Defining an Informative Speech

An informative speech is one that intends to educate the audience on a particular topic . There are many different types of informative speeches, including speeches that describe the conditions of a subject and speeches that instruct the audience on how to perform an action.

The main goal of an informative speech is to provide enlightenment regarding a specific topic the audience knows nothing about. It may demonstrate how to use a new type of software, explain a new concept in the field of science, describe an expedition an archaeologist took, or provide details about a person of interest that the audience wants to learn more about.

The topics covered in an informative speech should help the audience to understand a subject better and to remember what they learned later. The goal of this type of speech isn't to sway the audience to the speaker's point of view. Instead, the details need to be laid before the audience so that they can make an educated decision or learn about a subject they are interested in.

However, it is important for the speaker to think about how this information will be presented. An informative speech should rely less on pathos, which is an appeal to the emotions of the audience and an important component of persuasive speeches. Instead, an informative speech might rely on visual aids, for example, in order to give the audience a visual representation of important information contained in the speech. Providing the information in multiple forms during the speech increases the likelihood that the audience will retain the information included in the speech.