Gathering Materials

1. Your own knowledge and experience can help select a topic.

A. We usually speak best about topics we know about.

B. You can add some personal experience and add color and emotion to your speech.
2. Interviewing people with knowledge for speech.

A. Before the interview. 1)who do you want to interview (official/person). 2)Interviewing person at office or your turf. 3)advantages of using a tape recorder... a)you can listen and ask rather than write. b)tape recorder gets exact statement. 4)disadvantages of using a tape recorder. a)person feels uncomfortable. b)takes time to go back and listen to tape. c)never use a tape recorder without permission.

B. During the interview. 1)Dress appropriately and show up on time. 2)restate the purpose of the interview. 3)Ask the proper questions and ask good follow-up questions by listening and ask at end "do you have anything else."

C. After the interview. 1)Review the notes as quickly as possible. 2)Start putting together your main points.

3. Library Research.

A. Ask the librarians.

B. Check out the card Catalogues. C. The Reference section-Encyclopedias, Yearbooks, annual publications...Dictionaries....Newspapers...Journal articles. D. Computerized Research Services. 1)the internet. 2)the search services at the Cameron Library.

A. Begin early. 1)especially if you plan to interview. 2)so you can think about a proper topic.

B. Make a preliminary Bibliography of your topic. 1)so you will have time to look for each and make sure it is there.

C. Take Notes Efficiently. 1)record your notes on index cards. 2)use only one card per idea. 3)take plenty of notes.

D. Think about your materials as you research. 1)Keep the audience in mind when gathering material and other mechanical problems like length of speech, time to prepare speech, etc.

Application Exercise for Chapter 6

1) do an interview...get a student to conduct an interview with another student.