Module 6 Communication FOR Various Purposes

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Purposive Communication (Pangasinan State University)

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 MODULE 6 COMMUNICATION FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES

FIRST FUNCTION: TO PROVIDE INFORMATION

That we live in an information age is given, and that providing information, a task we perform
hundreds of times each day, is undeniably the most common and important form of communication.
A lot of talking goes on in the world, and a large part of it is done to give instructions, provide facts, or
clarify ideas.

NATURE OF INFORMATIVE COMMUNICATION

Providing information usually deals with objects, processes, events, and concepts (Lucas, 2012).

1. Objects may include anything that is visible, tangible, and stable in form. They may be
nonliving or living, such as places, structures, animals, and even people.
2. Processes may comprise any systematic series of actions that lead to a specific result or
product. Communication about processes explains how something is made, how something is
done, or how something works.
3. Events can be anything that happens or is regarded as happening.
4. Concepts may consist of beliefs, theories, ideas, principles, and the like. They are more
abstract than objects, processes, or events.

FORMAL SITUATIONS REQUIRING INFORMATIVE COMMUNICATION

In the world outside your school, speakers find a variety of opportunities for giving the
following types of informative talks: (a) public lecture, (b) status report, (c) briefing, (d) fireside chats,
and (e) chalk talk (Lucas, 2012).

1. The public lecture. As a result of a person’s special interest or expertise, he may be invited to
give a public lecture to a community group or club. Someone who had an intensive research
on herbal medicine, for example, might be invited to give a lecture to various clubs and
organizations interested in the topic.

2. The status report. Every business or social group must be kept up-to-date on its various
projects. Periodically, the group will ask a knowledgeable person to give a status report
indicating what has been accomplished so far, and what plan exists for the future. Suppose you
are the committee chair of a volunteer organization that works with senior citizens in your
community, and your committee is planning a formal dance for the seniors, you may be asked
to give the committee a status report on possible venues for affair.

3. The briefing. This is a very common informative speech used to tell members of a group
about changes in policy or procedure. For instance, you may need to tell the members of
your swimming team about how to order T-shirts for team or about a new layout plan.

4. The fireside chats. This usually features a group leader addressing the concerns, worries,
and issues at the moment. The principal of a senior high school (SHS), for instance, may
schedule a fireside chat with the parents of the SHS students to review school goals and
policies.

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 5. The chalk talk. The speaker giving a chalk talk relies on a visual aid (such as a chalkboard). As
an example, imagine a coach showing the team how to execute the person-to-person
category of team defense or a director outlining plans to present a stage play.

ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS FOR INFORMATIVE SPEECHES (Nelson, 2012)

1. The Chronological Pattern. This pattern allows you to explain how someone or something has
developed over a period of time. With this pattern, you highlight the importance of each step
in that development.
2. The Spatial Pattern. This pattern allows you to describe the physical or directional
relationship between objects or places. The pattern works well with informative speeches
about objects, places, people, or any other living creatures. You can best use it to highlight
certain locations, areas, or spaces in a particular place.
3. The Topical Pattern. In the topical pattern, you divide your topic into subtopics that address
the components, elements, or aspects of the topic. If you want your audience to understand a
process, use the topical pattern to describe the main features of the process.
4. The Narrative Pattern. The narrative pattern used to retell a story or a series of short stories.
It has much in common with the chronological pattern, but it provides a stronger emphasis on
the dramatic unfolding of event.

GUIDELINES FOR INFORMATIVE SPEAKING

A common complaint about informational speaking is its being boring. To keep your
audience’s attention and to be both understandable and relevant, remember these guidelines for
producing comprehensible, effective messages (Jaffe, 2010).

1. Do an obstacle analysis of the audience. Identify the parts of the message that the audience
might find hard to understand and work on specific ways to make these sections clear. Also,
identify internal barriers that could prevent them from learning your materials. Plan ways to
deal with each obstacle.
2. Organize the material carefully. State your major points clearly, and build on sign posts, such
as “next” and “in addition” that can help them identify the flow of ideas.
3. Personalize your material to your audience. Help the listeners see the connection between
your topic and their experiences, goals, beliefs, and actions. If they find the information as
personally relevant, they will be more likely to listen and learn effectively.
4. Compare the known to the unknown. Start with what is familiar to your audience, and build
on this foundation, showing similarities and differences between your topic and what your
listeners already know.
5. Choose your vocabulary carefully. Avoid bewildering your listeners with technical
information and incomprehensible jargon by defining your terms and explaining them in
everyday, concrete images. Avoid words that could trigger unfavourable connotations which
might set off negative reactions in the audience.
6. Build on repetition and redundancy. Repetition means that you say the same idea several
times. Do this by developing it somewhat differently each time. Phrases, such as “in other
words” and “put simply” are ways to build on (or achieve) redundancy. Repeat and redefine
the critical parts of the message to reinforce these crucial points in your listeners’ minds.

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 7. Strive to be interesting. Search for some ways to enliven your factual material. Examples
and detailed description, for instance, engage your audience in a conversational manner
because they invite your listeners to form mental images as you talk.

SECOND FUNCTION: TO PERSUADE

Persuasion is the process of creating, reinforcing, or changing people beliefs or

actions.
The ability to speak and write persuasively will benefit you in every part of your life—
from personal relationships to community activities to career opportunities. It is also
vital to your being an informed citizen or consumer. Everybody is exposed to at least
150 TV commercials (Lucas, 2012). Politicians and advertising sales people and
interest groups, fund raisers, and community activities—all vie for your attention,
vote, money, time, and support. The more you know of persuasion the more
effective you become in using your power of critical thinking to assess the barrage of
persuasive messages you are exposed to everyday.
When you speak in persuade, you act as an advocate. Your job is to get listeners
to agree with you and perhaps to act on that belief. Your goal may perhaps be to
defend an idea, to refute an opponent, to sell a program, or to inspire people to
action.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFORMATIVE AND PERSUASIVE SPEECHES

Informative speakers fulfill the role of an expert on a topic and seek to facilitate
audience understanding about it. In contrast, persuasive speakers take the role of
promoter or proponent, advocating a particular view on a topic they want the
audience to adopt. A persuasive speaker not only becomes an expert of the topic, he
also goes beyond arguing for a specific viewpoint he wants the audience to accept.
He voices a clear position on a topic, where as an informative speaker, he remains
“neutral”.
For example, in an information speech on music recording technology, the
speaker would make the audience know about the topic by describing the history of
recorded music. On the other hand, a persuasive speaker would advocate a particular
view of the topic, perhaps arguing that the sound quality of vinyl is superior to that of
digital media.

ELEMENTS OF PERSUASION
Persuasive speeches are intended to influence others. Because of this, they
require more advanced building blocks to achieve that purpose. Aristotle, one of the
first people to theorize about persuasion, believes that persuasive messages rest on
three elements or what he calls proofs, namely, ethos, pathos, and logic (Lucas, 2012).

1. Ethos. This is the Greek word for “character”. Here, the speaker
attempts to persuade others by using authoritative and trustworthy
course or support of the message.

Example:
“As a mother of five healthy eaters, I can assure you that introducing
vegetables to babies as early as possible avoid fussy feedings.”

2. Pathos. This refers to the speaker’s appeal to emotions. A speaker might

use pathos to arouse the audience’s feelings, such as by displaying photos to
convince them to contribute to charitable organizations.
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 Example:
“Imagine your children facing a future without you--- then, take the opportunity
TODAY to give up drugs and create a healthier YOU.”

3. Logos. This involves using logic to support a speaker’s statements and thereby,
persuading his audience. One way of doing this is by developing a coherent space
that moves logically through his argument, emphasizing reasoning (including
statistics and appropriate data), then moving in to a powerful conclusion.

Example:
“Drug addiction is a developmental disease. What do we mean by that? What
we have learned from many years of epidemiological studies is drug addiction
develops during these periods of our lives, during adolescence and early adulthood.
This is a graph (or a digital slide) that actually describes at what age individuals
develop at first, a dependence on marijuana.
Similar graphs occur for cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol. You can see the peak in this
case is around age eighteen. By age twenty-five, if you have not yet become addicted
to marijuana, the likelihood that you will do so is very minimal. It’s not zero but it’s
minimal.”

TYPES OF PERSUASIVE SPEECHES

Persuasive speeches address three types of questions: fact, value, and policy, and
while general purpose of these types of speeches is to persuade an audience, the
kinds of outcomes they will produce differ (Lucas, 2012).
1. Speeches on Question of Fact. A question of fact asks whether something is
true or false. The speaker tries to persuade an audience that something did or
did not occur, or that event did, in fact, cause another.

For example, in a criminal case, the persecution attempts to persuade the

jury that the dependent did engage in an illegal activity while the defense
argues the defendant did not.

Here, the speaker should present sound, credible evidence. He does not only
use facts and statistics but also uses examples, testimony, definitions, or
narratives as supporting evidences. It is his goal to make the audience
“believe or agree with him that something is true or false—focusing mainly on
reinforcing or changing how people think, not on how they behave.

Organizational patterns for speeches or questions of facts are chronological,

spatial, topical, and cause-and-effect.

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Examples:

Organizational Pattern:
Topic: Worldwide Oil
General Purpose: Production To persuade
Specific Purpose: To convince the audience that oil production in the
world has not yet peaked
Thesis: Recent evidence shows that worldwide oil production
has increased and will continue to increase.
Main points: Oil production has been highly variable throughout

I. Demand for oil has quadrupled in the past five

years.
II. New sources of crude oil have been discovered,
recently,
III. Despite competition from alternative energy industries oil
production
continue to will
increase.

Organizational Pattern: Spatial

Topic: Health Risks in International
General Purpose: Travel To persuade
Specific Purpose: To convince the audience that they will encounter
health Risks when visiting foreign countries
Thesis: Visiting foreign countries brings various health
Main points:
I. When visiting South America, you must consider certain health
concerns.
II. When visiting East Asia, you should be aware of regional
health risks.
III. US visitors to South Asia encounter specific health
risks.
IV. US visitors travelling to Africa face several health risks.

Organizational Pattern: Cause and Effect

Topic: Handheld Cell-Phone Use While Driving
General Purpose: To persuade
Specific Purpose: To convince the audience that banning handheld cell-
phone
use while driving reduces accidents and saves lives.
Thesis: Statistics show that banning the use of handheld
cellphones while driving reduces accidents and
saves lives.
Main points:

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 I. Many states have banned the use of handheld cell phones for
drivers.

II. As indicated by traffic statistics, banning handheld cell-phone

use while driving reduces accidents and saves lives.

2. Speeches on Question of Value. A question of value asks for a subjective

evaluation of something’s worth, significance, quality, or condition. Here, the
speaker argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful or
ugly, boring or engaging, funny or serious—all qualitative judgements about
something’s significance. It addresses individual opinion and cultural beliefs
rather than proving something to be objectively true or false. It may include a
call for action, but it does not ask for explicit changes in political or
organizational policy.

Questions of value can address timeless issues, such as the morality of war,
or more contemporary concerns, like the personal or ethical uses of social
networking websites.

The pattern for developing speeches or questions of value is either

chronological or topical.

3. Speeches on Question of Policy. While a question of value makes

judgments about a topic and promotes a speaker’s judgment of the
significance of something, a question of policy asks what specific course of
action should be taken or how a problem should be solved.

Questions of policy may reflect current controversies, such as U.S

immigration policies or less contentious topics, like getting more exercise.
These questions also range from the general, such as promoting democracy
around the world, to the specific, such as academic integrity policies on
campus.

Speeches on question of policy ask the audience to personally take (or

not take) a particular action or support (or not support) a particular position.
Speakers might request immediate involvement, general support for a social
or political movement of some kind, disapproval of an idea, or a change in
behavior.

For example, a speaker might propose any of the following:

a. College students should circulate a petition to ban junk food on campuses.

b. People should support the animal rights movement.

c. Local residents should not approve of changes in the zoning law.

d. Everyone should exercise more.

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Organizational patterns for speeches on question of policy are the problem-solution
pattern and the problem-cause-solution pattern.
Examples:

Organizational Pattern: Problem-solution

Topic: Corporal punishment by parents
General Purpose: To persuade
Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience that parents should never
physically strike their children
Thesis: Because it’s harmful, parents should not strike their
children but use some other forms of discipline
instead.
Main points:
I. Children suffer serious physical and psychological effects as a
result of corporal punishment.

II. Parents should use some other forms of discipline.

Organizational Pattern: Problem -cause-solution

Topic: Junk food on campuses
General Purpose: To persuade
Specific Purpose: To encourage the audience to sign a petition banning
the
sale of junk food on campuses
Thesis: Junk food should be banned on campuses because
it contributes to obesity, poor nutrition, and
immune-system problems.
Main points:
I. Many college students are overweight, eat poorly, and
have weak immune system.

II. Junk food is a strong contributing factor to these problems.

III. We must work to ban the sale of junk food on campuses.

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES FOR PERSUASIVE SPEAKING

The following principles should be followed by persuasive speakers (Parsh, 2014).

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 1. Be careful about whom you trust. Listeners like you need to watch whom you
trust, and speakers need to provide credentials to show they are trustworthy.
They need to demonstrate their sound credibility.
2. Analyze and evaluate messages for reasonableness, truth, and benefit to you and
the community. As a critical thinker you will want messages to meet standards of
reasonableness.
3. You and your message are persuasive if you have a long positive history. Try to
establish credibility anytime you deal and speak to people. This will always be a
part of your life.
4. Always be respectful of your audience. Following the “Golden Rule” will help you
avoid ethical problems.
5. Avoid fallacies. If you always strive to use sound reasoning tempered by critical
thinking, you can skillfully avoid short circuits to reasonable thoughts that are
known to be fallacies.

THIRD FUNCTION: TO ENTERTAIN, HONOR, OR PRAISE, AND SO ON

This function refers to some other purposes of communication, specifically those that mark the
day-to-day life—high points that stand out above the ordinary routine. Christenings, weddings,
funerals, graduations, award ceremonies, inaugurals, retirement dinners—all these are occasions, and
they are very special to the people who take part in them. Being special, speeches delivered in these
events differ from the information and persuasive speeches in the following aspects.

1. Purpose. The primary purpose of informative speech is teach while that of a persuasive speech
is to change behaviors or beliefs. These purposes are just secondary to that of a special-
occasion presentation whose primary purpose is to perform a ritual—a ceremonial act that is
characterized by qualities or procedures that are appropriate to the occasion.

The ritualistic nature of special-occasion speeches helps bring certainty and comfort to
otherwise stressful events. They communicate to the audience what to expect, and they allow
them and the attendees to share a common collective experience, such as accepting an award or
wishing a newly wedded couple good tidings.

2. Style. While informative and persuasive speeches use stylistic devices, like narratives,
metaphors, similes, or analogies, special-occasion speeches use highly stylistic or
ornamental language.

3. Organization. Though special-occasion presentations, like any other speeches, have

introduction, body and conclusion, they have less-obvious transitions between the main
points. Instead, their ornamental styling may suggest more subtle and creative ways, and they
are relatively short.

4. Formality. They are a bit more formal, but formality refers more to the degree
of professionalism used by the speaker to share his ideas with his listeners.

GENERAL TYPES OF SPECIAL-OCCASION SPEECHES

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 Special-Occasion speeches are classified and subclassified into courtesy (speeches of
introduction, presentation, and acceptance), ceremonial (commencement, commemorative – like
testimonials and tributes, and eulogies), and contest speeches (original oratory, extemporaneous, and
dramatic and humorous interpretation).

COURTESY SPEECHES
1. Speech of Introduction. This speech is designed to tell us about the person being introduced
and to help establish his ethos—in this case ethos might include credentials and/or goodwill.
This is typically brief, but its greater part is devoted to the person’s biography or some other
information relevant to his credibility. It may also include the reasons for his being asked to
speak. Usually an interview of the person to be introduced is conducted to seek information
about his qualifications, biography, and some other pertinent information about him.

The following approach may be adopted:

a. Introduction: Use an anecdote or some story to establish the speaker being introduced.
b. Body: Discuss his biography and qualifications. Focus on qualifications most relevant to
the occasion and on some other interesting facts about him.
c. Conclusion: Summarize his qualifications and use that summary to explain why he was
asked to speak. End by welcoming the speaker and inviting the audience to join the
welcoming by applauding.

2. Speech of Presentation. This speech is used when a person is publicly presented with a gift or
an award. It is usually brief, and the length depends on the formality of the occasion. Typically,
a speaker of presentation is speaking on behalf of some group, and he should reflect the
shared feelings of the group.

The following guidelines generally apply.

1. State the person’s name early in the presentation (unless building suspense is appropriate).
2. Explain the award’s significance as a symbol of the group esteem.
3. Explain how the person is selected for the award.
4. Highlight what makes this person unique. Use anecdotal information and a brief list
of achievements.
5. Hand the award to the recipient.

3. Speech of Acceptance. This speech is delivered by individuals who have been recognized,
honoured, or awarded. These people know that they will be publicly recognized, so they
will have enough time to prepare their speech.

When accepting an award, the speaker needs to follow some general rules. He should
bear in mind the following:
1. To be thankful and humble. First, he must thank the people who helped him succeed.
He must minimize personal accomplishment, demonstrating a sense of perspective,
even humility.
2. To be succinct. Brevity is the soul of wit, so he must keep his remarks brief.
3. To contextualize the award. He may provide a context for the award by describing what
he did that led to the award, or tell a story related to the occasion. His comments, often

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 emotionally touching and inspiring, personalize the award and help the audience feel more
connected with him, the recipient.

CEREMONIAL SPEECHES
Addresses known as ceremonial speeches are usually part of a formal activity. They help bring
the audience to the past, present, and future together. Examples are commencement addresses and
commemorative speeches, like tributes and eulogies.

1. Commencement Address. A commencement address is also known as a graduation speech.

A speaker in a graduation both acknowledges the importance of the ceremony and honors
the graduates. This type of speech pays respect to the past but focuses on the future of the
graduates.
The speaker should choose examples and illustrations that celebrate the collective
experiences of the audience. Humor, if appropriate, can ease the tension and make the
ceremony more enjoyable.

2. Commemorative Speech. This is a speech of praise or celebration. Examples are tributes,

dedication, and eulogies. The speech aims to pay tribute to a person, a group of people,
an institution, or an idea.

The fundamental purpose of this speech is not to inform the listeners but to inspire
them to assure and heighten their appreciation of or admiration for the person, institution, or
idea that is being praised.

When speaking to commemorate, the speaker wants to express feelings, to stir

sentiments—joy and hope when a new building is dedicated or conceptualized, good wishes at a
commencement celebration, sorrow and consolation at a funeral, or admiration and respect at a
testimonial dinner.

3. Tributes. Tributes are commemorative speeches that highlight and reinforce cultural beliefs,
values, and behaviors. A tribute praises the qualities of a person, thing, idea, organization,
event, or group.

A tribute for a living subject should focus on the person’s character and achievements; a
tribute to a historical character should balance the subject’s virtues and accomplishments.

Some guidelines for a tribute include the following:

1. In the introduction, mention why the subject is significant and worthy of praise.
2. Highlight praiseworthy characteristics, ideas, and behaviour that benefit society.
3. Consider using a statement of reason pattern. For example, a basketball fan’s tribute to
the basketball great, Robert Jaworski, gives three reasons to praise Jaworski, such as
patriotism, perseverance, and charity.
4. Develop each point with illustrative incidents from the person’s life.
5. Though not an informative speech, include information about the subject.

4. Eulogies. A eulogy is generally thought of as a speech given to praise or honor someone who
has died. The speaker, therefore, should try to relate to the audience the significant meaning in
that

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 person’s personality and the virtues he embodied before focusing on his feelings and his
experiences on comforting the mourners.

Most eulogies take place much closer to home. This means that family members and
friends often find it appropriate to eulogize deceased loved ones at funeral ceremonies.

CONTEST SPEECHES
Each year, thousands of students participate in various speech competitions sponsored by
either their schools or some other schools. Rules that govern speech contests vary from one school to
another and from one sponsoring organization to another.
Speech events fall into categories of public speaking and interpretation. Popular events include
original oratory, extemporaneous speaking, and dramatic and humorous interpretation.
Original Oratory. In this speech contest, the speaker is allowed to choose his topic and write his
own speech about it. The speech, which needs careful and complete preparation, is memorized and
limited to a ten-minute delivery.

Extemporaneous Speaking. In extemporaneous – speaking competitions, participants are

required to choose one topic from several given topics and prepare a five- to seven – minute speech
on the topic. The topic options are usually based on current issues and are presented in question
form.

Examples of questions asked are:

1. Do politicians have the right to privacy?
2. How can we win the war on drugs?
3. What can parents do to prevent their two-year-old children from using gadgets,
like cellphones and tablets?
4. How can we better provide for the senior citizens in our nation?

Contestants are allowed 30 minutes to prepare their speeches. They are given access only
to documents or background information that they have brought to the contest. They can use one
note card to guide them through the speech.

Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation. It is a competitive interpretation event where

participants are permitted to choose the materials they want to perform. Dramatic interpretation and
humorous interpretation may be done separately or combined. This kind of performance gives the
participants an opportunity to share their acting talents.

When joining this kind of activity, a participant must select the type of material that is
most suitable for him in terms of not only his personality but also his ability as a performer.

TYPES OF SPEECHES BASED ON DELIVERY

The easiest approach to speech delivery is not always the best. Unless you devote substantial
work to carefully prepare an interesting and ethical message, you can “mess it up” by simply reading it
word for word. Once you do this, you miss out on one of the major reasons for studying public
speaking: to learn ways to “connect” with your audience and to increase your confidence in doing so.
You already know how to read, and you already know how to talk. But public speaking is neither
reading nor talking.

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 Speaking in public is more formal than talking. During a speech, you should present yourself
professionally. This does not mean wearing a suit or “dressing up” (unless your instructor asks you to),
but it means making yourself presentable by being well groomed and wearing clean, appropriate
clothes. It also means being prepared to use language correctly and appropriately depending on the
kind of audience you have and topic to be discussed.

While speaking has more formality than talking, it has less formality than reading. In speaking,
you can have meaningful pauses, eye contact, small changes in word order, and vocal emphasis. But
in reading, you say the words more or less exactly as they appear on paper without using any
nonverbal interpretation. Speaking, as you will realize if you think about excellent speakers you have
seen and heard, provides a more animated message.

There are four types of speeches according to the mode of delivery that can help you balance
between too much and too little formality when giving a public speech. These are impromptu,
extemporaneous, manuscript (or read), and memorized.

Impromptu Speech. For instance, while attending your best friend’s 18th birthday the guests
begin chanting your name followed by the words “speech, speech, speech!” Since you are frightened at
the possibility that they will not stop yelling at you and because you are the best friend of the
celebrator, you reluctantly get on stage and begin chattering. You might talk about your friendship, your
bonding moments together, your crushes and the like. Pat yourself on the back because you just
performed an advanced impromptu speech. This is a speech that has no earlier planning or practice.

These situations call for an impromptu speech.

1. Classroom discussion when the professor asks you to answer a question or comment on
an issue.
2. Ambush interview where you answer on-the-spot questions.
3. Question-and-answer portion in a beauty contest.
4. Self-introduction in group settings.
5. Giving a toast on a special occasion.

When such situations arise, never panic; no one expects you to deliver a perfect speech, but you
can do away with unwarranted fears and surprises by doing the following suggestions (Fletcher &
Crochieve, 2001).

1. Anticipate that you may be called upon to speak. Always do a little preparation
before attending any event by thinking of at least two or three ideas about a topic or
the event.
2. Stay updated on the development in your field. Read regularly both popular and
professional publications in your field. If your field is education, you can read journals
or magazines on teaching strategies.
3. Be prepared with a few stories and remarks. It is handy to be ready with a variety of
jokes, strange statistics, and several experiences. All these become helpful when
delivering impromptu speeches. Search the Internet or buy a book that contains a
collection of these materials.

You may also profit from Fletcher and Crochieve’s (2001) tips for an effective impromptu
delivery (as cited in Padilla et.al., 2016).

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 1. Step up to speak with confidence.
2. Maintain contact with your audience.
3. Avoid saying ah, so, you know, well, okay.
4. Stop at the end of an idea; do not hook sentences together with fillers, like and, and uh,
and so on.
5. Maintain good posture; never lean on the lectern nor cross your legs.
6. Speak loud enough to be heard easily.
7. Gesture effectively.
8. Appear to enjoy speaking.
9. Appear confident and relaxed.
10. Speak with enthusiasm.
11. Hide your goofs or blunders.
12. Sit down when you are done.

ADVANTAGES OF IMPROMPTU SPEECH

1. It gives you an opportunity to present your ideas, make appeals, or disseminate

information at a time most needed by the listeners, which may have some value and
impact.
2. It also provides you with a chance to improve your image in the minds of the audience.
3. It allows for spontaneity, which requires minimal planning and practice.

DISADVANTAGES OF IMPROMPTU SPEECH

1. It often results in poor performance, it is very likely that you are going to ramble,
wander, and waste not only your time but also that of the audience.
2. It makes you nervous; although you realize the situation may not come up often, you are
still worried about your not being able to do a good job.
3. It discourages audience adaptation.
4. It discourages planned research.
5. It has uncertain outcomes.

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH

It is the presentation of a carefully planned and rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational

manner using brief notes. By using notes rather than a full manuscript, you as a speaker can establish
and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they understand your speech as it
progresses. The opportunity to assess is also an opportunity for you to restate more clearly an idea or
concept that the audience seems to have trouble grasping.

These are possible occasions for the delivery of an extemporaneous speech.

1. Campaigns
2. Fund-raising activities
3. Seminar lectures
4. Reports to government agencies
5. Talks about a trip, a study, or an event

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 6. State of the nation addresses (SONAs)
7. Class reports
8. Sales
9. Briefings

You can boosts your self-confidence and successfully go through the delivery of your
extemporaneous speech by observing these tips (Lull & Coopman, 2012).

1. Starting your speech

a. Move to the front of the room or stage and face the audience.
b. Assume a relaxed but upright position.
c. Plant your feet apart, a bit less than your shoulder width, and allow your arms to
hang loosely by your side.
d. Arrange your notes before you start to speak.
e. Look at your audience and smile.
2. Gestures
a. Feel free to use your hands to gesture, but do not plan all your gestures ahead of
time. Gestures should flow naturally from your feelings.
b. Do your best to avoid nervous mannerisms, such as twisting your hair, wringing
your hands, shifting your weight from one foot to the other, or tapping your fingers
on the lectern.
3. Eye contact
a. Look at the left, right, and center part of the room.
b. Eye contact with the audience does not mean to speak excessively to one or
two sympathetic individuals.
4. Voice
a. Try to use your voice as expressively as you would in normal conversation.
b. Make a conscious effort to speak up, slow down, and project clearly.
c. Concentrate on projecting your voice to the back of the room and fight against
racing through your speech.

Advantages of Extemporaneous Speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)

1. It gives more precise control over thought and language.
2. It offers greater spontaneity and directness.
3. It is adaptable to a wide range of situations.
4. It also encourages the conversational quality audience look for in speech delivery.
5. It appears effortless.
6. It invites bodily movements, gestures, and rapid nonverbal response.

Disadvantages of Extemporaneous Speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)

1. Too much preparation is involved.
2. It is potential for miscommunication because of unpredictable spontaneous word choices.

MANUSCRIPT (OR READ) SPEECH

This written out speech is read in its entirety when delivered. The following situations call for
this kind of speech.

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 1. Ceremonial speeches, such as eulogies, tributes, and awards
2. Political speeches
3. Radio and TV speeches
4. Presentation of a policy

Advantages of Manuscript speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)

1. Generally, the complete manuscript prevents slip of the tongue, poor wording, and distortion
of ideas.
2. It often boosts your confidence as presenter because you are assured of the security of
a manuscript.

Disadvantages of Manuscript speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)

Disadvantages usually outweigh the advantages, however, since while using a manuscript
might make you, the speaker, feel more confident, your delivery often suffers. Among the problems
you encounter when resorting to a read or manuscript speech are the following (Lull & Coopman,
2012):

1. Manuscripts frequently reduce eye contact because you are more focused on reading
rather than observing the audience.
2. It hinders audience adaptation. As you read, you usually fail to watch the audience; this makes
it quite difficult for you to observe audience feedback, so you fail to give them the required
suitable response.
3. Reading limits your use of gestures to emphasize or illustrate points.
4. Vocal variety may also be lacking because you read the bulk of your presentation.
5. The pacing of the presentation may become too rapid or too slow, and instead of
sounding conversational, your speech may sound like an essay being read.
6. To minimize the problems of a manuscript delivery, take note of these tips and follow them.
a. Write the speech word-for-word in an oral style, using short sentences and fragments
and incorporating strategies, such as personalized language and rhetorical questions
that help you connect with the audience and avoid very formal, unnatural language.
b. Rehearse by reading each sentence aloud several times, absorbing the meaning of
each phrase to allow you to use the much-needed appropriate nonverbal language.
c. Read the entire manuscript aloud and decide which ideas need emphasis (highlight
or underline them) and where you want to pause (use slash) to achieve this
emphasis.
d. Read the manuscript again, emphasizing words, pausing, and looking up as much as
possible for audience feedback. Go back and change any wording that does not sound like
you are actually speaking.

MEMORIZED SPEECH
It is a speech that you as speaker needs to deliver by rote. Memorization can be useful when the
message has to be exact to avoid any misunderstanding, and when the speaker does not want to be
confined by notes.

This type of speech is utilized in situations like the following.

1. Oratorical competitions
2. Presentation og high-level awards
3. Welcoming very important dignitaries
4. Political speeches
5. Banquet speeches

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Advantages of Memorized Speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)
1. It permits maximum use of your delivery skills; every variation in the voice can be
mastered, every oral paragraph stated in correct cadence, and every word correctly
pronounced at the right volume.
2. You can have continuous eye contact.
3. Bodily movements and gestures are free.
4. While the memorized method does not eliminate your trying to recall or search for the
next word, you are simply searching your memory instead of notes or manuscripts.

Disadvantages of Memorized Speech (Lull & Coopman, 2012)

1. It permits little or no adaptation during delivery. You are likely to focus more on the
internalized (or memorized) manuscript than on the listeners. If the audience appears to have
missed a point, you have difficulty in explaining the point in greater detail.
2. Recovery is more difficult if you make a mistake. If you forget a line, you have to search for
the exact place where you dropped your line.
3. For beginning speakers, the presentation sounds memorized; the wording is too smooth,
the pacing too contrived and the presentation is too much of a performance instead of a
communicative experience.
4. It takes substantial time to prepare and memorize.

Like any of the other speech types discussed based on the mode of delivery, there are also
remedies or tips that you can bear in mind for an effective memorized delivery.
1. Write your talk on its entirety, again using oral style. You can aid your memory by using
vivid, easy-to-recall language, such as alliterated main points or parallel wording.
2. Commit your speech to memory line by line first, and then chunk by chunk. As you rehearse
a line, think about its meaning to help you learn it by rote and remember it more easily.
3. Practice speaking conversationally as if you are talking to each audience member
individually every time you repeat what you memorize.
4. Finally, take note cards with key terms to the podium in case you find yourself forgetting.

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