In this chapter you have learned the following:

• The research process is a common thread tying together all aspects of the speech preparation process.
• An effective research strategy means finding multiple types of sources because different books, journals, and peoples' experiences provide you with different types of supporting materials.
• Research helps you find and narrow speech topics, identify main points, support your ideas, develop effective introductions and conclusions, and deliver your speech with confidence.

• Students typically use four common types of sources in their speeches: personal experience, interviews, library resources, and the Internet.
• Personal experiences can provide useful examples but should be carefully evaluated to determine whether they are useful evidence.
• Interviewing others can provide useful details, examples, and quotations. However, preparing for and carrying out successful interviews takes time and careful planning.
• Library resources include books, journals, newspapers, magazines, and government documents. Most libraries have specialized electronic databases that will enable you to find information.
• The Internet provides easy access to large quantities of information; such sources must be carefully evaluated.

• Once you have found sources, you must carefully consider how you will use and cite the information.
• To evaluate sources you should ask the following questions: Is the supporting material clear? Is the supporting material verifiable? Is the source of the supporting material competent? Is the source objective? Is the supporting material relevant?
• Preparation outlines should include bibliographic references, which are complete lists of sources in a "references" or "works cited" section. Your outline should also include internal references, which are brief notations in the text of the outline indicating which bibliographic reference contains specific information.
• In your presentation, you should provide oral citations of sources so listeners will know where information came from.

• You use supporting material as evidence for ideas and arguments in your speech.
• Examples are specific instances or stories that illustrate your points.
• Surveys report answers to questions designed to discover popular opinions on topics.
• Testimony involves quotations that explain something or provide evidence that others agree with your points.
• Numbers and statistics quantify ideas or show statistical relationships.
• Analogies provide comparisons between things to illustrate or clarify ideas.
• Definitions help audiences understand the meaning of specific terms used during a presentation.

• Presenters are obligated to follow ethical principles when selecting and using supporting material in their presentations.
• Speakers have an ethical obligation to find the best possible sources of information.
• Speakers must cite their sources of information.
• Speakers are required to present fair and accurate representations of their sources of information.