Source: Athens Banner-Herald Online, March 25, 2002. Available: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/032502/new_gallery.shtml
Each of the following types of evidence has advantages for illustrating or supporting key ideas within a speech:
Description is accepted factual information. One type of description is definition. Here is a definition of corporal punishment which appears in the Encyclopedia Britannica Online:
"...the infliction of physical pain upon a person's body as punishment for a crime or infraction. Corporal punishments include flogging, beating, branding, mutilation, blinding, and the use of the stock and pillory. In a broad sense, the term also denotes the physical disciplining of children in the schools and at home."
Source: "Corporal punishment." Encyclopędia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=26820 [Accessed October 6, 2002].
Here is factual information about the California law regarding spanking children:
"Under California state law, a parent has the right to reasonably discipline a child by physical punishment and may administer reasonable punishment without being liable for battery. People v. Whitehurst, 9 Cal.App.4th 1045, 1050 (1992). In order to be considered disciplinary the punishment must be necessary (i.e. there must be behavior by the child deserving punishment), and the punishment must be reasonable (i.e not excessive)."
Source: "Parent's Rights to Discipline in California." Pacific Justice Institute. http://www.pacificjustice.org/articles/article_002.htm [Accessed October 6, 2002].
A brief example is a reference to an instance which requires no elaboration, usually because the audience is already familiar with the example. People might remember the example of the American teenager who was caned in Singapore a number of years ago for scratching cars with a key. When the audience is familiar with the example, further details are not needed.
An extended example is a real of hypothetical illustration in summary of narrative form. Note that the following example would probably not be familiar to the audience, so the detail would need to be spelled out.
"A man's four children and stepchildren were taken away from him after he used an electric stun gun to discipline one of them, his 8-year-old stepson, for missing the school bus. The man, Theodore Moody, 27, of Sweeney, about 50 miles south of Houston, was not arrested, but District Attorney Jeri Yenne held out the possibility of charges of causing injury to a child. Mr. Moody's two children and two stepchildren were placed in a foster home. A hearing was set for next week to determine whether they should be returned to the Moodys."
Source: "National Briefing | Southwest: Texas: Man Uses Stun Gun To Discipline Child." The New York Times, September 27, 2002, p. 27A.
Statistics are numerical relationships which account for many examples.
"A survey of U.S. parents shows a drop in the use of spanking as the main disciplinary method from 59% in 1962 to 19% in 1993. Parents now prefer using time-outs (38%) and lecturing (24%)."
Source: "Child corporal punishment: Spanking." Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, September 11, 2001. Available: http://www.religioustolerance.org/spankin2.htm
Analogies are comparisons. Literal analogies compare things within the same realm of experience, while figurative analogies compare things which occur in different realms of experience, but which are governed by similar principles.
Testimony is relatively unique knowledge or opinion arising from study and experience with the topic. Expert testimony is built on extensive formal experience and training and/or the background received while pursuing one's job. Peer testimony is based on observations by an individual who has a unique personal experience with an issue.
Psychologist H. Stephen Glenn said "Corporal punishment is the least effective method [of discipline]. Punishment reinforces a failure identity. It reinforces rebellion, resistance, revenge and resentment. And, what people who spank children will learn is that it teaches more about you than it does about them that the whole goal is to crush the child. It's not dignified, and it's not respectful."
Source: J. K. Ni, "Spanking denounced as ineffective, harmful -- Expert at 'Families Alive' [conference] urges positive discipline," Deseret News, May 9, 1998."The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly opposes striking a child. If the spanking is spontaneous, parents should later explain calmly why they did it, the specific behavior that provoked it, and how angry they felt. They might apologize to their child for their loss of control, because that usually helps the youngster understand and accept the spanking."
Source: "Physical punishment." The American Academy of Pediatrics. Available http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/spank.htm [Accessed October 6, 2002]
A quotation is a relative short statement which captures wisdom about an issue in an compelling way. The source may not be an expert or even known to the audience, but the truth is suggested by the nature of the language used. For example, we remember hearing that the Bible tells us, "Spare the rod, and spoil the child." Proverbs 23:13.
Visual materials gain interest, clarify, reinforce, aid memory, and motivate action. The following visual could capture the nature of corporal punishment:
Source: Athens Banner-Herald Online, March 25, 2002. Available: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/032502/new_gallery.shtml
The source of supporting materials should be mentioned in the content of the speech and cited in a bibliography at the end of the content (or preparation) outline. In general, supporting materials should be paraphrased when giving the speech. [Further information about using research materials.]