Delivery of an Effective Informative Speech: The Body and Conclusion

An informative speech conveys knowledge and understanding about a particular topic. When developing your speech, focus your speech to fit the time limit. Develop your topic creatively and use colourful descriptive language. In preparing an informative speech, be sure of your specific purpose (to inform) and the central idea based on the topic.

When introducing your speech, try to gain the maximum attention and interest from the audience by orienting listeners to your subject matter. Organise your speech to achieve a particular result with the particular audience in mind. Select an effective method of organisation by limiting and focussing on several main points with supporting details.

Supporting details comprise examples, statistics, and testimony. Examples are used for a specific case to illustrate an idea. Statistics such as mean, mode, and median are used to quantify ideas. Testimony is a quotation or paraphrase used to support a point from a recognised expert. All the sources need to be cited based on a specific format.

To develop a well-organised body of your speech, organise the points based on a specific order such as chronological order, spatial order, causal order, problem-solution order, and topical order. Include transition statements by applying connectives in your speech including transition, internal preview, internal summary, and signpost.

When reaching the end of your speech, be brief (5-10 per cent of the total length of your speech). Signal your conclusion by reinforcing the central idea and ending your conclusion on a strong note or dramatic statement. Try to conclude with a bang, but not a whimper. Below is the basic structure of an informative speech.

Once you have completed the speech outline with all the necessary details, it is advisable to rehearse your speech aloud. Time your speech. You may seek feedback from your friends and family members. A speech can be delivered by reading a fully written manuscript to the audience, memorisation, impromptu presentation with little or no immediate preparation, or extemporaneous presentation from carefully prepared brief notes. To achieve conversational quality, your delivery should sound spontaneous (no matter how often rehearsed).

When delivering your speech, plant your feet and smile at your audience. From the speaker's voice perspective, a speaker needs to speak expressively by focusing on the volume, pitch, rate, pauses, vocal variety, pronunciation, articulation, and dialect. Gesture naturally. Establish and maintain eye contact with the audience. From the speaker's body perspective, personal appearance, movement, gestures, and eye contact are needed. In preparing the Q&A, formulate your answers to all possible questions.

A speech can be created for the audience online or face-to-face in real time. If present online, you need to understand the special nature of an online environment. Know the technology used to facilitate the delivery of your speech, such as certain hardware (computer, mobile phone, camera, microphone, earphone, and headphones) and software (video conferencing, virtual meeting, voice and video recording apps).

Besides, you need the knowledge and skills to control the visual environment, including effective framing while using the camera during your presentation. Adapt nonverbal communication like hand gestures and facial expressions when presenting online. Adjust your pacing to feel like you are moving along with your audience in an online environment. You also need to manage online Q&A sessions, if any. Do your online rehearsal session before the actual presentation and always have a backup plan to prevent unforeseen circumstances.

Based on the speaking test's evaluation criteria, the delivery of ideas must be clear, confident, effective, and articulate to create an effective informative speech. To begin your speech, greet the audience before introducing the topic interestingly. In the introduction, credibility must be established, well-elaborated, and relevant. The topic's background should be clearly explained and well elaborated.

Besides, the central idea should be very clearly stated. In your body of the speech, the main points must be fully supported, clearly stated, and well-structured with supporting points of view, reasons, and relevant examples. Conclude your speech by bringing your speech to a close clearly and effectively. Include recommendations (s) that are acceptable and related to the charts and/or graphs.

To show confidence in delivery, your speech rate, pitch, pause, and volume must be appropriate and conversational, which enhances the message. Your speech needs to be delivered fluently and polishedly, strengthening the speech's impact. Avoid verbal fillers. Keep your pronunciation and articulation appropriate and conversational to enhance the message.

Apply the appropriate gestures and posture that complement the message throughout the speech. Establish strong and direct eye contact with the audience. All aspects of visual aids, including readability, colour scheme, etc., show care for the audience. Effective and articulate ideas can be delivered if they are free of errors and very confident with the language used.

Focus on the appropriate choice of words consistent with the topic and the situation. Terminology should be used consistently. You need to use excellent sentences, which are typical of informative speech. The transitions and signposts need to be used proficiently.

Furthermore, the speaker should adapt delivery to the audience level. This can be attained effectively and appropriately by delivering the ideas to the target audience with increased interest. Moreover, the speaker must demonstrate values and attitudes through appearance and attire most suitable for presentation. The effective division of time for introduction, body, and conclusion should be handled efficiently.

You must present your speech without reading the text, using solid extemporaneous delivery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to do live presentations remotely via Microsoft Teams at their homes. Below are the students' live and pre-recorded presentations, which can be used for self-reflection and reference by other students.

The first video, as shown above, is a compilation of two live recorded presentations during the meeting via Microsoft Teams, in which the students presented their informative speeches. When watching, you can jot down the important points the narrator gave. After watching, you can pose your questions by leaving your comments on YouTube. Your questions will be answered through the replies in the comments below.

The second video was produced by a student who could not perform a live presentation via Microsoft Teams during the meeting. Thus, she pre-recorded a video presentation using her mobile phone within a stipulated time. After watching, you can pose your questions, if any, by leaving your comments on YouTube. Your questions will be answered through the replies in the comments below.

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