Deliver an Informative Speech?

Good informative speech ideas are necessary to keep your audience interested and ensure they learn something from you. It also lets writing and giving your speech be a fun process. 

Following are several topics you can consider to deliver an informative speech :

Informative Speech Topics About Education

• The Benefits of E-Learning
• The Importance of Education for Professional Growth
• How to Excel in College with Online Learning
• Various Forms of Learning and Teaching
• Should Schools Give the Students Homework

Informative Speech Topics About Technology

• Cloud Computing and Storage
• Hardware vs. Software
• The Importance of Learning How to Code
• The Effect of Artificial Intelligence on Learning
• Cryptocurrency and the Future of Finance

Informative Speech Topics About Vehicles

• How to Choose a Suitable Set of Tires for Your Automobile
• The Process of Changing Your Vehicle’s Oil
• The Process of Replacing a Flat Tire
• What Features to Consider When Buying a New Automobile?
• The Benefits and Setbacks of Purchasing an Automobile

Informative Speech Topics About the Environment

• What are the Most Efficient Manners to Preserve our Environment?
• Reasons Why Preserving Energy is Essential
• The Negative Effects of Water Contamination
• Why is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Necessary?
• The Benefits of Organic Agriculture
• Benefits of Recycling Electronic Waste for The Environment

Informative Speech Topics About a Family

• The Father as a Life Model
• The Significance of Having a Family
• At What Age Do Infants Start to Speak?
• What are the Things to Consider When Naming a Child?
• What is the Significant Connection Between a Child and their Parents?

Good Informative Speech Topics

Are you searching for good informative speech topics to serve as your guide? Worry no more because we have compiled some of them to help you with your work! 

Check the following informative speech examples that are funny, exciting, and informative speech topics.

Easy Informative Speech Topics for Starters

For starters, you can review this example of an informative speech topic about dogs. As a beginner, you can choose this concept for your presentation. 

Funny Informative Speech Topics

If you want a humorous and informative speech topic, you may want to benchmark this guy talking about what to do while sitting in a traffic jam. Give your audience a good laugh!

Informative Speech Topics for College

Are you a college student present in your class or a professional who will deliver the speech to a college body? You might want to check this video of a content creator talking about his daily life as a YouTuber. 

Best Informative Speech Topics for All

To consider the best informative speech topic for all, it must be something that the general public can relate to or is a relevant societal issue. You can watch these videos that talk about the importance of sleep and discuss the causes of homelessness.

Informative Speech about the Effects and Ways of Managing Stress

Informative Speech about the Causes of Homelessness

How do you make an informative speech with a visual aid?

Your audience needs assistance, such as visual materials, to understand the complicated parts of your informative speech topics. Here are four practical reasons why you must use a visual aid for your informative speech in front of everyone:

• To get a hold of the listener’s attention and keep their interest.
• It serves as a learning device or memory aid because the more you visually expose your audience to good informative speech topics, the more likely they will remember them. 
• A visual material, such as a PowerPoint presentation, can contain some of your keywords that help you structure and guide your way through your speech . 
• It indicates transitions because it reinforces the change between the two concepts displayed on the slide. 

Going further on visual aids, these learning devices or memory aids come in different types, which you can utilize during your presentation. Some of them are the following:

With visual aids, you, as the speaker, must make sure that you adequately improve the presentation without causing a distraction for your audience. Also, you can create a note regarding when, where, and how to use it. 

Informative vs. Persuasive

After the informative speech introduction in the earliest part of this article, you might wonder how it differs from a persuasive speech . Don’t worry if you get confused between these two; we will tackle it. 

When selecting between creating an informative or persuasive speech , you must consider the speech ’s purpose. 

Are you going to share information about a specific topic, subject, or event? Or do you want to persuade your listeners to have a particular attitude or belief concerning a said issue, concept, or event?

Here is a comparison between an informative speech and a persuasive speech to understand more about them:

Informative Speech Dos and Don’ts

After discussing the distinction between informative and persuasive speeches, let us go through the dos and don’ts of an informative speech , which is highly useful when choosing good informative speech topics. 

Public speaking is an essential skill when you do an informative speech . With the following helpful tips, learn how to be an effective informative speaker and become more appealing to your audience.

Presentation Tips

What is more, when delivering or presenting an informative speech , you aim to educate and enlighten your audience about a specific subject. Informative speeches involve descriptions, definitions, demonstrations, and details to elaborate on a person, place, or topic. 

One of the essential aspects of informative speeches is making a complicated issue easier to comprehend while providing points for the problem statement. 

If you are looking for helpful tips on presenting your informative speech to your audience, then read along because we have listed some of them and be hassle-free. 

1. Outline your speech structure

Your informative speeches require a presentation of arguments in a well-organized and systematic manner. This reason alone explains why you need an outline of your informative speech . 

Your speech ’s paragraphs must smoothly transition while keeping your audience’s interest. From the introduction until the conclusion, everything should be in an appropriate order.

2. Use presentation aids to enhance audience understanding.

It is better to prepare visual aids for your informative speech topics, ideas, or points that require visualization. This method will help the audience understand what you are discussing or explaining. 

You can use simple charts, diagrams, photos, or graphs to create excellent and useful information visual aids.

3. Support your point by citing an authoritative source

An informative speech requires extensive utilization of data, statistics, figures, and facts. You must practice mentioning authoritative sources from which you collected the information to increase credibility. 

These authoritative sources can be the following:

We also recommend conducting primary and secondary research to gain more knowledge about your topic.

Do These Steps to Hook Any Audience

When giving your speech , engage your listeners right from the opening. Do not just assume they are paying attention to you because they might be thinking of other things or their minds are elsewhere. 

So, you should go beyond the conventional and dry atmosphere and capture their attention. You can refer to these six approaches to hook any audience and then deliver an excellent and memorable presentation.

• Create a provocative statement that gets their keen interest and desire to know more about your topic.
• Fuel the audience’s curiosity.
• Surprise your listeners by making counter-intuitive or paradigm-shifter statements.
• Share a story if needed.
• Be authentic and tell a personal experience.
• Quote a known and influential individual.
• Ask your audience a couple of questions to draw their participation.
• Leverage silence to command your listeners.
• Utilize appropriate visual aids.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to world peace?

World peace requires diverse approaches. Whether through fostering diplomacy, promoting economic cooperation, or addressing global challenges like climate change, we can build a more peaceful world by fostering understanding across cultures, promoting equality, and harnessing technology for dialogue and resolution. Let’s choose peace today and every day.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to technology?

From the ethical considerations of AI in decision-making to the mental health impacts of social media, technology presents a range of compelling topics for persuasive speech . Consider the ethics of AI, holding social media accountable for misinformation, or the impact of technology on education, health, privacy, and the environment. Choose a topic that sparks your passion and engage your audience in a thought-provoking discussion.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to sports?

Persuasive speech topics related to sports could include gender equality in pay for professional athletes, the debate on doping in sports, the importance of teaching swimming in schools, and the impact of parental pressure on young athletes. These topics offer opportunities for engaging discussions on various aspects of sports and can be compelling areas for further exploration and debate.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to religion?

Persuasive speech topics related to religion may include controversial issues such as whether prayer should be allowed in public schools, the role of religion in government, and the distinctions between cults and traditional religious practices. These topics can spark engaging debates and discussions on the intersection of religion with public policies, societal norms, and individual beliefs.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to health?

From sugary drink taxes to the ethics of cosmetic surgery, the world of health offers a wealth of thought-provoking topics for persuasive speeches. Explore the effectiveness of public health initiatives, the responsibility of industries impacting health, the legitimacy of alternative treatments, and the ethical complexities surrounding end-of-life decisions.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to ethics?

Ethics presents a vast landscape for impactful speeches. Explore the morality of issues like capital punishment, genetic engineering, or factory farming. Debate the ethical considerations surrounding AI development, whistleblowing, climate change, or healthcare. Analyze the ethical implications of corporate practices, social media, cultural appropriation, and more, sparking critical dialogue on your chosen topic.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to education?

Education offers compelling topics for persuasive speeches. Engage your audience by exploring the pros and cons of single-gender classrooms, the impact of meditation or mobile phones on learning, or the merits of teacher evaluations and online education. You could spark debate on the value versus cost of higher education or delve into strategies for preventing and addressing school bullying.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to business and the economy?

The world of business and economics offers a range of captivating topics for persuasive speeches. Explore the impact of AI on jobs, the balance between business profit and social responsibility, the role of government regulations, and the sustainability of the gig economy. Discuss solutions for income inequality, the importance of workplace diversity, and the effects of globalization. Analyze the pros and cons of remote work and delve into ethical concerns in marketing and advertising. Choose a topic that ignites your passion and engages your audience in a thought-provoking discussion.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to arts and culture?

Persuasive speech topics related to arts and culture include debating the inclusion of art and music therapy in health insurance coverage, discussing whether graffiti should be recognized as a form of art, and evaluating the necessity of mandating all students to learn a musical instrument as part of their school curriculum. These topics prompt interesting discussions and insights into the intersection of arts, culture, and society.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to animals?

The human-animal relationship offers a diverse range of engaging topics for persuasive speeches. Discuss the ethics behind adopting pets, the controversies surrounding animal ownership (from taming wild animals to exotic pets), and the ethical arguments for or against zoos. Explore the impact of human activities on conservation, the importance of animal rights and welfare, and the ethical considerations surrounding their use in entertainment and research. Analyze the challenges and benefits of responsible pet ownership, and propose solutions to address animal abuse and neglect. Choose a topic that resonates with you and sparks meaningful discussion.

What are some tips for making a speech topic more persuasive?

Craft persuasive speech topics by aligning your passion with audience relevance. Choose impactful, relatable themes that allow for visualization and evoke emotions. Thoroughly research, considering diverse perspectives and evidence to support your arguments. Tailor your speech to your audience’s background and establish credibility, making your message powerful and persuasive.

What is persuasive speech and its aim?

Persuasive speeches aim to inform, educate, and convince the audience to adopt a specific viewpoint or take action. It uses compelling arguments, evidence, and emotional appeals to sway the listeners and inspire change in their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. Ultimately, it empowers speakers to make a lasting impact by encouraging a new perspective or action.

What factors should be considered when selecting a speech topic?

Choose a fresh and relevant speech topic that connects with your audience’s interests and knowledge . Select a subject that ignites your passion and consider emotional and visually engaging themes to captivate your listeners and ensure a lasting impact .

Finding good informative speech topics and presenting them is an excellent way to share your knowledge bouncing inside your brain. Remember to select something that you are genuinely interested in, and your eagerness will eventually come out through your audience. Orai is an AI-powered speech coach that fits in your pocket and can help you with your needs for public speaking ! Orai offers a customized learning experience based on your speech recordings and helps you learn new public speaking techniques. They provide instant feedback on your enunciation , conciseness , and more!

 If you have a definite vision, good informative speech topics, a clean speech outline, and an accurate thesis statement, then you’re good to go!

Download Orai and start practice your informative speech

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11.1 Informative Speeches

Learning objectives.

• Identify common topic categories for informative speeches.
• Identify strategies for researching and supporting informative speeches.
• Explain the different methods of informing.
• Employ strategies for effective informative speaking, including avoiding persuasion, avoiding information overload, and engaging the audience.

Many people would rather go see an impassioned political speech or a comedic monologue than a lecture. Although informative speaking may not be the most exciting form of public speaking, it is the most common. Reports, lectures, training seminars, and demonstrations are all examples of informative speaking. That means you are more likely to give and listen to informative speeches in a variety of contexts. Some organizations, like consulting firms, and career fields, like training and development, are solely aimed at conveying information. College alumni have reported that out of many different speech skills, informative speaking is most important (Verderber, 1991). Since your exposure to informative speaking is inevitable, why not learn how to be a better producer and consumer of informative messages?

Creating an Informative Speech

As you’ll recall from Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” , speaking to inform is one of the three possible general purposes for public speaking. The goal of informative speaking is to teach an audience something using objective factual information. Interestingly, informative speaking is a newcomer in the world of public speaking theorizing and instruction, which began thousands of years ago with the ancient Greeks (Olbricht, 1968). Ancient philosophers and statesmen like Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian conceived of public speaking as rhetoric, which is inherently persuasive. During that time, and until the 1800s, almost all speaking was argumentative. Teaching and instruction were performed as debates, and even fields like science and medicine relied on argumentative reasoning instead of factual claims.

Until the 1800s, even scientific fields and medicine relied on teaching that was based on debate and argument rather than the informative-based instruction that is used today.

Monash University – Surgery Workshop 2012 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

While most instruction is now verbal, for most of modern history, people learned by doing rather than listening, as apprenticeships were much more common than classroom-based instruction. So what facilitated the change from argumentative and demonstrative teaching to verbal and informative teaching? One reason for this change was the democratization of information. Technical information used to be jealously protected by individuals, families, or guilds. Now society generally believes that information should be shared and made available to all. The increasing complexity of fields of knowledge and professions also increased the need for informative speaking. Now one must learn a history or backstory before actually engaging with a subject or trade. Finally, much of the information that has built up over time has become commonly accepted; therefore much of the history or background information isn’t disputed and can now be shared in an informative rather than argumentative way.

Choosing an Informative Speech Topic

Being a successful informative speaker starts with choosing a topic that can engage and educate the audience. Your topic choices may be influenced by the level at which you are speaking. Informative speaking usually happens at one of three levels: formal, vocational, and impromptu (Verderber, 1991). Formal informative speeches occur when an audience has assembled specifically to hear what you have to say. Being invited to speak to a group during a professional meeting, a civic gathering, or a celebration gala brings with it high expectations. Only people who have accomplished or achieved much are asked to serve as keynote speakers, and they usually speak about these experiences. Many more people deliver informative speeches at the vocational level, as part of their careers. Teachers like me spend many hours lecturing, which is a common form of informative speaking. In addition, human resources professionals give presentations about changes in policy and provide training for new employees, technicians in factories convey machine specifications and safety procedures, and servers describe how a dish is prepared in their restaurant. Last, we all convey information daily in our regular interactions. When we give a freshman directions to a campus building, summarize the latest episode of American Idol for our friend who missed it, or explain a local custom to an international student, we are engaging in impromptu informative speaking.

Whether at the formal, vocational, or impromptu level, informative speeches can emerge from a range of categories, which include objects, people, events, processes, concepts, and issues. An extended speech at the formal level may include subject matter from several of these categories, while a speech at the vocational level may convey detailed information about a process, concept, or issue relevant to a specific career.

Subjects of informative speaking at the vocational level usually relate to a speaker’s professional experience or expertise.

Peter Long – Business Meeting – CC BY 2.0.

Since we don’t have time to research or organize content for impromptu informative speaking, these speeches may provide a less detailed summary of a topic within one of these categories. A broad informative speech topic could be tailored to fit any of these categories. As you draft your specific purpose and thesis statements, think about which category or categories will help you achieve your speech goals, and then use it or them to guide your research. Table 11.1 “Sample Informative Speech Topics by Category” includes an example of how a broad informative subject area like renewable energy can be adapted to each category as well as additional sample topics.

Table 11.1 Sample Informative Speech Topics by Category

Speeches about objects convey information about any nonhuman material things. Mechanical objects, animals, plants, and fictional objects are all suitable topics of investigation. Given that this is such a broad category, strive to pick an object that your audience may not be familiar with or highlight novel relevant and interesting facts about a familiar object.

Speeches about people focus on real or fictional individuals who are living or dead. These speeches require in-depth biographical research; an encyclopedia entry is not sufficient. Introduce a new person to the audience or share little-known or surprising information about a person we already know. Although we may already be familiar with the accomplishments of historical figures and leaders, audiences often enjoy learning the “personal side” of their lives.

Speeches about concepts are less concrete than speeches about objects or people, as they focus on ideas or notions that may be abstract or multifaceted. A concept can be familiar to us, like equality, or could literally be a foreign concept like qi (or chi ), which is the Chinese conception of the energy that flows through our bodies. Use the strategies discussed in this book for making content relevant and proxemic to your audience to help make abstract concepts more concrete.

Speeches about events focus on past occasions or ongoing occurrences. A particular day in history, an annual observation, or a seldom occurring event can each serve as interesting informative topics. As with speeches about people, it’s important to provide a backstory for the event, but avoid rehashing commonly known information.

Informative speeches about processes provide a step-by-step account of a procedure or natural occurrence. Speakers may walk an audience through, or demonstrate, a series of actions that take place to complete a procedure, such as making homemade cheese. Speakers can also present information about naturally occurring processes like cell division or fermentation.

Informative speeches about processes provide steps of a procedure, such as how to make homemade cheese.

Joel Kramer – curdle – CC BY 2.0.

Last, informative speeches about issues provide objective and balanced information about a disputed subject or a matter of concern for society. It is important that speakers view themselves as objective reporters rather than commentators to avoid tipping the balance of the speech from informative to persuasive. Rather than advocating for a particular position, the speaker should seek to teach or raise the awareness of the audience.

Researching an Informative Speech Topic

Having sharp research skills is a fundamental part of being a good informative speaker. Since informative speaking is supposed to convey factual information, speakers should take care to find sources that are objective, balanced, and credible. Periodicals, books, newspapers, and credible websites can all be useful sources for informative speeches, and you can use the guidelines for evaluating supporting materials discussed in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” to determine the best information to include in your speech. Aside from finding credible and objective sources, informative speakers also need to take time to find engaging information. This is where sharp research skills are needed to cut through all the typical information that comes up in the research process to find novel information. Novel information is atypical or unexpected, but it takes more skill and effort to locate. Even seemingly boring informative speech topics like the history of coupons can be brought to life with information that defies the audience’s expectations. A student recently delivered an engaging speech about coupons by informing us that coupons have been around for 125 years, are most frequently used by wealthier and more educated households, and that a coupon fraud committed by an Italian American businessman named Charles Ponzi was the basis for the term Ponzi scheme , which is still commonly used today.

As a teacher, I can attest to the challenges of keeping an audience engaged during an informative presentation. While it’s frustrating to look out at my audience of students and see glazed-over eyes peering back at me, I also know that it is my responsibility to choose interesting information and convey it in a way that’s engaging. Even though the core content of what I teach hasn’t change dramatically over the years, I constantly challenge myself to bring that core information to life through application and example. As we learned earlier, finding proxemic and relevant information and examples is typically a good way to be engaging. The basic information may not change quickly, but the way people use it and the way it relates to our lives changes. Finding current, relevant examples and finding novel information are both difficult, since you, as the researcher, probably don’t know this information exists.

Here is where good research skills become necessary to be a good informative speaker. Using advice from Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” should help you begin to navigate through the seas of information to find hidden treasure that excites you and will in turn excite your audience.

To avoid boring an audience, effective informative speakers possess good research skills and the ability to translate information to be engaging and relevant for an audience.

Niall Kennedy – Sleep – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As was mentioned earlier, the goal for informative speaking is to teach your audience. An audience is much more likely to remain engaged when they are actively learning. This is like a balancing act. You want your audience to be challenged enough by the information you are presenting to be interested, but not so challenged that they become overwhelmed and shut down. You should take care to consider how much information your audience already knows about a topic. Be aware that speakers who are very familiar with their speech topic tend to overestimate their audience’s knowledge about the topic. It’s better to engage your topic at a level slightly below your audience’s knowledge level than above. Most people won’t be bored by a brief review, but many people become lost and give up listening if they can’t connect to the information right away or feel it’s over their heads.

A good informative speech leaves the audience thinking long after the speech is done. Try to include some practical “takeaways” in your speech. I’ve learned many interesting and useful things from the informative speeches my students have done. Some of the takeaways are more like trivia information that is interesting to share—for example, how prohibition led to the creation of NASCAR. Other takeaways are more practical and useful—for example, how to get wine stains out of clothing and carpet or explanations of various types of student financial aid.

Organizing and Supporting an Informative Speech

You can already see that informing isn’t as easy as we may initially think. To effectively teach, a speaker must present quality information in an organized and accessible way. Once you have chosen an informative speech topic and put your research skills to the test in order to locate novel and engaging information, it’s time to organize and support your speech.

Organizational Patterns

Three organizational patterns that are particularly useful for informative speaking are topical, chronological, and spatial. As you’ll recall, to organize a speech topically, you break a larger topic down into logical subdivisions. An informative speech about labor unions could focus on unions in three different areas of employment, three historically significant strikes, or three significant legal/legislative decisions. Speeches organized chronologically trace the development of a topic or overview the steps in a process. An informative speech could trace the rise of the economic crisis in Greece or explain the steps in creating a home compost pile. Speeches organized spatially convey the layout or physical characteristics of a location or concept. An informative speech about the layout of a fire station or an astrology wheel would follow a spatial organization pattern.

Methods of Informing

Types of and strategies for incorporating supporting material into speeches are discussed in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” , but there are some specific ways to go about developing ideas within informative speeches. Speakers often inform an audience using definitions, descriptions, demonstrations, and explanations. It is likely that a speaker will combine these methods of informing within one speech, but a speech can also be primarily organized using one of these methods.

Informing through Definition

Informing through definition entails defining concepts clearly and concisely and is an important skill for informative speaking. There are several ways a speaker can inform through definition: synonyms and antonyms, use or function, example, and etymology (Verderber, 1991). Defining a concept using a synonym or an antonym is a short and effective way to convey meaning. Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings, and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. In a speech about how to effectively inform an audience, I would claim that using concrete words helps keep an audience engaged. I could enhance your understanding of what concrete means by defining it with synonyms like tangible and relatable . Or I could define concrete using antonyms like abstract and theoretical .

Identifying the use or function of an object, item, or idea is also a short way of defining. We may think we already know the use and function of most of the things we interact with regularly. This is true in obvious cases like cars, elevators, and smartphones. But there are many objects and ideas that we may rely on and interact with but not know the use or function. For example, QR codes (or quick response codes) are popping up in magazines, at airports, and even on t-shirts (Vuong, 2011). Many people may notice them but not know what they do. As a speaker, you could define QR codes by their function by informing the audience that QR codes allow businesses, organizations, and individuals to get information to consumers/receivers through a barcode-like format that can be easily scanned by most smartphones.

An informative speaker could teach audience members about QR codes by defining them based on their use or function.

Douglas Muth – My QR Code – CC BY-SA 2.0.

A speaker can also define a topic using examples, which are cited cases that are representative of a larger concept. In an informative speech about anachronisms in movies and literature, a speaker might provide the following examples: the film Titanic shows people on lifeboats using flashlights to look for survivors from the sunken ship (such flashlights weren’t invented until two years later) (The Past in Pictures, 2012); Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar includes a reference to a clock, even though no mechanical clocks existed during Caesar’s time (Scholasticus K., 2012). Examples are a good way to repackage information that’s already been presented to help an audience retain and understand the content of a speech. Later we’ll learn more about how repackaging information enhances informative speaking.

Etymology refers to the history of a word. Defining by etymology entails providing an overview of how a word came to its current meaning. The Oxford English Dictionary is the best source for finding etymology and often contains interesting facts that can be presented as novel information to better engage your audience. For example, the word assassin , which refers to a person who intentionally murders another, literally means “hashish-eater” and comes from the Arabic word hashshashin . The current meaning emerged during the Crusades as a result of the practices of a sect of Muslims who would get high on hashish before killing Christian leaders—in essence, assassinating them (Oxford English Dictionary Online, 2012).

Informing through Description

As the saying goes, “Pictures are worth a thousand words.” Informing through description entails creating verbal pictures for your audience. Description is also an important part of informative speeches that use a spatial organizational pattern, since you need to convey the layout of a space or concept. Good descriptions are based on good observations, as they convey what is taken in through the senses and answer these type of questions: What did that look like? Smell like? Sound like? Feel like? Taste like? If descriptions are vivid and well written, they can actually invoke a sensory reaction in your audience. Just as your mouth probably begins to salivate when I suggest that you imagine biting into a fresh, bright yellow, freshly cut, juicy lemon wedge, so can your audience be transported to a setting or situation through your descriptions. I once had a student set up his speech about the history of streaking by using the following description: “Imagine that you are walking across campus to your evening class. You look up to see a parade of hundreds upon hundreds of your naked peers jogging by wearing little more than shoes.”

Informing through Demonstration

When informing through demonstration , a speaker gives verbal directions about how to do something while also physically demonstrating the steps. Early morning infomercials are good examples of demonstrative speaking, even though they are also trying to persuade us to buy their “miracle product.” Whether straightforward or complex, it’s crucial that a speaker be familiar with the content of their speech and the physical steps necessary for the demonstration. Speaking while completing a task requires advanced psycho-motor skills that most people can’t wing and therefore need to practice. Tasks suddenly become much more difficult than we expect when we have an audience. Have you ever had to type while people are reading along with you? Even though we type all the time, even one extra set of eyes seems to make our fingers more clumsy than usual.

Television chefs are excellent examples of speakers who frequently inform through demonstration. While many of them make the process of speaking while cooking look effortless, it took much practice over many years to make viewers think it is effortless.

Television chefs inform through demonstration. Although they make it seem easy, it is complex and difficult.

Gordonramsaysubmissions – gordon ramsay 7 – CC BY 2.0.

Part of this practice also involves meeting time limits. Since television segments are limited and chefs may be demonstrating and speaking live, they have to be able to adapt as needed. Demonstration speeches are notorious for going over time, especially if speakers haven’t practiced with their visual aids / props. Be prepared to condense or edit as needed to meet your time limit. The reality competition show The Next Food Network Star captures these difficulties, as many experienced cooks who have the content knowledge and know how to physically complete their tasks fall apart when faced with a camera challenge because they just assumed they could speak and cook at the same time.

Tips for Demonstration Speeches

• Include personal stories and connections to the topic, in addition to the “how-to” information, to help engage your audience.
• Ask for audience volunteers (if appropriate) to make the demonstration more interactive.
• Include a question-and-answer period at the end (if possible) so audience members can ask questions and seek clarification.
• Follow an orderly progression. Do not skip around or backtrack when reviewing the steps.
• Use clear signposts like first , second , and third .
• Use orienting material like internal previews and reviews, and transitions.
• Group steps together in categories, if needed, to help make the information more digestible.
• Assess the nonverbal feedback of your audience. Review or slow down if audience members look lost or confused.
• Practice with your visual aids / props many times. Things suddenly become more difficult and complicated than you expect when an audience is present.
• Practice for time and have contingency plans if you need to edit some information out to avoid going over your time limit.

Informing through Explanation

Informing through explanation entails sharing how something works, how something came to be, or why something happened. This method of informing may be useful when a topic is too complex or abstract to demonstrate. When presenting complex information make sure to break the topic up into manageable units, avoid information overload, and include examples that make the content relevant to the audience. Informing through explanation works well with speeches about processes, events, and issues. For example, a speaker could explain the context surrounding the Lincoln-Douglas debates or the process that takes place during presidential primaries.

“Getting Plugged In”

TED Talks as a Model of Effective Informative Speaking

Over the past few years, I have heard more and more public speaking teachers mention their use of TED speeches in their classes. What started in 1984 as a conference to gather people involved in Technology, Entertainment, and Design has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon that is known for its excellent speeches and presentations, many of which are informative in nature. [1] The motto of TED is “Ideas worth spreading,” which is in keeping with the role that we should occupy as informative speakers. We should choose topics that are worth speaking about and then work to present them in such a way that audience members leave with “take-away” information that is informative and useful. TED fits in with the purpose of the “Getting Plugged In” feature in this book because it has been technology focused from the start. For example, Andrew Blum’s speech focuses on the infrastructure of the Internet, and Pranav Mistry’s speech focuses on a new technology he developed that allows for more interaction between the physical world and the world of data. Even speakers who don’t focus on technology still skillfully use technology in their presentations, as is the case with David Gallo’s speech about exotic underwater life. Here are links to all these speeches:

• Andrew Blum’s speech: What Is the Internet, Really? http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_blum_what_is_the_internet_really.html
• Pranav Mistry’s speech: The Thrilling Potential of Sixth Sense Technology. http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html
• David Gallo’s speech: Underwater Astonishments. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_gallo_shows_underwater_astonishments.html
• What can you learn from the TED model and/or TED speakers that will help you be a better informative speaker?
• In what innovative and/or informative ways do the speakers reference or incorporate technology in their speeches?

Effective Informative Speaking

There are several challenges to overcome to be an effective informative speaker. They include avoiding persuasion, avoiding information overload, and engaging your audience.

Avoiding Persuasion

We should avoid thinking of informing and persuading as dichotomous, meaning that it’s either one or the other. It’s more accurate to think of informing and persuading as two poles on a continuum, as in Figure 11.1 “Continuum of Informing and Persuading” (Olbricht, 1968). Most persuasive speeches rely on some degree of informing to substantiate the reasoning. And informative speeches, although meant to secure the understanding of an audience, may influence audience members’ beliefs, attitudes, values, or behaviors.

Figure 11.1 Continuum of Informing and Persuading

Speakers can look to three areas to help determine if their speech is more informative or persuasive: speaker purpose, function of information, and audience perception (Verderber, 1991). First, for informative speaking, a speaker’s purpose should be to create understanding by sharing objective, factual information. Specific purpose and thesis statements help establish a speaker’s goal and purpose and can serve as useful reference points to keep a speech on track. When reviewing your specific purpose and thesis statement, look for words like should / shouldn’t , good / bad , and right / wrong , as these often indicate a persuasive slant in the speech.

Second, information should function to clarify and explain in an informative speech. Supporting materials shouldn’t function to prove a thesis or to provide reasons for an audience to accept the thesis, as they do in persuasive speeches. Although informative messages can end up influencing the thoughts or behaviors of audience members, that shouldn’t be the goal.

Third, an audience’s perception of the information and the speaker helps determine whether a speech is classified as informative or persuasive. The audience must perceive that the information being presented is not controversial or disputed, which will lead audience members to view the information as factual. The audience must also accept the speaker as a credible source of information. Being prepared, citing credible sources, and engaging the audience help establish a speaker’s credibility. Last, an audience must perceive the speaker to be trustworthy and not have a hidden agenda. Avoiding persuasion is a common challenge for informative speakers, but it is something to consider, as violating the speaking occasion may be perceived as unethical by the audience. Be aware of the overall tone of your speech by reviewing your specific purpose and thesis to make sure your speech isn’t tipping from informative to persuasive.

Words like should / shouldn’t , good / bad , and right / wrong in a specific purpose and/or thesis statement often indicate that the speaker’s purpose is tipping from informative to persuasive.

Hans Splinter – balance – CC BY-ND 2.0.

Avoiding Information Overload

Many informative speakers have a tendency to pack a ten-minute speech with as much information as possible. This can result in information overload , which is a barrier to effective listening that occurs when a speech contains more information than an audience can process. Editing can be a difficult task, but it’s an important skill to hone, because you will be editing more than you think. Whether it’s reading through an e-mail before you send it, condensing a report down to an executive summary, or figuring out how to fit a client’s message on the front page of a brochure, you will have to learn how to discern what information is best to keep and what can be thrown out. In speaking, being a discerning editor is useful because it helps avoid information overload. While a receiver may not be attracted to a brochure that’s covered in text, they could take the time to read it, and reread it, if necessary. Audience members cannot conduct their own review while listening to a speaker live. Unlike readers, audience members can’t review words over and over (Verderber, 1991). Therefore competent speakers, especially informative speakers who are trying to teach their audience something, should adapt their message to a listening audience. To help avoid information overload, adapt your message to make it more listenable.

Although the results vary, research shows that people only remember a portion of a message days or even hours after receiving it (Janusik, 2012). If you spend 100 percent of your speech introducing new information, you have wasted approximately 30 percent of your time and your audience’s time. Information overload is a barrier to effective listening, and as good speakers, we should be aware of the limitations of listening and compensate for that in our speech preparation and presentation. I recommend that my students follow a guideline that suggests spending no more than 30 percent of your speech introducing new material and 70 percent of your speech repackaging that information. I specifically use the word repackaging and not repeating . Simply repeating the same information would also be a barrier to effective listening, since people would just get bored. Repackaging will help ensure that your audience retains most of the key information in the speech. Even if they don’t remember every example, they will remember the main underlying point.

Avoiding information overload requires a speaker to be a good translator of information. To be a good translator, you can compare an unfamiliar concept with something familiar, give examples from real life, connect your information to current events or popular culture, or supplement supporting material like statistics with related translations of that information. These are just some of the strategies a good speaker can use. While translating information is important for any oral presentation, it is especially important when conveying technical information. Being able to translate complex or technical information for a lay audience leads to more effective informing, because the audience feels like they are being addressed on their level and don’t feel lost or “talked down to.” The History Channel show The Universe provides excellent examples of informative speakers who act as good translators. The scientists and experts featured on the show are masters of translating technical information, like physics, into concrete examples that most people can relate to based on their everyday experiences.

Comparing the turbulent formation of the solar system to the collisions of bumper bars and spinning rides at an amusement park makes the content more concrete.

Alexander Svensson – Ferris Wheel – CC BY 2.0.

Following the guidelines established in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” for organizing a speech can also help a speaker avoid information overload. Good speakers build in repetition and redundancy to make their content more memorable and their speech more consumable. Preview statements, section transitions, and review statements are some examples of orienting material that helps focus an audience’s attention and facilitates the process of informing (Verderber, 1991).

Engaging Your Audience

As a speaker, you are competing for the attention of your audience against other internal and external stimuli. Getting an audience engaged and then keeping their attention is a challenge for any speaker, but it can be especially difficult when speaking to inform. As was discussed earlier, once you are in the professional world, you will most likely be speaking informatively about topics related to your experience and expertise. Some speakers fall into the trap of thinking that their content knowledge is enough to sustain them through an informative speech or that their position in an organization means that an audience will listen to them and appreciate their information despite their delivery. Content expertise is not enough to be an effective speaker. A person must also have speaking expertise (Verderber, 1991). Effective speakers, even renowned experts, must still translate their wealth of content knowledge into information that is suited for oral transmission, audience centered, and well organized. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the stereotype of the absentminded professor or the genius who thinks elegantly in his or her head but can’t convey that same elegance verbally. Having well-researched and organized supporting material is an important part of effective informative speaking, but having good content is not enough.

Audience members are more likely to stay engaged with a speaker they view as credible. So complementing good supporting material with a practiced and fluent delivery increases credibility and audience engagement. In addition, as we discussed earlier, good informative speakers act as translators of information. Repackaging information into concrete familiar examples is also a strategy for making your speech more engaging. Understanding relies on being able to apply incoming information to life experiences.

Repackaging information is also a good way to appeal to different learning styles, as you can present the same content in various ways, which helps reiterate a point. While this strategy is useful with any speech, since the goal of informing is teaching, it makes sense to include a focus on learning within your audience adaptation. There are three main learning styles that help determine how people most effectively receive and process information: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (Fleming, 2012). Visual learners respond well to information presented via visual aids, so repackage information using text, graphics, charts and other media. Public speaking is a good way to present information for auditory learners who process information well when they hear it. Kinesthetic learners are tactile; they like to learn through movement and “doing.” Asking for volunteers to help with a demonstration, if appropriate, is a way to involve kinesthetic learners in your speech. You can also have an interactive review activity at the end of a speech, much like many teachers incorporate an activity after a lesson to reinforce the material.

“Getting Real”

Technical Speaking

People who work in technical fields, like engineers and information technology professionals, often think they will be spared the task of public speaking. This is not the case, however, and there is actually a branch of communication studies that addresses public speaking matters for “techies.” The field of technical communication focuses on how messages can be translated from expert to lay audiences. I actually taught a public speaking class for engineering students, and they basically had to deliver speeches about the things they were working on in a way that I could understand. I ended up learning a lot more about jet propulsion and hybrid car engines than I ever expected!

Have you ever been completely lost when reading an instruction manual for some new product you purchased? Have you ever had difficulty following the instructions of someone who was trying to help you with a technical matter? If so, you’ve experienced some of the challenges associated with technical speaking. There are many careers where technical speaking skills are needed. According to the Society for Technical Communication, communicating about specialized or technical topics, communicating by using technology, and providing instructions about how to do something are all examples of technical speaking (Society for Technical Communication, 2012). People with technical speaking skills offer much to organizations and businesses. They help make information more useable and accessible to customers, clients, and employees. They can help reduce costs to a business by reducing unnecessary work that results from misunderstandings of instructions, by providing clear information that allows customers to use products without training or technical support and by making general information put out by a company more user friendly. Technical speakers are dedicated to producing messages that are concise, clear, and coherent (Society for Technical Communication, 2012). Such skills are used in the following careers: technical writers and editors, technical illustrators, visual designers, web designers, customer service representatives, salespeople, spokespeople, and many more.

• What communication skills that you’ve learned about in the book so far do you think would be important for a technical speaker?
• Identify instances in which you have engaged in technical speaking or received information from a technical speaker. Based on what you have learned in this chapter, were the speakers effective or not, and why?

Sample Informative Speech

Title: Going Green in the World of Education

General purpose: To inform

Specific purpose: By the end of my speech, the audience will be able to describe some ways in which schools are going green.

Thesis statement: The green movement has transformed school buildings, how teachers teach, and the environment in which students learn.

Introduction

Attention getter: Did you know that attending or working at a green school can lead students and teachers to have less health problems? Did you know that allowing more daylight into school buildings increases academic performance and can lessen attention and concentration challenges? Well, the research I will cite in my speech supports both of these claims, and these are just two of the many reasons why more schools, both grade schools and colleges, are going green.

Introduction of topic: Today, I’m going to inform you about the green movement that is affecting many schools.

Credibility and relevance: Because of my own desire to go into the field of education, I decided to research how schools are going green in the United States. But it’s not just current and/or future teachers that will be affected by this trend. As students at Eastern Illinois University, you are already asked to make “greener” choices. Whether it’s the little signs in the dorm rooms that ask you to turn off your lights when you leave the room, the reusable water bottles that were given out on move-in day, or even our new Renewable Energy Center, the list goes on and on. Additionally, younger people in our lives, whether they be future children or younger siblings or relatives, will likely be affected by this continuing trend.

Preview statement: In order to better understand what makes a “green school,” we need to learn about how K–12 schools are going green, how college campuses are going green, and how these changes affect students and teachers.

Transition: I’ll begin with how K–12 schools are going green.

• In order to garner support for green initiatives, the article recommends that local leaders like superintendents, mayors, and college administrators become involved in the green movement.
• Once local leaders are involved, the community, students, parents, faculty, and staff can be involved by serving on a task force, hosting a summit or conference, and implementing lessons about sustainability into everyday conversations and school curriculum.
• The US Green Building Council’s website also includes a tool kit with a lot of information about how to “green” existing schools.
• For example, Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, was built in 2006 and received LEED certification because it has automatic light sensors to conserve electricity and uses wind energy to offset nonrenewable energy use.
• To conserve water, the school uses a pond for irrigation, has artificial turf on athletic fields, and installed low-flow toilets and faucets.
• According to the 2006 report by certified energy manager Gregory Kats titled “Greening America’s Schools,” a LEED certified school uses 30–50 percent less energy, 30 percent less water, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent compared to a conventional school.
• Many new building materials, carpeting, and furniture contain chemicals that are released into the air, which reduces indoor air quality.
• So green schools purposefully purchase materials that are low in these chemicals.
• Natural light and fresh air have also been shown to promote a healthier learning environment, so green buildings allow more daylight in and include functioning windows.

Transition: As you can see, K–12 schools are becoming greener; college campuses are also starting to go green.

• According to the Sturm College of Law’s website, the building was designed to use 40 percent less energy than a conventional building through the use of movement-sensor lighting; high-performance insulation in the walls, floors, and roof; and infrared sensors on water faucets and toilets.
• Electric car recharging stations were also included in the parking garage, and the building has extra bike racks and even showers that students and faculty can use to freshen up if they bike or walk to school or work.
• Some of the dining halls on campus have gone “trayless,” which according to a 2009 article by Calder in the journal Independent School has the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of water and chemical use, since there are no longer trays to wash, and also helps reduce food waste since people take less food without a tray.
• The Renewable Energy Center uses slow-burn technology to use wood chips that are a byproduct of the lumber industry that would normally be discarded.
• This helps reduce our dependency on our old coal-fired power plant, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• The project was the first known power plant to be registered with the US Green Building Council and is on track to receive LEED certification.

Transition: All these efforts to go green in K–12 schools and on college campuses will obviously affect students and teachers at the schools.

• Many schools are literally going green by including more green spaces such as recreation areas, gardens, and greenhouses, which according to a 2010 article in the Journal of Environmental Education by University of Colorado professor Susan Strife has been shown to benefit a child’s cognitive skills, especially in the areas of increased concentration and attention capacity.
• Additionally, the report I cited earlier, “Greening America’s Schools,” states that the improved air quality in green schools can lead to a 38 percent reduction in asthma incidents and that students in “green schools” had 51 percent less chance of catching a cold or the flu compared to children in conventional schools.
• The report “Greening America’s Schools” notes that a recent synthesis of fifty-three studies found that more daylight in the school building leads to higher academic achievement.
• The report also provides data that show how the healthier environment in green schools leads to better attendance and that in Washington, DC, and Chicago, schools improved their performance on standardized tests by 3–4 percent.
• According to the article in Education Week that I cited earlier, the Sustainability Education Clearinghouse is a free online tool that provides K–12 educators with the ability to share sustainability-oriented lesson ideas.
• The Center for Green Schools also provides resources for all levels of teachers, from kindergarten to college, that can be used in the classroom.
• The report “Greening America’s Schools” claims that the overall improved working environment that a green school provides leads to higher teacher retention and less teacher turnover.
• Just as students see health benefits from green schools, so do teachers, as the same report shows that teachers in these schools get sick less, resulting in a decrease of sick days by 7 percent.

Transition to conclusion and summary of importance: In summary, the going-green era has impacted every aspect of education in our school systems.

Review of main points: From K–12 schools to college campuses like ours, to the students and teachers in the schools, the green movement is changing the way we think about education and our environment.

Closing statement: As Glenn Cook, the editor in chief of the American School Board Journal , states on the Center for Green Schools’s website, “The green schools movement is the biggest thing to happen to education since the introduction of technology to the classroom.”

Ash, K. (2011). “Green schools” benefit budgets and students, report says. Education Week , 30 (32), 10.

Calder, W. (2009). Go green, save green. Independent School , 68 (4), 90–93.

The Center for Green Schools. (n.d.). K–12: How. Retrieved from http://www.centerforgreenschools.org/main-nav/k-12/buildings.aspx

Eastern Illinois University. (n.d.). Renewable Energy Center. Retrieved from http://www.eiu.edu/sustainability/eiu_renewable.php

Kats, G. (2006). Greening America’s schools: Costs and benefits. A Capital E Report. Retrieved from http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908

Strife, S. (2010). Reflecting on environmental education: Where is our place in the green movement? Journal of Environmental Education , 41 (3), 179–191. doi:10.1080/00958960903295233

Sturm College of Law. (n.d.). About DU law: Building green. Retrieved from http://www.law.du.edu/index.php/about/building-green

USGBC. (n.d.). About us. US Green Building Council . Retrieved from https://new.usgbc.org/about

Key Takeaways

• Getting integrated: Informative speaking is likely the type of public speaking we will most often deliver and be audience to in our lives. Informative speaking is an important part of academic, professional, personal, and civic contexts.
• Informative speeches teach an audience through objective factual information and can emerge from one or more of the following categories: objects, people, concepts, events, processes, and issues.
• Effective informative speaking requires good research skills, as speakers must include novel information, relevant and proxemic examples, and “take-away” information that audience members will find engaging and useful.

The four primary methods of informing are through definition, description, demonstration, or explanation.

• Informing through definition entails defining concepts clearly and concisely using synonyms and antonyms, use or function, example, or etymology.
• Informing through description entails creating detailed verbal pictures for your audience.
• Informing through demonstration entails sharing verbal directions about how to do something while also physically demonstrating the steps.
• Informing through explanation entails sharing how something works, how something came to be, or why something happened.
• An effective informative speaker should avoid persuasion by reviewing the language used in the specific purpose and thesis statements, using objective supporting material, and appearing trustworthy to the audience.
• An effective informative speaker should avoid information overload by repackaging information and building in repetition and orienting material like reviews and previews.
• An effective informative speaker engages the audience by translating information into relevant and concrete examples that appeal to different learning styles.
• Getting integrated: How might you use informative speaking in each of the following contexts: academic, professional, personal, and civic?
• Brainstorm potential topics for your informative speech and identify which topic category each idea falls into. Are there any risks of persuading for the topics you listed? If so, how can you avoid persuasion if you choose that topic?
• Of the four methods of informing (through definition, description, demonstration, or explanation), which do you think is most effective for you? Why?

Fleming, N., “The VARK Helpsheets,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=helpsheets .

Janusik, L., “Listening Facts,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://d1025403.site.myhosting.com/files.listen.org/Facts.htm .

Olbricht, T. H., Informative Speaking (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1968), 1–12.

Oxford English Dictionary Online, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.oed.com .

The Past in Pictures, “Teaching Using Movies: Anachronisms!” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.thepastinthepictures.wildelearning.co.uk/Introductoryunit!.htm .

Scholasticus K, “Anachronism Examples in Literature,” February 2, 2012, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/anachronism-examples-in-literature.html .

Society for Technical Communication, “Defining Technical Communication,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.stc.org/about-stc/the-profession-all-about-technical-communication/defining-tc .

Verderber, R., Essentials of Informative Speaking: Theory and Contexts (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1991), 3.

Vuong, A., “Wanna Read That QR Code? Get the Smartphone App,” The Denver Post , April 18, 2011, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_17868932 .

• “About TED,” accessed October 23, 2012, http://www.ted.com/pages/about . ↵

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The Purpose of Informative Speech - Rules, Types, and Topic Ideas

10 min read · Updated on February 20, 2023

Does the thought of public speaking leave you quaking in your boots?

When you were in school, you were probably required, at some point, to get up in front of the class and give a speech about something. Perhaps your teacher wanted you to give a 15-minute presentation about making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or you had to talk about what happens when a star explodes. Both of these are examples of informative speeches.

Now you have a career and your boss has asked you to give an informative speech about a new project that's on the horizon. If you've been lucky enough to live without having to give a presentation in the past, you may be wondering about the purpose of an informative speech. What are the rules? Are there different types of informative speech? How do you pick topics and generate ideas? Well, put on your learning hat and let's dive into these questions. 

What is an informative speech?

Basically, an informative speech is when you verbalize a message to give someone else information. In that context, giving someone directions to your house is a miniature informative speech. Informative speeches are used by companies to present details about a new policy, describe procedures, and set expectations. 

The content of an informative speech is educational and objective. It's based on facts and, often, visuals are used as supporting evidence to help cement the information into the audience's mind. No matter which type of informative speech you deliver, the overall objective should be education. 

There are four goals of an informative speech. They are to be accurate, give meaningful information, articulate the message clearly, and be engaging. In other words, make it memorable and truthful in a way that people can easily understand. 

4 types of informative speech

There are countless types of informative speech; however, there are four types that are commonly used .

Definition 

A definition speech aims to explain what something means. The topic is likely something the audience knows little about. The easiest way to define concepts is by using synonyms or antonyms. You could also talk about how something is used or what it does as a way to define it. Another very effective way to deliver a definition-style informative speech is to use examples. Examples help your audience to assimilate the information in their brain for easier retention. 

Demonstration

If you're going to deliver a demonstration speech, it's imperative that you're intimately familiar with the topic. You also must be able to think quickly to overcome any challenge that may occur during your demonstration. Above all else, be sure to practice, practice, practice! Talking and doing something at the same time involves psycho-motor skills that can be hard to accomplish with people looking. 

Think of every television chef - Gordon Ramsay, Rachel Ray, or Julia Child. Their broadcasts are the epitome of a demonstration type of informative speech. Gordon Ramsay goes through the process of scrambling eggs and at the same time, he's telling you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Just because they make it look easy, doesn't mean you'll be able to wing it. 

The really great thing about demonstration speeches is that you can do things like ask for volunteers from the audience, fill in any empty space in your speech with the definition of what you're working with, and have a clear sequence of steps to complete to ensure that the information is fully delivered. 

Description

A description type of informative speech relies on the five human senses to deliver information. You could be talking about a new restaurant and the hunger associated with the smells that come from the kitchen, or your speech could be something that advises your employees about a rebranding initiative and the vibrant colors in the new logo. 

Either way, you're giving the audience a mental picture of what you're talking about. This is called spatial pattern organization and allows the people listening to you to arrange concepts in their minds to evoke a sensory reaction. 

Explanation

You have to be careful with explanation speeches as they can quickly become boring for your audience, especially if you're presenting complicated information. Of course, you can break up the information into units. Avoid word vomiting on your audience and use examples to explain the content in a way that your audience can relate to. 

What are the rules for informative speech?

First and foremost, an informative speech isn't meant to persuade anyone of anything. Your informative speech may inspire people to change their minds about a topic; however, that isn't the goal. The goal of informative speaking is to give information. Persuasive speaking, often used in sales roles, is meant to get someone to do something or act in a particular way, based on information that is shared with them. 

You may deliver an informative speech on solar panels and how their use on a residential dwelling lowers utility bills. The goal of your speech is simply to explain the correlation between the use of solar and the effect on the electricity bill that the resident receives each month. However, there may be some audience members who run home and get solar panels. Even though your informative speech ended up persuading that audience member to do something, that doesn't change the fact that your speech was informative. It's all about intent. 

How do you start an informative speech?

Before you get up in front of your audience, there are several things to consider when you start building your informative speech. 

Who is your audience? Of course, knowing the specific people you'll be presenting to is imperative. You need to also consider what they may or may not already know. This could greatly impact how much or how little information you need to share.

What will you be talking about? The answer to this question defines the basis of your speech. Take into account where your passions lie and, conversely, what you don't like about the topic. If you want to keep your audience engaged, you have to keep any biases you may have about the subject in check so that they don't influence your message.

How long does the speech need to be? If you only have 5 minutes, a high-level overview may be all you have time to discuss. However, if you'll be in the spotlight for 30 minutes or more, you can spend a bit more time on the things you feel your audience may not be as familiar with. This will aid comprehension and knowledge retention. 

Where will you physically give the speech? This is especially important if you'll have visuals. If you're in a large auditorium, the visuals you present need to be seen by the people in the back. If you're in a small conference room, it won't present much of an issue.

Why are you giving the speech? If you know the different types of speeches, answering the “why” will be easy. Your goal will be to inform someone about something in a demonstrative or descriptive way.

After you answer those questions, you can craft your presentation. When you get in front of your audience, remember to be engaging. 

You only have a few seconds to grab their attention. The standard advice is to open with a joke, but that may not always be appropriate. Think about every speech or presentation you've had to attend. What were the things that made it memorable for you? Use those elements in your own speech.

Don't forget about your body language

Your audience isn't only listening to the words you say. They're also watching your posture, hand gestures, and facial expressions. When you need to give an informative speech, it's quite possible that the content is simply boring but, if you're an engaging orator, the audience will be more apt to follow along because they enjoy watching you. 

It can be argued that body language says as much as our words. If you're smiling, the audience will assume you like the topic. If you slump over a podium, the audience may guess that you're not confident in what you're talking about. 

The wrong body language can turn off your entire audience. Not only will they miss what you're saying, but they will also question your authority to tell them anything. They certainly won't walk away with the knowledge that you want them to possess. On the other hand, the right body language will improve audience engagement and assist in getting your message across. 

Informative speech topics vary by career

You may have had to give informative speeches at school, but don't think graduation saves you from ever having to give one again. Almost every career path you can take could present an opportunity for you to give an informative speech. 

Good news! If you find a career you love, giving informative speeches will be a breeze, and narrowing down your list of ideas will also lead you to easy informative speech topics. 

Here are some examples of careers that require frequent informative speeches.

Teachers : Since informative speeches are, by nature, educational, it makes sense that teachers and professors use them to develop learning environments for their students. Teachers are also good at turning boring material into fun, informative speeches to engage students and promote knowledge retention. 

Journalist : You must have a passion for relaying information if you decide to go into journalism. This career is filled with informative speeches on a daily basis. Journalists are the ones the public relies on to get pertinent information about critical events that are happening in the world. 

Docent/Curator : If you've ever been to a museum and had someone guide you through the exhibits explaining the nature of the pieces being presented, you watched someone give an informative speech. 

Doctor : Wait a second, doctors don't give speeches. Yes, they do! A lot! When a doctor describes your ailment or injury and what you have to do to take care of it, that's an informative speech. Additionally, many doctors present on topics at association events. Those are informative speeches, too. 

Mechanic : This one may stump you, too. At what point does a mechanic give an informative speech? The moment he or she starts explaining what's wrong with your car and what needs to be done to fix it. 

It doesn't matter what career you fall into, you will likely have to give an informative speech at some point - although some careers will require it more often than others. 

Key takeaways

Anything you need to tell someone can technically be considered an informative speech, as long as your goal is to give information and not try to change their mind about the topic. It doesn't matter if you're giving a 2-minute set of directions to someone or providing an hour-long oration over a complex concept; your informative speech needs to be:

Well thought out

Truthful 

Audience-centered

One immutable truth is that you will see some sort of requirement for communication skills in every single job description you read. That's because communication is a highly sought-after soft skill that will first be judged during your interview - another form of informative speech. 

TopResume would love to be a part of your career journey. We can help you with career advice and interview preparation, so that your speech-giving skills are up to par. Submit your resume for a free resume review and step into that interview room with confidence. 

Recommended reading:

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Ask Amanda: How Can I Become Better at Public Speaking?

10 Easy Ways to Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills

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How to Write an Informative Speech in 12 Easy Steps

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Public speaking isn’t everyone’s forte. Many people panic when asked to give a speech, whether it’s about a person or on a specific subject.

However, this mustn’t be your story or experience. With proper guidance, you can beat the anxiety and become a master communicator. In this short article, we’ll guide you on how to write a winning informative speech for your targeted audience. Let’s delve into the main issue – the critical steps involved in crafting one!

From novice to orator: 12 simple steps to write an effective informative speech

Choose an interesting topic

Your topic can break or make your speech. Take your time and choose a subject that interests you and your audience. This way, you’ll get everyone involved from start to end. Your topic should be relevant and captivating. For example, talking about the advantages of farming in a local farmer meeting can’t be as impactful as discussing the latest farming techniques.

If you have trouble choosing an updated and relevant subject, you can seek assistance from friends, family, or professionals. Quick speech writing services like FastEssay also have teams of qualified experts in different fields to help you generate ideas. You can place an order with them and get feedback quickly.

Do your research

It’s boring listening to a clueless speaker. Always remember that no audience is stupid. There are always individuals who are more connected, learned, curious, or informed than you are. Respect them by carrying out thorough research before writing and delivering your speech. 

Strive to be ahead of the curve by reading the latest publications on your subject. It wouldn’t hurt to explore fringe or emerging issues in your topic as well.

Create a clear and concise thesis statement

A thesis statement is like a roadmap that guides your speech. It shows the audience your stand on the topic and what to expect, plus it guides your footsteps as you deliver the speech.

Don’t gamble with it because your audience will hold you accountable. Instead, give yourself enough time to write a thesis that resonates with you. Remember, your job is to inform your audience and persuade them to join you.

Adopt a clear outline

A good speech must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. There’s no shortcut to this. 

Know what you’ll include in each section and follow them in chronological order. If you write an informative speech outline that starts with a conclusion and ends with body points, it will be awkward. Stick to the basic structure whether delivering a formal or informal speech.

Start with an attention-grabbing intro

Your introduction can make you win or lose the audience. Some speakers use alarmist statements while others opt for utopian imaginations. Still, others prefer deafening silence, the kind that sends the entire crowd into eerie suspense. Whichever the technique, use it to grab your audience’s attention if you’re to deliver an engaging speech.

Support your points with evidence

We’re talking about an informative speech here, not public speaking at political rallies. While a politician can get away with anything through manipulation or cunning, you can’t do so when delivering informative speeches. You must provide logical points and support them with evidence. Your arguments must also flow and connect seamlessly.

Incorporate stories and anecdotes

It doesn’t matter how informative your speech is if it’s boring. We’ve seen people sleep during some of the most important speeches. This isn’t a unique problem.

However, good orators know when to introduce a short story, proper anecdote, or visual effect to awaken the audience. Give them something to laugh at, be excited about, or even frown upon. The objective is to keep them alert and engaged.

Use simple language

Your objective is to be understood, not revered. While using jargon can earn you respect in some instances, it’s often likely to backfire. In fact, many people consider the use of complex language a showoff. Don’t allow your audience to judge you in the pursuit of self-gratification. Make your speech memorable, but not by using big words.

Use emotional devices

Studies have shown that people respond better to emotions than anything else. So when you write an informative speech, incorporate vivid imagery and powerful metaphors that can deeply connect with the audience. A good example is to share a personal story that evokes people’s empathy. They’ll likely relate to it and get inspired.

Practice delivering your speech

Public speaking has numerous risks, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. For instance, you may expect a lively audience but end up with a dead one. You may plan for an hour’s speech and finish in 10 minutes, or tell a “funny” story that no one laughs at. That’s why it’s important to rehearse your speech before delivery. This helps improve your delivery and timing and creates various scenarios for countering negative responses.

Create a memorable conclusion

How you finish your speech is just as important as how you start it. The conclusion is an opportunity to reinforce your main points. You should treat it like the only thing your audience will remember; a punchline in a comedy show. To write a conclusion for an informative speech, include only your main points. If possible, reframe them in a new, exciting way.

Seek feedback

Real growth comes from small continuous improvements – the principle of Kaizen. You should seek feedback from reliable friends, relatives, and professionals to refine your speech and make it more effective.

The importance of writing an informative speech

Why write a good informative speech? There are many motivations for this:

To educate and inform the masses

To inspire and motivate

To elevate your status and authority on a subject

To help build credibility and trust

To stimulate critical thinking

To help raise awareness about important issues

To enhance communication skills, especially public speaking

It’s all about a solid thesis statement and a punchline

Writing a great informative speech can be both involving and demanding. However, with the right guidance, even novices can be successful.

The 12 steps and examples included in the article can be a good starting point. While the format is flexible, you should include a solid thesis statement and a powerful punchline for maximum impact.

Disclaimer: this article includes a paid product promotion.

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Delivering an informative speech: 7 key tips every speaker should follow

• Filed under: Public speaking tips and tricks , Speaking tips , Speech delivery

Delivering an informative speech seems somehow easier than giving a big sales pitch or giving a speech at a conference.

There are all sorts of speeches in the world that seem difficult ( persuasive , impromptu , etc.), and therefore giving an informative speech seems like a piece of cake.

However, here’s the challenge. If you’re trying to communicate with people, it’s not about the information coming out of your mouth and it’s not necessarily about the information on the PowerPoint slides. Mostly, it’s about the information your audience understands and can remember.

So, never lose sight of that. You’ve got to really figure out how can you convey this information.

Table of Contents

How do you deliver an informative speech?

Here is a brief overview of what you should keep in mind in order to deliver a great speech.

Additional reading:

• How to deliver a ceremonial speech? A Full Guide
• How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech?

What is the purpose of an informative speech?

Now, tet’s dive in and see how to get your audience to understand you and to remember your message(s).

#1 The main purpose of an informative speech is to be Memorable

So, here’s the dirty little secret: It’s incredibly easy to give an informational speech.

BUT: It’s much harder when a transfer of information, from your brain into the brains and memories of the audience, is required.

That’s why your focus should not just be giving a speech, but also giving an effective informational speech.

So, you need to remember that the main goal of your speech is to deliver your message as clearly as possible and to be memorable. Your audience wants to know exactly what information you have.

How do you write a good informative speech?

The good news is that you don’t have to be wildly entertaining while delivering an informational speech. Remember:

• You’re not the comedian for the night.
• You don’t have to be incredibly charming during your speech
• You’re not the master of ceremonies

Nevertheless, we still need a specific goal for this speech.

#2 Brainstorm all the ideas you want to communicate

I do not recommend that you sit down and just try to type a 20-page speech. For some people, it’s easier to sit back, relax and have a notepad. You may want to take notes on your phone or tablet. It doesn’t really matter.

But rather than thinking in terms of entire paragraphs and flow, brainstorm ideas that you should be able to communicate in 10 seconds, or less 10 words or less.

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

Just start brainstorming on every idea on your topic that you might want to communicate to the audience.

Some things to remember:

• Don’t check things out
• Don’t scrutinize
• Don’t be critical
• Dump it all out there

#3 Isolate the ideas you want people to remember

After brainstorming, you have to figure out the messages you want to communicate in this informational speech.

Therefore, usually, it takes a lot of time to isolate the ideas, messages, and information you want people to understand and remember.

Next, figure out now how to make this information memorable.

It’s just this basic, low-level goal of trying to communicate information in a way that people can digest.

#4 No more than five key points for the speech

An exercise for you: think of the best speaker you’ve seen give an speech in the last few years.

If you had to recall, how many numbers, facts or bits of information do you remember?

I’ve asked this question for years and quite often people don’t remember anything, or they remember two or three points. Occasionally, someone will remember five ideas or five bits of information from the best speaker.

That’s the main reason I am suggesting to keep your speech focused on no more than five key points of information.

#5 Avoid providing too much information

The biggest problem most people have when they’re giving speeches is they give away too much information. They just throw it all out there and try to talk about an hour’s worth of information for 20 minutes.

This kind of speech is abstract and disconnected.

Since there are no examples, no case studies and no stories, nobody remembers anything.

• How to write a speech: 20 good and effective tips
• How to Outline a Presentation: A Complete Guide From a Pro

How to prepare for an informative speech?

#6 practice your speech and practice with the video camera.

In order to figure out whether your speech is any good  – and whether you can deliver it properly – it is important to practice. The less time you prepare and practice, the greater the probability that no one will listen to and retain what you have to say.

Practice in front of a video camera

The best way to see how you look and sound is to practice in front of a video camera. If you are a bit lazy and skip that part then there’s an excellent chance you’re never going to improve.

The best thing about practicing in front of a video camera is that, unlike your friends, it does not kill you with kindness by saying, “Hey, best speech ever!” It gives you honest feedback about what to improve.

Here are some tips regarding how to practice your speech in front of a video camera:

• Watch yourself and write down everything you liked about your first try
• Write down everything you didn’t like about this speech
• If you finished, do it again, and this time, try to avoid the mistakes you wrote down earlier.
• Keep practicing until you are satisfied with what you see and hear

If you do this, you’re going to be in good shape.

• Prepared speech: 10 effective tips on how to practice a speech
• How to be comfortable in front of a video camera? 14 great tips

#7 Test your speech beforehand

The good news about informational speeches is that they are very easy to test, whether it works or not.

Send your video to a couple of people

Now, if you’ve done what I’ve asked thus far, I want you to take that last video that you’re proud of and send it to three or four people who are similar to the audience you’ll be speaking to in real life. Ask them to watch it once and to call you right away.

Ask them to tell you the messages they remember from the speech

Ask them, “Tell me…what messages do you remember from my speech? What are the main takeaways?”

It’s completely irrelevant whether or not they liked your speech or found you charismatic or charming. You’re simply trying to figure out if they retained the information.

Did they throw back in your face those five ideas that were important (at least at some conceptual level)?

If so, congratulations! You are five for five and that’s a one hundred present success rate. There’s not a professional speaker in the entire world who can ever do better than that.

If they don’t remember your message(s), you have failed

However, if they remember only a couple of those messages (or none) and they’re just telling you, “You’re great and fantastic,” that means you failed.

That means you now have empirical evidence that the way you conveyed the information in your presentation didn’t work.

You need to take your speech, tear it up, throw it away and start again. If your audience doesn’t remember your messages, it’s not their fault – it is your fault.

Final words about delivering an informational speech

I am sure that if you follow these tips about how to give an effective speech, you will deliver a great speech in the future.

What I hope you really took away is the idea that it’s not about what comes out of your mouth or even if you have great eye contact. It’s about whether or not people understand and remember the information you are trying to convey.

You’re going to really use your judgment to figure out one of the handfuls of ideas that this audience really has to know, and then spend your time making it more understandable and memorable with examples, case studies, and stories.

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How to Do an Informative Speech | ESL Public Speaking

Delivering an informative speech goes beyond merely sharing facts. It involves capturing your audience’s attention, imparting knowledge, and leaving a lasting impression. In this article, we will delve into informative speech, learning what it is, why it is important, and how you do it. With our easy breakdown of presentation style, you’ll be able to give an awesome ESL speaking lesson.

Informative Speech

A speech is a spoken communication delivered by a person to convey a message or express thoughts, often in front of an audience. It involves organized and purposeful verbal expression to inform, persuade, or entertain. There are many different types of speech, including persuasive, motivational, impromptu, expository, and demonstration . And informative is also one of them.

What is an Informative Speech?

An informative speech is a type of presentation where the primary goal is to educate the audience about a specific topic. Unlike persuasive speeches that aim to influence opinions, informative speeches focus on providing valuable information, fostering understanding, and enhancing the audience’s knowledge.

Key Elements of an Informative Speech

Here are the three most important elements of a successful informative speech:

• Thorough Research: A well-informed speaker is a compelling speaker. Conduct thorough research on your chosen topic to ensure accuracy and depth in your presentation.
• Clarity of Expression: Use clear and concise language to convey your ideas. Avoid unnecessary jargon and prioritize accessibility, especially if your audience includes individuals with varying levels of expertise on the subject.
• Engaging Delivery: Keep your audience engaged through dynamic delivery. Utilize storytelling, anecdotes, and visual aids to enhance comprehension and retention.

How to Prepare an Informative Speech

Keep these two things in mind when preparing your informative presentation.

Choose an Interesting Topic

Selecting a relevant and interesting topic is crucial. Consider your audience’s interests, and tailor your speech to resonate with their curiosity. Whether it’s a current event, a scientific discovery, or a historical perspective, ensure your topic aligns with your audience’s interests and preferences.

Structuring Your Speech

Organize your speech in a coherent and logical structure. A well-structured informative speech typically includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Divide your content into distinct sections, making it easier for your audience to follow.

How to Do an Informative Speech

The following are the basic steps of giving an informative speech.

Introduction: Grab People’s Attention

Begin with a captivating introduction that sparks curiosity. Pose a thought-provoking question, share a relevant story, or present a surprising fact to grab your audience’s attention. Clearly outline the purpose of your speech to set expectations.

Body: Create Segments

Divide your content into digestible segments. Each segment should focus on a specific aspect of your topic, providing in-depth information. Use a variety of supporting materials, such as statistics, examples, and visuals, to enrich your presentation.

Invite audience interaction through questions, polls, or discussions. Foster a sense of participation, creating a dynamic environment that promotes active learning.

Summarize key points, reinforcing the main takeaways. End with a thought-provoking statement to leave a lasting impression.

Informative Speech Lesson for ESL Students

Learning how to do a presentation is very important for ESL students. A great way to teach them how to do it is by making them actually do one. Assign your students with an informative presentation project. This project will help your ESL students improve their English speaking skills as well as public speaking skills.

Informative Presentation Project

You will need to divide these different steps into separate classes depending on the duration and schedule of the lesson. Plan the project accordingly so you can cover all of these elements.

• Objective : The goal of this project is to enable ESL students to research, organize, and deliver a clear and informative speech on a topic of their choice, fostering research and public speaking skills.
• Topic Selection : Students choose a simple and practical topic for their speech. Encourage students to come up with a topic that other students might also be interested in.
• Research and Information Gathering : Students gather information, facts, and key points related to their chosen topic. Provide guidance on reliable sources for research.
• Outline : Students create a detailed outline incorporating key information and ensuring a logical flow. Introduce the structure of an informative speech.
• Visual Aids : Discuss the role of visual aids in enhancing an informative speech and make sure students prepare any necessary visual aids, such as slides, images, or props.
• Language Practice : Review and practice using transition words and phrases for smooth delivery. Review and practice using varied vocabulary and sentence structures.
• Practice : Students practice delivering their speech to a partner or small group.
• Rehearsal : Students rehearse their speeches individually, ensuring they are comfortable with the timing and flow of their presentations. Offer guidance on pacing, intonation, and body language.
• Presentation : Each student presents their speech to the class. Encourage a supportive and positive atmosphere. Allow time for brief questions or comments from the audience.
• Feedback and Reflection : Provide constructive feedback on each presentation. Facilitate a class discussion where students reflect on the challenges they faced and what they learned from the project.

Informative Speech Example Topics

Here are some presentation topics that suit informative speech.

• The Importance of Recycling in Our Daily Lives
• The History and Cultural Significance of Traditional Festivals in Your Country
• How to Effectively Manage Time and Reduce Procrastination
• The Benefits of Regular Exercise for Physical and Mental Health
• The Impact of Social Media on Society
• Steps to Cultivate Healthy Eating Habits
• The Basics of Climate Change and Its Effects on the Environment
• Exploring Famous Landmarks Around the World
• Introduction to Different Types of Renewable Energy Sources
• The Process of Making a Simple Dish from Your Culture
• The Life Cycle of Butterflies and Their Importance in Nature
• Understanding and Preventing Cyberbullying
• Tips for Effective Communication in a Multicultural Environment
• The Role of Women in History: Unsung Heroes
• How to Start a Small Garden at Home
• Explaining the Water Cycle and its Importance
• The History and Impact of Video Games on Society
• Basic First Aid Techniques Everyone Should Know
• The Wonders of Space Exploration and Discoveries
• Overview of Different World Religions and Their Practices

ESL Speaking Resources

If you are looking for more ESL speaking lesson resources, check out the following articles.

• Practice Speaking English
• Small Talk Ideas for ESL Lessons and Conversation Classes
• Closing a Conversation in English Politely and Easily
• Deep Philosophical Questions
• Debate Topics

FAQs About Informative Speech

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about informative presentation style.

What are the 4 types of informative speeches?

The four main types of informative speeches are:

• Explanatory Speech: Focuses on clarifying a concept or idea.
• Descriptive Speech: Provides detailed information about a person, place, or thing.
• Demonstrative Speech: Shows how to do something or how something works.
• Narrative Speech: Tells a story or recounts a sequence of events.

What are the 5 principles of informative speech?

The five principles of an informative speech are clarity, relevance, engagement, organization, and adaptation.

What are the 3 parts of an informative speech?

The three parts of an informative presentation are introduction, body, and conclusion.

What are the 5 c’s of informative speaking?

The following are the 5 c’s of informative speaking:

• Clear: Ensure that your message is easily understood by the audience.
• Concise: Present information in a brief and to-the-point manner.
• Coherent: Organize your speech logically for better comprehension.
• Captivating: Engage the audience’s attention and maintain interest.
• Credible: Use reliable sources and provide evidence to establish credibility.

What are some interesting informative speech topics for students?

Here are some interesting informative speech topics for students.

• The impact of social media on mental health
• Innovations in renewable energy technologies
• The history and evolution of video games
• Exploring different styles of dance around the world
• The benefits of learning a second language
• The science behind your favorite foods
• Understanding the human brain and memory
• The role of artificial intelligence in everyday life
• How to build and maintain healthy relationships
• The influence of music on mood and emotions

Informative Speech: Join the Conversation

Have you ever delivered this kind of speech ? Please share your experience doing it in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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• The different types of...

The different types of informative speech and how to use them in your career

10 min read · Updated on March 16, 2023

Inspire, engage… but most of all inform people with your presentation skills

You've got tons of knowledge stuffed inside your brain. But how can you share it with the people around you? The answer, as you may have guessed, is an informative speech.

While there are many types of informative speech out there, they all have one thing in common. The goal is to impart your wisdom to the people to whom you're speaking. It's a tall order, but one that you can surely fulfil. In the following guide, we'll take a look at what type of professional gives these speeches and how to structure your next presentation. Sit back, grab yourself a cuppa, and upgrade your skills.

What is informative speech?

An informative speech is exactly what it says on the tin. It's a talk - or, sometimes, a presentation - in which you share your knowledge with the audience. Now, that may be your standard PowerPoint display, a freeform speech, or something in between. The point is that you share important information with a group of people. You need to make sure that the talk is engaging, interesting, and, perhaps most importantly, easy to understand. 

There are plenty of reasons why you may need to deliver an informative speech at work. For example, if you've recently completed a report, you may be asked to share your findings with the wider department. On the other hand, if you're an expert in your field, your manager may ask you to give a presentation to enlighten the rest of the workforce. Whatever the reason for your speech, having this skill puts you in a prime position. 

What type of professional gives informative speeches?

You already know what an informative speech is. So, let's talk about the type of people who give them. As we've covered, anyone in any line of work may be asked to share their nuggets of knowledge with an audience. However, there are some professions in which giving informative speeches will be part of the humdrum of their everyday tasks. Here are some of the jobs where you may find yourself frequently delivering these talks:

Teacher or Lecturer. If you're shaping young (or old!) minds, you'll need to be a pro when it comes to giving informative speeches. Every day is a school day, as the old saying goes, and that's certainly true for you. In this job, you'll need to put together lessons and speeches that share valuable information with your students. 

Managers. Whenever you're overseeing or guiding a team of people, it's important to make sure that you're all on the same page. If you're a poor communicator, that may be something of a problem. Your team won't know what to do. Learning how to give informative speeches will help you on the road to success. 

Marketers. Working in marketing means that you have to draw upon a whole range of different skills, one of which is communicating. Ensuring that the workforce is on board with the latest campaigns means giving informative speeches. You may be sharing the results of a recent initiative or showcasing details of a product launch.

Presenters. If presenting is your day job, giving informative speeches should be second nature. Whatever field you work in - TV, radio, or another form of media - you'll need to share loads of information with your audience. For that reason, knowing how to structure and deliver this type of talk is essential to your role.

Researchers. If you're conducting some mind-blowing research, you're going to want to share your findings with the public or, indeed, shareholders. The best way to ensure that people understand your results is with an informative speech.

CEOs and Founders. Let's face it, the leaders of businesses have to be dab hands at delivering news. These professionals often give informative speeches about new products, services, or initiatives. You may need to deliver all-singing, all-dancing presentations when you launch a brand new product, for example. 

If you fall into one of the above categories, there are plenty of informative speech topics you may have to cover in your professional life. However, it's worth keeping in mind that, whatever your specific job role, knowing how to give a good informative speech is a real advantage. This skill will allow you to communicate effectively with your coworkers. 

The 8 types of informative speech 

Informative speeches exist to educate people. That's their sole purpose. But before you start drafting your next presentation, you need to know about the different types of informative speech that you may want to use. Yes, not all of these talks are created equal. Here's a quick rundown of eight types of presentation that you may want to use:

Definition speeches 

Is your audience completely oblivious to a certain topic? If the answer is yes, you might want to give a definition speech. This type of talk simply explains what something is and why it's important. For instance, you may be explaining what a certain marketing theory is and, of course, how it applies to your team members. When you're delivering this type of informative speech, you need to make sure that you give some context. The listeners not only need to understand what the theory is, but also how they can apply it in the real world. 

Report speeches 

If you're a Researcher or Marketing Executive, you may be all-too-used to this specific category. Report speeches allow you to share your findings with a group in an easy-to-digest way. You may deliver your informative speech alongside a presentation with graphs and charts. That way, your audience can visualise the findings of your report. Should you work in a role where you continually have to share your results, feeling confident in delivering this type of speech is vital.

Demonstrations

Sometimes it's better to show people something rather than merely tell them about it. That's where demonstrations come into play. Let's use the example of a new piece of software that all staff members will need to use on a daily basis. You might give a demonstration to show them the exact process they'll need to follow. You can share your screen with the group, so that they can see what steps you're taking in real time. That way, when the team members try to do it, they'll know just what to do from start to finish. 

News and updates

Has something changed in your workplace? Do you have exciting news that you want to share with the team? If so, you might want to deliver this type of informative speech. Delivering news and updates - either internally or externally - is always important. You'll need to use your communication skills to stay on topic and make sure that everyone understands what you have to say. Managers or other leaders may give this type of speech on a monthly or even quarterly basis. It's all about keeping everybody in the loop. 

Idea speeches 

Do you have a spark of an idea that you want to share with the world? Maybe you've come up with a theory that will change the way the entire business functions. An informative speech will help you to outline your theory and let people know what it means in real terms. You may be delivering this speech to your office or to a group of campaigners. Whatever the circumstances, it can be hard to share theories with an audience. You'll need to make sure that you give examples and perhaps even demonstrate it too. 

Introductions 

“Say hello to Freddie, everyone! He's our new Account Manager…” Introductions serve a purpose. These speeches let people know when new members join the team. If you're a manager, you may have to introduce a new staff member and let people know what their role will be. Alternatively, as a newcomer to a workplace, you may need to introduce yourself. These presentations include the person's name, their role, and what they do.

History or event speeches 

We can learn a lot from our past. Many informative speeches will focus on a historical subject matter. In the business world, that may be how a company was founded. However, you may also look at case studies from the past or even events that have shaped the company. The main components of this type of speech are when something happened, who was involved, where it took place, and why it matters. Tick those boxes when talking.

If you're a Teacher or Lecturer, you'll be familiar with this last category. Lessons share knowledge with a group in an organised manner. For example, you may find yourself taking your audience through mathematical equations or telling them about a specific psychological theory. It takes a great deal of finesse to ensure that your lesson is effective. Of course, it's not merely about getting the information out there. You need to make sure that it's engaging and makes an impression on the people listening to it, too.

How to structure an informative speech  

We've looked at some of the informative speech topics you may cover, so now it's time to talk about how to cover them. While there will be differences from speech to speech, there are some core elements you'll want to include in each. Here's a simple structure to try: 

Introduction 

Before you kick things off, you need to introduce your subject matter. Who are you? What will you be talking about? Why does it matter? If you answer these three questions in the first part of your informative speech, you'll be off to a good start. You should also touch upon some of the points you are planning to delve into, to give the audience a taster.

Main points 

Next, it's time to get to the meat of your argument. What do you have to share with your audience? You might want to let them know what the results of your recent study were. You may have updates about an exciting new project and want to let them in on the secret. Take the time to outline each point you have and explain what it means to the listener. 

Evidence 

Can you back up your points? There are plenty of ways that you can provide evidence. For instance, you may offer a case study or some statistics. The more you can support what you have to say, the more relatable your informative speech will be. When you're creating your presentation, make sure that you do as much research as you can. While you don't want to slide in unnecessary facts and figures, knowing your subject matter in depth will pay off.

Conclusion 

When you've said all there is to say, you simply need to round off the informative speech. You might want to reiterate some of the main points from your presentation and leave the audience with a strong message. Consider what the most important takeaway from your speech is now. Be sure to thank people for their time before you say goodbye to them. 

Nail that speech! 

Now that you've got the inside scoop on how to create an informative speech, what are you waiting for? Whatever type of presentation you need to deliver, preparing in advance is the most effective approach. Use our guide to help you get started on your speech.

Fancy talking your way into a new job? Make sure that your CV is showcasing your communication and presentation skills! Submit it now for a free CV review from our experts.    

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LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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Talon Talks offers speakers opportunity to hit the stage

April 15, 2024

Talon Talks, inspired by the world-renowned Ted Talks series, is open to all current LCCC students who are interested in showcasing their presentation skills. The event is designed to offer students the opportunity to practice their public speaking skills and to celebrate students' confidence and accomplishments as public speakers. 

“We believe it is important for students to have a platform to talk about things they are passionate about,” said Julie Semlak, LCCC Communication instructor. “Being able to give a speech for strangers is very empowering and allows students to feel more confident in their public speaking skills as they progress through LCCC.”

Participating students are eligible to win scholarships, LCCC Bookstore Scholarships and LCCC swag by entering submissions in two categories: Compelling Voices and Creative Voices. Compelling Voices entries are either informative or persuasive speeches lasting 5-8 minutes. The Creative Voices category includes various styles of presentations, such as infomercials, motivational speech, special occasion-type speech, slam poetry, spoken word or storytelling. Entries in this category will be 2-4 minutes. 

Finalists from preliminary judging will advance to participate in a live, in-person competition from 6-7 p.m. Apr. 23 at the Laramie High School auditorium. Those unable to participate in the live portion of the final round will still be eligible as finalists, but will be ineligible to win a scholarship award prize for placement. The Final Showcase event is free and open to the public.

“We are excited to share what our students have to say with the wider LCCC community,” Semlak said. “We hope you will come out to Laramie High School on Apr. 23 to support our students.” 

Organizers are seeking 10-12 judges for the preliminary and final rounds. No experience is required; just a couple hours of spare time. Those interested in participating as a judge should contact Julie Semlak at [email protected].