Quiz 8: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments

In public speaking, support is used for: A) creating the perception that the speaker is very knowledgeable. B) developing the central idea and providing corroborating evidence. C) exposing listeners to every kind of evidence related to the topic. D) generating a positive relationship between the speaker and his or her listeners. E) making it impossible for listeners to disagree with the speaker.

One way support is used in a speech is to: A) bring the audience's curiosity to a high level. B) clarify the ideas expressed in the speech. C) reiterate and reinforce the important points. D) surprise the audience with obscure information. E) use an impressive amount of information.

You can hurt your credibility if: A) the information you use is understandable. B) listeners aren't interested in your speech. C) one of the listeners knows more than you do. D) there are fine distinctions between ideas. E) you use support from questionable sources.

Authoritative sources of support are sources that: A) are able to articulate complicated ideas in simple language. B) argue that their findings will change conventional knowledge. C) claim to have disproven the findings of other research. D) have earned their credentials by developing skill or expertise. E) have used statistics from other sources to prove their point.

An expert is someone who: A) can answer questions from an outspoken audience member. B) does research on television in an audience-friendly format. C) has achieved recognized qualifications in a particular field. D) is a celebrity spokesperson about a particular social issue. E) is well known to the general public as a vocal commentator.

The currency of support sources is important when: A) audience members only care about new information. B) the field is developing new knowledge very quickly. C) listeners resent a rehash of the same old information. D) an older speaker must show that he or she is up to date. E) a speaker must demonstrate his or her involvement.

A source is objective when the information is: A) argued in an engaging way that is internally logical. B) clearly said, well organized, and urgently important. C) factual, fair, reasonable, and based on sound research. D) important, sincere, and based on strong ethical values. E) published in books and supported by an industry.

Four criteria used to evaluate source options are: A) accuracy, authority, currency, and objectivity. B) clarity, detail, logic, and organization of data. C) common sense, popularity, reason, and vividness. D) research, publication, statistics, and anonymity. E) transparency, honesty, clarity, and importance.

A speaker is credible to an audience when he or she: A) addresses urgent audience concerns. B) redefines all concepts in plain English. C) says how much time went into research. D) seems knowledgeable and prepared. E) uses quotations from famous people.

Authoritative sources are sources that: A) give a long bibliography at the end of a print or online article. B) has accumulated considerable accurate knowledge on a topic. C) provide statistics, along with an interpretation of their meanings. D) show up repeatedly when an online search is being conducted. E) supplement the text with good explanatory video materials.

To support our main ideas, we can use any sources with which we agree.

We can trust in the expertise of people invited to appear on television.

Current, cutting-edge sources are mandatory for all topics.

A source can be trusted if nobody identifies her- or himself as the author.

Vividness can make a speech more memorable.

Support adds to your __________________ as a speaker.

We develop a central idea by providing corroborating ______________.

A source based on rigorous research can be said to have _______________.

A source has _____________ if it is free of bias, political viewpoints, or financial interests.

_________________ refers to a speaker's ability to present information in a striking way.

What are the four criteria for evaluating source options?

What is objectivity?

When does the currency of a source matter?

What is an authoritative source?

How does support add to your credibility as a speaker?

Explain how support should be used in a speech and why it makes a speech effective.

Explain what is meant by vividness and how it impacts how people use and understand supporting evidence.

Statistics is a form of speech support that is: A) appropriate for almost any speech. B) boring and should be left alone. C) most often both used and misused. D) numeric and therefore appropriate. E) easy for everyone to understand.

Definitions should be used in such a way as to: A) clarify the speaker's meanings to the whole audience. B) develop details as deeply and minutely as possible. C) establish the tone, beginning with the introduction. D) impress the audience with the speaker's knowledge. E) maintain the flow of the speech for the whole time.

A stipulative definition is: A) assigned by the person who first coins a term. B) an in-depth treatment of all possible meanings. C) a legal definition usually used in argumentation. D) a temporary definition used by non-professionals. E) an update to a definition that has been outdated.

If you attempt to define "peace" in a manner that could be used to describe all aspects of the word, you are: A) taking on a fool's errand. B) clarifying a concrete concept. C) selecting "peace" as your topic. D) showing a concern for ethics. E) using a theoretical definition.

A positive example is used to: A) clarify or illustrate a principle, method, or phenomenon. B) help set clear boundaries for the scope of the speech topic. C) illustrate responsible and ethical behavior for listeners. D) show an audience the consequences of beneficial action. E) strengthen the vividness and impact of the speech.

Informative narratives are: A) fillers that extend the length of time it takes to give a speech. B) stories that help audiences understand complicated phenomena. C) stories that are used to take the place of concrete evidence. D) used for the purpose of gaining and maintaining attention. E) used as a way to relax the audience at the beginning of a speech.

Eyewitness testimony is used because: A) it adds vividness to the speech and maintains audience attention. B) it is more interesting and illustrative than other kinds of evidence. C) it is the most reliable kind of information because it is firsthand. D) it is provided by someone who has direct contact with a phenomenon. E) the speaker can reword it to clarify it and improve its effectiveness.

Figurative analogies: A) clarify the differences between two ideas, concepts, or ideas. B) compare two ideas or objects from two different classes. C) contrast two sets of numeric data collected by researchers. D) provide clarity for the audience when two ideas are abstract. E) show how two things are interchangeable or nearly identical.

A nonexample is used to: A) avoid saying anything positive. B) avoid stating a clear position. C) deny a criticism or accusation. D) explain what something is not. E) show what should not be done.

Lexical definitions are used to: A) explain the deep meanings of something. B) explicate the meanings of antithetical terms. C) motivate the audience to act in some way. D) provide a dictionary definition of something. E) show roots and the historical development of words.

A speaker using statistics will impress many audience members.

It's a good idea to define every term in your speech.

Persuasive definitions are designed to sway listeners in a specific way.

Narratives are stories that have a clear arc: a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Eyewitness testimony is more reliable than expert testimony.

A _____________ definition is assigned to a term by the person who coined it.

A ____________ example is used to clarify or illustrate a principle, method, or phenomenon.

A(n) ___________ narrative provides information and/or explanations about a speaker's topic.

A(n) _____________ narrative is used to delight an audience and distract them from daily cares.

_____________ testimony expresses the attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors recommended by someone who is an acknowledged authority.

Name three of the six types of supportive examples and briefly explain how they are used.

Name and explain two types of testimony.

Explain the differences between a lexical definition and a persuasive definition.

Differentiate among informative, persuasive, and entertaining narratives.

Explain how a speaker can avoid misusing statistics. Provide an example.

Explain the three types of narratives and when they would be most useful in a speech as a form of evidence.

Arguments are: A) methods of providing proof that the speaker is right. B) sets of logical premises leading to a clear conclusion. C) strategies for eliciting positive audience responses. D) strong statements in speeches packed with evidence. E) verbal opposition to the flawed reasoning of experts.

A premise is: A) a logical assumption upon which to build a case. B) preexisting knowledge shared by the audience. C) a statement that provides supporting evidence. D) a starting point for testing evidence in reverse. E) a thesis statement that contains expert opinion.

Using a variety of support types means using: A) all the evidence you can find to support your conclusion. B) appropriate support of various kinds to support claims. C) both expert and nonexpert sources of information. D) a consistent type of support from a variety of sources. E) a statement of the time spent researching the topic.

Manipulating your support means: A) arranging evidence in the most effective sequences. B) avoiding the use of evidence that is clearly biased. C) distorting or editing information to support claims. D) following each claim with an item of expert evidence. E) overwhelming the audience with facts and statistics.

When paraphrasing the work of an expert, it is important to: A) extract specific quotations that fit your needs. B) give the audience credit for being intelligent. C) paraphrase first, then provide the expert's name. D) understand and convey the expert's meanings. E) use quotations with a small amount of editing.

Pictographic support should be used to: A) convey accurate information and ideas quickly. B) convince the audience that you are well prepared. C) project supporting websites right onto a screen. D) provide an impressive array of data and statistics. E) show a picture of an original document or photo.

A reverse outline is used to: A) engage audience attention in following the logic. B) persuade your audience to think in a new way. C) provide a vivid, unique approach to your topic. D) rehearse the entire speech, including all evidence. E) test the effectiveness of your support.

Supporting claims means: A) quoting statements made by very famous people. B) showing sincere conviction that your claim is true. C) providing evidence for each claim you make in your speech. D) providing evidence for the claims that are likely to be disputed. E) using popularly shared knowledge as support.

A setup is: A) a carefully prepared sequence of evidence and reasoning. B) an explanation of the meaning of data or statistical support. C) an explanation of where the supporting information comes from. D) use of information that leads to only one possible conclusion. E) the use of a vivid quotation used to set the tone of the speech.

Supporting a claim by using numerical data or statistics means you should: A) be consistent by supporting all your claims with statistics. B) give comparable statistics from three different expert sources. C) include a substantial amount of data for the sake of clarity. D) make sure your audience understands the meanings correctly. E) provide all the statistics from just one authoritative source.

A demonstration is an example of pictographic support.

You should use a variety of support types in your speech.

You should select support that is relevant to your topic, purpose, and audience.

To paraphrase a quotation, you change a few of the words.

A reverse outline of a speech can be used to test the adequacy of support for the claims.

The _____________ of a speech is a statement that can be clearly drawn from the provided support or evidence.

The unethical use of support can be called _____________-_____________.

_____________ involves taking the general theme from another speaker or author and condensing the theme in your own words.

Visual aids are also referred to as _____________ support.

Why should a public speaker use a variety of support types?

What important step must a speaker take in paraphrasing the work of others?

How can a speaker make sure he or she has supported the claims in a speech adequately?

What is an argument? Give an example.

What is the analysis step of an oral presentation? Give a developed example.

Explain the three-step process for ensuring that all of your support is used effectively.