GATHERING SUPPORTING MATERIALS

GATHERING SUPPORT MATERIALS

There are many ways in which you can gather materials to support your speech.


Using Your Own Knowledge and Experience

• We speak best about subjects which we are familiar with.
• Personalize you speech by adding the “personal touch”
• Try not to depersonalize your speech by relying too much on facts and figures from books.
• Your points can be conveyed more meaningfully by drawing from your own experience
• You felt, did, saw and heard whatever you are speaking about.


Doing Library Research

• Librarians
• Catalogues
 Card Catalogue – a catalogue that lists on cards all the books and periodicals owned by a library
 Online Catalogue – an electronic listing of the books and periodicals owned by a library
• Periodical Indexes
 A research aid that catalogues articles from a large number of journals or magazines
• Newspaper Indexes
 A research aid that catalogues articles from one or more newspapers

• Reference Works
 Encyclopedias
 Yearbooks
 Dictionaries
 Atlas and gazetteer


SEARCHING THE INTERNET

• Browsers – a computer programme for navigating the WWW e.g. Netscape, Internet Explorer, MSN Online, etc.
• Search Aids
 Search engines – e.g. yahoo.com, google.com, infoseek.com, about.com etc.
 Virtual libraries – e.g. Argus Clearinghouse (www. clearinghouse.net), Internet Public Library ( www.ipl.org), Brittanica.com (www.brittanica.com), etc.
• Keyword Searches
 Find the search box and type the keywords of your topic
• Subject Searches – general topics
• Bookmarks – stores links to sites that can be easily revisited
• Specialized Research Resources – e.g www.gov.my for Malaysian government resources, news (www.nst.com.my) etc.


INTERVIEWING

Before
 Define the purpose of the interview
 Decide whom to interview
 Arrange the interview
 Decide whether to use a tape recorder or not
 Prepare your questions


During
 Dress appropriately and be on time
 Repeat the purpose
 Set up the tape recorder (if you are using one)
 Keep on track
 Listen carefully
 Don’t take too much time


After
 Review
 Transcribe