Discussion #1 - 10/5

Response to Reading: Ch. 7 & 8

One of the main points in Chapter 7 was how to support your speech points by giving anecdotes or short narratives. This concept really strikes a chord with me as I often try to use anecdotal references in my speeches. For one thing, they are generally easier to understand than just spouting statistics and other information from our research. And generally, I try to give anecdotes that are personal (as in an experience or belief that I have). This makes it so much easier for the audience to relate to the speech topic. I've also noticed that when others make speeches, I get very interested if the speaker starts telling a short story that relates to the topic. I can literally hear my brain say "Okay, how do I connect the speaker's main idea to his anecdote?"

Analogies are also great tools in really clarifying your point to the audience. At times, a good metaphor can really make a difference in how well your audience understands not only your topic but also your personal opinion of the topic. My husband works for the IT industry, and I have ZERO background in that field. When he is explaining his projects to me he generally uses some really good analogies (they MUST be effective if I can even get a gist of what he does for a living). Analogies are not only good for supporting your main point, but they also help be giving a different way of looking at the same ideas.