Introducing and Concluding
Your Speech
The Art of Public Speaking, 8th Ed.
Chapter 9
The Introduction
• Get the attention and interest of
your audience
• Reveal the topic & relate it to the
audience
• Establish credibility & goodwill
• Preview the body of the speech
Methods of Gaining Attention
• Relate the topic to the audience
• State the importance of the topic
• Startle the audience
• Arouse the curiosity of the audience
• Question the audience
• Begin with a quotation
• Tell a story
Preview Statement
A statement in the introduction of a
speech that identifies the main
points to be discussed in the body
of the speech.
Tips—Preparing Your Intro.
• Keep it brief.
• Look for materials as you research.
• Be creative!
• Prepare intro AFTER you prepare
the body.
• Work out the intro in detail.
• Make sure attn. device is relevant.
The Conclusion
• Signal the end of the speech
• Reinforce the central idea
• Make it memorable.
• End with a note of finality
Methods of Concluding
• Summarize your speech.
• End with a quotation.
• Make a dramatic statement.
• Refer to the introduction.
• End with a challenge.
• Appeal for action.
Tips--Preparing a Conclusion
• Look for possible concluding
materials as you research.
• Conclude with bang—not whimper.
• Don’t be long winded.
• Don’t leave anything in the
conclusion to chance.
Let’s look at some clips from
student speeches.
• 9-1 Handicapped Intro
• 9-2 Mother Theresa Intro
• 9-3 Question of Culture Intro
• 9-4 Various previews, credibility
• 9-6 Cryonics Intro & Conclusion
• Now let’s critique some samples. (P.103
Instructor’s guide)
The End
Directions:
• Review the requirements for
good introductions and
conclusions.
• Read the following examples.
• Decide if each is effective or
ineffective.
• State your reason/s.
Sample Intro a
What tiny crystal fortified the
coffers of many ancient empires and laid
waste to others? What mineral has the power
to create and the power to destroy? What is
“good as gold” when scarce and “cheap as
dirt” when abundant?
The answer to all of these questions is
salt, the spice of life. Today I would like to
look at the importance of salt in history, at
how we spice up our lives with salt today, and
at the role salt will probably play in the future.
Sample Intro b
We have so much unused human
potential. By improving the use of your
time, you can have much more time for
social activities. You can use your
mental processes more fully, thereby
improving your grades. You can also
increase your physical stamina and
improve your health. We must learn to
know our bodies.
Sample Intro c
• A six-year-old collie lay battered and
helpless by the side of the road. The car that
hit her had broken her pelvis, dislocated her
hip, and smashed her jaw. It had also blinded
her, and she whimpered in pain and fear.
Unfortunately, this true story happens much
too frequently because of the growing
problem of pet overpopulation. Having grown
up on a farm with animals of all kinds, I care
deeply about their welfare, and I have
become aware through my veterinary courses
of how serious the problem of pet
overpopulation is.
Sample Intro d
Every problem has at least two sides. When
one side is right, and the other side is wrong, the
problem is easy to solve. But what if both sides
have merit in their arguments? How do you solve
these problems?
Balancing the rights of everyone in an adoption
is one of these problems. The parents who give
up the child have a right that all the information
they disclose be kept confidential, while the
adopted child has a right to know about the
identity of his or her natural parents.
Today I’d like to explore this problem with you
and look at one approach to solving it.
Sample Introduction #1
It takes about 1500
fireflies to produce as much
light as just one candle. That
fact impressed me as I found
it in my research for my
speech to you today, on the
problems of using atomic
energy to produce electrical
power.
Sample Introduction #2
It is indeed an unusual
subject I speak about to you
today. And, it is critically
important to every one of
you. I'm here to talk with
you about life insurance--
your life, and your insurance.
Sample Introduction #3
What order are the
following numbersin:
8,5,4,9,1,7,6,3,2,0?
Give up? They are in
alphabetical order. Order is
also needed in the
classification of automobile
tires, and I'm here to suggest
Sample Introduction #4
Las Vegas comedian Alan King
tells a story about a teenage girl
who's been trying to run away from
home for months. But every time
she's about to go out the door the
phone rings! It is indeed true that
phones have become decision
makers in our lives. But here's a
list of five ways in which you can
become master of your phone,
instead of letting it rule you.
Sample Introduction #5
Have you ever wondered
how one restaurant can sell a
hamburger for 99 cents and
another restaurant of about
the same class charges
$2.25? Let's consider some
of the dangerous practices of
some of our restaurants of
today.
Sample Conclusion #1
Again, the three main reasons
I've presented in my speech for
the need for this change in law
are that the present law is
unfair, it is out of date, and it is
difficult to enforce. And it's also
true that the law is costly to
administer. So please be sure to
vote for this change, at the
election next week.
Sample Conclusion #2
So I've talked to you about
this new type of motor. Any
questions?
Sample Conclusion #3
Well, those are the three
reasons for voting against this
proposition. First, it is not in
the interest of you students;
second, it will cost us more;
and third, it is poorly written.
Sample Conclusion #4
Picture again that unfortunate family I
described to you as I started this speech.
A handicapped mother, an unemployed
father, and triplets now eight years old
and stricken blind just one year ago. But I
didn't tell you the names of those three
girls. One is name Grace; one is Joy; the
third is Hope. How could their parents
have possibly picked such appropriate
names eight long years ago--names,
words, which I have used today to
summarize each of the three reasons for
our program of help to needy families.
Grace, Joy, Hope--indeed living tributes.
Sample Conclusion #5
In review, then, what I've presented to
you today are three things we try to do for
students. We help them identify their
strengths. We help them identify trades or
professions which utilize those strengths.
And we help them to identify a technical
school or college which would be best for
them in turning their strengths into
employment skills. I'm sorry I couldn't go
into more detail, but there just wasn't time.
But the motto of our organization, carved in
stone and displayed over the door of our
building says it all--says it to every
student: "You can succeed!"