Page 271 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

238 Part 3 Putting Theory Into Practice

appeal to action, and a return to the opening
theme. If we have delayed presenting our the-
sis statement for strategic reasons, it should be
incorporated just prior to this point (right after
the summary). If we stated the thesis earlier, it
should be reiterated here.

Quotation
The same principles apply to a closing quota-
tion as to an opening one. We want to capture
the essence of our talk in a few words. If some-
one has said it better, then it is perfectly appro-
priate to quote that person. In the conclusion,
fi rst state the person quoted and then state
the quotation. For example, it is less effective
to say, “‘I have a dream,’ said Martin Luther
King Jr.,” than to say, “As Martin Luther King
Jr. once stated, ‘I have a dream.’”

Anecdote

The key in the closing is to be brief and to the
point. A long, drawn-out story will undermine
the effectiveness of the rest of the speech. A
concluding anecdote should highlight our main
focus, not detract from it. As with opening sto-
ries, such anecdotes can be real or hypotheti-
cal but should be clearly identifi ed as such.

Direct Appeal to Action
This speaker’s t-shirt makes a direct appeal for action—to
earn students’ votes in an election.
Concluding with an appeal to action is typical
of a persuasive speech and is an explicit part
of the motivated sequence. It involves telling
audience members specifically what they can do to fulfi ll their needs or solve

a problem—for example, sign a petition, write to Congress, or change their own
behavior. A direct appeal to the audience is often the most appropriate way to
conclude a persuasive presentation.

Return to Opening

One of the most effective ways to close a speech is to return to where we be-
gan. Not only does this remind the audience of our introduction, it also gives
our speech a sense of closure. It takes us and our audience full circle. For ex-
ample, the speech that began by describing a person suffering from insulin
shock ended by telling the audience that they would now know how to recognize
when someone was in insulin shock and would be able to get help. If we can
fi nd a way to tie our opening and closing together, we can intensify the impact
of both.