1) What is the size of the audience?
a. Knowing how small or large the audience is will affect your language, choice of appeals, and use of visual aids.
b. The answer will contribute to the preparation because depending on the size the larger the audience, the more formal your presentation will be.
2) Ask information about the physical settings of the speech location.
a. Ensuring that the physical settings will not interfere with your audience’s willingness to accept your ideas or listen to you at all.
b. This answer will contribute to the preparation and deliverance of the speech because you will have to work harder to adapt to these aspects of your listeners’ discomfort. Being prepared, your audience will see that you are energetic, alert, and involved with your topic, giving you a better chance at keeping your audience engaged.
3) How much time will be given to complete the speech?
a. Knowing the time allotted you will have a better sense of what points you can spend more time elaborating on.
b. This answer will contribute to the preparation of the speech by ensuring you will be ready to give your entire speech without having to cut out your main points or seem unprepared by rushing.
Three major demographic questions to ask the HR director, explain why you are asking them, and how you think the answers will contribute to the speech preparation.
1) Will there be both women and men attending the presentation?
a. I am asking because the main points as well as information given will need to be altered depending on gender of the audience.
b. The answers will contribute to the preparation because men and women process information differently.
2) What is the age range of the audience?
a. Knowing the age range will give the speaker a better understanding of which kind of examples or scenarios to