Informative Speech Examples

An informative speech, in its essence, is you talking about your interests to someone else. It is, of course, a bit more complex than that but the general concept is this: the speaker is passionate about something, is well informed, and wants to share one’s passion with others. Writing and delivering an informative speech is a great exercise in information gathering and public speaking as it involves a lot of concentration and a sense of selflessness.

The informative speech style is taught in high schools, but it’s actually something that we have practiced in our daily lives ever since we first learned how to talk. You see, that moment when you wanted something as a child and tried to convince your parent or guardian to get it for you was actually an informative speech. It was a very un-researched speech, but at the very core, it held the same principle and functions. Rings a bell? That time you really wanted the cheap plastic action figure that the commercial told you was amazing but it really wasn’t. You tried your best to convince your mother by using a series of arguments (or tantrums).

Informative Speech Examples

Take a look at an informative speech sample of a student addressing the class about the importance of nap time and how he believes it shouldn’t be restricted to kindergarten only.

I believe that taking a half an hour break from classes to rest your eyes and brain would benefit not only the students but the teachers as well. We all get stressed; levels of stress are the same whether you are an adult or a child. Higher stress levels make people get distracted because their mind is focused on other things. Planning a nap into the curriculum, whether it’s a quick sleep on the desks or in a dedicated room, will improve concentration and the overall ability to absorb the material.

Or, here is an informative speech example of company president talking to the board of investors about his revolutionary discovery in the field of investments.

Our last quarter was good – we moved twelve points from where we were. I believe nobody can deny that we have been very successful. However, now is not the time to stop looking to the future and being happy with what we have achieved. We should try to innovate even more. I believe something like the Paris Stock Exchange will work perfectly with our business plan. Chances of doubling our capital are high, and there is a safety net to avoid losing what we invest.

The last of our short informative speech examples is a writer presenting his book series idea to a publisher.

I’ve been with Garrisin Publishing since the start of my career. In fact, it was with Garrisin Publishing that I finally felt like an author. The staff and editors aren’t just my co-workers but my family. That’s why I feel overwhelmed and happy to propose my new idea for a novel. It’s taken me two years to work on it, and I wouldn’t imagine having it published anywhere else except here.

Elements of an Informative Speech: Samples and Tips

Now that we have seen several informative speech examples, let’s find out how you can write yours.

• As with any essay/large text, there is a thesis.

A thesis is a one to two sentences tied together that work as a rope to your future arguments.

The difference between thesis in an essay and thesis in an informative speech is that while you are trying to win people over and persuade them, an informative speech thesis is more fluid and decentralized. As a matter of fact, thesis in a speech is the title of the speech itself.

Example: Organic food – the clean source of a healthy lifestyle

This is your thesis. You are going to be talking about organic foods and why you believe they are a staple of healthy living. That is it. Unlike in more traditional essays, where a thesis is a roadmap that the reader follows as they read through arguments, in an informative speech, thesis serves only as an informative clause.

Besides the thesis, an informative speech consists of three parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

Introduction

• Grab the attention of your audience

It’s important that your introduction isn’t bogged down by all the facts that you have. Those come in later once you’ve broken the ice and have gotten a few smiles from the crowd. Starting out with a joke or a statement of why you are here is always an excellent way to begin. Don’t act aloof or distant; people can feel when you have feelings of insecurity or negativity. Instead, try to talk with a smile. Studies show that sound waves change their frequencies if spoken with a smile (even a fake one). If you speak as if you are talking to your best friend, you are stacking favors for yourself.

Some keywords that hold a positive vibe are: good, kind, helpful, positive, heartfelt, etc.

Some negative words are: drastic, catastrophic, vague, bad, horrible, etc.

You can use these words, but we encourage you to use them later in your speech once you’ve set both feet firmly on the ground.

• Let them know the person behind the speech

Be open with who you are and what you believe in. Don’t hide behind a fake mask or persona; studies show that when liars are faced with a large group of people (be it in a school or daily life) they will fidget and show subtle signs that they are lying. If someone who is observing your behaviour notices, they will surely know you are dishonest.

Don’t fake interest in a subject. If your speech isn’t coming from the heart, then it will not sound sincere.

• Use quoted material.

A good research usually means that you found a lot of sources you can use to relay your arguments. Peer-reviewed journals from reputable scholarly journals are always a safe bet when doing initial research.

• Appeal to people’s emotions

We don’t mean start crying or make things up but rather, tell a story. The story can be from your childhood or what happened to you a few years ago. It can be a story that happened to your parents or even grandparents. There really isn’t a set rule aside from it being organic to the subject.

• Tell a joke

We mentioned breaking the ice before, but I feel it merits mentioning again. A little anecdote or a funny story may put your public at ease and, most importantly, let you loosen up. Public speaking and writing an informative speech can be a daunting and nerve wrecking process even if it is relatively simple.

Stay clear of sexual innuendos. They are funny, sure, but best kept within your circle of friends. After all, you do not want to appear unprofessional.

• Use catchy slogans or coined phrases

A coined phrase is a sentence that is relatable and memorable like McDonald’s ‘I’m lovin it’. Having something that can stay in your audience’s mind after the speech is done will have them talking about it in the near future. Just like a catchy tune, your speech will be something that randomly pops in their heads. Not only that, but it adds a personal touch to your work. As we’ve discussed above personality and the personal touch are vital.

• Lead your audience

If your speech is particularly confusing or it follows a complicated path with a lot of acronyms, consider building a PowerPoint presentation with a few slides that provide a visual aid. If your speech is brilliant but consists of terms your audience cannot understand, it will lose a lot of its momentum. The best examples of an informative speech will always appeal to emotions.

Body

• Organization

Split your speech into time managed segments, each as long as 4-7 minutes. Depending on the subject of discussion you might have to alter these numbers to fit your needs.

• Issues and Solutions

The body is where the main problem solving appears. Explain what the interest/issue is and what it has been done/will be done to the community or the world.

• Transitions

Don’t just jump from topic to topic and argument to argument. Speak calmly and make sure you have good transitions.

• Insert repetition

Whenever you transition into a different paragraph or move on to a new argument, they to refer to the old one. This way you will be relaying the information to the audience twice, doubling the chance that they will remember it.

Conclusion

• Summarize the thesis and the most important arguments

End the speech with the first sentence – the thesis. People are most likely to retain the beginning and end of a book or a movie. This applies to a speech as well.

• Use a cautious example
• Imagine a future where things never changed
• Urge your audience to action.
• Thank your audience for their time.

That’s pretty much everything you need to know about informative speech samples and the best ways of writing them. Now, it’s high time to structure your own!