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Chapter 12 Researching and Using Supportive Material for Your Speech 12.1 Multiple Choice Questions 1) Based on Edward’s 30 years of experience working in the steel mills, he was able to provide examples of the safety improvements made in the industry over the past three decades. What are these types of examples called? a) Hypothetical b) Factual c) Physical d) Demonstrative Answer: b Rationale: Factual examples are based on real experiences or events, such as Edward's firsthand knowledge of safety improvements in steel mills over 30 years. 2) While giving her speech on nearsightedness, Meredith says, “In the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, neurosurgeon Noel Dan argues that the impressionist artists, Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, and Degas, may have suffered from nearsightedness because, ‘They were looking at things slightly blurred and Impressionism does, in a sense, flow on from this.’” Meredith added credibility to her presentation by using a (n) _____ within her speech. a) simile b) analogy c) authoritative opinion d) definition Answer: c Rationale: Meredith added credibility to her speech by quoting an authoritative opinion from a neurosurgeon, Noel Dan, which supports her argument about the possible nearsightedness of the impressionist artists. 3) _____ is a valuable online tool when doing research for your speech because you can request information from experts in the field or others who have experience with your topic. a) Email b) The Internet c) The Dewey Decimal System d) Facebook Answer: a Rationale: Email allows you to contact experts and individuals with experience in your speech topic, making it a valuable tool for research. 4) Several areas of the library can help you research your topic. One is the LC Classification outline available at the reference desk. What does LC stand for? a) List of Categorical b) Local Origination Catalog c) Library of Congress d) None of the above Answer: c Rationale: LC stands for Library of Congress, which is a classification system used by libraries to organize their collections. 5) SPORTDiscus, ComAbstracts, and JSTOR are all examples of a) electronic databases. b) periodicals. c) government documents. d) biographies. Answer: a Rationale: SPORTDiscus, ComAbstracts, and JSTOR are electronic databases that provide access to academic journals, articles, and other research materials. 6) Two examples of periodicals are a) a thesaurus and dictionary. b) compact discs and videotapes. c) guidebooks and paperback books. d) magazines and journals. Answer: d Rationale: Periodicals refer to magazines and journals, which are published at regular intervals containing articles, essays, and other written works. 7) Which source is the best place to find answers to questions like “Are more men or women involved in fatal automobile accidents?” and “How many Americans died of AIDS this year?” a) Films b) Biographical sources c) Government publications d) Encyclopedias Answer: c Rationale: Government publications often contain statistical data and information on various topics, making them a reliable source for questions related to demographics, accidents, and health. 8) In her speech, Lily states, “Dr. Meryl Lipton, a pediatric behavioral neurologist, said in a recent Chicago Tribune interview, ‘Karate can be excellent for some special needs children in terms of motor development and more importantly, their self esteem.’” This is an example of what? a) Oral citation b) Bibliographic citation c) Internal citation d) Written citation Answer: a Rationale: Lily's statement is an example of an oral citation, where she directly quotes Dr. Meryl Lipton in her speech to support her argument. 9) A safe way to relay your personal feelings to your audience includes examples that invite the audience to imagine a situation created expressly for the speech. This is known as what kind of example? a) Hypothetical b) Factual c) Situational d) Anecdotal Answer: a Rationale: Hypothetical examples are used to invite the audience to imagine a scenario or situation, making them a safe way to relay personal feelings without disclosing private information. 10) Which presentation aid should Kayla use if she wants to show her audience how voter participation in national elections has changed over time? a) Pie graph b) Bar graph c) Line graph d) Drawing Answer: c Rationale: A line graph is best suited for showing trends over time, making it the ideal presentation aid for demonstrating changes in voter participation in national elections. 11) The three ways to calculate statistics are median, mean and _____ a) model. b) meridian. c) mode. d) matter. Answer: c Rationale: The three main ways to calculate statistics are the median (middle value), mean (average), and mode (most frequent value). 12) Copying another person’s ideas or written words and presenting them as your own is called a) fabrication. b) stealing. c) plagiarism. d) convoluting. Answer: c Rationale: Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment, presenting them as your own. 13) Comments made by the president of the American Bar Association about Supreme Court nominee legal qualifications would be considered a(n) a) hypothetical example. b) authoritative opinion. c) anecdote. d) statistic. Answer: b Rationale: An authoritative opinion is a statement from a credible source, such as the president of the American Bar Association, that lends weight to an argument or discussion. 14) Ruthie is researching suffragette Alice Paul and her role in getting the Nineteenth Amendment passed in 1920, securing women the right to vote. Which of the following sources should Ruthie use to find out more about this famous activist? a) Journals b) Encyclopedias c) Biographical sources d) Government databases Answer: c Rationale: Biographical sources provide information about individuals, making them a valuable resource for researching the life and accomplishments of suffragette Alice Paul. 15) Develop a (n) ____________ completely so that the audience can follow the logic of your thinking as you compare seemingly different objectives or situations. a) simile b) anecdote c) analogy d) story Answer: c Rationale: An analogy is a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. Developing an analogy completely helps the audience understand the logic behind comparing seemingly different objectives or situations. 16) The __________ is the middle point of a set of numbers, which means that half the numbers are above the midpoint and half the numbers are below the midpoint. a) mode b) model c) mean d) median Answer: d Rationale: The median is the middle point of a set of numbers when they are arranged in order. It divides the numbers into two equal parts, with half above the median and half below. 17) Commenting on his neighbor’s lack of work ethic, Lee Roy said, “He’s slower than molasses in January.” This saying is an example of a (n) a) simile. b) analogy. c) hyperbole. d) metaphor. Answer: b Rationale: This saying is an example of an analogy, as it compares the neighbor's slowness to the speed of molasses in January to emphasize the point. 18) “Giving a speech is as easy as riding a bike” and “Learning CPR is like buying an insurance policy” are examples of what kind of comparison? a) Analogy b) Simile c) Metaphor d) Contrast Answer: b Rationale: These statements are examples of similes, as they use "like" or "as" to compare two different things (giving a speech to riding a bike, learning CPR to buying an insurance policy). 19) Which type of visual aid helps the audience visualize how something whole is broken into parts? a) Line graph b) Pie chart c) Bar graph d) Optical chart Answer: b Rationale: A pie chart is a visual aid that shows how something whole is divided into parts, making it ideal for illustrating proportions and percentages. 20) Jennifer is a martial artist in Taijutsu and a certified instructor for a women’s martial arts course called “Fightback.” During a speech on why women should learn self-defense, Jennifer did a demonstration on how to get away from an attacker. What type of visual aid did Jennifer use? a) Video presentation b) Photograph c) Bar chart d) Her body Answer: d Rationale: Jennifer used her body to demonstrate self-defense techniques, making it a form of visual aid known as a live demonstration. 12.2 Short Answer Questions 1) The Quarterly Journal of Speech is an example of a ________. Answer: periodical 2) Identify at least three different areas within the library you can use to search for supporting materials. Answer: The student should identify at least three of the following: Library of Congress Classification system, online catalog, indexes and databases, and the Internet. 3) In his speech on political groundbreakers, Ben gave credit to Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to be nominated for vice president of the United States, for saying, “We've chosen the path to equality, don’t let them turn us around.” This credit is called a (n) _____. Answer: oral citation 4) A (n) ________ compares the similar features in two seemingly different objects or stations. Answer: analogy 5) An example that invites the audience to imagine a situation created expressly for the speech they are listening to is called a (n) ________. Answer: hypothetical example 6) ________ are statements that attempt to illuminate the facts. Answer: Examples 7) The middle point of a set of numbers is the ________. Answer: median 8) After Angel’s library tour, he realized a ________ is a periodical devoted to specialized research findings. Answer: journal 9) What are the words or ideas of individuals knowledgeable about a topic called? Answer: authoritative opinion 10) Molly is adding up a series of numbers in order to find the average. In other words, she is looking for the _____. Answer: mean 12.3 True/False Questions 1) Sources of information include personal experiences, interviews, and the library. Answer: True Rationale: Personal experiences, interviews, and the library are all valid sources of information for speeches and research. 2) The speech that focuses on personal experiences is ideal for the novice speaker. Answer: True Rationale: A speech based on personal experiences can be easier for a novice speaker as they are familiar with the content and can speak more confidently about it. 3) The only citations a speaker needs to use are written citations. These citations do NOT need to be shared with the audience. Answer: False Rationale: While written citations are important, speakers should also use oral citations when quoting sources during a speech, which should be shared with the audience for credibility and transparency. 4) Examples are statements that attempt to illuminate the facts. Answer: True Rationale: Examples are used to clarify or illustrate a point, helping the audience understand the facts or concepts being presented. 5) Because books take longer to publish, the information they contain may be more dated than in periodicals or newspapers. Answer: True Rationale: Books often take longer to publish than periodicals or newspapers, so the information they contain may be older or more dated. 6) Government publications CANNOT be accessed by students so you should get your statistics elsewhere. Answer: False Rationale: Government publications can be valuable sources of information, including statistics, and are often accessible to students through libraries or online resources. 7) “According to the Center for Disease Control, ‘75% of U.S. drivers ages 18 to 29 reported that they talked on their cell phone while driving at least once in the past 30 days, and nearly 40% reported that they talk on their cell phone “regularly” or “fairly often” while driving.’” This is an example of an oral citation. Answer: True Rationale: The statement attributes information to the Center for Disease Control and is presented as part of a speech, making it an oral citation. 8) A hypothetical example is a brief narrative or story that helps to personalize your ideas. Answer: False Rationale: A hypothetical example is a scenario or situation that is imagined, not based on real events or experiences, and is used to illustrate a point or concept. 9) To add credibility to a speech, it is not necessary to use outside sources, as long as the speaker shares examples that he or she personally experienced. Answer: False Rationale: While personal experiences can add credibility, using outside sources and evidence can further enhance the credibility of a speech and strengthen its arguments. 10) “She’s as quiet as a mouse” is an example of a simile. Answer: True Rationale: A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as," as in the example given. 11) In statistical terms, the words “mean” and “average” are synonyms. Answer: True Rationale: In statistics, "mean" and "average" are often used interchangeably to refer to the sum of a set of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the set. 12) You can never have too many statistics in your speech. Answer: False Rationale: While statistics can enhance a speech, using too many can overwhelm or confuse the audience. It's important to use statistics judiciously and ensure they are relevant to the topic. 13) In order for your audience to fully comprehend your ideas, it is important to exclude all jargon. Answer: False Rationale: While it's important to avoid excessive jargon, some specialized terminology may be necessary to accurately convey certain ideas or concepts. The key is to use jargon judiciously and ensure it is explained clearly to the audience. 14) Presentation aids are visual or audio support for your verbal message. Answer: True Rationale: Presentation aids, such as slides, charts, graphs, and audio clips, are used to enhance and reinforce the verbal message of a speech, making it more engaging and easier to understand for the audience. 15) A pie graph is used to show the way different items compare and relate to one another. Answer: False Rationale: A pie graph is used to show the distribution of a single categorical variable into segments of a circle, where each segment represents a proportion of the whole. It is not typically used to show how different items compare or relate to each other. 12.4 Matching Questions For the questions that follow, match the word or phrase with its meaning. a) Created expressly for the speech for audience imagination b) Brief narrative that helps personalize ideas c) Comparison of two things by using “like” and “as” d) Demonstrates parts of the whole proportionately to other parts e) Middle point of a set of numbers f) Compares and relates different items to one another g) “The average” h) A comparison between two seemingly different objects i) Demonstrates change over time j) The number that occurs most frequently in a set of numbers k) Comparison of two seemingly different objects or situations 1) Line graph 2) Pie graph 3) Simile 4) Analogy 5) Anecdotes 6) Hypothetical example 7) Mean 8) Median 9) Mode 10) Bar graph Answers: 1) i 2) d 3) c 4) k 5) b 6) a 7) g 8) e 9) j 10) f 12.5 Essay Questions 1) What is the difference between median, mean, and mode? Find the median, mean, and mode for the following set of numbers: 2, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13 Answer: The median is the middle point of a set of numbers, which means that half the numbers are above the midpoint and half the numbers are below the midpoint. The mean is the average. To calculate the mean, add all the values and divide the total sum by the number of numerals in the set. If one number is significantly higher or lower than the rest of the numbers, it can greatly affect the outcome of the mean. The mode is the number that occurs most frequently in a set of numbers. Median: 8 Mean: 7 Mode: 2 2) Identify three possible sources of information for a speech you are developing. How do these sources enhance your speech? Answer: Students can choose from the following range of sources of information when answering: personal experiences, interviews, books, newspapers, periodicals, encyclopedias, biographical sources, government publications, other media like videos, films, sound recordings, indexes and databases, Internet, and emails. When developing a speech, three possible sources include interviews, books, and periodicals. First, interviews are useful when you want to include the experiences and information of other people knowledgeable about a topic. Books provide in-depth information, although it is difficult to read a whole book in a limited time period. Most people doing research for a speech read sections of a book to obtain the needed information instead of reading the whole book. The disadvantage to using books as sources is sometimes the information is dated. Finally, periodicals, which include magazines and journals, can be used as a speech source. Periodicals provide detailed research on many topics. Magazine and journal articles are more in-depth and provide interpretations of events. The researcher needs to be aware that magazines can be biased. 3) Is it important to cite sources used in your speech? Explain why or why not, justifying your response with examples. What are the possible consequences of not citing your sources? Answer: Yes! It is very important to cite sources used in your speech. Citing your sources during your speech increases your credibility. It shows your audience that you are not only responsible, but that you researched your speech, and are backing up your arguments by using outside sources. It is unethical to omit mentioning whose ideas you are borrowing for your speech. When you use the ideas of another and do not indicate where those ideas come from, you are plagiarizing. Many universities and/or instructors have an anti-plagiarism policy. Not citing sources, in many cases, can lead to failure of the project, course, or expulsion from the university. 4) In order to limit your frustration when using Internet sources, there are several questions you can ask and things you should consider to successfully find the information needed to support the main ideas of your speech. What are some of those questions/considerations, and why are they important? Answer: The students could incorporate the following statements into their answer from the “Communication and Technology” section on Limiting Your Web Frustration: 1. Search Engines limit the information. 2. Define your topic carefully. 3. Use the links provided. 4. Check the credibility of the source. 5. Avoid plagiarism. Additionally, students could also incorporate these questions from Table 12.1 Four Questions to Ask about Web Sites: 1. Who is the source? 2. How old is the information? 3. Is the information verifiable elsewhere? 4. Is an email or other contact information provided? Students can explain the importance of these questions/considerations by including some of the following reasoning: It is important to ask these questions/make these considerations because so much information is available on the Internet. Also, not all Internet information is credible or true. Some sources may be biased or have a vested interest in the information. Being able to crosscheck information makes it more reliable. If contact information is provided, researchers can get clarification and/or verification about that information. You do not want to “cut and paste” information without crediting the source, or your audience and professor may think that you are trying to pass that information off as your own. If you reach a site from a link, it is important to make sure you cite that information correctly and accurately. 5) Identify and define several forms of support you can use in your speech in order to present your ideas clearly, convincingly, to supplement your major ideas, and add credibility. Answer: Students should identify several forms of support for a speech. All possibilities follow: Examples (factual or hypothetical) are relevant statements that attempt to illuminate the facts and relate to the major ideas of your presentation. Anecdotes (brief narratives) or stories help to personalize ideas and make abstract ideas come alive. Statistics (median, mean, mode) are numerical terms that assist the audience in conceptualizing ideas. Authoritative opinions are words or ideas from knowledgeable individuals about a topic. Comparisons (analogy or simile) help clarify by making your message more vivid and creative. An analogy compares similar features in two seemingly different objects or situations; a simile functions similarly but includes the words “like” or “as.” Definitions are used to clarify jargon or technical terms that an average audience may have difficulty understanding. Test Bank for Communication: Embracing Difference Daniel M. Dunn, Lisa J. Goodnight 9780205943661, 9780205865635, 9781269602877
