one and half essay

COMM 110 / Speech Anxiety Essay Assignment / Due June 21 to Canvas

Purpose of the assignment:

Public speaking can be quite anxiety inducing for some. For many, in fact! Public speaking is one of the most common fears among people in the U.S. If you count yourself as someone who has speech anxiety, do not fret! By the end of this class, you will have the knowledge and experience necessary to overcome speech anxiety.

The purpose of this assignment is to get you to consider specific ways in which your speech anxiety may affect your public speaking ability. Additionally, I would like to hear about specific things you plan on doing in order to alleviate whatever anxiety you may feel in relation to public speaking.

Requirements:

1. This assignment has four primary parts (this should correspond to four paragraphs):

a. Present a short introduction that catches the reader’s attention and advances a clear thesis statement.

b. Thoughtfully discuss your own speech anxiety. Does public speaking cause you anxiety? If so, explain why. If not, also explain why.

c. Explain the specific steps you will take to manage your own speech anxiety. If you know you experience speech anxiety, what can you do to minimize its influence? If speech anxiety is not an issue for you, explain the steps that you took to manage the anxiety you may have once had. Do not speak about speech anxiety in the abstract. I want to hear how you specifically aim to minimize its negative influence.

d. Present a conclusion that summarizes your overall discussion and ends strongly.

2. This assignment should be between 1 and 2 double-spaced pages. Use 12 point Times New Roman, Cambria, or Arial font. You will submit your document to Canvas.

Evaluation information:

Points will be given according to the how well the requirements above were met. A paper that meets the basic requirements but does not show any extra effort will receive a 75% grade (mid-C range). Papers that exceed the basic requirements will receive higher than a 75% and papers that do not meet the basic requirements will receive lower than a 75%. This assignment is worth 15 points overall.

· Presents a thoughtful discussion of your own speaker anxiety 5 points

· Presents logical and effective ways you will work

on managing your own speaker anxiety 5 points

· Presents a thorough introduction, conclusion, and is free of errors 5 points

· Total 15 points

Suggestions for preparation:

Consult your textbook!

Your paper should be logically organized. Stick to one idea or a cluster or related ideas at a time.

Make sure that you address each requirement in full.

Be thoughtful and thorough in your exploration of this assignment. You can revisit this assignment at the end of the semester in order to highlight your growth as a public speaker. You will probably find that your attitudes and concerns will change over the course of the semester!