Informative vs. Argumentative Speech - Essay Example

The audience is often called together with the expectation of hearing a speech and the atmosphere is almost always relatively calm. This is not necessarily true with occasions in which an argumentative speech is called for. These speeches are given with the intent to convince the audience of a specific point of view. This type of speech may be a planned speech, a sales pitch, or even an impromptu delivery at a political meeting in which the audience may or may not be calm and receptive. The desired outcome is to maintain or acquire supporters.

The topics most often addressed by these types of speeches are another area in which the concepts might overlap but the focus is skewed. Informative speeches, for example, can be given about objects, processes, events, or concepts. All of these can be covered by an argumentative speech as well. The difference is that the informative speech focuses on factual information about these things, offering ideas and proof that can be generally accepted as fact or the correct answer. Argumentative speeches often address these topics in ways that the conclusions reached are debatable – there may be more than one right answer.

An example of this difference is an informative speech that instructs the audience about the specific features available on a new hybrid car against an argumentative speech about that same car that focuses on why those features are better than similar features being offered by another car company. One area where the difference between the informative speech and the argumentative speech really differ is in the speech structure. The informative speech is usually very straight-forward while the argumentative speech is somewhat more complex.

Both speech forms present an introduction where the topic is introduced and a connection is made with the audience, letting them know why this is important to them. However, the informative speech will then launch into a logical body sequence in which ideas naturally flow from beginning to end to come to a final result. This is easiest represented by the step by step articles in which the audience is led from one point to another until they have made the object in the title. Argumentative speeches hop around a little more by choosing several key points that contribute to the overall argument.

These points are then argued individually before they are brought back together for a cohesive conclusion. While there are several ways in which the informative and argumentative speeches are similar, there are some very real differences that must be taken into account. Fortunately, these differences are linked with the concepts suggested by their names – informative speeches are intended to instruct and argumentative speeches are intended to convince. By keeping these differences in mind, your next speech doesn’t need to be so stressful.