The Guide to Speechmaking helps you build a speech for your presentation. Go through the guide in the following order:

Glossaries

Rhetorical Figures:

1. Situation and message

2. Brainstorm

3. Arguments and proof

4. Background 

5. Ways to begin and end a speech

6. Write the speech

1. Situation and Message

Go through the list of questions and write your answers:

1. What is your subject?
2. What is your message?
3. How do you want your audience to feel / what do you want them to do?
4. How much time do you have?

Go to top of page

2. Brainstorm

1. Collect data, figures, latest developments, interesting facts and any relevant information that would fascinate or surprise the audience.
2. Let your mind play freely on all facets of the chosen subject.
3. Jot down flashes of ideas, phrases, thoughts and interesting remarks.
4. Do not select or reject any idea at this stage.

Go to top of page

3. Arguments and proofs

Make a list of the arguments you could use and consider the following:

1. Is there anything you have to defend? If yes, what?
2. What is the main argument?
3. Which arguments are the most important?
4. Use the examples, facts, proof,  quotations, references you have collected to support your arguments?

Go to top of page

4. Background

The point of the background section is to create the right mood for your speech. Answering the following questions might help:

1. What background information suits your arguments?
2. What background information might illustrate your message?
3. From whose perspective do you want to describe the background?

Go to top of page

5. Introduction and ending

It is important to catch the attention of the audience from the very first. Think of an attention catching, sparkling, luring line of opening, for example:

1. A claim ("It is wrong to ..")
2. A description of the opposite situation.
3. A historical example (" I think you all remember..").
4. A personal example (" I would like to tell you about something that happened to me oce.").
5. A question ("Have you ever considered...")
6. A quotation ("As X once said..").

Think of a momentous, impact-making, memorable punch-line for closing. You might:

1. Make a reference to your introduction.
2. Repeat key arguments and restate your message.
3. Challenge the audience to some kind of response.

Go to top of page

6. Write the speech

Now you are ready to write your speech. It should be structured the following way:

1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Message
4. Argumnents and proof
5. Ending