Using Facts and Statistics

As Chapter 7 told us, facts and statistics must be used with care. While both can definitely enhance your speech, they can also hurt it if used inappropriately. It is important to use them when you are trying to appeal to the audiences logic. If I am trying to convince my audience of something, or to teach them about it, facts and statistics about that subject can help back me up. It adds credibility to the speaker. I find that speakers who use statistics effectively can help the audience visualize a number that puts what he/she is trying to say into context. The speech buddy video we watched about drinking and driving had some statistics that made the facts make more sense as we had numbers to visualize. Too many facts or statistics can make a speech dull. If an audience hears too many numbers, or is overwhelmed with facts, they will quickly lose interest and miss the point of the speech. Statistics can be especially tricky. When I hear speakers or read statistics I wonder if they have been taken out of context or slanted to fit the theme. Without seeing the whole picture that led to a statistic it can be hard to trust it. Facts can be the same way, a speaker can provide facts that help lead to a conclusion that may or may not be accurate depending on the point of view. I think facts and statistics are a necessary part of an effective, memorable speech. They show that the speaker did some research, they can add credibility to the content of the speech, and they give the audience a closer connection to the subject. At the same time they need to be used only to highlight or augment the speech, not be the main body, and they should be straightforward. Moderation is the key!