Demographic Audience Analysis
Thinking before Speaking
Objective: The students will learn what a demographic audience analysis is, and why it is important. They will also brainstorm in groups to apply their recent knowledge on the subject.
Materials: notes cards for each group
Steps:
1. Before class begins make two sets of note cards. One set will have different types of demographic audience types (i.e. democrats, Catholics, senior citizen, African Americans, college professors). The other set of note cards will have common speech topics written on them (i.e. Why Women Have the Right to Choose, The Disadvantages to Medicare, The Benefits of Vegetarianism, and ect.)
2. First explain to the students what a demographic audience analysis is. Tell them that demographics are the qualities of a group of people – in this case, your audience. When giving a speech, you should consider several aspects of your audience as a whole so you will know how to respond to them. Some considerations are: the audience size, how diverse the audience members are, and their composition. Go into further detail about size, diversity, and composition.
Explain that the audience’s size is important because it determines how you will present your information. In larger audiences, the speaker seems more distant, and must plan for a more formal presentation. A large audience is more likely to have a wide spread of characteristics, while a smaller audience is more likely to have fewer differences. Smaller audiences allow for a more personal, informal presentation. Although this is not always true: a briefing at the White House might have a small audience, but would be a highly formal event.
Also explain that audiences in which the members are very similar to one another are called homogeneous, while diverse audiences are called heterogeneous. The more heterogeneous (diverse) an audience is, the broader your appeals must be, and the more careful you must be about your assumptions. How do you know the diversity of your audience? Some occasions or events naturally bring similar people together, such as a rally for a specific cause or political issue, or the meeting of a civic society. On the other hand, many speeches are to a diverse crowd, such as general political speeches. Larger audiences are more likely to be diverse. Your class probably has some things in common, but also many differences in opinion.
Do not forget that a speaker may have multiple audiences, or several homogeneous groups within a single audience. For instance, when the President gives a speech, he must consider the listeners he can see, as well as the greater national and international audience – that is a lot of diversity. In your class, you will probably have both the students and your instructor as your audience. Starting a speech with a loud “Hey what’s up” might be popular with your fellow classmates, but might estrange your teacher.
Also let the students know that aspects of an audience’s composition may give you hints about what they find interesting or persuasive. Several factors you may wish to consider are: age, race or culture, gender, religious affiliation, education level, and political beliefs.
You should be careful not to put too much weight on demographic factors, however, because that could lead to poor stereotyping. If your audience thinks you are simplifying their interests and beliefs because of their demographic makeup, they may decide not to listen to you. Also, you might incorrectly identify their interests, thus giving a speech your audience finds uninteresting or unimportant to them.
3. Now that you have finished teaching them about demographic audience analysis is, ask the students if they have any questions. If they have questions do your best to help them understand.
4. Divide the students into groups of 3-5, depending on your class size. Give each group one of each sets of note cards you have prepared for them and ask them to identify a speaker for the group.
5. Explain to the students that they will be given one note card with a specific demographic characteristic on it. On this note card tell them to identify anything that they would do differently in their speeches to make it adapt to their specific demographic. Also tell them to identify a common stereotype about their demographic that they would like to avoid in their speech, and explain why they would not like you make that assumption.
6. Explain that the other note card has a commonly used speech topic on it. Ask them to come up with a demographic audience that they would have and easier time delivering the speech to, and a harder time delivering the speech to. Ask them to write why they choose each demographic type and explain why it would be easy or hard.
7. As a class, discuss the results of each group. Ask the students if they generally agree with the information that was provided. If they don’t, have a brief class discussion about the differences.
Results: The students will have the ability to adapt their speeches for certain demographic audience types and be aware to why it is important to be able to do so. If time allows, let the student continue to work on making note cards or visual aids for their speeches.
Jami Ellis
Speech 400
Dr. Lawson
06/05/07
Audience Analysis
Need to know your audience
Objective: junior high school students will contrast the differences of interest among several groups in the classroom and they will choose proper topics according to a specific group. Especially in this class, the students will identify different ages of people who have different interests.
Materials: None
Step:
1. Give an introduction (tell about what we study about today)
2. Give two different kinds of speeches (One of them is about how to get a good insurance policy and the other is about how to make a good friendship)
3. Ask which speech is more interesting for students and find reasons
4. Divide students into five or six small groups
5. Each group discusses and lists interests of different ages of three groups (teenagers, parents, grandparents)
6. Share their opinions with the class
7. Think about the outcome of a speaker giving a speech using unsuitable topics
8. Tell students that we focus on ages for choosing topics
9. Teach gender, religion, educational level and culture as other important elements to think of when choosing a topic.
10. Sum up today’s main points and give homework (pick up one of the elements, gender, religion, educational level or culture and write what a speaker should care about the element and which topics are proper)
Result: Students will identify important elements a speaker considers when deciding on a topic and choose proper topics depending on the type of audience
Yuriko Onishi
Speech 400