General Purpose In A Speech

Defining the Purpose: The Cornerstone of a Powerful Speech

Finding your general purpose is the crucial first step in crafting a truly impactful speech. It's the underlying reason why you're speaking, the overarching goal you aim to achieve with your words. Without a clear general purpose, your speech will likely wander, lack focus, and fail to resonate with your audience. This article will delve deep into understanding and defining your general purpose, providing you with the tools and knowledge to construct speeches that inform, persuade, or entertain with maximum effect. We'll explore the three main general purposes – to inform, to persuade, and to entertain – and discuss how to identify the most suitable purpose for your specific context.

Understanding the Three Main General Purposes

Before diving into the nuances of each purpose, let's establish the core trio:

To Inform: The primary goal is to educate the audience, providing them with new knowledge or a deeper understanding of a particular topic. This type of speech focuses on clarity, accuracy, and the effective presentation of factual information.
To Persuade: This aims to influence the audience's beliefs, attitudes, or actions. Persuasive speeches require strong arguments, compelling evidence, and a skillful approach to address potential counterarguments.
To Entertain: The objective here is to engage the audience and provide them with enjoyment. While entertainment speeches might include informational or persuasive elements, the primary focus remains on creating a pleasant and engaging experience.

Often, a speech will blend these purposes. A motivational speech, for example, might aim to both persuade the audience to adopt a new mindset and entertain them with inspiring stories. However, one purpose should always take precedence to ensure a cohesive and effective presentation.

Identifying Your General Purpose: A Practical Approach

Determining your general purpose requires careful consideration of several factors:

Your Audience: Who are you speaking to? Their background, knowledge level, and expectations will significantly influence your choice of purpose. A speech to experts will differ vastly from one aimed at a general audience.
Your Topic: What are you speaking about? Some topics naturally lend themselves to informative speeches (e.g., a scientific discovery), while others are better suited for persuasion (e.g., advocating for a policy change) or entertainment (e.g., a humorous anecdote).
Your Occasion: Where and why are you speaking? A commencement address will likely prioritize inspiration and motivation (persuasion and entertainment), while a conference presentation might focus on sharing new research (informing).
Your Desired Outcome: What do you hope to achieve with your speech? Do you want your audience to learn something new, change their minds, or simply enjoy themselves? This desired outcome directly reflects your general purpose.

Let's illustrate this with examples:

Scenario 1: You're a scientist presenting research at a scientific conference. Your general purpose is clearly to inform, sharing your findings and contributing to the field's knowledge.
Scenario 2: You're a political candidate giving a campaign speech. Your general purpose is to persuade, convincing the audience to vote for you.
Scenario 3: You're a comedian performing a stand-up routine. Your general purpose is to entertain, making your audience laugh and enjoy your performance.

Deep Dive into Each General Purpose

Now, let's examine each general purpose in greater detail, exploring the strategies and techniques involved in achieving them:

1. Informative Speeches: The Art of Clear Communication

Informative speeches aim to enhance the audience's understanding of a topic. Success hinges on clarity, accuracy, and engaging presentation. Key strategies include:

Clear and Concise Language: Avoid jargon and technical terms unless your audience is familiar with them. Use simple, precise language to ensure everyone understands.
Logical Organization: Structure your speech with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Use transitions to smoothly guide the audience through the information. Consider using patterns like chronological order, spatial order, topical order, or comparative/contrast.
Supporting Evidence: Back up your claims with credible evidence, such as statistics, examples, anecdotes, and expert opinions. This enhances credibility and strengthens your message.
Visual Aids: Employ visual aids like charts, graphs, images, or videos to enhance understanding and maintain audience engagement. These tools can significantly improve retention.
Audience Engagement Techniques: Incorporate rhetorical questions, interactive elements, or storytelling to keep your audience actively involved and prevent information overload.

Examples of informative speech topics:

The history of a particular event
The workings of a specific technology
The benefits of a healthy lifestyle
The life cycle of a butterfly

2. Persuasive Speeches: The Power of Influence

Persuasive speeches aim to change the audience's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Effective persuasive speeches require a strong understanding of your audience and the art of rhetoric. Key strategies include:

Strong Thesis Statement: Clearly state your position or argument early on. This provides a focal point for your entire speech.
Compelling Arguments: Develop logical and well-supported arguments to persuade your audience. Use evidence, reasoning, and examples to support your claims.
Appeals to Logic (Logos), Emotion (Pathos), and Ethics (Ethos): Employ all three persuasive appeals effectively. Logos uses reason and logic, pathos connects with emotions, and ethos establishes credibility.
Addressing Counterarguments: Acknowledge and address potential counterarguments to demonstrate fairness and strengthen your own position. This shows you've considered different perspectives.
Call to Action: Conclude with a clear call to action, encouraging the audience to take a specific step. This could be signing a petition, donating to a cause, or changing their behavior.

Examples of persuasive speech topics:

Advocating for a new environmental policy
Convincing people to adopt a healthier lifestyle
Persuading an audience to support a particular charity
Promoting a new product or service

3. Entertaining Speeches: The Joy of Engagement

Entertaining speeches aim to provide enjoyment and engagement for the audience. Humor, storytelling, and captivating delivery are key components. Key strategies include:

Humor: Use relevant and appropriate humor to lighten the mood and create a connection with the audience. Avoid offensive or insensitive jokes.
Storytelling: Share engaging stories that relate to your topic and resonate with the audience. Stories create memorable connections.
Wit and Wordplay: Employ clever wordplay, metaphors, and analogies to add spice and interest to your delivery.
Strong Delivery: Your delivery is crucial. Project your voice, maintain eye contact, use appropriate gestures, and vary your tone to keep the audience engaged.
Relevant and Engaging Content: While the focus is entertainment, the content should still be relevant and relatable to the audience.

Examples of entertaining speech topics:

A humorous account of a personal experience
A collection of funny anecdotes
A motivational speech delivered with humor and passion
A toast at a wedding or celebration

Beyond the Three: Hybrid Purposes

Remember, the three primary general purposes – to inform, persuade, and entertain – often intertwine. Many speeches blend elements of all three. A commencement speech, for example, might inform graduates about the challenges ahead, persuade them to pursue their dreams, and entertain them with inspiring stories. The key is to identify the dominant purpose, the central goal that guides the speech's structure and content. This prevents your message from becoming diluted or confusing.

The Importance of Audience Analysis

Regardless of your general purpose, a thorough audience analysis is crucial. Understanding your audience's background, knowledge, beliefs, and expectations will allow you to tailor your speech to resonate with them effectively. Consider factors like age, education level, cultural background, and prior knowledge of the topic.

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Purpose

Defining your general purpose is the foundational step in crafting a powerful and effective speech. By understanding the nuances of informing, persuading, and entertaining, and by carefully considering your audience and the context of your speech, you can create a presentation that achieves its intended outcome and leaves a lasting impression. The clarity of purpose will not only guide your content creation but also enhance your confidence and effectiveness as a speaker. Practice identifying your general purpose for every speech you deliver, and you’ll witness the transformative power of a well-defined goal.