Informative Speaking

Related Resources
Print-Friendly Page
Authors & Contributors

The introduction sets the tone of the entire speech. The introduction should be brief and to-the-point as it accomplishes these several important tasks. Typically, there are six main components of an effective introduction:

• Attention Getters
• Thesis Statement
• Audience Adaptation
• Credibility Statement
• Preview
• Transition to the Body

As in any social situation, your audience makes strong assumptions about you during the first eight or ten seconds of your speech. For this reason, you need to start solidly and launch the topic clearly. Focus your efforts on completing these tasks and moving on to the real information (the body) of the speech. Typically, there are six main components of an effective introduction. These tasks do not have to be handled in this order, but this layout often yields the best results. To read about these components, click on the list below:

• Attention Getters
• Thesis Statement
• Audience Adaptation
• Credibility Statement
• Preview the Main Points
• Transition to the Body