What type of speaking has the primary goal of increasing listeners understanding awareness or knowledge about a topic?

1. Career development
2. 13 Main Types of Speeches (With Examples and Tips)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated June 1, 2022 | Published October 27, 2020

Updated June 1, 2022

Published October 27, 2020

While anyone can give a speech, having the right intention and a general understanding of the environment and your audience can help ensure its effectiveness. While some speeches aim to inform an audience, others serve to entertain. Understanding the various types of speeches can help you determine what to say.

In this article, we explain what a speech is, list the various types of speeches and provide you with tips to help with your speech research.

Related: How To Give a Memorable Speech

What is a speech?

A speech refers to an informal or formal talk given to an audience. Giving a speech allows you to address a group of people to express your thoughts and oftentimes, your opinion. You can find speeches in many different environments and with many different purposes. For example, while you can give a quick speech before introducing someone, you can also give a speech to persuade others to see your point of view.

Types of speeches

Since speeches occur in a variety of settings and for different purposes, they fall into different categories. Knowing the various types of speeches can help you determine which best suits your needs the next time you speak publicly. Consider the following types of speeches:

Informative speech

Informative speeches aim to educate an audience on a particular topic or message. Unlike demonstrative speeches, they don't use visual aids. They do, however, use facts, data and statistics to help audiences grasp a concept. These facts and statistics help back any claims or assertions you make. For example, a zoo guide gives an informative speech to a group of people, educating them on a zoo animal using various statistical facts or historical information. Informative speeches can also cover social or economic topics. Although they're not designed to get the audience to believe a certain viewpoint or opinion, they inform the audience with all the relevant details surrounding a particular topic.

Entertaining speech

Entertaining speeches aim to amuse a crowd of people. Often less formal and shorter than traditional speeches, entertaining speeches communicate emotions rather than giving the audience facts and figures. Rather, they often include humor or funny stories. You can often find entertaining speeches at a birthday party or a wedding. Some examples of entertaining speeches include a best man's speech at a wedding or a principal's speech before a school talent show.

Demonstrative speech

Demonstrative speeches serve to educate an audience about a topic or idea they don't have knowledge of. They often include visual aids to help better demonstrate or describe something in greater detail. While you can easily confuse a demonstrative speech with an informative speech, a demonstrative speech actually demonstrates how to do something. For example, a tech company can give a speech demonstrating their new devices. While they're informing the public about their new products, they're demonstrating how they work, thus, making it a demonstrative speech.

Persuasive speech

Persuasive speeches help convince an audience that the speaker has the right opinion on a particular topic. Persuasive speeches can cover any topic from entertainment to something more serious like politics. Typically, speakers use concrete evidence to better persuade their listeners and gain their support. When you include evidence, it helps make your stance more believable and may even be enough to change a listener's mind about the particular topic you're speaking on. With enough facts to back up your opinion, you have a greater chance of receiving the audience's support.

When a lawyer gives a speech to a jury about their particular client, for example, they use a persuasive speech with enough facts and claims to get the jury's support and have them vote in their favor. Keep in mind that persuasive speeches can also use emotions to help the audience better understand the speaker's opinions and feelings. For example, if you're trying to convince someone to help the elderly, you'd likely use emotion to appeal to the audience.

Related: Persuasion Skills: Definition and Examples

Oratorical speech

While oratorical refers to the act of speech giving, an oratorical speech refers to a specific type of speech. They're typically more formal than other types of speeches. While some oratorical speeches can be long such as those found at funerals or graduations, others may be short and more informal such as a toast at a special event. Though oratorical speech givers don't necessarily want to persuade the audience on a particular topic, they can still cover certain issues and express their opinion.

Debate speech

Debate speeches refer to a type of speech that often follows a certain set of rules and takes place during a debate event. During a debate, all sides have an equal amount of time to speak on behalf of their opinion or view. While a debate speech often uses the same mechanics as a persuasive speech and includes plenty of statistical figures to help support a claim, it's different from a persuasive speech. For example, rather than trying to convince someone to join a particular side as with a persuasive speech, debate speeches aim to justify an opinion on a particular matter.

As you prepare for a debate speech, you get to improve your public speaking, research and critical thinking skills. It's worth noting that while you can prepare for a debate speech, you can't anticipate every argument other debaters will bring up. Therefore, continuously giving this type of speech helps you think more quickly and helps you feel more comfortable in this setting.

Special occasion speech

Special occasion speeches don't fall into a particular category and don't follow a set format. Instead, they aim to fit the special occasion, whether it's a wedding, an award show or a birthday party. Special occasion speeches aim to fit the context of the environment to effectively communicate the message and gain the audience's attention. While they're often short and upbeat, they're still interesting and direct. Unlike a lot of other speeches, special occasion speeches don't require the use of statistics or data.

Examples of special occasion speeches include those given to introduce a speaker or a guest's arrival. You can also give this type of speech when you accept an award. If you're accepting an award, you use a special occasion speech to express how much the award means to you.

Pitch speech

Pitch speeches try to get support or approval for an idea, product or solution. For example, if you're a salesperson, you may try to sell a customer a new product. You're essentially pitching the product to them by telling them its best qualities and how the product can benefit them in their daily life. Pitch speeches can also be part of a greater presentation such as one found in an office when you're trying to get your colleagues or superiors on board with a particular idea or approach.

Related: How To Write a Pitch Step by Step

Motivational speech

Motivational speeches aim to inspire an audience and give attendees the confidence to do something better or improve themselves. They essentially serve to lift the audience's spirits and improve their self-esteem. Motivational speeches help move a person or audience toward achieving a particular goal. While employers or managers give this type of speech to motivate their employees to perform better in the workplace, coaches give this type of speech to inspire their team to perform better on the field or court.

Impromptu speech

An impromptu speech refers to a speech you deliver without any prior preparation or rehearsal time. Typically, someone spontaneously calls on you to give an impromptu speech at an event or another occasion. Because of the nature of an impromptu speech, giving one can often feel intimidating and cause a great deal of stress since you had no time to prepare. However, with some guidance and experience, you're better able to deliver an impromptu speech with confidence.

Farewell speech

A farewell speech refers to a speech where you say your goodbyes to a group of people. For example, you can give a farewell speech to your colleagues when you leave your job, or give a farewell speech to your loved ones if you're moving far away or traveling abroad. Since farewell speeches often have a sad tone, they often generate strong emotions in both the speaker and the audience.

Explanatory speech

Explanatory speeches describe a situation or particular thing. While they're similar to demonstrative speeches, explanatory speeches provide a breakdown on how to do something while providing the audience with a detailed step-by-step process. They also don't use a visual aid to help the audience better understand what you're saying. When a food talk show host shows their audience how they make a particular dish, for example, they use an explanatory speech to describe each step of the recipe process.

Eulogy or funeral speech

Funeral or eulogy speeches aim to honor a recently passed individual in front of an audience attending a funeral service. Typically, they're given by a minister or by someone close to the deceased. The speaker tries to find the right words to not only honor the individual with a heartfelt speech but also praise them for what they achieved when they were alive.

Tips for speech research

Before you give a speech, it's important to do conduct enough research to ensure you effectively communicate your idea, opinion or message. Use these tips to help with the speech research process:

• Research your audience. If you know who you'll be speaking to, get to know your audience before giving your speech. Getting to know your audience can give you insight into their opinions, thoughts and how best to reach them. Consider what questions they might ask you and if you don't think you have suitable answers for them, perform enough research to help you better prepare for their queries.

• Consider the event or venue. As you continue your research, think about the venue or event where you'll give your speech. For example, you can give a speech at an industry event, a birthday party or a formal conference. Consider the venue, along with how much time you have and whether or not you'll get a microphone to use. Knowing this information can help you create a speech that effectively addresses your audience with the right tone and fits your time allotment.

• Focus on your topic. When preparing your speech, take the time to understand the topic you're speaking on. Make sure you know what you're talking about. If you need additional knowledge, gather enough information with thorough research. Make sure to focus only on your particular topic and avoid getting sidetracked with other information. If it helps, create an outline for your speech to help you stay focused.

• Get balanced information. Depending on the type of speech you give, you may need to provide a balanced set of evidence to your audience. For example, instead of providing your audience with statistical evidence only backing one side of an argument, offer them figures that support both sides. Giving them a balanced set of information helps them come to their own conclusion. If the side you're on has better evidence, it's often better to let the audience come to their own conclusion rather than forcing them into your mindset.

• Use reputable sources. If your speech contains facts, data and statistical figures, make sure you're getting your information from credible and reputable resources. Consider using peer-reviewed academic journals, government websites, industry literature, reference books or scholarly websites to find the data, information or statistical information you need. Using valuable resources ensures you're giving your audience the most accurate information. It's also important to cite your sources in your speech to not only give them credit but also to improve your ethos with your audience and help them believe what you're saying.

What kind of speech has the purpose of increasing the audiences understanding and awareness of a topic?

What is the primary goal of an informative speech?

What is informative speaking?

What is your primary intent to listeners when planning your informative speech what are you trying to increase?