Citing Sources Orally in Your Speech
Why should you provide oral source citations for the evidence you use in your speech?
1. You enhance your own credibility as a speaker by demonstrating the range of your research.
2. You construct stronger arguments that will have greater impact on your audience.
3. You have an ethical responsibility to give credit to others for the use of their ideas and information.
How do you decide what information to include in an oral source citation for a particular piece of evidence you are using?
1. Put yourself in the role of a critical listener and ask yourself what you would question about the evidence. A critical listener might ask:
Who collected the evidence?
Why was the evidence collected?
When was the evidence collected?
How was the evidence collected.
Why did this person say this?
What are this person's qualifications?
Is he/she a recognized expert in his/her field?
Does this evidence run counter to common knowledge?
Is this evidence consistent with other sources?
2. Ask yourself what information about the source will enhance the credibility of the evidence you are using.
RULE OF THUMB: On current issues the most persuasive evidence will be the most recent evidence.
RULE OF THUMB: If your listeners would not recognize the source as being credible, provide the source's qualifications.
RULE OF THUMB: When deciding how much information to include in your oral source citation include information that will enhance the listeners' perception of the credibility of your evidence and you as a speaker.
What information should I include in my oral source citations?
1. Include information that identifies the source of the evidence.
2. Include information about the source's qualifications if it (1) is available, (2) enhances the impact of your evidence, or (3) is not information your listeners already possess.
3. Include the date of your evidence if recency is a relevant consideration.
How do I cite the source orally during my speech?
1. RULE OF THUMB: Provide the citation before, not after you present the audience with your evidence.
2. Use a variety of lead-ins for stylistic effectiveness.
To support this idea . . ..
This point is verified by . . ..
________put it well, when he/she said . . ..
In the words of _____ . . ..
One explanation for this problem is provided by . . ..
Dr. _____, a noted expert in his/her field . . ..
_____, head of the Food and Drug Administration reported that . . ..
______ testified last year that . . ..
I can think of two examples that illustrate my point. First . . ..
Support for my argument comes from . . ..
3. RULE: Never use the phrase "quote . . . unquote" in citing your evidence.
4. Examples:
Dr. James F. Fixx, in his book, More Games for the Super Intelligent wrote that . . ..
Psychologists Robert Steinberg and Janet Davidson of Yale University conducted a study in 1995 and concluded that . . ..
The New England Journal of Medicine reported just this month that . . ..
James Brolin, a nationally syndicated columnist wrote in today's edition of the New York Times that . . ..
President Clinton indicated that . . ..
1. You enhance your own credibility as a speaker by demonstrating the range of your research.
2. You construct stronger arguments that will have greater impact on your audience.
3. You have an ethical responsibility to give credit to others for the use of their ideas and information.
How do you decide what information to include in an oral source citation for a particular piece of evidence you are using?
1. Put yourself in the role of a critical listener and ask yourself what you would question about the evidence. A critical listener might ask:
Who collected the evidence?
Why was the evidence collected?
When was the evidence collected?
How was the evidence collected.
Why did this person say this?
What are this person's qualifications?
Is he/she a recognized expert in his/her field?
Does this evidence run counter to common knowledge?
Is this evidence consistent with other sources?
2. Ask yourself what information about the source will enhance the credibility of the evidence you are using.
RULE OF THUMB: On current issues the most persuasive evidence will be the most recent evidence.
RULE OF THUMB: If your listeners would not recognize the source as being credible, provide the source's qualifications.
RULE OF THUMB: When deciding how much information to include in your oral source citation include information that will enhance the listeners' perception of the credibility of your evidence and you as a speaker.
What information should I include in my oral source citations?
1. Include information that identifies the source of the evidence.
2. Include information about the source's qualifications if it (1) is available, (2) enhances the impact of your evidence, or (3) is not information your listeners already possess.
3. Include the date of your evidence if recency is a relevant consideration.
How do I cite the source orally during my speech?
1. RULE OF THUMB: Provide the citation before, not after you present the audience with your evidence.
2. Use a variety of lead-ins for stylistic effectiveness.
To support this idea . . ..
This point is verified by . . ..
________put it well, when he/she said . . ..
In the words of _____ . . ..
One explanation for this problem is provided by . . ..
Dr. _____, a noted expert in his/her field . . ..
_____, head of the Food and Drug Administration reported that . . ..
______ testified last year that . . ..
I can think of two examples that illustrate my point. First . . ..
Support for my argument comes from . . ..
3. RULE: Never use the phrase "quote . . . unquote" in citing your evidence.
4. Examples:
Dr. James F. Fixx, in his book, More Games for the Super Intelligent wrote that . . ..
Psychologists Robert Steinberg and Janet Davidson of Yale University conducted a study in 1995 and concluded that . . ..
The New England Journal of Medicine reported just this month that . . ..
James Brolin, a nationally syndicated columnist wrote in today's edition of the New York Times that . . ..
President Clinton indicated that . . ..