Discuss several ways to establish a source's credibility during a speech. Then choose a well-known authority on a particular subject (an author, historian, attorney, scientist, educator, government official, etc.) and explain how you would introduce the testimony of this expert in a speech

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Even when speakers use the testimony of a well-known professional or a worldwide celebrity, they still need to establish their source’s credibility, to demonstrate to the audience that this individual is in fact an expert authority. And the same goes for a lesser-known person who gives an eyewitness account – they must show that this eyewitness is believable. Here are three ways to establish the credibility of the source: 1) Stress the competency of the person – recognize that even a world-famous expert may not be known to the audience, explain the person’s competence, and prepare the audience to accept what this person says. 2) Stress the unbiased nature of the testimony – make sure the audience sees that the testimony is fair, accurate, and presented in a neutral way. 3) Stress the recency of the testimony – show the audience that the source’s information is recent and up to date. Specific examples will vary.