Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every other form of freedom.

—Benjamin N. Cardozo

In informative speaking, you are not asking anything of your audience. The demands are low, but the speaker is expected to try to maintain the audience’s enthusiasm and interest, and that’s hard to do. When you are giving some kind of report, you can imagine how boring the figures, analysis, data, claim, and conclusion can be. As a speaker, you must be prepared to present an informational speech with enthusiasm, clarity, and excitement, without seeming persuasive. In persuasive speaking you are asking something of your audience; we’ll talk more about persuasion in the next lesson.

Informational speeches come in three forms: demonstration, informational, and reporting. I would like to briefly discuss the nature and purpose of each type.