After you have decided on a general and specific purpose for your speech, the next step is to develop your central idea. Your book's authors write that a central idea is "a one-sentence summary of the speech" (122). The central idea is sometimes called a thesis. The central idea, or thesis, focuses on the content of the speech.
The central idea should ...
Be a complete declarative sentence.
Use specific language.
Be a single idea.
Be an audience-centered idea.
Here are some examples:
In order to survive a winter storm, you should have adequate clothing, food, and communication devices.
The art of mehndi is a 5,000 year old tradition that has been used for artistic, medical, and mystical purposes.
Lack of seatbelt use is a serious problem that has been made worse by changes in airbag design.
Now it's your turn. Write a central idea for your next speech in the space below. If you enter your instructor's email address, a copy of your central idea will be emailed to your instructor, who can give you feedback on its appropriateness and effectiveness. You'll also be asked to include some information from an earlier step in the speechmaking process: determining a purpose.
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