12.4 Explain the functions of, and several strategies for, speech introductions and conclusions.

A carefully planned introduction will get your audience’s attention, introduce your topic, give the audience a reason to listen, establish your credibility, state your central idea, and preview your main ideas. An equally carefully planned conclusion will summarize your speech, reemphasize the central idea in a memorable way, motivate your audience to respond, and provide closure.

Outlining Your Speech