CATA 101 - Fundamentals of Communication

Dr. Lee McGaan  

  Office:  WH 308  (ph. 457-2155);  email:  lee@monm.edu
  Home:  418 North Sunny Lane (ph. 734-5431)

Fall 2008 Office Hours:  MWF: 9-10am & 11am-1pm; TTh: 10:30am-noon; & by apt.  |       copyright (c) by Lee McGaan, 2008

General Structure of the Speeches
  1. THE SUBJECT:
    1. Narrow your topic (eventually) to what could be handled in a 12-20 page term paper.  In any one speech 2-4 main points is all you can do effectively.
    2. Each speech will need a specific topic, a thesis and a specific purpose - ideally each of your speeches will build on the previous one.
    3. REMEMBER: you are not required to cover everything about your subject -- even everything about your narrowed topic. You can't give a good speech and cover a great deal of information. Doing a good job on a limited set of points is far better than doing a superficial job on a broader topic!!!
    4. Consider the audience. You want to tell us NEWS about your issue while not going over our heads.
  2. SPEECH 1 -- THE STATUS QUO [Expository]
    1. You don't have to follow this structure, but see me if you have another idea.
    2. The goal of the first speech is to explain the current state of affairs regarding your topic. Eventually you will be trying to persuade us that some change is needed. For that to work we need to know where we are now.
    3. Some ways to do that:
      1. Explain current policy, law, etc. and how it is working (structure function).
      2. Explain the history of the issue -- how we got to the present (chronological).
      3. Explain what's going on with your issue now and why it is a hot topic now (cause and effect).
      4. Don't slide into Speech 2, "Issues" here.
  3. SPEECH 2 -- THE ISSUES [Informative]
    1. The goal of the second speech is to lay out the principal arguments and problems regarding your topic that are currently being discussed as important.
    2. You want us to understand the nature of the controversy but you don't want to persuade us that one side is right.
    3. Some ways to do that:
      1. Topical issues (Pro or Con or multiple sides)
      2. Topical problem/solution
      3. Case study
  4. SPEECH 3 -- POLICY PERSUASION
    1. The goal of the third speech is to present a plan of action that solves some problem related to your AND persuade us it should be adopted
    2. You will have some latitude in this speech to select an audience different from (and more suitable for your purpose than) CATA 101.
    3. Some ways to do that: -- to be covered later (see text for ideas)
      1. Motivated Sequence
      2. Inspirational Model
      3. Pro - Con

Last updated 10/6/2006