Discuss how these three principles of informative speaking can make a speech more effective and understandable:

limit information, adjust complexity, and vary abstraction level.

What will be an ideal response?


Of the seven principles of informative speaking, these three involve specific techniques to make speeches clearer, simpler, and more understandable. Answers will vary, but should cover the following: 1) Limit the amount of information – resist the temptation to overload listeners with too many ideas; go for depth rather than breadth, that is, narrow the focus to a few items and cover them thoroughly. 2) Adjust the level of complexity – use familiar language and keep things simple but interesting by considering audience knowledge, time restraints, purpose, subject, and support materials; simplifying a topic too much risks boring or insulting listeners, while making it too complex risks confusing or totally losing them. 3) Vary the levels of abstraction – combine high abstraction (very general information) with low abstraction (very specific information), which works better than using too much of either type.

Communication & Mass Media

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The placement of secondary or lower-ranking ideas beneath higher-order items in an outline is called _________________

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Communication & Mass Media

Which of the following event leads is most useful to readers?

A. The school board held a meeting on Thursday night at Cherry Hill Elementary. B. Dozens of concerned parents attended a school board meeting at Cherry Hill Elementary on Thursday. C. The school board approved a plan on Thursday night to shorten summer vacation by one week. D. Students were dismayed by what the school board decided at its meeting on Thursday night.

Communication & Mass Media

When you are experiencing stress, all of the following occur EXCEPT

A) The emotional site of your brain shuts down so the thinking site of your brain can take over. B) Your brain enters a hyperalert state. C) Your body becomes flooded with cortisol. D) You experience strong survival instincts. E) Resources are channeled away from your working memory to other parts of your brain.

Communication & Mass Media

In an informative speech, the speaker informs the audience about potential options available to them; persuasive speakers on the other hand

a. ask the audience to make a choice. b. teach the audience about the topic. c. focus on the goals of understanding and remembering. d. ask the audience their opinion.

Communication & Mass Media