Informative Speech

You may download this template and use it to write your speech outline. Please read the italicized instructions; then delete them.

Shelby Hernandez
September 21, 2017
Communication 012

Informative Speech: Audience Assessment

Specific Goal: My audience will understand (or learn or realize or become acquainted with) The benefits of having a pet

Identify in one phrase exactly the ONE meaningful idea you want your audience to understand. You will echo this idea again
in your thesis and finally in your conclusion. You will not say your specific goal out loud.

My Narrowed Topic:
a. Strategy: Ill teach my topic by ___Explanation and description_________ {choose one or two of the following four
strategies for informative speeches: definition/demonstration/explanation/description}.

b. Narrow Focus: The focus of your speech must be narrow enough for a five minute post-hole (narrow but deep) speech.
Narrow your topic twice (choose one of your points and turn that into your entire speech).

Original topic_______Pets_________________
Narrower topic ______________Bond________________
Even narrower topic _________how they make a change in our lives_____ (use this for your speech topic)

Ethos: -Primary Ethos: I have always grown up with pets and I have seen the benefits first hand.

-Secondary Ethos: I will cite ____3___ expert references.

NOTE: A minimum of three references is required. If you chose a number less than three, stop now. Go back and find more
authoritative references. YOU do not count as a reference.

Audience Knowledge Level: Most audience members _______Have some knowledge of the topic ____.
{Choose one of the following: are already familiar with topic; have little knowledge of topic; have never heard of topic)

Adaptation to Audience Knowledge: I will help my audience understand my topic by ___storytelling and present them with
statistics _.
How will you connect with your audiences interests? See the chart about appealing to different learning styles in the
chapter titled Informative Speaking. Use a combination of ethos (credibility and references), logos (left-brain; fact;
statistics), and pathos (right-brain; story; visuals).

Pattern of Organization: Ill use a _____cause-effect______________ pattern of organization.

Identify the informative organizational pattern you used (see the chapter titled Selecting an Organizational Pattern).
Select one: (chronological; spatial; cause-effect; problem-solution; topics)

3 Scholarly Sources: Source #1 that supports this point _____Animal planet ___is credible because _____Animal planet have sources
that are relative to animals____. Source #2 that supports this point __ Valuing the Owner-Pet Relationship in the Counseling Process
__is credible because _____it talks about the pet owner relationship and the statistics. ___. Source #3 that supports this point
_What our Pets Mean to Us__is credible because ___It talks about how important they are in our liv____. Describe how the sources
you have chosen ethically support your points and are credible sources for this audience. For example, if you are talking about
basketball, it may be better to use a quote from Michael Jordan (a famous basketball player from your audiences generation, than a
player who was not famous or played 50 years ago. This does not mean you cannot use sources the audience has not heard of. Just
make sure you share with the audience why this source is credible. For example, Dr. Edith Johnson is the foremost authority on eating
disorders in the United States and run an Eating Disorders Clinic in Ohio.
 Informative Speech: Full Sentence Outline

The benefits of having a pet

Introduction

I. Hook: My Aunt after a bad break up, decided to get a puppy. She went through pretty severe depression and anxiety. However,
when she was taking care of this new puppy named Toke. She had a reason to get up in the morning and see someone who was
happy to see her when she got home. After a year, she realized that she wasnt as depressed or anxious anymore because taking
care of Toke gave her purpose and comfort.

II. Thesis: Having any sort of a pet can create a bond and can have health and emotional benefits.

III. Preview: [List here the two or three points you will cover in your speech. State your preview out loud in your introduction.]
1. Why we have pets
2. What they do for us
3. Relationship

Transition: The reason people have pets is for the company. Instead of living home alone people usually have a pet because they
want someone to be by them, give them love or comfort.

Body
** Include at least one authoritative source, cited out loud, in each main point** Bold your sources.
In each main point, provide variety at least three different types of supporting points. Use some of each: reference, example, mini-
story, testimony, fact, statistic, comparison, historical background, and the like.

I. When it comes to pet ownership, there are proven health benefits for people, including mental and emotional
improvements.
A. Here are some reasons to open your home to a friend and why doing so might be what the doctor ordered.
B. There are some health benefits that pets can help us with and our families.
1. Having a pet at home can lower a child likelihood of developing related allergies by 33 percent.
2. University of Wisconsin-Madison pediatrician James E. Gern has conducted number of studies that
children exposed to early on to animals tend to develop a stronger immune system overall.
C. Pets provide a great means for improving your socialization skills, especially in terms of meeting and interacting with
other pet owners.
1. Dog parks are a great opportunity for both you and your dog to play and interact with other dogs and
owners a like. Just make sure your dog is properly socialized and up to date on all shots before
introducing to other pets.
2. Training classes offer a group class where you will find others trying to master the same pet training
skills.
3. Outdoor cafes with seating options are also pet friendly, and some offer dog-specific items on the
menu.

Transition: Pet owners would agree that pets can fill your heart with love.

II. What our pets mean to us.

A. Owning a pet
1. Australian Womens Weekly Article sent out an online survey about owning a pet. 400 readers too
part on the online survey. The weeklys vet, James Ramsden took a look at some of the result.
2. 76% say they sleep with their pet.
3. 29% say nowhere is out of bound for their pet.
B. Consider our pets as family.
1. 31% see their pet as a child substitute.
2. 15% have knocked back a dinner invite and stayed home to look after their pet.
3. 61% said their pet has helped them through major difficulties.
C. Pets provide satisfaction, affection, understanding, and unconditional love.
Transition: Owners reporting of being attached to companion animals, having an emotional bond, and deriving comfort with the
relationship with the animal.

III. Pet owner wellness

A. Emotional and physical nurturance.
1. The Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 10 participants expressed in some form that pet ownership
had a positive impact on emotional and/or physical nurturance.
2. For example, participants said their pets help them feel good, make them happy, reduce stress, helps
them to relax, and provides emotional support.
B. Friendship and companionship.
1. Some refer to them as a best friend, a buddy, and just always there.
2. one participant stated, shes my best friend, to be honest. I have good friends that are humans, but
its that unconditional love.
C. They bring companionship to our life, constant companionship.

Transition: Let me close by saying having a pet can make life more meaningful. They bring reality for the better and make us feel
more complete as a human.

Conclusion

I. Summarize main points/thesis: Having pets create healthy benefits for us, they become a great friend and make us
become a better person. They help us when we are not having a good day and they make sure we get up every day giving
us a purpose to continue our day to day routine.
II. Bookend: After my Aunt had that bad break up with her ex and keeping the dog, you can see how much of an impact her
dog changed her life for the better.
III. End the speech memorably: We should all consider getting a pet because they give you more attention than your spouse
and they do not argue with you, they just want to give you love and make you happy.
IV. Last line: In conclusion, if you are able to have a pet I strongly suggest you should get one. Bringing that comfort and joy to
your home can make a great difference in your life.

References
Chandler, Cynthia K., et al. "Eight Domains of Pet-Owner Wellness: Valuing the Owner-Pet Relationship in the Counseling
Process." Journal of Mental Health Counseling, vol. 37, no. 3, July 2015, pp. 268-282. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.17744/mehc.37.3.06.

McCandless, Sarah G., Top 5 Health Benefits of Owning a Pet. Animal Planet, Web. Feb. 2010,
http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/sources-2/

Ramsden, James. "What Our Pets Mean to Us." Australian Women's Weekly, vol. 79, no. 9, Sept. 2009, p. 251. EBSCOhost,
libprox1.slcc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=44207118&site=eds-live

See the Citation Guide on our class website. You can use Microsoft Word, easybib.com, and many other sites/programs to do
the works cited section for you! Be sure to check for errors even with the automated citation websites.