Page 397 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

364 Part 4 Contexts for Public Speaking

obtain further instruction so that they can try out the activity. For example, al-
though no one can master karate from just listening to a single speech, or even a
series of speeches, a demonstration of karate moves can spur an audience mem-
ber to seek out individual instruction in the martial arts. In fact, many martial
arts studios make a practice of giving demonstrations in schools and at public
events as a way of recruiting new students.
Topics for speeches that demonstrate need to be chosen with care. A com-
plex, difficult task cannot be adequately demonstrated in a few minutes. There

can even be the danger of making people think they know how to do something
based on a speech when in fact they do not. Few of us could do CPR, for exam-
ple, based on simply watching a speaker demonstrate the activity. We need the
opportunity to try it out (perhaps on a life-size doll) before we can know if we
can do it. On the other hand, another lifesaving technique, the Heimlich ma-
neuver, is often the subject of demonstration and can be learned in a reasonably
short time.
The key to making a demonstration effective is careful planning. For ex-
ample, if you have ever watched syndicated reruns of the show Home Improve-
ment, you know that Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor rarely has practiced what he

Failure to properly prepare for a demonstration is the hallmark of Tim Allen’s comedy on Home Improvement, but it
can lead to disaster in an informative speech.