Once you choose the central idea of your speech, the next step is to formulate your general purpose.

What three brainstorming methods can you follow if you are having trouble choosing a topic for your speech?

First, make an inventory of your hobbies, interests, skills, beliefs, and so forth. Second, use clustering to list the first topics that come to mind in several categories. Third, use an Internet subject directory, encyclopedia, or similar reference site to help you scan possible topics.

What are the two general purposes of most classroom speeches? How do they differ?

The general purpose of your speech will usually be to inform or to persuade. When your general purpose is to inform, your goal is to communicate information clearly, accurately, and interestingly. When your general purpose is to persuade, your goal is to win listeners over to your point of view.

Why is determining the specific purpose such an important early step in speech preparation?

Once you have chosen a topic and a general purpose, you must narrow your choices to determine the specific purpose of your speech. The specific purpose should focus on one aspect of a topic. You should be able to state your specific purpose in a single infinitive phrase (to inform my audience about … ; to persuade my audience to …) that indicates precisely what you hope to accomplish with your speech.

Why is it important to include the audience in the specific purpose statement?

it relates the topic directly to the audience. That is, it states not only what the speaker wants to say but also what the speaker wants the audience to know as a result of the speech. This is very important, for it helps keep the audience at the center of your attention as you prepare your speech.

When the audience slips out of the specific purpose, it may slip out of the speaker's consciousness. You may begin to think that your task is the general one of preparing “an informative speech,” when in fact your task is the specific one of informing a particular group of people. As we shall see in the next chapter, it is almost impossible to prepare a good speech without keeping constantly in mind the people for whom it is intended.

What are five tips for formulating your specific purpose?

1. write the purpose statement as a full infinitive phrase, not as a fragment

2. Express your purpose as a statement, not a question

3. Avoid figurative language in your purpose statement

4. Limit your purpose statement to one distinct idea

5. Make sure your specific purpose is not to vague or general

What are five questions to ask about your specific purpose?

1. Does my purpose meet the assignment?

2. Can I accomplish my purpose in the time allotted?

3. Is the purpose relevant to my audience?

4. Is the purpose to trivial for my audience?

5. Is the purpose to technical for my audience?

What is the difference between the specific purpose and the central idea of a speech?

The specific purpose of a speech is what you hope to accomplish. The central idea is a concise statement of what you expect to say.

What are four guidelines for an effective central idea?

The central idea (1) should be expressed in a full sentence, (2) should not be in the form of a question, (3) should avoid figurative language, and (4) should not be vague or overly general.