CHAPTER 6

GATHERING
MATERIALS

USING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND

EXPERIENCE
• When you choose a topic from your own
experience, you may be tempted to
depersonalize it by relying solely on facts and
figures from books
• Outside information is almost always
necessary, but supplementing it with the
personal touch can really bring your speeches
to life

DOING LIBRARY RESEARCH

1. Librarians
2. The catalogue
• Catalogue: a listing of all the books, periodicals
and other resources owned by a library
• Call number: a number used in libraries to
classify books and periodicals and to indicate
where they can be found on the shelves
3. Periodical databases
• A research aid that catalogues articles from a
large number of journals or magazines

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 • In some cases you may get an abstract of an
article: a summary of a magazine or journal
article, written by someone other than the
original author
4. Newspapers
5. Reference works
• A work that synthesizes a large amount of
related information for easy access by
researchers
a. Encyclopedias c. Quotation books
b. Yearbooks d. Biographical aids

SEARCHING THE INTERNET

1. Search engines
2. Specialized research resources
a. Virtual libraries
b. Government resources
c. Multicultural resources
3. Evaluating internet documents
a. Authorship
b. Sponsorship
c. Recency

INTERVIEWING

• BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

1. Define the purpose of the interview
2. Decide whom to interview
3. Arrange the interview
4. Decide whether to record the interview
5. Prepare your questions

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• DURING THE INTERVIEW
1. Dress appropriately and be on time
2. Repeat the purpose of the interview
3. Set up a recorder, if you are using one
4. Keep the interview on track
5. Listen carefully
6. Don’t overstay your welcome

• AFTER THE INTERVIEW

1. Review your notes as soon as possible
2. Transcribe your notes

TIPS FOR DOING RESEARCH

1. Start early
2. Make a preliminary bibliography
• A list compiled early in the research process of
works that look as if they might contain helpful
information about a speech topic
3. Take notes efficiently
4. Think about your materials as you research