Informative Communication

Informative Communication - - Informative communication generally focuses on talking about people, events, processes, places, or things; however, informing an audience about one of these subjects without being persuasive is often a difficult task to complete. When people share knowledge about the world in which they live, they are participating in the process of informative communication. Objective The main objective of an informative speech is to provide information regarding a specific topic the audience knows nothing about. It may demonstrate how to use a new type of software, explain a new concept in the field of science, describe a business proposal, define a drafting activity or provide details about a person of interest that the listeners want to learn more about. Informative Speech The topics covered in an informative speech should help the audience to understand a subject better and to remember what they learned later. The goal of this type of speech is not to control the audience to the speaker’s point of view, instead the details need to be laid before the audience so that they can make an educated decision or learn about a subject they are concerned in. Reminder However, it is important for the speaker to think about how this information will be presented. An informative speech should depend less on pathos, which is an appeal to the emotions of the audience. As an alternative, an informative speech might rely on visual aids, for instance, in order to give the audience a visual representation of important information contained in the speech. Providing the information in multiple forms during the speech increases the likelihood that the audience will retain the information included in the speech. Types of Informative Communication Informative speech is one that informs the audience, however, as should be clear; this general definition demonstrates that there are many ways to inform an audience. Therefore, there are several types of informative speeches, but the main types of informative speeches include definition, descriptive, explanatory, and demonstrative. Descriptive Speech - - A descriptive speech creates a vivid picture in a person’s mind concerning an object, person, animal, or place. As the saying of J. Thomas goes, “Pictures are worth a thousand words. Informing through description entails creating verbal pictures for your audience. Description is also an important part of informative speeches that use a spatial organizational pattern since you need to convey the layout of a space or concept. Good descriptions are based on good observations, as they transfer what is taken in through senses and answer these types of questions: What did that look like? Smell like? Sound like? Feel like? Taste like? Description If descriptions are vivid and well written, they can actually invoke a sensory response from your audiences. For Example, Your mouth will probably begin to salivate when asked to imagine biting into a fresh, huge, mouthwatering hamburger. By describing it, your audience may be transported to a setting or situation through your given descriptions. Demonstrative Speech    A demonstration / demonstrative speech explains how to do something. If you have ever sat through a lecture where an educator explained how to create a bibliography, then you have heard a demonstration speech. Like most informative speeches, a how-to speech will possibly use visual examples that show the audience how to move from step to step through a particular activity. Visualizations help the audience recall what each step looks like, increasing the chance that they will retain the overall information of the speech. A demonstrative speech creates an intellectual image in audience members’ minds. Most people are having a hard time completing a task while speaking, it requires advanced psycho-motor skills that needs to be practiced. Duties suddenly become tougher than we assume when we have an audience. Have you ever had to type while people are reading along with you? Even though we type all the time, even one extra set of eyes seems to make our fingers more clumsy than usual. TV chefs are excellent examples of speakers who often inform through demonstration. While numerous of them make the process of speaking while cooking look effortless, it took much practice in order to execute their speeches. Explanatory Speech Explanatory speeches explain, describe, and inform the audience about a given topic. Naturally they focus on the "how and why" rather than just telling them about a subject. This leaves the audience with a deeper understanding of the subject matter rather than just a summary. This method of informing may be useful when a topic is too complex or abstract to demonstrate. When presenting complex information make sure to break the topic up into adaptable units, avoid information overload, and include examples that make the content significant to the audience. Definition Speech A definition speech explains the meaning, theory, or philosophy of a specific topic that the audience likely does not know much about. The topics may be general, such as a sport, or very specific, like a particular person. The main objective of this speech is to educate the audience for them to understand the main points of this subject. There are several ways a speaker can inform through definition: synonyms and antonyms, use or purpose, example, and etymology (Verderber, 1991). Defining a concept using a synonym or an antonym is a short and effective way to express the meaning. Synonyms are words that have similar meanings, and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Defining Theme Speakers can also define a theme or a subject by means of examples or cases, which refer to situations that are typical of a larger concept. Citing some examples is good way to repackage information that’s already been presented to help an audience retain and understand the content of a speech. Defining Identifying the use of an object, item, or idea is also a short way of defining. We may think we already know the function of most of the things we interact with regularly. This is true in obvious cases like cars, elevators, and smartphones. But there are many objects and ideas that we may rely on and interact with but not know the use or function. For example, QR codes (or quick response codes) are popping up in magazines, at airports, and even on t-shirts (Vuong, 2011). Subjects of Informative Speeches Informative speeches can cover many subjects as long as they can be talked over without urging or changing the opinions of the spectators. These are the potential subjects for informative speeches: Objects It delivers information about any nonhuman material things. Mechanical objects, animals, plants, and fictional objects are all suitable topics of a study. Identified that this is such a comprehensive type, choose an object that the audience may not be used to or focus on relevant and interesting facts about a familiar object. People It focuses on real or fictional characters who are living or dead. These speeches require in-depth biographical research that will help introduce a new person to the audience or share little-known / surprising information about a person we already know. Although we may already be aware with the accomplishments of historical figures and leaders, audiences often enjoy knowing the “personal side” of their lives. Concepts These are less concrete than speeches about objects or people, as it focuses on ideas or concepts that may be abstract or complicated. A concept can be familiar to us, like equality, or could literally be a foreign concept like qi (or chi), which is the Chinese conception of the energy that flows through our bodies. Events Past occasions or ongoing occurrences are the emphasis of this topic. A particular day in history, an annual observation, or a once in a while occurring event can serve as motivating topics. It is very essential to indicate a backstory for the event but reusing commonly known information should be avoided. Procedures/Process A step-by-step account of a procedure or natural occurrence is the main subject of this topic. Speakers may walk an audience through, or demonstrate, a series of activities that happen to complete a procedure. Issues Speeches about issues provide objective and balanced information about a disputed subject or a matter of concerning the society. It is important that speakers view themselves as objective reporters rather than commentators to avoid tipping the balance of the speech from informative to persuasive. Rather than advocating for a particular position, the speaker should seek to teach or raise the awareness of the audience Effective Informative Speaking There are some challenges to overcome to be an effective informative speaker. They include avoiding persuasion, avoiding information overload, and engaging your audience. Avoiding Persuasion Avoid the thought of informing and influencing as it’s either one or the other (Olbricht, 1968). Most persuasive speeches depend on some degree of informing to prove the reasoning. And informative speeches, although meant to secure the understanding of an audience, may influence audience members’ beliefs, attitudes, values, or behaviors. Speakers can look to three areas to help determine if their speech is more informative or persuasive: speaker purpose, function of information, and audience perception (Verderber, 1991). Speaker’s Purpose A speaker’s purpose should be to create understanding by sharing objective, factual information. Specific purpose and thesis statements help establish a speaker’s goal and purpose and can serve as useful reference points to keep a speech on track. Information should function to clarify and explain in an informative speech. Supporting materials shouldn’t function to prove a thesis or to provide reasons for an audience to accept the thesis, as they do in persuasive speeches. Audience Perception Audience’s perception of the information and the speaker helps determine whether a speech is classified as informative or persuasive. The audience must perceive that the information being presented is not controversial or disputed which will lead audience members to view the information as factual. The audience must also accept the speaker as a credible source of information. Avoiding Information Overload Many informative speakers tend to pack a ten-minute speech with as much information as possible. This can result in information overload, which is a barrier to effective listening that occurs when a speech contains more information than an audience can process. Continuation Audience members cannot conduct their own review while listening to a speaker live. Unlike readers, listener members can’t review words over and over (Verderber, 1991). Therefore, competent speakers, especially informative speakers who are trying to teach their audience something, should adapt their message to a listening audience. To help avoid information overload, adapt your message to make it more listenable. Avoiding Information overload Avoiding information overload requires a speaker to be a good translator of information. Comparing an unfamiliar concept with something familiar, give examples from real life, connect your information to current events or popular culture, or supplement supporting material like statistics with related translations of that information are some of the best strategies that can be used to convey your message. Engaging Your Audience As a speaker, competing for the attention of the audience against other internal and external provocations is your main barrier. Getting an audience involved and then keeping their attention is a challenge for any speaker, but it can be mainly difficult when speaking to inform. Some speakers fall into the trap of thinking that their content knowledge is enough to sustain them through an informative speech or that their position in an organization means that an audience will listen to them and appreciate their information despite their delivery. Effective Speaker Content expertise is not enough to be an effective speaker. Having well-researched and organized supporting material is an important part of effective informative speaking, but having good content is not enough. A person must also have spoken expertise (Verderber, 1991).