Sample 2B: Speech to Inform with Visuals

Name: Matt Kelso

Audience Analysis

Answer in complete sentences and use examples from your audience analysis questions.

1. How much does your audience already know about your topic and how will you design your speech regarding their level of knowledge? Everyone knows a little bit about fire, but most don’t know how to start one without the luxury of matches and lighters. I will try to focus the majority of the speech on information they don’t already know.
2. How much interest did the audience have in your topic? How will you make the topic interesting to them? A couple audience members were avid outdoorsmen who didn’t seem that interested, but several others seemed anxious to improve their fire skills. I’ll try to maintain interest by stressing how useful fire-starting skills are for everyone.
3. What is your audience’s attitude regarding your topic? How will you address that attitude in your speech? Only a couple seemed turned off by the topic, while the majority seemed curious and open to it. I will feed that curiosity with useful information.
4. How will the audience demographics (not what you learned on your Audience Analysis) impact the development of your speech? Most members of the audience are typical, college-aged students from North Idaho. This implies that they are somewhat interested in the outdoors and will find themselves camping, hunting, etc. at some time in the near future.

Title: Man’s Best Tool

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about fire

Introduction

1. Grab Attention: (magnesium block demonstration) These little sparks that you see have mesmerized mankind throughout history. Imagine a world without heat, cooked food, boiled water, and light sources after dark. Fire provides all of this and more.
2. Relate to Audience: Everyone in this class will at some time use fire for enjoyment, cooking, and possible survival. It is extremely important that we all know how to effectively create a fire with the tools available to us in any given circumstance.
3. Relate to Self (Establish Credibility): Obviously, I’m an outdoors fanatic, and as such I have created literally hundreds of fires. Last year I took a survival course that taught me how to make a fire from scratch using primitive sources.
4. Central Idea: Fire-building knowledge is crucial for everyone and could even save a life.
5. Specific Purpose: I want to inform you about fire today.
6. Preview Main Points: I’ll do that by covering…
   1. The various uses of fire
   2. Both modern and primitive methods to create fire
   3. Steps needed to create a successful and safe fire

Transition to #I: Let’s begin by discussing the history of fire use.

Speech Body

1. Our history has shown many uses for fire.
   1. Fire has been used for cooking and as a heat source.
   2. Fire has been used in blacksmithing.
   3. Many myths and stories have been created around the subject of fire.

Transition to #II: Fire has obviously played a huge role throughout the history of mankind, but let’s turn to examining the different methods for its creation.

2. Fire can be created by using a number of methods.
   1. Primitive methods, such as magnesium flint and a bow drill, are still used today.
   2. Some modern methods include matches, lighters, lenses, or batteries. (AAA Wilderness Survival)
   3. Both sources require the use of good tinder material as the starting point.

Transition to #III: Now that we know how to create a fire, let’s look into the steps needed to create a successful and safe fire.

3. Creating a successful and safe fire is essential.
   1. The teepee and log cabin style are both easy and safe.
   2. Use a shovel to clear a patch of land on which to build it.
   3. For safety purposes, always stay with your fire and maintain it.
   4. A fire of any size should be extinguished thoroughly. (Ken Long)

Signal End: It is now time to extinguish this speech.

Conclusion

1. Restate Central Idea: Fire-building knowledge is crucial to each and every one of you.
2. Recap Main Points: Today, we have discussed the importance of fire and its various uses. We have gone over some basic ways to create a fire with limited resources available, and we have discussed how to build a safe fire and extinguish it properly.
3. Clincher: There is only so much experience you can get from learning about fire, but to really hone your skills it takes nothing but repetition, practice, and experimentation. Now get out there and let your pyro side run wild!

Works Cited

“AAA Wilderness Survival: How to Light a Fire.” GeoCities.com. n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018. “Fire.” ComingBackAlive.com. n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.

Long, Ken. Fire Chief. Personal Interview. 3 Nov. 2018.

“The Truth About the History of Fire.” Buzzle.com. n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.