STRUCTURE OF IMPROMPTU

A good speech always has three distinct parts--an introduction, the body of the speech, and a conclusion. While an impromptu speech may sacrifice some of the quality of a normal speech due to limited preparation time, it still contains these basic requirements.

The Introduction--Before a speaker can develop an adequate introduction for an impromptu speech, it is useful to review the purposes for an introduction. An introduction serves to light a fire under the audience and motivate them to listen. It provides the thesis statement to direct the content of the rest of the speech. It provides the basic organization, which sets up the direction for the rest of the speech. And, in the case of impromptu speaking, it also provides the speaker with a little extra time to do some thinking about additional content to be developed as the speech progresses.

With these purposes in mind, an impromptu speaker will generally begin with some kind of epigram--for example, a story, a joke, a quotation or an analogy--which has as its main theme the basic point the speaker has decided to make in the speech. The speaker will then explain this point as a means of setting up the thesis statement, which is presented next. After the thesis statement, an impromptu speaker will generally provide a preview of the main ideas which will be developed in the body of the speech. A speaker will use between 2 and 5 of these ideas, with 3 being the most common. This preview helps structure the speech by providing the judge with the organization which will be used in the body of the speech. It also helps the speaker remember the ideas to be developed. By following the simple 'roadmap' the speaker has established in the preview, the speaker provides direction and purpose to the rest of the speech. If the areas are chosen well, they help the speaker logically develop the point provided in the thesis statement.

Some speakers choose to omit the preview. Instead, they develop the areas of the speech as they unfold during presentation, but without the prediction and roadmapping provided by a normal preview. They do so because this structure allows more flexibility (what happens if you change your mind after presenting a preview?) and because it adds a slight element of surprise since the preview gives away the conclusion you will try to reach from the start. While this method has some slight advantages, it is also more difficult and is not recommended for beginning speakers.

The Body of the Speech--The speaker then makes a transition into the first of the three areas of the body of the speech. In each major area, the speaker will try to offer further analysis by providing subpoints which help to develop this idea. At each step, the speaker will try to include stories, illustrations, quotations and other support material to help the audience understand the point being made, and to make the speech more interesting.

The speaker will then make a transitional statement leading to the second area of the body of the speech and repeat the process followed in the first area. Repeating the process for the third area concludes the development of the body of the speech.

Many speakers will use standard patterns for the organizational structure of the body of the speech. For example, on some subjects, impromptu speakers might use the 'pro-con-opinion' pattern. With this organizational structure, the speaker presents reasons in favor of some controversial idea as the first major area of the body of the speech, reasons against the idea as the second area, and develops his/her own personal opinion on the issue as the third area of the speech. Other standard patterns include the 'past-present-future' pattern, and the 'causes-effects-solutions' pattern. Many experienced speakers develop their own patterns, adapting them to the specific requirements provided by changing topics. And many choose a standard third area in which they apply the issue raised by the topic to our own lives. They do this because the ballot for impromptu speaking asks the judge to rate the speaker on how well s/he applies the material to real life.

The Conclusion--The third and final component of a speech is the conclusion. In Impromptu Speaking, the conclusion will usually attempt to do two things: summarize the basic point the speaker has been trying to make, and tie the speech together by referring back to the story or epigram used in the introduction.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 908