Deck 6: Choosing a Topic and Developing a Strategy

Question 1

Commitment to a cause, reputation, and occasion are situational constraints that help you __________.

A) select a topic
B) select purpose
C) analyze the audience
D) make a strategic decision

Answer 1

select a topic

Question 2

Controversial topics need to be addressed __________.

A) with respect for the audience and the rhetorical situation
B) with strong conviction by the speaker
C) with caution by the speaker
D) without concern for the rhetorical situation

Answer 2

with respect for the audience and the rhetorical situation

Question 3

Walt wanted to give a five-minute informative speech about the causes and consequences of the federal budget deficit. Unfortunately, this topic is not __________.

A) appropriate in scope
B) important to the speaker
C) suitable for oral delivery
D) clear

Answer 3

appropriate in scope

Question 4

Topics with elaborate arguments or highly technical information should be avoided because they are not __________.

A) appropriate for oral delivery
B) appropriate for an informative speech
C) worthy of listeners' time
D) important to the speaker

Question 5

You should select a speech topic that is __________.

A) important to you and interesting to the audience
B) popular
C) controversial
D) easily researched

Question 6

Jamal considered three potential speech topics: Rock & Roll from its Birth to the Present, The Influence of British Rock on American Rock, or The Work of the Beatles. Which criterion should he use to select the best topic?

A) clarity
B) appropriateness for written delivery
C) self-interest
D) appropriateness of scope

Question 7

Which of the following should you ask yourself in a personal inventory?

A) What are my unusual interests?
B) What are my audience members' dislikes/likes?
C) How am I different from my audience?
D) Which of my experiences are generalizable?

Question 8

A good way to ensure that your topic will be important to you and interesting to the audience is to __________.

A) get some ideas from classmates
B) browse the Web
C) consider the universal audience
D) conduct a personal inventory

Question 9

Conducting a personal inventory is a strategy for __________.

A) selecting a topic
B) creating a strategic plan
C) researching the topic
D) brainstorming

Question 10

Brainstorming to identify potential speech topics is a strategy for __________.

A) conducting a personal inventory
B) critical thinking
C) choosing a good topic
D) narrowing the scope of the topic

Question 11

Developing a strategic plan allows the speaker to __________.

A) respond to the rhetorical situation
B) create a rhetorical situation
C) speak at the rhetorical situation
D) create a specific situation

Question 12

Which of the following are two primary opportunities that arise with each speaking situation?

A) agenda setting and ethos establishment
B) personal analysis and strategic planning
C) information advantage and audience analysis
D) personal inventory and inducing action

Question 13

Caleb knew that his fellow union members opposed a plan to cut overtime at the plant, but he wanted them to view it more positively. He planned to discuss the likelihood that the plant would close altogether if payroll costs were not reduced. His purpose was to __________.

A) provide new information or perspective
B) set an agenda
C) strengthen commitment
D) weaken commitment

Question 14

During strategic planning, you will engage in __________.

A) identifying the purpose, constraints, opportunities, and means
B) identifying the topic, means, specific purpose, and organizational pattern
C) identifying the rhetorical situation, the occasion, and the speaker
D) identifying the thesis, purpose, constraints, and opportunities

Question 15

A speech designed to prompt the audience to think about an issue that they had previously ignored has the purpose of __________.

A) creating a positive feeling
B) agenda setting
C) inducing a specific action
D) strengthening commitment

Question 16

The famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream," is an example of a speech with the purpose to __________.

A) provide new information or perspective
B) set an agenda
C) strengthen commitment
D) weaken commitment

Question 17

Michelle, an advocate for women's rights, used her persuasive speech to urge her classmates to participate in the campus "Take Back the Night" event. Her purpose was to __________.

A) set an agenda
B) strengthen a feeling
C) strengthen a commitment
D) induce a specific action

Question 18

As the chair of the United Way campaign, Maggie wanted to convince all her coworkers that civic engagement was an important goal for the company. Her purpose was to __________.

A) set an agenda
B) strengthen commitment
C) weaken a feeling
D) induce a specific action

Question 19

In the strategic planning process, your ethos is a(n) __________.

A) constraint
B) opportunity
C) means
D) exigence

Question 20

The most important opportunity arising from a rhetorical situation is that __________.

A) you have a captive audience
B) you have done a thorough audience analysis
C) you have an information advantage over your audience
D) only you know your real purpose

Question 21

The final step in strategic planning is to __________.

A) determine your purpose
B) identify constraints
C) identify opportunities
D) select the means

Question 22

When Hugh wrote, "I want my listeners to replace their high-fat foods for healthier options," he was writing a ________ for his speech.

A) general purpose statement
B) general thesis statement
C) specific purpose statement
D) specific thesis statement

Question 23

"I want to get no less than a B on my speech," Ashley states as a desired outcome; however, this is not a proper purpose statement because it is not __________.

A) a single idea
B) precise
C) focused on the audience
D) free of vague language

Question 24

The specific purpose statement clearly identifies the __________.

A) outcome sought from the audience
B) principle claim of the speech
C) central idea of the speech
D) goal of the assignment

Question 25

An analysis of the issues implied in your thesis statement enables you to __________.

A) determine what points the speech must cover
B) broaden and stretch your supporting material
C) create the transitions
D) create an attention getter

Question 26

Speech topics are chosen for the speaker by the audience.

Question 27

For many students, choosing a topic is the most difficult part of the speech-making process.

Question 28

Topics that have been addressed many times are not appropriate to the rhetorical situation.

Question 29

A speech topic that cannot be adequately discussed in the time allowed is not appropriate in scope.

Question 30

The final step in selecting a good topic is to conduct a personal inventory.

Question 31

Conducting a personal inventory is a good method for selecting a topic. It involves looking through all your old notes to determine which topics you have the most information about.

Question 32

Agenda-setting speeches get listeners to think about issues they had previously ignored.

Question 33

When your audience knows about a topic but is unfamiliar with the details, the best purpose to focus on is agenda setting.

Question 34

A good purpose statement reveals the issues that must be addressed in the speech.

Question 35

Analyzing the topic to identify issues is essential to deciding what the speech must cover.

Question 36

To know your speech purpose, you need to know your __________.

Question 37

Topics that are frivolous or trivial are not worthy of the listeners' __________.

Question 38

Topics that are complex, technical, or abstract may not be appropriate for __________ delivery.

Question 39

When stuck for a topic idea, a speaker can use __________, a mental exercise in which one creates an uncensored list of all the things that come to mind about a given term or category.

Question 40

__________ is the Greek term for "commonplaces" or general headings for subject matter.

Question 41

__________ is the outcome the speaker wishes to achieve, the response desired from the audience.

Question 42

The purpose of a speech that causes people to think about a topic that they previously knew nothing about is called _____________.

Question 43

__________ involves the replacement of one set of beliefs with another set that is inconsistent with the first.

Question 44

A __________ statement identifies the central idea or claim that will be established and supported in a speech.

Question 45

An __________ is a question raised by the thesis statement that must be addressed for the thesis to be effectively supported.

Question 46

What are the criteria for a good topic, and why are they important?

Question 47

Define the seven speech purposes discussed in your book and identify the unique characteristics of each. Write a purpose statement representing each purpose.

Question 48

What are the five sources of constraints? Explain how they affect the speaker's choices.

Question 49

Suppose you were asked to speak at your uncle's 75th birthday party as a commemoration of his life's work. Identify and explain the steps you would take in developing and implementing a strategic plan for this speech. Identify the differences between each step.

Question 50

Write a specific purpose statement and a thesis statement for a speech on the general topic of higher education. Explain how the specific purpose statement has all of the important characteristics that are required. Identify at least three issues implied in the thesis statement.