For Use in the Future
Public speaking is such a routine part of our lives, that at times we forget how important it is to pay careful attention to exactly what it is we are saying. When we aren't making prepared speeches in front of the classroom, we may be speaking publicly amongst friends, in the workplace, or even with our families at home. Wherever we may be and whomever we may be conversing with, one thing is for sure: it is vital to communicate clearly.
One of the best things taught in this class was a breakdown of the different components that make up a proper speech. Whether the speech was a demonstrative one or an informative one, the basic parts of the speech were pretty similar. For example all intros included an attention-getter, a thesis, a statement of the main points, and a credibility establisher. Sometimes in other courses, it helps in comprehending broad major concepts when they are broken down into smaller bits of information. Similarly, if you take your speech, and break it down into separate parts it helps by not only making it easier to coherently organize the speech but also by forming a checklist of things that need to be included in it. And when I say breaking down, I am not referring a general breaking into intro/body/conclusion method. That's the format of any generic outline. I like the finer breakdown of components.
Labeling all the different parts of a speech helps strength our speeches organizationally too. This is one of the main reasons I like completing outlines. They serve as a list of things I need to write in my speech, and they help me get an overall picture of how clear and organized my thoughts really are. I'll definitely continue using the lingo to identify the different parts of my speech. If anything it'll make my speech-creating abilities stronger and make me more confident in writing and making speeches in the future.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Discussion #2 - 12/7
Most Helpful Concept
I thought that the most helpful concept taught in this class was the section on different outline patterns. I hadn't known about the different formats that could exist (topical, spatial, problem/cause etc) and found them extremely useful throughout this semester. The main reason for this was because the outline really allowed me to create speeches with good structure. I've always used outlines for everything. They help get my thoughts organized and in front of me so that I can restructure them as I see fit. Having specific types of outlines helped me by further organizing my thoughts so that all I had to do was fit my researched info onto a template. As long as the speech information was placed in the correct part of the template, my speech would be coherently organized. I will probably use these outlines again, and not just for speeches but also for papers that I may write. Having a specific outline is a great idea because it ensures that I will have clearly formatted info.
Another concept I found very helpful was the list of fallacies that were covered towards the end of the book. I think in order to avoid certain problems, it is sometimes better to be AWARE of them in the first place. Many of the fallacies that I learned about were things that I had knowingly and unknowingly done in past arguments/discussions. My husband sometimes says I'm making an irrational argument, and I used to always think he was making a crack about my intellectual ability. However, after reading about fallacies, it was an eye-opener to see that there can be such a thing as a completely irrational argument. I intend on keeping track of how rational my arguments are in the future, now that I know there is a list of fallacies.
I thought that the most helpful concept taught in this class was the section on different outline patterns. I hadn't known about the different formats that could exist (topical, spatial, problem/cause etc) and found them extremely useful throughout this semester. The main reason for this was because the outline really allowed me to create speeches with good structure. I've always used outlines for everything. They help get my thoughts organized and in front of me so that I can restructure them as I see fit. Having specific types of outlines helped me by further organizing my thoughts so that all I had to do was fit my researched info onto a template. As long as the speech information was placed in the correct part of the template, my speech would be coherently organized. I will probably use these outlines again, and not just for speeches but also for papers that I may write. Having a specific outline is a great idea because it ensures that I will have clearly formatted info.
Another concept I found very helpful was the list of fallacies that were covered towards the end of the book. I think in order to avoid certain problems, it is sometimes better to be AWARE of them in the first place. Many of the fallacies that I learned about were things that I had knowingly and unknowingly done in past arguments/discussions. My husband sometimes says I'm making an irrational argument, and I used to always think he was making a crack about my intellectual ability. However, after reading about fallacies, it was an eye-opener to see that there can be such a thing as a completely irrational argument. I intend on keeping track of how rational my arguments are in the future, now that I know there is a list of fallacies.
Discussion #1 - 12/7
Favorite Speech
My favorite speech was the demonstrative speech. I had never done a demonstrative speech before so it was a lot of fun speaking and demonstrating at the same time. I did my demonstrative speech on how to make Guacamole. I found the speech to be challenging too because it was tough getting the hang of doing two things at once. When I was practicing, I found that either I got sucked into demonstrating and stopped speaking, or I focused to much on speaking and messed up on the demo part. However, since I did my speech on preparing a food item, I was able to get a taste of what it feels like to be a TV chef (one of my secret desires). I learned that practicing multiple times is the only thing that can help in making an effective demonstrative speech. Also, in order to be successful at doing two things at once, you need to know your speech backwards and forwards. I had a simple enough topic so it wasn't hard memorizing the facts. I just had to know the different steps that go into making a traditional Guacamole. And since cooking is one of my passions, that part wasn't very hard. Overall, the speech was a lot of fun to prepare, and to watch!
My favorite speech was the demonstrative speech. I had never done a demonstrative speech before so it was a lot of fun speaking and demonstrating at the same time. I did my demonstrative speech on how to make Guacamole. I found the speech to be challenging too because it was tough getting the hang of doing two things at once. When I was practicing, I found that either I got sucked into demonstrating and stopped speaking, or I focused to much on speaking and messed up on the demo part. However, since I did my speech on preparing a food item, I was able to get a taste of what it feels like to be a TV chef (one of my secret desires). I learned that practicing multiple times is the only thing that can help in making an effective demonstrative speech. Also, in order to be successful at doing two things at once, you need to know your speech backwards and forwards. I had a simple enough topic so it wasn't hard memorizing the facts. I just had to know the different steps that go into making a traditional Guacamole. And since cooking is one of my passions, that part wasn't very hard. Overall, the speech was a lot of fun to prepare, and to watch!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Discussion #2 - 11/16
Reasoning in Persuasion
The last time I was in a persuasive discussion, I was trying to convince my parents to register and vote during the 2008 presidential elections. I used a couple different kinds of reasonings in order to persuade them successfully. First, I tried using inductive reasoning by presenting specific examples of all our friends and family who had registered and were enthusiastic about voting. This reasoning didn't work, mainly because my evidence to argue my point appealed to popularity. Being a major fallacy in evidence, my argument didn't score many points with the parents. I then tried using deductive reasoning to convince them. I reasoned that if it is a right of american citizens to vote for their own president, and if my parents are american citizens, then they should actively vote in the elections. This seemed to work better and they agreed that it was definitely a privilege to be living in a country where freedom of expression meant that they could voice their consent for the nation too. I, finally, used casual reasoning to predict that if enough people voted for "X" nominee then he may actually win. This reasoning also went well for my parents as they realized the importance of being even a small part of something as significant as picking the next US president.
I also tried to convince a couple of my in-laws to vote. The same reasonings were used, and the same reaction occurred. It's amazing how important your argument can be when you are trying to convince someone to agree with your viewpoint on something. One illogical argument or fallacious evidence and the entire conclusion that you are trying to draw can fall apart.
The last time I was in a persuasive discussion, I was trying to convince my parents to register and vote during the 2008 presidential elections. I used a couple different kinds of reasonings in order to persuade them successfully. First, I tried using inductive reasoning by presenting specific examples of all our friends and family who had registered and were enthusiastic about voting. This reasoning didn't work, mainly because my evidence to argue my point appealed to popularity. Being a major fallacy in evidence, my argument didn't score many points with the parents. I then tried using deductive reasoning to convince them. I reasoned that if it is a right of american citizens to vote for their own president, and if my parents are american citizens, then they should actively vote in the elections. This seemed to work better and they agreed that it was definitely a privilege to be living in a country where freedom of expression meant that they could voice their consent for the nation too. I, finally, used casual reasoning to predict that if enough people voted for "X" nominee then he may actually win. This reasoning also went well for my parents as they realized the importance of being even a small part of something as significant as picking the next US president.
I also tried to convince a couple of my in-laws to vote. The same reasonings were used, and the same reaction occurred. It's amazing how important your argument can be when you are trying to convince someone to agree with your viewpoint on something. One illogical argument or fallacious evidence and the entire conclusion that you are trying to draw can fall apart.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Discussion # 1 11/16
Response to Reading Ch. 15 & 16
Chapter 15
Arguments are important in successfully persuading your audience to accept the claim you are making in your speech. Therefore, your claim as well as the evidence you are presenting to support it should be clear and relevant to your claim. Chapter 15 gives some insight about fallacies and irrelevance in speech claims and evidence. There are many different kinds of fallacies that exist. Here are a few that the book defines:
Fallacies in Claim
False dilemma - This is when the claim tries to draw a conclusion based on two extreme situations (the either-or thinking).
Begging the question - This is when the claim itself states that the argument one is making is true.
Slippery slope - This is when the claim draws an illogical connection between an event that has already occurred and one that will inevitably occur due to the first event.
Ad ignorantium - This is when the claim deems something to be true because it hasn't been proven false yet.
Fallacies in Evidence
Red herring - When evidence provided for a claim is unrelated and used to distract the audience.
Ad populum - When evidence to prove the truth of a claim is based on popular consent.
Appeal to tradition - When evidence to prove the truth of a claim is based on tradition.
Comparative evidence - Inaccurate or irrelevant use of statistics.
Chapter 16
Different kinds of speeches can call for different styles and methods used to successfully send a message to the audience. For instance, how you write the intro to an introductory speech versus one to a persuasive speech will be similar (as they both will introduce the main points and thesis) but will also be different due to the starkly different purposes of each. Presentations can be done in large groups (making keynotes at a conference) or in front of small groups (as in round-table discussions). Speeches can be tributes and eulogies, nominations and classroom presentations. Whatever the purpose may be, all speeches are made of the same fundamental components. And as long as you pay attention to those components your speech will always be successful.
Chapter 15
Arguments are important in successfully persuading your audience to accept the claim you are making in your speech. Therefore, your claim as well as the evidence you are presenting to support it should be clear and relevant to your claim. Chapter 15 gives some insight about fallacies and irrelevance in speech claims and evidence. There are many different kinds of fallacies that exist. Here are a few that the book defines:
Fallacies in Claim
False dilemma - This is when the claim tries to draw a conclusion based on two extreme situations (the either-or thinking).
Begging the question - This is when the claim itself states that the argument one is making is true.
Slippery slope - This is when the claim draws an illogical connection between an event that has already occurred and one that will inevitably occur due to the first event.
Ad ignorantium - This is when the claim deems something to be true because it hasn't been proven false yet.
Fallacies in Evidence
Red herring - When evidence provided for a claim is unrelated and used to distract the audience.
Ad populum - When evidence to prove the truth of a claim is based on popular consent.
Appeal to tradition - When evidence to prove the truth of a claim is based on tradition.
Comparative evidence - Inaccurate or irrelevant use of statistics.
Chapter 16
Different kinds of speeches can call for different styles and methods used to successfully send a message to the audience. For instance, how you write the intro to an introductory speech versus one to a persuasive speech will be similar (as they both will introduce the main points and thesis) but will also be different due to the starkly different purposes of each. Presentations can be done in large groups (making keynotes at a conference) or in front of small groups (as in round-table discussions). Speeches can be tributes and eulogies, nominations and classroom presentations. Whatever the purpose may be, all speeches are made of the same fundamental components. And as long as you pay attention to those components your speech will always be successful.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Discussion # 2 - 11/9
Persuasive Speech Progress
I am planning on doing my persuasive speech on why instant weight-loss schemes should not be used to reduce weight. In this day and age, people are paying more and more attention to being healthy and keeping fit. The young and old are watching what they eat and trying to workout regularly in order to avoid weight-related health scares. Such would include: diabetes, heart problems, blood pressure and cholesterol issues alike. And although the desire to be healthier has increased in the past decade, there has also been a steep increase in the number of methods that can be employed in order to reduce weight fast. There are numerous "get-thin-quick" schemes that exist today and they probably cause more damage to our bodies than good. By preparing a speech on how these rapid-weight loss methods hinder us in becoming healthier, I hope to persuade my audience to adopt a more long term and fit lifestyle.
I will begin my speech by giving an introduction about fitness and how public view of healthy living has changed in the past decade. I will also provide some reasons why adopting a healthy lifestyle is beneficial to us all. I will give some examples of the different types of methods people use to reduce weight, and differentiate between safe methods (regular cardio/eating right) and the unsafe methods (crash diets/weight-loss pills/lipo). My intro should let listeners know how strongly I am against the quick and easy weight-loss methods.
The main points I will be discussing are as follows:
I - Side-effects of quick methods
II - Short term benefits of quick methods
III - Statistics
Finally, my conclusion will recap all the information that I gave during my speech, and briefly cover the benefits of taking the time and putting in effort to change how we eat/workout in order to have more long term benefits of being healthy.
I am planning on doing my persuasive speech on why instant weight-loss schemes should not be used to reduce weight. In this day and age, people are paying more and more attention to being healthy and keeping fit. The young and old are watching what they eat and trying to workout regularly in order to avoid weight-related health scares. Such would include: diabetes, heart problems, blood pressure and cholesterol issues alike. And although the desire to be healthier has increased in the past decade, there has also been a steep increase in the number of methods that can be employed in order to reduce weight fast. There are numerous "get-thin-quick" schemes that exist today and they probably cause more damage to our bodies than good. By preparing a speech on how these rapid-weight loss methods hinder us in becoming healthier, I hope to persuade my audience to adopt a more long term and fit lifestyle.
I will begin my speech by giving an introduction about fitness and how public view of healthy living has changed in the past decade. I will also provide some reasons why adopting a healthy lifestyle is beneficial to us all. I will give some examples of the different types of methods people use to reduce weight, and differentiate between safe methods (regular cardio/eating right) and the unsafe methods (crash diets/weight-loss pills/lipo). My intro should let listeners know how strongly I am against the quick and easy weight-loss methods.
The main points I will be discussing are as follows:
I - Side-effects of quick methods
II - Short term benefits of quick methods
III - Statistics
Finally, my conclusion will recap all the information that I gave during my speech, and briefly cover the benefits of taking the time and putting in effort to change how we eat/workout in order to have more long term benefits of being healthy.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Discussion # 1 - 11/9
Response to Reading Ch. 14
Chapter 14 goes into detail about the art of making Persuasive speeches. The most interesting concepts that were discussed in this chapter included all the different types of persuasive speeches that exist. A persuasive speech topic can fall under the following categories: questions of fact, questions of value, and questions of policy. Questions of fact speeches focus on convincing the audience whether something is true of false. For example, a speech on chocolate being bad for oily skin may persuade the audience to agree that chocolate DOES in fact cause breakouts. Questions of value speeches focus on convincing the audience whether something has a certain value. A speech on whether animated cartoons should be considered artistic may persuade the audience that movies like Toy Story deserved an Academy award for animation. Questions of policy speeches focus on convincing the audience whether action must be taken towards eradicating an issue. For example, a speech on making uniforms compulsory in high school may persuade the audience to agree that uniforms will allow students to be equal and focus on education rather than fashion.
Persuasive speeches are used to influence the opinion of the audience. By using the right type of persuasive speech, employing the correct organizational pattern, and building a strong case by researching well, you can be sure to sway the audience in favor of your own opinion!
Chapter 14 goes into detail about the art of making Persuasive speeches. The most interesting concepts that were discussed in this chapter included all the different types of persuasive speeches that exist. A persuasive speech topic can fall under the following categories: questions of fact, questions of value, and questions of policy. Questions of fact speeches focus on convincing the audience whether something is true of false. For example, a speech on chocolate being bad for oily skin may persuade the audience to agree that chocolate DOES in fact cause breakouts. Questions of value speeches focus on convincing the audience whether something has a certain value. A speech on whether animated cartoons should be considered artistic may persuade the audience that movies like Toy Story deserved an Academy award for animation. Questions of policy speeches focus on convincing the audience whether action must be taken towards eradicating an issue. For example, a speech on making uniforms compulsory in high school may persuade the audience to agree that uniforms will allow students to be equal and focus on education rather than fashion.
Persuasive speeches are used to influence the opinion of the audience. By using the right type of persuasive speech, employing the correct organizational pattern, and building a strong case by researching well, you can be sure to sway the audience in favor of your own opinion!
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