speech assignment
shoe521big477
speech.pdf
Study Guide
Speech By
Donna Beech
Reviewed By
Joseph F. Caputo
About the Author
Donna Beech is a professional writer who has written about a variety
of topics, including business, science, health, interior design, and
art. She wrote The HeartMath Solution (HarperCollins, 1999), which
Publishers Weekly called “groundbreaking.” Her books have been
featured on Oprah, ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,
CNN Headline News, NBC’s Today Show, Lifetime’s New Attitudes,
Body & Soul on PBS, Inside Edition, ABC’s The View, and Good
Morning America.
About the Reviewer
Joseph F. Caputo received a bachelor of arts degree in communication
arts/English from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
and a master of arts in theater from State University of New York
at Binghamton. Mr. Caputo served as administrator of both an
elementary and a high school, and has taught at the elementary,
secondary, and college levels. His college teaching includes classes
in film as art, theater, writing, and training of the speaking voice.
He has also directed and acted in numerous plays, including
Romeo and Juliet, Our Town, The Odd Couple, Fiddler on the Roof,
and Plaza Suite. Mr. Caputo has served as the drama critic for the
Scranton Times since 1997.
Copyright © 2012 by Penn Foster, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be mailed to Copyright Permissions, Penn Foster, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18515.
Printed in the United States of America
All terms mentioned in this text that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Use of a term in this text should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.
INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS 1
LESSON ASSIGNMENTS 7
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC SPEAKING 9
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 1: NARRATIVE/ PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SPEECH 20
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 2: PODCAST 27
LESSON 2: REHEARSAL AND DELIVERY 41
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 3: INFOMERCIAL 41
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 4: PERSUASIVE SPEECH 66
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 5: FINAL SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 70
SELF-CHECK ANSWERS 75
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YOUR COURSE
Most of us are in almost constant communication with other people. Whether we’re using the basic social skills we need in our personal relationships or the advanced presentation skills required to hold the attention of large audiences, all of us can benefit from improving our ability to communicate well.
This course is designed to help you learn the basic principles of effective speaking in a variety of settings. The textbook provides procedures for preparing and delivering different types of speeches in a variety of contexts.
OBJECTIVES
When you complete this course, you’ll be able to
n Explain the importance of audience-centered communication
n Use skills for coping with apprehension or fear of public speaking
n Create a goal or thesis for your speech with three to five main points
n Identify and avoid false arguments in an informative speech
n Explain how to develop an emotionally persuasive speech
n Prepare an outline for a speech
n Identify methods to gain the audience’s attention with your introduction
n Describe the key elements of a conclusion
n Recognize appropriate and inappropriate language in speeches
n Explain the process of rehearsing a speech
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COURSE MATERIALS
This course includes the following materials:
1. This study guide, which contains an introduction to your course, plus
n A lesson assignments page with a schedule of study assignments
n Introductions to lessons and assignments, which emphasize the main points in the textbook
n Self-checks and answers to help you assess your understanding of the material
n Five graded speech assignments
2. Your course textbook, The Essential Elements of Public Speaking, Fourth Edition, by Joseph A. DeVito
KNOW YOUR TEXTBOOK
Here are some of the features of the reading material in your textbook, The Essential Elements of Public Speaking:
n A purpose section that explains why the content of the chapter is relevant
n Public speaking sample assistants, found in most chapters, that are designed to give you an idea of how a good speech works and poor speech doesn’t
n A list of essential terms at the end of each chapter
n A series of public speaking exercises
A STUDY PLAN
Everyone has his or her own style of learning. The object is to find the method of learning that works best for you. What follows is a suggested format for using this study guide.
Instructions to Students2
Remember that this is a suggested plan only. If you feel that another method would help you learn more effectively, use that method.
1. Note the pages for each assignment and read the intro- ductory material in this study guide.
2. Scan the assigned pages in the textbook. Make a note of the headings and illustrations. Write down questions to yourself in the margin of the textbook or on a separate sheet of paper.
3. Keep your textbook open to the chapter assignment, and read the assignment text in this study guide. When the study guide references passages or figures in the textbook, turn to the text to complete your understanding. It may answer your questions or inspire more.
4. Read the assigned pages in the textbook. This time, pay more attention to details. Concentrate on gaining an understanding of the concepts being presented.
5. Read the text in this study guide again. Check on any- thing that’s still not clear, and reexamine the pages and illustrations to which the study guide refers. Then com- plete the self-check. Don’t submit your answers to the self-checks for grading. You can check your own answers using the answers given at the back of this study guide. If you have problems completing any self-check question, reread the sections of the textbook that pertain to the problem area. If you still need assistance, contact your instructor.
6. Complete and submit the graded speech assignments as you come to them. Instructions are provided in this study guide.
7. When you’ve completed all the assignments for the first lesson and you feel confident you understand the material covered in these assignments, take the lesson examination.
Instructions to Students 3
8. When you receive the results of your speech assignments and examination, don’t dwell on any mistakes you made. For the speech assignments, work on applying what you’ve learned to become a better, more confident speaker. For the multiple-choice exams, simply note which questions you answered wrong, go back to the textbook to locate the right answer, and move on. Remember, a successful learner isn’t someone who never makes mistakes. Rather, a successful learner is someone who learns to benefit from correcting mistakes. After all, once you’ve corrected a mistake, you can avoid making the same mistake again.
Repeat the steps for the remaining lessons in your course.
RECORDING AND UPLOADING SPEECH ASSIGNMENTS
Within this course, you must prepare and deliver five speeches. To submit these speeches for grading, you must record them with the camera you received with this course. Use the follow- ing procedures to record your videos:
1. Use the video camera supplied with this course. Be sure the camera is set for web-quality video (webQ).
2. Ask a friend or relative to do the recording for you. Before you record the first speech, practice making a few sample videos. Refer to the documentation that came with your camera for guidance on making your video and saving it to your computer as a file.
3. When you feel confident about your speech, make the recording. If the assignment asks you to give your speech in front of a group of people, have your partner include a quick shot of the audience.
Instructions to Students4
4. Once you have your speech file, rename the file. To do this, right-click on the file and select Rename. The new name should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the exam number for the speech (jstudent_XXXXXXXX.avi). At the end of your new file name, be sure to include the file extension, just as it was on the original.
5. Go to http://tinyurl.com/pf-filemail for instructions on transferring your file to the school. Do not change any of the default settings at the Filemail site.
Instructions to Students 5
If you have a dial-up connection, you may want to contact your
instructor for an alternate method of submitting your speech.
NOTES
Instructions to Students6
Lesson 1: Introduction to Public Speaking
For: Read in the Read in study guide: the textbook:
Assignment 1 Pages 9–15 Pages 1–20
Assignment 2 Pages 16–19 Pages 21–45
Speech Assignment 1:
Narrative/Personal Experience Speech 05032100
Assignment 3 Pages 25–26 Pages 46–63
Speech Assignment 2: Podcast 05032200
Assignment 4 Pages 30–34 Pages 64–83
Assignment 5 Pages 35–37 Pages 84–104
Assignment 6 Pages 38–40 Pages 105–128
Examination 050323 Material in Lesson 1
Lesson 2: Rehearsal and Delivery
Speech Assignment 3: Infomercial 05032400
For: Read in the Read in study guide: the textbook:
Assignment 7 Pages 47–50 Pages 129–166
Assignment 8 Pages 50–54 Pages 167–190
Assignment 9 Pages 55–57 Pages 191–211
Assignment 10 Pages 58–62 Pages 212–232
Assignment 11 Pages 62–65 Pages 233–268
Speech Assignment 4: Persuasive Speech 05032500
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Assignment 12 Pages 70–73 Pages 269–291
Examination 050326 Material in Lesson 2
Speech Assignment 5: Final Speech Assignment 05032700
Lesson Assignments8
Note: To access and complete any of the examinations for this study
guide, click on the appropriate Take Exam icon on your “My Courses”
page. You should not have to enter the examination numbers. These
numbers are for reference only if you have reason to contact Student
Services.
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Introduction to Public Speaking
ASSIGNMENT 1: INTRODUCTION Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 1, pages 1–20, in your textbook.
Every choice you make, when you create a speech or presenta- tion, must be designed to help you communicate with a particular audience. A speech that’s exceptionally effective with one group of people can completely fail with another group.
Few things are more moving than a rousing speech, given by a coach to a team that has been losing all season, but has the ability to win if they’ll only try a little harder in the final games. Yet that speech would have no application at all to commuters about to ride the subway to work or to farmers planting corn. Those groups might appreciate a victory speech, but it won’t have any personal application to the task they’re about to face. It’s only when the speech and the audience are well matched that communication is genuinely effective.
Behaving Ethically
Individuals, groups, and societies use ethics to tell good behavior from bad behavior. According to your textbook, ethics are “issues of right and wrong, or the moral implica- tion of your message.” Above all, a speaker must behave in an ethical manner. At the simplest level, the set of principles that make up the ethical standard for speaking contains five elements:
n Honesty
n Integrity
n Fairness
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n Respect
n Responsibility
First, you must be especially careful to tell the truth. Sometimes, telling only part of a story—even if what you say is completely true—is the same as not telling the truth, because the omit- ted important elements would have changed the slant of the story.
Second, you must identify the sources you use in making the speech. Plagiarism (stealing someone else’s words or ideas) is both unethical and illegal. In fact, it’s a breach of all five ethi- cal principles. First, of course, it’s dishonest. Furthermore, claiming someone else’s ideas or wording as one’s own indi- cates a lack of integrity. To have integrity, one’s actions must be consistent with that person’s inner values.
Plagiarism also relates to the third element of ethics because it’s not fair. Another person has articulated his or her ideas, choosing those words carefully. By not acknowledging the source, a plagiarist makes it appear as if these words and ideas are his or her own. Such behavior is hardly fair to the person who actually created them.
If someone fails to acknowledge sources when speaking, that person also abandons the fourth and fifth elements of ethics by showing a lack of respect and responsibility—toward the original source and toward the audience, which deserves to know the truth.
Apart from everything else, living in an ethical way allows you to respect yourself. Why sacrifice that essential virtue when it’s so easy to tell the truth and quote sources?
Lesson 1 11
Understanding Public Speaking Apprehension
Making a speech in public is often listed as people’s number- one fear. So many people are afraid of speaking in public that it’s become fodder for comedians. Jerry Seinfeld once said that most people at a funeral would rather be in the casket than give the eulogy.
In most cases, though, speaking isn’t really the issue. It’s the fear of humiliation, embarrassment, scorn, and ridicule— things that send chills through us all. So great is this fear that it shows up in nightmares. In one classic nightmare, the dreamer is standing naked in front of an audience. The image perfectly conveys the idea of being embarrassed, unprepared, inappropriate, subject to ridicule, and exceptionally vulnera- ble. The nakedness may mean that there’s nowhere to hide. In another common nightmare, the dreamer appears in front of an audience, but can’t remember what to say. Sometimes the person can’t even improvise because he or she doesn’t even know what the topic of the speech is.
Public Speaking and Society
As a means of communication, public speaking can provide a variety of services to society:
n Paying tribute
n Providing information
n Influencing thought
n Entertaining
n Stimulating action
In some cases, a single speech fulfills all these functions. It’s easy to imagine a political speech
in which a candidate running for office pays tribute to the person who previously held the office,
provides information about the issues, influences the audience’s thinking about the issues,
entertains them with relevant stories, and then stimulates them to take action on the issues
themselves or simply vote for the candidate!
At other times, the entire speech may be devoted to one element alone. For example, stand-up
comedians often give speeches meant to entertain. New broadcasters strive to give presentations
that inform.
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Fortunately, in real life, if we get up on stage, we do know what play we’re in. When you give a speech before an audience, you know exactly why you’re giving it and what you’re going to say, even if you do feel nervous. Moreover, you’re unlikely to find yourself accidentally standing there naked. Therefore, the good news is, speaking in real life will probably never be as nerve-wracking as our fears would have us believe.
Overcoming Public Speaking Apprehension
Possibly the best way to overcome a fear of public speaking is to make many speeches. The more exposure you have to public speaking, the more comfortable you’ll be with it. Of course, a little fear may be beneficial in keeping you concen- trated on what you’re doing. If you become too casual and too confident, your message may not be successful.
Visualization is one general method. Sometimes, people feel perfectly comfortable practicing a speech at home or even delivering it before a small group of friends. Then, when
What Do You Think Is Going to Happen?
When people are asked what they’re afraid will happen when they get up to speak before an
audience, they often mention these fears:
n My mind will go blank.
n I’ll start trembling and shaking, or I’ll have an anxiety attack.
n I’ll do something embarrassing.
n I’ll freeze and won’t be able to keep talking.
n I’ll say something foolish that doesn’t make sense.
Of course, any of these things can happen to any of us at any time. If they happened at home,
when we were surrounded by friends, we would laugh about it. It’s the idea of having it happen
in front of an audience of strangers—or worse, people we want to impress—that makes it
daunting!
This is why one of the age-old methods for dealing with the fear of ridicule by an audience is to
imagine them in a less impressive position. Some people imagine the audience as a room full
of monkeys. Others imagine the audience in their socks and underwear. If a funny mental gim-
mick helps, why not use it? As you become more comfortable in front of an audience, you’ll
rely on this method less and less.
Lesson 1 13
they’re confronted with a bigger audience in an auditorium or arena, the sheer size of the venue feels overwhelming.
The key to preventing this surprise is to visualize the audience every time you practice your speech. Don’t just focus on yourself talking in an empty room or presenting your speech to the wall. Picture the place where you’re going to deliver the speech. Even if you’re fortunate enough to be able to practice in the actual venue when it’s empty, be sure to imagine it filled with people. When you perform the visualization process correctly, your actual speech won’t differ much from the practice.
The following are six effective methods that can help you overcome your apprehension.
1. Allow sufficient time to prepare. A prepared individual is more likely to do a good job than one who is unprepared. This principle is true for just about any activity, includ- ing speech making. Lack of preparation can make even the most seasoned veteran nervous. An actor who gen- uinely doesn’t know his lines is right to feel trepidation. A politician who finds herself having to ad lib in front of an audience without a prepared text may well notice she’s got sweaty palms and tension in her throat. This problem is easy to resolve: Be prepared. If you know exactly what you’re going to say, your only task will be to get your mind off yourself and on your message. Then your fear will move aside.
2. Practice your speech aloud. A small percentage of the people in the world are brilliant at improvisation. They’re at their sparkling, creative best when they’re making it up as they go along. Most people, however, benefit enor- mously from practice. If you’re not able to improvise easily, then with each practice session your speech will become significantly stronger and more polished, and your comfort level with the speech will rise. On the day of presentation, you can settle into your speech like snuggling into a cozy sofa. Even if the audience looks scary, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to say, how it’s going to sound, and how long it’s going to last. These factors can be very comforting indeed.
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3. Choose an appropriate time to speak. As your textbook mentions, when you can, it makes sense to speak at the optimal moment. Whether you prefer to go first or last, try to arrange it. There are other timing considerations as well. In a seminar, for instance, you may sense that a particular speaker will put the audience to sleep or another speaker will be a hard act to follow because that speaker is so funny and entertaining. If you have the chance, pick your spot.
4. Use positive self-talk. Only you know what you would find the most plausible and encouraging at the moment before you speak. Platitudes and cheerful affirmations work beautifully for some people. Other people are better off if they simply counteract any negative self-talk that might undermine them. Do what you can to encourage yourself—before, during, and after your speech. You can be your best ally or your own worst enemy.
5. Face the audience. You can make eye contact with only one person at a time, but doing so makes the audience very personal. For a few moments, there’s only you and the woman in the second row or you and the guy with the blue shirt and the warm smile. Scan the room and let your eyes move across the audience from time to time. If you’re feeling nervous, however, it can help to return to a few individuals who look safe and supportive.
6. Focus on your message. You’re not just standing in front of an audience to be gawked at. You have something to say. No matter what kind of speech it is, you have a goal— even if it’s just doing an assignment for a communication course! There’s a reason why you’re making the speech. Focus on that instead of on your nervousness. When you’re concentrating on one thing (your message), it’s difficult to think about something else (your fear and nervousness).
Summary
To speak well publicly, it’s important that you know what goes into listening well. Furthermore, you must understand the four basic components of all communication.
Lesson 1 15
Getting your mind on the message will go a long way toward helping you alleviate any fears of speaking before an audience. Because it’s basically a fear of what will happen to you when you speak, getting your mind off yourself is the best thing to do. Remember what you want to say. You have something to communicate. Think about doing that, and your apprehen- sion will automatically recede.
Most of all, remember that you’re not alone. Speaking in public is intimidating to many. Don’t forget that when you master it. Not only will you have overcome your fear, but you may also find yourself in the comparatively small percentage of people who feel comfortable speaking in public and actually enjoy it!
Self-Check 1
At the end of each section of Speech, you’ll be asked to pause and check your understand-
ing of what you’ve just read by completing a “Self-Check” exercise. Answering these
questions will help you review what you’ve studied so far. Please complete Self-Check 1
now.
1. _______ conveyed in public speaking include both verbal and nonverbal signals.
2. When something prevents listeners from receiving your message, the message is said to be distorted by _______.
3. Passing off information or work as one’s own is called _______.
4. When you visualize public speaking as conversation, you can reduce your _______.
5. Creating a hierarchy of behaviors leading up to a feared behavior in order to overcome one’s fear of speaking in public is called _______.
Check your answers with those on page 75.
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ASSIGNMENT 2: LISTENING Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 2, pages 21–45, in your textbook.
Listening
If you’re not used to listening well, it may be difficult for you to imagine other people focusing on the message when you speak. Remember that one of the best ways to overcome apprehension is to get your mind on your message. That becomes a lot easier when you train yourself to start listening.
When someone else is speaking, how closely are you listen- ing? Hearing and listening have subtle differences. Hearing is a biological process. Hearing, the job of your ears and brain, is a component of listening. You perceive sound waves through your ears and interpret them in your brain. However, you may be hearing something while at the same time not really listening to it.
Beyond hearing, listening is a process of also receiving a message, constructing meaning from it, and then responding to the spoken (or nonverbal) message. By making a habit of listening more closely to what other speakers are saying, you’ll develop skills for identifying the message in a speech. By bringing awareness to the process of listening, you’ll also come to appreciate how difficult it can be to listen. Ask your- self what makes your mind wander when someone else is speaking. Do you prefer listening to some types of things to others? Is it easier for you to remember the message you’ve heard if the speaker returns to the central point several times? How long after a speech do you remember what was said? The answers to these questions will be useful to you as you create your own speeches.
The time you spend listening attentively to others will have direct benefits to you. Not only will it improve your speech- making process, it will also help to ease your apprehension by giving you practice in getting your mind on the message.
Lesson 1 17
Elements of Communication
When you present a speech, you’re communicating with your audience. This process of communication consists of four essential elements:
n Message
n Sender (speaker)
n Receiver (audience)
n Feedback
Let’s look a little more closely at each of these four elements. A message is an idea or information that’s transferred from one person to another. When you give a speech, the content of that speech is your message. Often, the way in which a message is delivered communicates a great deal about the importance or urgency of the information.
The sender is the person who creates the message and conveys it to the audience. As a speaker, you become the sender of the message.
The person (or persons) to whom you send a message is commonly known as the receiver (or receivers). In the case of a speaker, the audience is the receiver. More often than not, speakers design their messages to pass on information to a specific group of people. They tailor their messages to suit the ages, background, needs, and other characteristics of the target audience. Communication experts typically refer to such characteristics as reference points. All senders and receivers possess their own sets of reference points, which determine how they express and understand messages. Some of the more significant reference points include
n Educational background
n Personal values
n Family and childhood experiences
n Social and cultural customs
n Religious background
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The final element of communication involves the response the receiver has to the message conveyed by the sender. This response is typically referred to as feedback. One of the most important functions of feedback is to ensure that the message was understood accurately by the receiver. Feedback consists of some type of message—whether verbal, nonverbal, or some combination of the two—that’s returned to the sender.
When the receiver sends feedback, the communication process is essentially reversed. The receiver becomes the sender, and the sender becomes the receiver. Depending on the type and complexity of the feedback, the original sender may revise his or her message, stating it differently, more specifically, or more clearly.
Of course, if the communication process functioned simply and smoothly, misunderstandings and communication break- downs wouldn’t exist. Unfortunately, obstacles constantly interfere with the process. For example, a sender’s words may not be understood by the receivers, or outside noises or actions may distract the receivers’ attention (Figure 1). To be most effective, you must develop both clarity and flexibility in the way you communicate. In so doing, you can quickly learn to adapt your messages to the receivers’ needs, expectations, experiences, and ability to comprehend.
Sender
Message
Possible source of
interference
Message
Feedback loop
Receiver
Sender’s reference
points
Receiver’s reference
points
FIGURE 1—Good communication requires that the speaker adjust the message in response to feedback.
Lesson 1 19
Summary
To speak well publicly, it’s important to know what goes into listening well. Furthermore, it’s important that you understand the four components of all communication.
Self-Check 2
1. The five steps of listening are _______.
2. The term for the ability to discern and judge is _______.
3. A(n) _______ culture is one that emphasizes the individual and places primary value on the individual’s goals.
Check your answers with those on page 75.
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SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 1: NARRATIVE/PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SPEECH
A narrative has a point. Usually, it revolves around some kind of life lesson. Frequently, it involves lessons of right and wrong. A narrative/personal experience speech recounts an experience you’ve had and the significance you’ve attached to it. For your first speech assignment, you must prepare and present a narrative/personal experience speech of three to five minutes.
Preparing the Speech Use the following procedures to prepare your speech:
1. Select a goal for your speech.
a. Brainstorm ideas of topics you know something about and which are important to you. For instance, if you have a special pet that has made life better for you, you might want to tell your audience about some of the things your pet has done. If you had a science teacher in high school that made an impression on you, you might want to tell your audience about one or two specific things that teacher did. If you had a particularly fun job once, you might want to talk about some of the things that made it fun.
b. Determine what kind of audience you’ll speak to, how large it is, and what the occasion is. For example, if you’ve chosen to talk about your experiences with your pet, your audience could be members of a local Humane Society gathered to discuss increasing adop- tion of homeless pets. Alternatively, you could prepare to talk to an audience of people who never owned a pet before, who are simply trying to find out what pet ownership is all about. If you’ve chosen to talk about your experiences in science class, you could prepare for a speech before a group of high school students at a science fair, or for a group of teachers at an educa- tional seminar. If you’re going to talk about a job you
Lesson 1 21
had once, your audience could be made up of people who still work for the company, or it could be a group of young people trying to figure out what they’re going to do with their futures.
c. Develop a speech goal statement tailored to your audi- ence. By this, we mean a single sentence that says what you want your audience to know, believe, or do. An example of a speech goal statement on an inform- ative speech about animals could be, “I want people to know how much fun I’m having with my dog Charlie.” For a goal related to a speech about your experience in history class, you might state, “I want people to know how my teacher inspired me,” or “I want teachers to know how to make the subject of history more interesting.”
2. Gather, evaluate, and prioritize information to use in your speech.
a. Even though you already know something about the subject you’ve chosen for your speech, you’ll need to compile additional information. Read other materials and draw on others’ expertise.
b. Once you’ve compiled enough information and you feel completely comfortable with the material or sub- ject, determine which data seem legitimate, valid, or otherwise useful for your purpose.
c. Decide which facts you absolutely want to impart to your audience. Set aside superfluous information. Nevertheless, don’t forget it exists—you may find it valuable if anyone in your audience asks questions.
3. Organize your ideas by creating a well-structured outline.
a. Identify two to four main ideas you want your audience to remember.
b. Combine your speech goal statement with these ideas, and create a thesis statement.
c. Develop your main points.
d. Develop and outline the body of the speech. Choose an organizational style: chronologically forward (or backward), or some other fashion.
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e. Create an introduction that grabs the attention of the audience, establishes for the listener some relevance, and states your thesis.
f. Create a conclusion that summarizes your goal and main points and gives the audience a sense of closure.
g. Compile a list of sources (similar to a bibliography).
4. Choose and prepare presentational aids.
a. Use aids if they help to clarify, emphasize, or dramatize what you’re going to say.
b. Ensure that your aids use more than just words.
c. Ensure that any visual aids are large enough to be seen by the audience. This specific size will be dependent on how large your audience will be.
d. Ensure that any audio aids are easily heard.
e. Figure out how to incorporate the aids into the speech. Where will you introduce a slide? When will you change the slide? Will you keep the slide on the screen throughout the speech, or will you shut it off once you’ve spoken about the subject to which it applies.
5. Practice your speech in front of friends or relatives.
a. Practice until you feel your wording is accurate, clear, vivid, and appropriate. This process will be accomplished through adjustments you make almost every time you rehearse your speech.
b. Practice until you believe your delivery is intelligible, conversational, and expressive.
c. Practice integrating your presentational aids until you can do so confidently and smoothly.
d. Continue practicing until you can deliver it within the time limit and without reading it.
6. Record the practice speech, and play it back to yourself.
a. Are you in focus?
b. Can you hear yourself clearly?
c. Are you making eye contact?
Lesson 1 23
Recording the Speech
Once you’ve reached the point that you’re satisfied with your delivery, record the speech.
1. Begin the recording by reading the following sentence. (Fill in the blank as you read.)
The audience I’m addressing for this speech is _______.
2. Pause for a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then begin your speech.
3. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the requirements for the assignment.
Submitting the Speech
To upload your speech for grading, follow the “Recording and Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in the introduc- tion to this study guide. The exam number for this speech is 05032100.
Evaluation Criteria
To grade the speech, your instructor will answer the following questions:
n How well did the speaker identify with the audience?
n Did the speaker introduction get the audience’s attention?
n Was the information in the speech well organized?
n Did the speaker exhibit enthusiasm in the delivery?
n Did the speaker’s conclusion summarize the points in an interesting or creative way?
n Was the speech three to five minutes long?
Grading Rubric
Your instructor will use the rubric on the following page to grade your project.
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Grading Criteria Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor Not
Shown
Opening format: The student began the recording with “The audience I am addressing for this speech is ___.” The student followed that line with a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Narrative: The student had a clear goal statement (Goal 1C). The story had a clear begin- ning, middle, and end (Goal 2). The story made a point and had two to four main ideas highlighted (Goal 3A). The student chose and followed one particular organizational style—refer to pages 135–144 (Goal 3D).
60–50 49–40 39–20 19–10 0
Introduction: The introduction got the audience’s attention (Goal 3E).
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speaking skills: The student maintained appropriate tone, pitch, volume, pace, and eye contact, with minimal reading from a script. The student formed a bond between himself or herself and the audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: If used, presentational aids clarified, emphasized, or dramatized what was said, used more than just words, and were large enough to see (Goal 4A, B, C). Any audio aid was easy to hear (Goal 4D). All aids were incorporated and intro- duced smoothly (Goal 4E).
10–9 8–6 5–3 2–1 0
Appearance: The student’s appearance was appropriate.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Length: The speech was 3–5 minutes long. (One point lost for every 10 seconds over 5 minutes or every 10 seconds under 3 minutes, up to 5 points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
Conclusion: The student’s conclusion summarized his or her points in an interesting and/or creative way (Goal 3F).
5 4 3 2–1 0
ASSIGNMENT 3: PREPARING AND PRESENTING A PUBLIC SPEECH Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 3, pages 46–63, in your textbook.
You may be asked to give numerous kinds of speeches in life. Examples include informational speeches, persuasive speeches, welcome speeches, introductions, speeches of recognition or nomination, tributes, eulogies, and accept- ances. The most important guideline for writing any of these speeches is that they should be well planned.
The canons of rhetoric, commonly attributed to Cicero 2,000 years ago, have long been the guiding rules of public speakers and still hold true today. They are
n Invention—The speech has convincing content.
n Arrangement—The speech is well organized.
n Delivery—The speaker is fluent and confident, as well as authoritative.
n Style—The speaker uses appropriate language.
n Memory—The speaker doesn’t simply read a prepared script.
The occasion, or setting, for the speech guides much of your plan, in particular your topic. Ask yourself
n What are the expectations of my audience? Are you speaking to members of the American Legion who might be expecting a patriotic theme? Are you speaking to a church group that would expect a religious theme? Are you addressing a group of scientists who would expect a highly technical presentation?
n How large will the audience be? Will the speech be given in a large hall or in a small living room? The answers to these questions will drive your choice of presentation materials and determine whether you need to use a microphone.
Lesson 1 25
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n When will the speech be presented? A morning speech will be different from an evening speech.
n Will the speech be the only agenda item, or is it going to
be one of several speeches given at the same event?
Where will your speech fall during the schedule? If your speech is right after a meal, your audience may be drowsy and you’ll need to put more effort into keeping them interested.
n How long should the speech be? This is frequently a matter decided by the organization inviting you to speak. Nevertheless, the answer will determine just how narrow your topic should be.
Self-Check 3
1. The first step in preparing a speech is to _______.
2. The kind of speech that seeks to influence attitudes is called a(n) _______.
3. The three objectives of an introduction are _______.
4. The three objectives of a conclusion are _______.
Check your answers with those on page 75.
Lesson 1 27
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 2: PODCAST For your next speech assignment, you must create a five- minute informative podcast for a website. A podcast is a digital media file distributed over the Internet. The file can be played back on a computer or an appropriate portable player. Although you won’t actually be putting your file on a web- site, you should prepare it as if you were going to do that.
Preparing, Recording, and Submitting Your Speech Use the following procedure to complete this assignment:
1. Search the Internet for a website on a topic that interests you or on one with which you’re familiar.
2. Determine the topic for the podcast you’ll develop.
3. If necessary, gather information on your topic. If you use outside sources, be sure to give them credit in your speech.
4. Make a list of the main points you want to address.
5. Write your thesis statement.
6. Choose an organizational pattern, and then outline the main points and subpoints of your speech. A speech can be organized in many different ways. To ensure that the audience can make the most sense of your speech, you should choose from one of these four organizational patterns:
n Time sequence: Ordering your speech chronologically
n Narrative order: Using a series of stories that contribute to making a point
n Topical order: Presenting your material in general terms and then following that with more and more specific topics
n Reasoning: Using a logical approach or presenting information in a format that says, “If this, then that.”
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7. Create a strong introduction and conclusion.
8. Prepare at least two presentational aids to use during your speech.
9. Practice your speech in front of some friends or relatives. Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If necessary, revise your speech based on the input you receive.
10. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech and you’re satisfied with your delivery, record the speech.
a. Begin the recording by reading the sentences below. Fill in the blanks as you read.
The website for which I’m preparing this podcast is
_______ (give URL). The organizational pattern I’ve
chosen is _______ (time order, narrative order, topic
order, or logical reasons order).
b. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then begin your speech.
11. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the requirements for the assignment.
12. To upload your speech, follow the “Recording and Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in this study guide. The exam number for this speech is 05032200.
Your instructor will ask the following questions in grading the speech.
n Is the speech aimed at the audience of the website?
n Does the speech clearly state the thesis statement?
n Is the speech developed according to the chosen organiza- tional pattern?
n Does the speech have a strong introduction? Conclusion?
Grading Rubric
Your instructor will use the rubric on the following page to grade your project.
Lesson 1 29
Grading Criteria Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor Not
Shown
Opening format: The student began the recording with “The website for which I’m preparing this podcast is (URL). The organization pattern I’ve chosen is ___ (time order, narrative order, topic order, or logical reasons order).” This was fol- lowed by a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Podcast: The student clearly stated the thesis statement. The student followed an organiza- tional pattern: time sequence, narrative order, topical order, or reasoning. The student gave credit for outside sources, if appropriate (if credit isn’t given, 5 points deducted).
60–50 49–40 39–20 19–10 0
Introduction: The introduction got the audience’s attention. The student aimed the podcast at the site’s audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speaking skills: The student maintained appropriate tone, pitch, volume, pace, and eye contact.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Appearance: The student’s appearance was appropriate.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Conclusion: The student’s conclusion summarized the points in an interesting and/or creative way.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: The student used two presentational aids that clarified, emphasized, or dramatized what was said, used more than just words, and were large enough to see. If used, audio aids were easy to hear. All aids were incorpo- rated and introduced smoothly.
10 9 8 7–6 0
Length: The speech was 5 minutes long. (One point lost for every 10 seconds over or under 5 minutes, up to 5 points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
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ASSIGNMENT 4: SELECTING YOUR TOPIC AND WRITING THE THESIS Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 4, pages 64–83, in your textbook.
The only way to be certain that your speech will meet your goals is to create an outline, listing your thesis statement and the main points that defend and articulate that state- ment. In this assignment, you’ll learn how to do just that. You can be as creative as you wish in your delivery, but you should have a solid outline to guide you through any speech.
Construct a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a one- or two-line summary of your goal. While it can be difficult at first to summarize a speech in just a few words, doing so forces you to narrow your focus to the essentials. If you don’t do that, the speech may be rambling and inadvertently leave out the most engaging things you had wished to say!
Ideally, you’ll have about three to five main points to make in a speech. To create your thesis statement, first summarize those points and combine them. Then you can begin to develop each point into a more comprehensive outline.
Outline the Body of the Speech
Once you’ve created your thesis statement, you’re ready to develop an outline of the body of your speech. When you first begin to develop your outline, you must decide what kind of outline you’re going to use. A topic outline uses single words or phrases in each point. A sentence outline uses complete sentences for each point. You must be the one to determine what type of outline to use. In fact, you may choose to use both. You may begin with a simple topic outline and gradually develop that into a sentence outline that gives a little more information.
Lesson 1 31
In addition, you must decide how detailed you want your outline to be. Here are three types you can use:
1. In a full-content outline, you’ll write out something that’s very close to what you’re going to say about each point in the outline. This method can be a very useful way of developing your speech, even if you don’t memorize it when you’ve completed it. Writing out a paragraph or more under each point will help you see exactly how much you have to say about each point and will give you an objective view of the overall material.
2. In an abbreviated-content outline, you include short summaries under each point. This method can also be effective. If you know your subject matter extremely well and don’t feel the need to write it out completely, an abbreviated outline is ideal.
3. A brief keyword outline can be used at the beginning and end of your speech preparation. As you develop the speech, jotting down key words can help you explore the most valuable points to make. Once your speech is complete, you may create a refined keyword outline to memorize or write down on a small card to take with you as a reminder during the actual presentation.
Create Section Transitions and Signposts Transitions and signposts are necessary elements in any good speech. Without them, your audience may not be able to follow the sequence of your speech, or understand the connections between your points. Transitions are words, phrases, and sentences that show a relationship between two ideas. To illustrate, let’s look at the following pair of sentences that could use a transition:
We didn’t save enough money. We won’t be going on
vacation.
Possible improvements:
Because we didn’t save enough money, we won’t be
going on vacation.
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We didn’t save enough money; therefore, we won’t be
going on vacation.
This example is rather simple—A reader or listener would surely understand the relationship between the two separate sentences. However, the relationships between topics in a speech may not be as obvious. Besides, the listeners shouldn’t have to take unnecessary time to make the connections between thoughts and ideas. The speaker has a responsibility to show these relationships.
When you’re preparing your material for a speech, be sure you clearly indicate the relationships between the points. Indicate the relationships between
n Sentences in a paragraph
n Paragraphs in a section
n Sections in a speech
Transitions are important in any speech, but they’re especially important in motivational speeches. Remember that the purpose of a motivational speech is to influence the attitudes, beliefs, values, and/or behavior of an audience. If the audience doesn’t understand the relationships between your topics, you’ll unlikely be able to persuade them to your side.
Adapting to Your Audience as You Give Your Speech
From the beginning, communication is all about the audience. From the moment of conception through the preparation and even during the presentation itself, your mind should be attuned to the audience. How can you communicate unless you’re paying close attention to how your speech is being received? These tips will help you adjust your speech as you go.
1. Be aware of and respond to audience feedback. People rustling in their seats and whispering to each other should alert you that something’s going on. The expres- sions on their faces, their posture in the chairs, the way they laugh (or don’t laugh) at your jokes, are all valuable feedback.
Lesson 1 33
2. Be prepared to use alternative developmental material. A good habit is to go to any speech you give with different introductions and conclusions—especially when you’re unsure what will suit the audience best. Maybe you’ve planned to open with a joke, but when you arrive, the tone of the room feels too serious for that. You may be able to come up with something more appropriate on the spot, but it never hurts to prepare ahead. In other words, be prepared for contingencies.
3. Correct yourself when you misspeak. Any speech you make will be far more effective if you correct yourself rather than suffer in silence. An embarrassing mistake can undermine your credibility and put distance between you and the audience. When you acknowledge it, you can restore the bond.
4. Adapt to unexpected events. Years ago, at a rock concert, a fire broke out back stage. While it was being put out, the performer crossed to the other side of the stage to pull the audience’s attention away from the wisps of smoke, sneaking out around the curtains. His quick thinking helped prevent a panic. Your composure when something unexpected happens can keep things under control as well.
5. Adapt to unexpected audience reactions. Stand-up come- dians often come armed with fallback lines to use when their jokes flop. By saying something like, “I like to throw in one or two jokes that aren’t funny, just to see if you’re listening” or by making fun of the joke itself, they alleviate the tension, and if they’re lucky, keep the audience laughing.
6. Handle questions respectfully. During a speech, you may be interrupted by questions, comments, or even heckling. Before you run into any of these situations, give careful thought to what you’ll say or do. Then, when the time comes, you’ll be prepared.
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Self-Check 4
1. Another word for the “essence of the speech” is the _______.
2. Your specific purpose should be limited to _______ topic(s).
3. _______ is a technique designed to enable you to generate many ideas in a relatively short time.
Check your answers with those on page 75.
Lesson 1 35
ASSIGNMENT 5: THE AUDIENCE Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 5, pages 84–104, in your textbook.
Communicating in Context
Communication is an exchange of information. That exchange may take place between you and yourself, as you think some- thing over; between strangers; between acquaintances or friends; and between a speaker and a group. Communication occurs in four different contexts:
1. Intrapersonal communication is communication that occurs within one’s own mind. The prefix intra means “inside” or “within,” so, intrapersonal means “within a person.”
2. Interpersonal communication occurs between two people with a personal relationship. Either the information exchanged or the way in which it’s exchanged is affected by that relationship. The prefix inter means “among” or “between.” It can also mean “mutual” or “reciprocal.”
3. Small-group communication applies to communication to a group of approximately 3 to 10 people. In a group of this size, the dynamics are very different. A group of fewer than 10 people doesn’t feel quite like an audience, while a group of 50 does. Even if you stand before a small group the entire time you make the presentation, your experience is different. You’ll be able to look each of these people in the eye and make a connection. That isn’t always possible with larger crowds.
4. Public communication refers to communication with any group of more than 10 people. In Ancient Greece, the actors in plays by Sophocles had to be capable of pro- jecting their voices to the back of the amphitheater. Today, technology has made microphones so sensitive that you could whisper on the same stage and still be heard. Throughout history, though, speaking to large audiences has required a different set of oratory skills.
Speech36
Public communication is the focus of this course. As you’ll see, your ability to communicate will have a direct effect on your success in life.
Public Speaking: An Audience- Centered Process
Consider the audience. As a student of speech and later as a presenter of speeches, make this statement your motto from the beginning to the end of any speech—from the first spark of an idea in your head to the final delivery to your audience. Consideration of the audience is the guiding principle behind all effective communication.
Ask yourself these questions before you prepare any speech:
n Who is my audience?
n Which elements of the setting should I take into consideration?
n What personal qualities will make my speech more effective?
n How can planning ensure that my audience isn’t bored?
n How can I help my audience understand my message?
Summary
As you develop your speaking skills, always keep in mind that the audience is the focus of your work. The effectiveness of any speech is largely determined by the audience. That is, a speech that wouldn’t work at all for one audience may be a perfect fit for another. A major skill of a great communicator is an ability to speak directly to the people, to make them feel that their time listening is well spent.
Lesson 1 37
Self-Check 5
1. The age, race, gender, religion, economic status, and values, are all part of an audience’s _______.
2. The larger the audience, the more _______ your speech is likely to be.
3. The tendency to respond for or against an object, person, or position is one’s _______.
4. Convictions in the existence or truth of something are called _______.
5. Commonalities between your audience and you are also called _______.
Check your answers with those on page 76.
ASSIGNMENT 6: PRESENTATIONAL AIDS Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 6, pages 105–128, in your textbook.
Think about how you can present the most engaging speech possible. What can you do to make it more vivid? How can the way you say something help keep your audience’s atten- tion? Visual aids can help make your speech come to life. What sort of visual aids would make your information clearer?
Types of Presentational Aids
You’ve probably heard the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If this statement is true, then imagine what a visual aid can do for a speech. Be cautious, however. Don’t use visual aids just for the sake of having them.
With every year that passes, new options for presenting these types of aids become available. For example, graphs have been displayed on paper, chalkboards, marker boards, and screens. Today, they can be presented on interactive displays.
Although technology evolves rapidly, people stay pretty much the same. Therefore, the basic elements of presentation remain the same, whether the aid itself is being presented in low-tech or high-tech format.
Designing and Displaying Effective Presentational Aids
As we’ve mentioned, you should not use a presentational aid just so you have something to show during a speech. Some topics may be better presented with no aids.
If you’re going to use presentational aids in a speech, remember that these aids take time to design and create. If you want your aids to look professional and present the information in the best possible way, you must plan to put in the time necessary to make them right. You must also make them
Speech38
large enough so that everyone in your audience can see and read them easily. If an aid is too small for the audience to read, all your hard work is for nothing.
Many speakers fail to consider the audience enough when using visual aids. Advice such as displaying visual aids so that everyone in the audience can see them may sound obvious, but then again, you may have sat in an audience in which the speaker put up a visual aid and then stood right in front of it.
Summary
The visual or audio aids you use can enliven your speech and make it memorable. As you decide which aids to incorporate, your best guideline is to ask yourself, as always, “Who is my audience?” What’s appropriate for one group won’t necessarily work for another.
Let your audience be your guide—during your preparation and during your presentation. Regardless of the goals of a specific speech, your primary objective is communication. Plan your visual aids to communicate your points to your audience in the clearest, most interesting, and most entertaining way.
After you complete Self-Check 6, you’ll be almost ready to take your Lesson 1 examination, which will cover the material from Chapters 1–6 in your textbook. When you’ve finished reviewing the material and you’re ready to take the exam, go to your My Courses page.
Lesson 1 39
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Self-Check 6
1. The two types of testimony are _______.
2. When you use an analogy in a speech, you _______ two things.
3. When you say something is not one way or another, you’re defining it by _______.
4. Replicas of actual objects are called _______.
5. You should use a presentational aid only when it’s _______.
Check your answers with those on page 76.
Rehearsal and Delivery
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 3: INFOMERCIAL For your next speech assignment, you must prepare and present a three-minute infomercial. An infomercial is a long commercial that provides an extensive product or service description and sales information. It’s like a documentary or news program that highlights a specific product or service. Although infomercials are generally 30 minutes to one hour long, your infomercial should last only three minutes. Use the following procedure to complete this assignment:
Preparing the Speech Prepare your speech by following these steps:
1. Select a speech goal.
a. Brainstorm to select a topic. Choose a product or service that you want to highlight in your infomercial. Your choice may be real or imaginary. It can be some- thing tangible (like a cell phone or a vacuum cleaner), or it can be intangible (like a diet plan or financial services).
b. Decide what methods you’ll use to inform your audience. You can inform by describing, defining, comparing and contrasting, narrating, and demonstrating.
Describing: Create an accurate and vivid verbal picture of an object, geographic feature, setting, event, person, or image. This approach usually answers questions of who, what, and where. To describe something effectively, explain features such as its size, shape, weight, color, composition, age, condition, and spatial organization.
Defining: Explain the meaning of something. Differentiate it from similar ideas. Explain its history and its function. Use synonyms and antonyms to give your subject more depth.
L e
s s
o n
2
L e
s s
o n
2
41
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Comparing and contrasting: Focus on ways in which your subject is similar to and/or different from other things. For example, if you’ve chosen to talk about a new type of pot scrubber, you might point out how much it resem- bles another brand in capability, but point out how it’s softer and less abrasive than that other one.
Narrating: This is essentially storytelling, and it can be done using first person (I and we), second person (you), or third person (he, she, and they). Orient the listener by describing when and where an event occurred. Introduce the important characters. Explain the sequence of events. Recount a complication or problem and how it was solved. Use vivid language.
Demonstrating: Show how something is done or how something works. This showing can be done in just a few steps, or it can be complex. Demonstrations require you have expertise, so be sure to practice.
c. Understand your audience and adapt to it. Realize that your audience will be made up of diverse mem- bers. Analyze your audience members to assess their familiarity with your topic. You should know what your audience’s interest in your topic will be, so that you can adjust your content to that audience. Before you begin, be sure to determine how you’ll establish your own credibility with the audience.
d. Consider how the occasion affects how you present your speech.
e. Develop a speech goal statement.
2. Gather and evaluate the information you plan to use in your speech.
a. Examine what you already know and where you need additional information
b. Locate, evaluate, and select different sources. If nec- essary, gather information on your product or service; otherwise, make a list of the topics you want to men- tion in your speech. If you gather information from other sources, be sure to give them credit in your speech. Use research cards to make notations of your information.
Lesson 2 43
3. Organize, develop, and outline your speech.
a. Identify two to four major ideas you want your audience to remember.
b. Combine your speech goal with your major ideas to create a thesis statement with a main point preview.
c. Develop your main points.
d. Outline the speech body.
e. Create an introduction to get attention, establish relevance for the listener, and state your thesis.
f. Create a conclusion that summarizes your goal and the main points, and gives the audience a sense of closure.
g. Compile a list of sources.
h. Review and revise the outline as needed.
4. Choose and prepare presentational aids.
a. Ensure your aids clarify, emphasize, and dramatize your story.
b. Don’t use just words on your aids; use, for example, pictures, charts, and graphs.
c. Ensure your visual aids are easily seen, and audio aids easily heard. This consideration will depend on the size of the auditorium or other place in which you present your speech.
d. Determine when you’ll integrate your aids into your presentation.
5. Practice your speech alone. Pay particular attention to the language you use and the style of your delivery.
a. Practice until your wording is vivid, appropriate, clear, and accurate.
b. Practice until your delivery is conversational and expressive.
c. Practice integrating your presentational aids.
d. Practice until you can give your speech without read- ing it or repeatedly referring to your note cards.
Speech44
6. Practice your speech in front of some friends or relatives. Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If neces- sary, revise your speech based on the input you receive.
7. Once you’ve rehearsed the speech and you’re satisfied with your delivery, set up a time to record the speech. Invite at least five people to serve as your audience.
Recording and Submitting the Speech Before you begin, be sure to ask the person using the camera to pan across the audience at some point during the speech.
1. Begin the recording by reading the following sentence. Fill in the blanks as you read.
The method of informing I’m using for this infomercial is
_______ (description, definition, comparison and contrast,
narration, or demonstration), and the audience I’m
addressing is _______.
2. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then begin your speech. Again, be sure the person using the camera shows the audience at some point.
3. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the requirements for the assignment.
4. To upload your speech for grading, follow the “Recording and Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in the introduction to this study guide. The exam number for this speech is 05032400.
Evaluation Criteria To grade the speech, your instructor will answer the following questions:
n How well did the speaker identify with the audience?
n Did the speaker make the information relevant to the listeners’ needs and desires?
n Did the introduction get the audience’s attention?
Lesson 2 45
n Was the information organized according to the method chosen (description, definition, comparison and contrast, narration, or demonstration)?
n Did the speaker exhibit enthusiasm in the delivery?
n Did the conclusion summarize the points in an interest- ing or creative way?
n Did the speaker use at least one presentational aid in the speech?
n Was the speech three minutes long?
Grading Rubric
Your instructor will use the rubric on the following page to grade your project.
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Grading Criteria Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor Not
Shown
Opening format: The record- ing began with “The method of informing I’m using for this infomercial is ___ (descrip- tion, definition, narration, comparison/contrast, or demonstration), and the audi- ence I’m addressing is ___.” This statement was followed by a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Infomercial: The student chose a product or service highlighted in an infomercial. The student identified 2–4 major ideas, developed those main points, and organized the infomercial according to the method cho- sen. The student gave credit for outside sources (5 points lost if not).
65–55 54–50 49–40 39–20 0
Audience: The student had a 5-member audience and panned into that audience.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speaking skills: The student maintained appropriate tone, pitch, volume, pace, and eye contact. The student exhibited enthusiasm in the delivery.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Appearance: The student’s appearance was appropriate.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Introduction and conclusion: The introduction got the audi- ence’s attention, and the conclusion summarized the points in an interesting and/or creative way.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: The student used one or more aids that clarified, empha- sized, or dramatized what was said; had more than just words; and were large enough to see. Any audio aids were easy to hear, and all aids were intro- duced and incorporated smoothly.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Length: The speech was 3 minutes long. (One point lost for every 10 seconds over or under 3 minutes, up to 5 points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
Lesson 2 47
ASSIGNMENT 7: ORGANIZING YOUR SPEECH Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 7, pages 129–166, in your textbook.
You can be sure that your most attentive listeners will be try- ing to identify your thesis and main points as you give your speech. If they can’t focus on the points you’re making, they may lose interest or feel there’s no point in listening.
The primacy-recency effect describes our natural tendency to remember the first and last things in a series better than the things that come in between. In a speech, the primacy- recency effect means your introduction and conclusion are likely to make more of an impression on your listeners.
Creating the Introduction The goals of an introduction are to get the audience’s attention, to establish listener relevance, and to identify your thesis statement.
First impressions, as you may know, count for a lot. When you make a speech, your audience will form a tentative opin- ion within seconds after you begin. Your demeanor, tone of voice, style of presentation, and countless nonverbal cues contribute to that opinion. The way you choose to get the audience’s attention makes an even bigger impression.
Some excellent ways to get attention at the beginning of your speech include
n Making a startling statement
n Asking an interesting question
n Telling a fascinating story
n Telling a funny joke
n Sharing a personal story
n Reciting an inspiring quotation
n Doing a performance
n Creating suspense
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All these devices can be effective in getting your audience’s attention. Once you have it, the vividness of your words, the strength of your outline, the relevance of your main points, and the effectiveness of your visual aids should work together to sustain attention throughout your speech. The conclusion will be your coup de grace.
Creating the Conclusion
The goals of the conclusion are to review the key ideas in your speech and provide a sense of closure. Your introduc- tion creates a first impression that may have lingered in the minds of your audience. Your conclusion will give them something to remember after your speech is over.
Two important elements of your conclusion are
1. A summary, which reviews the main points and repeats the thesis
2. The clincher, which contains an appeal to action or vivid imagery that reinforces the thesis
Develop several different conclusions, and try them out before deciding which one you’ll use. If you have the opportu- nity to give the speech to a practice audience, be sure to ask them which conclusion they found most effective.
If you don’t have access to an audience for practice, record your speech with different conclusions and make the choice yourself. Watching a recording won’t give you complete objec- tivity, but it will help you evaluate the speech from a different perspective.
Lesson 2 49
Summary
Without a good outline, introduction, and conclusion, a speech may be doomed before it starts. Only a well-organized speech can meet its goal. However, no speech can reach its goal if the introduction doesn’t get the audience’s attention in the first place! When people aren’t listening, they’re unlikely to hear any of the important points you make. Likewise, a weak finish in the conclusion throws everything else away. A summary and a clincher are exactly what you need to hold it all together and make it work.
Common Mistakes in Conclusions
Try to avoid these common mistakes in your conclusion. They’ll probably sound familiar
because it’s so natural to try them. However, they generally don’t work well.
n Saying “thank you” instead of ending with a real clincher
n Apologizing by saying “I guess I’ve rambled on long enough” or “Well, that’s all I’ve got
for now”
n Trailing off (also known as “ending with a shrug”)
n Making the conclusion longer than the speech
n Telling a joke at the end of a serious speech
n Saying stiffly, “In conclusion” or, “In summary”
n Leading up to a false conclusion, which makes the audience think the speech is ending
when it’s not
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ASSIGNMENT 8: LANGUAGE AND ORAL STYLE Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 8, pages 167–190, in your textbook.
Speaking Appropriately
You may look great, you may have wonderful visual aids, and your outline and content may be flawless. However, if you use inappropriate language, you’ll lose your audience. Worse yet, your audience may become upset and even angry.
Elements to Avoid
n Don’t use offensive humor.
n Don’t use hate speech.
Self-Check 7
1. When you select your main points, you should _______ them.
2. When you organize your main points into chronological order, you’re using a(n) _______ pattern.
3. When you organize your main points into a cause-and-effect pattern, you show the _______ connection between events and/or elements.
4. Words, phrases, and sentences that help a listener follow the development of your thoughts or arguments are called _______.
5. Faults found in introductions and conclusions include _______.
Check your answers with those on page 76.
Lesson 2 51
n Don’t use profanity or vulgarity.
n Don’t use marking to discriminate against anyone.
Elements to Include
n Do speak with immediacy.
n Do use “we” language.
n Do use only bias-free language.
n Do speak inclusively with generic language.
Speaking Accurately, Clearly, and Vividly
The phrase speaking accurately means conveying your mean- ing so that everyone in your audience understands you. Choose your words carefully. Be sure that your sentences are grammatically correct and say exactly what you mean.
Speaking clearly is closely related to speaking accurately. By using specific language, along with details and examples, you can make the points in your speech clear. Part of speaking clearly requires you to use words and phrases that every- one in your audience understands in the same way. For example, a young person speaking to a group of senior citizens shouldn’t use the slang phrases more common to a younger audience. The older audience wouldn’t understand. Be sensi- tive to your audience, and choose your words carefully. As you practice your speech, think about what you’re saying. Ask yourself if it would be understandable for your audience.
Speaking vividly is essential to the kind of vibrant communica- tion that can keep your audience listening. Consider ways to include vivid language in your speech. Look for moments when you plan to describe something to your audience, and then ask yourself questions like these:
n What does it look like?
n What sound does it make?
n How does it feel?
n How does it taste or smell?
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If you can incorporate sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell into your description, you’ll have made your description more vivid for your listeners.
One of the best ways to speak vividly is to use figures of speech. One example of a figure of speech is a simile, a comparison of dissimilar things using the word like or as. Try not to always rely on common clichés, though, that are overly familiar to most people. The best similes are often the ones you make up yourself. Here are some examples:
n As loud as a dragster
n As wild as a grizzly
n Like sunshine to a daisy
n Like an orange peel tossed onto a desert road
Another helpful figure of speech is the metaphor, which compares two dissimilar things without the word like or as. However, you may have heard some atrocious metaphors that made you wince. If a comparison seems foolish, silly, or inappropriate, the metaphor (or simile) can actually work against you. When you imply that one thing is like another, it has to make sense to the listeners. Otherwise, you’ll lose their interest. Most people have heard the metaphor of a problem car being a “lemon,” but what if someone were to say it’s a “broken tambourine”? The listeners would wonder what the speaker meant. How exactly is a car like a broken tambourine? That metaphor could become distracting and pull attention away from the point the speaker is making.
The key to a good metaphor is to ensure the connection you’re making is immediately clear to people. Creating a fresh metaphor that people have never heard is effective only if it makes sense quickly.
Be sure to keep your figures of speech short. Don’t go on too long. If your listeners are really paying attention, they may be distracted by inconsistencies in a long metaphor. Their preoccupation with your figurative language could prevent them from hearing the point you’re making.
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There’s a certain point at which every metaphor breaks down. It may be hard to say how a problem car is like a broken tambourine, but it’s not exactly like a lemon either. People accept that metaphor because it’s come into common use and makes sense to us easily, but there are far more ways in which a car isn’t like a lemon than ways in which it is. So don’t put too much emphasis on the figure of speech. That would be like trying to make the seasoning the main course, instead of the steak.
Another hazard to watch out for is a mixed metaphor, in which two or more metaphors are combined, often with a ridiculous and confusing effect. A mixed metaphor starts in one direction and finishes in another. A mixed metaphor can be so distracting that it can completely derail your speech and undermine your credibility. Because it’s a sign of sloppy thinking, your audience may wonder whether you’ve carefully considered the other points you’re making. Here are a few examples:
n You’re out on a limb without a paddle.
n You’re up a creek without a leg to stand on.
n If you spill the beans, you’ll open a whole new can of worms.
n You’ve buttered your bread, now sleep on it.
Think it through. If you’re out on a limb, the lack of a paddle isn’t your main problem. You might be “up a creek without a paddle,” but “out on a limb without a paddle” doesn’t make sense. When you choose a metaphor, stick with it. Better yet, keep it as short as possible, so you don’t have to worry about its wandering off into another figure of speech.
Beware of Clichés!
A cliché is an expression that’s been used so often that its original power is lost. An example of
a cliché is “dead as a doornail.” Although this phrase was once clear and vivid, it’s been used
so often by so many people, that it has become stale and empty. Use clichés sparingly. Instead,
challenge yourself to develop your own expressions.
Try to keep your similes and metaphors fresh, without being so eccentric or strange that your
listeners stop paying attention to what you’re saying and sit with a distant gaze in their eyes as
they try to make sense of your figures of speech.
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Summary
When choosing the wording for any speech, consider the audience you’re addressing. Are you tired of hearing that yet? As you can see, the audience is your main consideration for all the elements of your speech.
For example, the wording for one group may not necessarily be appropriate for another. A metaphor that makes sense to a group of senior citizens at a political rally may be completely lost on a class of sixth graders studying politics, even though the subject matter may be the same.
Above all, respect your audience. A casual speech in a formal setting, off-color humor, and jokes that make fun of certain groups of people are always out of place. If you show consider- ation for your audience, they may well return the favor.
Self-Check 8
1. The objective meaning of something is the _______ meaning.
2. The meaning of a word that elicits some emotion is the _______ meaning.
3. Looking at the word in terms of opposites or extremes is known as _______.
4. A word that neutralizes something negative or assigns it a positive nature is a(n) _______.
5. Rephrasing a statement about an idea is also called _______.
Check your answers with those on page 76.
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ASSIGNMENT 9: PRACTICING DELIVERY Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 9, pages 191–211, in your textbook.
Characteristics of an Effective Delivery Style
A great delivery can help to make up for a multitude of prob- lems with a speech. A dynamic delivery can make a mediocre speech fascinating. For the same reason, a drab delivery can put your audience to sleep during the most interesting speech. What did you notice about your tone on the podcast you created? Was it conversational or formal? Was it ani- mated or monotone?
Recording can help you detect the rise and fall of your voice. It can also show you the effects of nervousness. Sometimes nervousness makes you sound monotone. When you try to suppress your nervousness, you inadvertently suppress your voice as well! It can make you sound tense, stiff, and uncom- fortable. Then, as your audience starts nodding off to sleep because of the monotonous tone, you’ll feel even more nervous!
Effective Use of Voice
No matter how good your speech is, no matter how well you deliver it, no matter how animated you are, your speech will fall on deaf ears if you don’t speak loudly and clearly enough for your audience to hear and understand what you’re say- ing. Of course, you don’t want to yell, but you must speak loudly enough so that the audience can easily hear you. In other words, they shouldn’t have to work at hearing your message. If you in fact believe in your message, you want your audience to hear it. If you don’t do this simple thing, your audience may think that you don’t care enough about what you’re saying. Being able to speak well—even if it’s only with a small group—can help you succeed in your career.
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Effective Use of Body
Vocal expressiveness is essential to keep the sound of a speech lively and interesting. Your body movements can make your speech more visually engaging as well. It’s some- times said that as much as 70% of our communication with others is nonverbal. If that’s the case, you should consider your body movements as one of the most effective avenues of communication in your speech.
Appropriate facial expressions can add intensity to your speech. However, too many facial expressions, or expressions that are extreme, can make your audience pay more attention to your facial expressions than to what you’re saying. The same principle holds true for gestures, movement, and eye contact. When all of these are in control, the effect is beneficial; out of control, they’re distracting.
Methods of Delivery
Despite the benefits of practice, not every speech is designed to allow for practice. An impromptu speech is one that’s delivered spontaneously. For example, suppose you’re in a meeting at work and your boss suddenly asks you to explain the suggestions you have for improving production. You did- n’t know you were going to have to do this, so the speech you would give would be impromptu.
A scripted speech is one that’s carefully planned, prepared, and written down for delivery. An extemporaneous speech is also planned ahead of time, but it’s not completely written down for delivery. Both scripted and extemporaneous speeches allow you to practice, but in different ways. When you practice a scripted speech, you practice every word, because the entire speech is written down. An extemporane- ous speech, in contrast, can evolve with every rehearsal, because only the main points are written down.
Lesson 2 57
Rehearsal
The key to presenting a dynamic speech is practice! Everyone needs practice. None of the polished, effective speakers you hear have developed that level of success without practice. Whether your speech needs a lot of work or sounds “pretty good” from the start, practice will make it better. Be sure to prepare your speeches well, and then save plenty of time to rehearse! It can make all the difference.
Summary
Your voice and your body are valuable tools of communication when you’re giving a speech. An expressive voice with animated gestures and good eye contact can keep an audience engaged, even when the speech itself is less than interesting.
Whether you’re making an impromptu speech or delivering a prepared speech, the audience is still the most important thing to consider. You’re communicating with them, and, by their responses, they’ll be communicating with you—whether they’re leaving feedback for you on YouTube or showering you with applause.
Self-Check 9 1. The primary drawback of memorizing your speech is that you might _______.
2. Speaking without any advance notice or preparation is _______ speaking.
3. The intensity of one’s voice is known as its _______.
4. The three major problems with articulation are _______.
5. Standing too close to your audience indicates a problem with the _______.
Check your answers with those on page 77.
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ASSIGNMENT 10: INFORMATIVE SPEAKING Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 10, pages 212–232, in your textbook.
We live in what’s known as an information age. Every day, we’re bombarded with information of all kinds through the media. Sometimes the speakers are trying to persuade us to buy something, but most of the time they’re also trying to inform us—although the information is generally biased toward making their product or service more appealing to us.
A quick search on YouTube under the keywords “informative speech” brings up thousands of videos on subjects such as computer viruses, auto insurance, torture, Indonesian leg- ends, clay glazing, panic, the Smoky Mountains, identity theft, anorexia, and Elvis. As you can see, there’s almost no limit to the range of topics that can be spoken about in an informative way.
The Nature of Informative Speaking
The goal of an informative speech is to help listeners increase their knowledge of a topic so they can understand it more thoroughly. An informative speech answers the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Even interesting information can be presented in an uninterest- ing way. Nobody likes to listen to a long, dry, and boring speech. Sometimes, the information in a presentation is important and valuable, but the listeners don’t realize it, because the speaker hasn’t explained its relevance to their lives. The challenge is to keep your audience listening while you give them the facts. Consider a speech on a period in history. The speaker can just recite dates and events, or that same speaker can relate the events of history as exciting stories.
Lesson 2 59
Information, on its own, isn’t boring. It’s all in the way you present it. Can you give your listeners a reason to listen to you? Will you make the effort to tell your information in an interesting, relevant way? For example, an audience may not appreciate a speech full of formulas and calculations if they don’t know how they’re relevant to their lives. In many cases, the information may be highly useful, and the speakers need to be adept at making the connections.
Characteristics of Effective Informative Speaking
To be successful, an informative speech must have certain characteristics.
An informative speech must be intellectually stimulating. Even when you’re speaking about a topic with which your audience is somewhat familiar, you can make the speech more stimulating by adding depth and breadth.
Go deeper by explaining more about the subject than they know. For example, most people know about squid, but do they know that the colossal squid has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom? Most people also know who Thomas Edison was, but do they realize that the first phonograph records he invented were made of tinfoil and could be played only a few times? Bringing depth to your information will help keep it interesting.
Likewise, you can add breadth by making wider associations than your audience has heard before. Introduce the subject from a new angle. Anything that gives it more range than they’re accustomed to will feel fresher and more enlightening. James Burke, a science historian, is famous for making con- nections between scientific inventions and their effects on history. His description of how the printing press led to religious, political, and artistic revolution is an example of bringing breadth to something as familiar as printing.
When you research your topic, be sure to look for ways to add additional depth and breadth.
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An informative speech must be relevant. The relevance of
the information you’re presenting may be as obvious to you
as the relevance of math is to a physicist, but don’t assume
your audience sees the connection. Be sure to explain exactly
why they should care. What will this information do for
them? Spell it out.
An informative speech must be creative. Creative ideas
aren’t necessarily new ideas. Productive thinking can also be
considered creative. Like the quality of breadth, it introduces
the information from a new perspective. In The Millionaire
Next Door, Thomas Stanley and his colleagues interviewed
millionaires who lived much differently from the millionaires
portrayed on television or those living in busy urban areas.
These millionaires often drove surprisingly old cars and didn’t
make or spend their money in the ways people might have
assumed. As a result, they brought a new perspective to the
information collected from interviews for the book.
An informative speech must be memorable. Take some-
thing extra to the speech. You would think that anyone
preparing a presentation would do this, but curiously
enough, it doesn’t seem to occur to everyone. If you’re going
to make the effort to make a connection with your audience
and share information with them, be sure your listeners will
have heard something memorable by the end. Go further
than you have to go to simply complete the speech in the
allotted time or convey the correct information. Tell them
something new. Say it in an unusual way. Add a fascinating
fact. Make it special.
An informative speech must be diverse. Everyone has a
different learning style. Therefore, you must present your
information in a variety of ways, so you can accommodate
each person’s learning style as much as possible. Additionally,
diversity is essential for the sake of variety.
Don’t begin two sentences in a row in exactly the same way.
Be sure your illustrations, examples, humor, stories, charts,
gestures, intonation, eye contact, facial expressions—in short,
every element of your speech—demonstrates freshness and
variety. Wouldn’t you prefer to listen to a speech like that?
Your audience will appreciate it too.
Lesson 2 61
Methods of Informing
There are five top methods for conveying information:
n Describe it.
n Define it.
n Compare it.
n Narrate it.
n Demonstrate it.
To maintain diversity in each speech, be sure to use as many of these methods as possible. It will help keep your speeches more lively.
Summary
Whether they’re describing the speed required to break the sound barrier, the mating habits of a flying squirrel, or the marvels of a combination juicer/food dehydrator, informative speeches educate. Because we live in the information age, we’re constantly being informed about something. As you go throughout your day today, take a moment to notice how many speeches, presentations, commercials, announcements, commentaries, and even conversations you encounter that have an informative element. Keep in mind that some of that information will be false. Even if a speech is informative, it doesn’t mean you have to believe what you hear!
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ASSIGNMENT 11: THE PERSUASIVE SPEECH Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 11, pages 233–268, in your textbook.
A persuasive speech attempts to influence the attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior of the audience. To succeed, it requires solid reasoning and/or a powerful emotional plea.
Carl Jung believed that some people are more easily swayed by thoughts and others by feelings. Those who base their decision on feelings often evaluate an argument by empathiz- ing with the speaker or the situation. They try to imagine how the argument would feel to themselves and the other people involved. Those who base their decisions on thinking tend to evaluate whether an argument is logical, consistent, and likely to play out the way the speaker is describing it.
A proposition is a statement that expresses the position the speaker takes in a persuasive speech. To make your presenta- tion persuasive to as many people as possible, include a solid, well-reasoned argument and a moving emotional rationale.
Self-Check 10
1. Showing an audience how to do something is best done with a(n) _______ speech.
2. When you give a speech of low abstraction, you’re being _______.
3. The _______ are the major subdivisions of the thesis.
Check your answers with those on page 77.
Lesson 2 63
Constructing a Persuasive Speech Goal
Initial Audience Attitude
Our brains are designed to help us reason. Even a small child can sometimes quickly see a hole in an argument. If you hope to persuade an audience experienced in everyday reasoning, you’ll have to build a solid case. To do this, you must be aware of the initial attitude of your audience, which can determine whether they see your evidence as valid. If you know where the audience is coming from, you can build your case accordingly. Although any audience may have members in every category, the majority of the audience often falls in a similar place along this spectrum. Knowing where their opinions lie will help enormously.
If your audience is highly opposed to your position, you probably won’t completely change their minds with one speech. In fact, you’ll need to present your information with care to keep their attention at all! Your best solution may be to seek a slight change. Perhaps you can’t transform their opinion, but you may be able to offer them a new perspective or give them something to ponder.
An audience that’s highly in favor of your proposition will, of course, be supportive. Your goal for a speech to this type of audience may be to rouse them to take action on your mutual beliefs or inspire them to raise their expectations about what can be accomplished toward your mutual goals.
The most straightforward audience is the one that has no opinion on your information. This type of audience gives you an opportunity to persuade them to form an opinion in sync with your own. Perhaps you’ll be informing them of matters they’ve never considered, or you may be introducing them to evidence that they’ve never heard. Your potential for persua- sion in this situation is unknown, but open to any outcome. Consider it a challenge!
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Ethos
Ethos is related to a speaker’s credibility—that is, the speaker’s believability. If an audience doesn’t feel that a speaker has credibility, they probably won’t be persuaded by that speaker’s message.
Pathos
We care about things when we’re sufficiently involved to have an emotional stake in them. Our involvement makes us take everything about it more personally. Emotional appeals base their arguments on things in which we have a personal stake. The emotions evoked can be negative emotions—such as fear, guilt, shame, anger, and sadness—or positive emotions— such as happiness, joy, pride, relief, hope, and compassion. All these emotions can help persuade your listeners to your point of view. By including these elements in a speech, you can engage powerful emotions as you persuade your audience with
n Vivid stories
n Startling statistics
n Personal relevance links
n Striking visual aids
n Descriptive language
n Dramatic vocal presentation (nonverbal elements)
n Dynamic physical presentation
Summary
Emotional pleas can be powerful forces for motivating people to take actions. Political revolutions that have changed the course of human history have often been spurred by highly emotional speeches that compelled the listeners to act. In daily life, all of us have been persuaded to take action out of love and concern for our families, friends, and neighbors.
Lesson 2 65
Our involvement gives us an emotional stake in what happens. Persuasive speeches speak to those emotions when they create the motivation to act.
Even the most emotionally compelling speech must be based on a solid foundation of reasoning. The appeal of emotion should never override logic and common sense. A speaker has an ethical obligation to present arguments that are free from illogical and misleading information. Knowing how to detect fallacies in reasoning is vital for both speakers and listeners.
Self-Check 11
1. Arguments that focus on facts and evidence rather than on emotions or credibility claims offer the audience _______.
2. An image associated with some person, used to secure approval, is a(n) _______.
3. Asking someone to agree with you because “everyone else is doing it” is asking that person to jump on the _______.
4. Appealing to your audience’s feelings, needs, desires, or wants is going for the _______ appeal.
Check your answers with those on page 77.
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SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 4: PERSUASIVE SPEECH
For this speech assignment, you must prepare and present a five-minute persuasive speech. Use the following procedure to complete this assignment.
Preparing, Recording, and Submitting Your Speech
1. Choose the topic for your persuasive speech. If possible, choose something with which you’re familiar and for which you have strong feelings. Your speech will be much more persuasive if you’re personally involved in the topic.
2. Depending on your choice of topic, determine whether you’re reasoning with or motivating your audience. Choose an organizational pattern for your speech.
3. If necessary, gather information on your topic; otherwise, make a list of the points you want to mention in your speech. If you gather information from other sources, be sure to give them credit in your speech.
4. Prepare at least one presentational aid for this assignment.
5. Practice your speech in front of some friends or relatives. Ask them for feedback on your presentation. If necessary, revise your speech based on the input you receive.
6. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech and you’re satisfied with your delivery, record the speech.
a. Begin the recording by reading the following sentences.
In this persuasive speech, I will be _______ (reasoning
with the audience or motivating the audience). The audience I’m addressing is _______.
b. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then begin your speech.
Lesson 2 67
7. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the requirements for the assignment.
8. To upload your speech, follow the instructions in the Introduction to this study guide under “Recording and Uploading Speech Assignments.” The exam number for this speech is 05032500.
Evaluation Criteria
Your instructor will ask the following questions in grading your speech.
Reasoning Speech
n How well did you identify with your audience?
n Did your introduction get the audience’s attention?
n Was the information organized according to the pattern you chose (statement of reasons, comparative advan- tages, criteria satisfaction, or refutative pattern)?
n Did you clearly state your persuasive goal?
n Did you support your goal with good reasons and sound evidence?
n Was your speech clear of fallacies of reasoning?
n Did your conclusion summarize your points in an inter- esting and/or creative way?
n Did you use at least one presentational aid?
n Was the speech five minutes long?
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Motivating Speech
n How well did you identify with your audience?
n Did your introduction get the audience’s attention?
n Was the information organized according to the pattern you chose (problem-solution, problem-cause-solution, or motivated sequence pattern)?
n Did you include emotional appeals in your speech?
n Did you create an atmosphere of credibility and goodwill?
n Did you support your goal with good reasons and sound evidence?
n Was your speech clear of fallacies of reasoning?
n Did your conclusion summarize your points in an interesting and/or creative way?
n Did you use at least one presentational aid?
n Was the speech five minutes long?
Grading Rubric
Your instructor will use the rubric on the following page to grade your project.
Lesson 2 69
Grading Criteria Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor Not
Shown
Opening format: The student began the recording with “In this persuasive speech, I will be ___ (reasoning with the audience or motivating the audience” This was followed by a 5-second pause.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Persuasion: For a reasoning speech, the student chose an organizational pattern: state- ment of reasons, comparative advantages, criteria satisfac- tion, or refutative. For a motivating speech, the student identified with the audience and chose an organi- zational pattern: problem- solution, problem-cause-solution, or motivated sequence. The student included emotional appeals but maintained credibility and goodwill. For both types, the ideas are clearly stated and supported with good reasons and sound evidence. The speech is free of logical fallacies.
65–55 54–50 49–40 39–20 0
Introduction: The introduction got the audience’s attention.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Speaking skills: The student maintained appropriate tone, pitch, volume, pace, and eye contact while speaking with integrity.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Appearance: The student’s appearance was appropriate.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Conclusion: The student’s conclusion summarized the points in an interesting and/or creative way.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Presentational aids: The student used two presentational aids that clarified, emphasized, or dramatized what was said, used more than just words, and were large enough to see. If used, audio aids were easy to hear. All aids were incorpo- rated and introduced smoothly.
5 4 3 2–1 0
Length: The speech was 5 minutes long. (One point lost for every 10 seconds over or under 5 minutes, up to 5 points.)
5 4 3 2–1 0
ASSIGNMENT 12: SPEAKING ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS Read this introduction. Then study Chapter 12, pages 269–291, in your textbook.
As you go through life, you may be called upon to speak at special occasions: a toast at a best friend’s wedding, a eulogy at the funeral of a loved one, an introduction at a business meeting. Speeches at special occasions like these are a bit different from persuasive and informative speeches. For one thing, the special-occasion speech is usually much shorter than is the persuasive or informative speech. Like all speeches, though, their content will be driven by the audience, particu- larly how familiar the audience is with you, the subject, the individual, and the event. Additionally, like other speeches, they must be researched and planned.
Your textbook outlines some basic principles and rules for these speeches. Your textbook also provides a primer on small-group communication. Pay particular attention to this section of the chapter, because small group communication is likely to be the most common form of public speaking you’ll encounter in life.
You should now prepare for your Lesson 6 exam, which will cover all the material you studied in Assignments 7–12. When you’ve finished reviewing the material, go to your My Courses page and take the exam. Then, return to this point and complete Speech Assignment 5.
SPEECH ASSIGNMENT 5: FINAL SPEECH ASSIGNMENT
You’ve learned some key information on the delivery of a speech, including information on your voice, your body, methods of delivery, and adapting to your audience. As you prepare, rehearse, and record this final speech assignment, you should put that information into practice, along with all the additional material you’ve learned throughout this course.
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For your final speech assignment, you must develop and deliver a speech on a topic of your choice. The speech must be between three and five minutes long. It can be a narrative/personal experience speech, an informative speech, or a persuasive speech. Carefully follow the steps below to complete this final assignment:
1. Choose a topic for your speech. Select a topic that you know about or one that you would like to learn more about.
2. If necessary, gather information on your topic. If you use outside sources, be sure to give them credit in your speech.
3. Make a list of the main points you want to address, and write a thesis statement.
4. Choose an organizational pattern, and outline the main points and subpoints of your speech.
5. Develop a strong introduction and conclusion.
6. Prepare at least two presentational aids to use in your speech.
7. Practice your speech in front of some friends or relatives. As you rehearse your speech, try to apply the concepts you’ve learned. Ask your audience for feedback on your presentation. If necessary, revise your speech based on the input you receive.
8. Once you’ve rehearsed your speech and you’re satisfied with your delivery, set up a time to record the speech. Invite at least five people to serve as your audience.
9. Record the speech. (Be sure the person using the camera pans across the audience at some point during the speech.)
a. Begin the recording by reading the sentences below. Fill in the blanks as you read.
The type of speech I’ve chosen is _______ (narrative/
personal experience, informational, or persuasive), and
the organizational pattern I’ve used is _______. The
audience to which I’ve addressed this speech is
_______.
Lesson 2 71
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b. Pause a few seconds (count to five in your head), and then begin your speech.
10. Watch the recorded speech. Ensure that it fulfills the requirements for the assignment.
11. To upload your speech, follow the “Recording and Uploading Speech Assignments” instructions in this study guide. The exam number for this speech is 05032700.
Your instructor will ask the following questions in grading your speech.
n Does the speaker consider the audience?
n Does the speaker clearly state the thesis statement?
n Is the speech developed according to the chosen organi- zational pattern?
n Does the speech have a strong introduction and a strong conclusion?
n Are the speech’s presentational aids effective?
n Does the speaker use accurate language?
n Does the speech exhibit vivid language?
n Is the speech spoken appropriately?
Lesson 2 73
Self-Check 12
1. When you’re introducing someone else, what are two main things you should not do?
2. A speech that celebrates the end of a training period is called a _______speech.
3. Making a decision by unanimous agreement is coming to a decision by _______.
4. Influencing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and empowering others, is good _______.
Check your answers with those on page 77.
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NOTES
Self-Check 1
1. Messages
2. noise
3. plagiarism
4. self-focus
5. systematic desensitization
Self-Check 2
1. receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding
2. criticism
3. individualistic
Self-Check 3
1. select a topic
2. persuasive speech
3. gain the listeners’ attention; establish connections among self, topic, and audience; and orient the audience
4. summarize ideas, motivate the audience, and wrap up the speech
Self-Check 4
1. thesis
2. one
3. Brainstorming
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Self-Check 5
1. diversity
2. formal
3. attitude
4. beliefs
5. similarities
Self-Check 6
1. expert and eyewitness
2. compare
3. negation
4. models
5. relevant
Self-Check 7
1. limit
2. temporal
3. causal
4. transitions
5. apologizing, making promises you can’t deliver, using gimmicks, and using self-deprecating remarks
Self-Check 8
1. denotative
2. connotative
3. polarization
4. euphemism
5. restatement
Self-Check Answers76
Self-Check 9
1. forget the speech
2. impromptu
3. volume
4. omission, substitution, and the addition or sounds and syllables
5. proxemics
Self-Check 10
1. demonstration
2. specific
3. main points
Self-Check 11
1. logical proof
2. testimonial
3. bandwagon
4. emotional
Self-Check 12
1. Don’t cover the substance of the topic the main speaker will address. Don’t oversell the speaker.
2. commencement speech
3. consensus
4. leadership
Self-Check Answers 77
