ABSTRACT
Your ability to decide is one of the most significant skills you can learn in your life. So, instead of being overwhelmed and immobilized by unlimited options, whether it’s selecting a speech topic or a life mate, you need to be able to decide. Those who have trouble or are unwilling to make decisions in this life will suffer, whether it’s deciding on a speech topic or a life mate.
This chapter will address the importance of speech topic selection and the process by which a speaker may select a topic. The brainstorming technique is presented as a helpful method of generating speech topics. Determining your speaking purpose, specific purpose, and main points of a speech will also be explained. Finally, four areas of audience analysis, audience interest, knowledge, attitude, and demographics, are explored. Intercultural sensitivity, audience gathering techniques, and a speaker’s request form will also be presented.
