Page 286 - Essentials of Human Communication

Supporting Materials 265

Video Choice Point
Interfaith Meeting
Chigoze, a Nigerian student at an American university, is one of the few Africans and
Muslims on campus. A friend of his who is active in the school’s Interfaith Club has asked him to come to
their next meeting and talk a little bit about his culture. Chigoze has agreed to speak at the campus
interfaith meeting whose members know very little about Muslims. He considers the topics covered in this
chapter as he contemplates his communication choices.
Watch the video “Interfaith Meeting” at MyCommunicationLab.com

Objectives Self-Test
● Can you identify and apply the suggested guidelines for information speaking (center information
on the audience, limit the amount of information, adjust the level of complexity, relate new
information to old, and make the information easy to remember) in your own speeches?

Supporting Materials

In constructing your speech you’ll want to use a variety of what are called supporting
materials—numerical data and illustrations, for example. These supporting materials
serve a variety of functions and will help you clarify and explain ideas; make ideas vivid,
interesting, and attention getting; and reinforce your ideas so that they are remembered.
In selecting appropriate supporting materials, keep in mind the nature of your audience.
Select materials that are appropriate to their educational and age levels and their interests, for
example. Also, select materials with cultural sensitivity. Using examples from only one
religion (say, your own) when a variety of religious beliefs would be more appropriate and
relevant is likely to distance your audience rather than draw them to you.
Here we look at four major material types in detail: (1) examples, illustrations, and
narratives; (2)testimony; (3) numerical data; and (4) definitions). We’ll also look at some
additional forms in brief.

ExaMplES, IlluSTraTIOnS, and narraTIvES
Examples, illustrations, and narratives are specific instances that help you explain your ideas.
An example is a relatively brief specific instance:

Pat’s on the varsity and has a 4.0.

Skill DeVeloPMent exPerience

Supporting Statements

Select one of the following overly broad statements and support it, using at least three different types of sup-
porting material. Because the purpose of this exercise is to provide greater insight into supporting materials, in
this case you may invent facts, figures, illustrations, examples, and the like. Often it’s the vivid
example or alarming
● Immigrants contribute significantly to the U.S. economy.
statistic that your
● The author of this essay is a real authority.
listeners will remember
● People in their 80s and older have contributed greatly to society.
most; give your
● Candidate Williams cares for people. supporting materials
concentrated attention.