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!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Discussion #2 - 11/2
Response to Speech Buddy Interactive Videos
10.1
Audience-centered language is important because it allows the audience to understand and retain the information that you are presenting in your speech. Inclusive language is a well-known part of that as you don't want certain members of the audience feel left out by only speaking to a specific group of people present. Giving visual examples, using humor, and sparking the audience's imagination are also ways that you can capture the audience's attention and make your speech concepts more vivid to them. I often use hypothetical situations or anecdotes that will give audience members a more personal and clear understanding of my speech topics. I might use hypothetical situations for my persuasive speech so that people can literally get into my shoes and see my point of view.
10.2
The kind of language that should be used during your speech should be concise. This fundamental. Because most public-speaking situations are time-bound, it is important to be able to say what you want to say in the most efficient way. I like using sentences that re succinct and pithy. Offensive language, and too much repetition of certain filler-type words can be distracting and can undermine your speech altogether.
12.1
Vocal delivery is the mechanics of actually making your speech. Volume, pitch, rate, variety, articulation and pronunciation are the main aspects that make up vocal delivery. It's obvious that voice projection and pitch are key helping your audience actually hear your words before they start processing them. Articulation and pronunciation are also important. If the audience didn't understand how you pronounced certain words or if you mumbled a lot, they probably won't be able to understand many sentences and concepts in your speech. Rate (or speed) is important in creating a flow to your speech that the audience can follow. At times, to make a point or create suspense the rate of your speech can be varied by adding pauses. However, too many pauses can also be distracting. I often pause for less than a second between my main points, to give closure to one point before I move to the next.
12.2
Physical delivery has to do with eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, movement, and appearance. These are the major visuals that the audience will be watching throughout your speech. You should make eye contact to draw in your audience and give them importance as listeners. Facial expressions and gestures should be matched with the concepts you are making in the speech, without distracting from it. Appearance and attire can depend on the kind of speech you are making and where you will be making it. I would dress up for an informative speech about The Indian tribes of colonial America, but I wouldn't dress up for a persuasive speech on abortion.
12.3
Practicing your speech is really important. This doesn't mean just sitting and memorizing the speech outline you have created. It is important to know your outline, however, you should be familiar enough with all the concepts so that you can create bulleted note cards that you will use for the speech itself. Practice standing up in front of a mirror 0r in front of family and friends allows you to get comfortable with the delivery of the speech. Also it can help you get some feedback from either what you see in the mirror (such as not making enough eye contact) or what your pseudo audience tells you (such as speaking too fast). I practice numerous times alone, as well as in front of my husband to prepare myself for public-speaking situations.
10.1
Audience-centered language is important because it allows the audience to understand and retain the information that you are presenting in your speech. Inclusive language is a well-known part of that as you don't want certain members of the audience feel left out by only speaking to a specific group of people present. Giving visual examples, using humor, and sparking the audience's imagination are also ways that you can capture the audience's attention and make your speech concepts more vivid to them. I often use hypothetical situations or anecdotes that will give audience members a more personal and clear understanding of my speech topics. I might use hypothetical situations for my persuasive speech so that people can literally get into my shoes and see my point of view.
10.2
The kind of language that should be used during your speech should be concise. This fundamental. Because most public-speaking situations are time-bound, it is important to be able to say what you want to say in the most efficient way. I like using sentences that re succinct and pithy. Offensive language, and too much repetition of certain filler-type words can be distracting and can undermine your speech altogether.
12.1
Vocal delivery is the mechanics of actually making your speech. Volume, pitch, rate, variety, articulation and pronunciation are the main aspects that make up vocal delivery. It's obvious that voice projection and pitch are key helping your audience actually hear your words before they start processing them. Articulation and pronunciation are also important. If the audience didn't understand how you pronounced certain words or if you mumbled a lot, they probably won't be able to understand many sentences and concepts in your speech. Rate (or speed) is important in creating a flow to your speech that the audience can follow. At times, to make a point or create suspense the rate of your speech can be varied by adding pauses. However, too many pauses can also be distracting. I often pause for less than a second between my main points, to give closure to one point before I move to the next.
12.2
Physical delivery has to do with eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, movement, and appearance. These are the major visuals that the audience will be watching throughout your speech. You should make eye contact to draw in your audience and give them importance as listeners. Facial expressions and gestures should be matched with the concepts you are making in the speech, without distracting from it. Appearance and attire can depend on the kind of speech you are making and where you will be making it. I would dress up for an informative speech about The Indian tribes of colonial America, but I wouldn't dress up for a persuasive speech on abortion.
12.3
Practicing your speech is really important. This doesn't mean just sitting and memorizing the speech outline you have created. It is important to know your outline, however, you should be familiar enough with all the concepts so that you can create bulleted note cards that you will use for the speech itself. Practice standing up in front of a mirror 0r in front of family and friends allows you to get comfortable with the delivery of the speech. Also it can help you get some feedback from either what you see in the mirror (such as not making enough eye contact) or what your pseudo audience tells you (such as speaking too fast). I practice numerous times alone, as well as in front of my husband to prepare myself for public-speaking situations.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Discussion #1 - 11/2
Response to Reading Ch. 10 & 12
Ch. 10
This chapter dealt with the concept of language. The written and spoken word are what allow us to communicate our thoughts and ideas with the rest of the world. I was definitely familiar with certain concepts such as language and gender, figurative language, cultural influence on language, many other defining themes discussed in this chapter. However, I was very interested to read the section on the spoken versus written language. Often when I write a speech with the goal of orally delivering it, the words and structure are very different as compared to the material I produce for an essay. This is best described as dynamic versus static language. Dynamic language is required when the speaker and audience interface directly, and the language is orally delivered to listeners. The amount of time isn't unlimited to present ideas and thoughts, and listeners don't have the luxury of re-hearing certain passages of the speech. Therefore, it is a dynamic or actively-changing situation. My strategy for writing a 5 minute speech will be to use clear, pithy statements that are organized into a simple structure and can be understood and retained by my audience easily. However, when I write a 5 page essay I will focus on clarity, but I will try to use good supporting evidence to really develop my main points. I may not try to focus too much on brevity or on making certain statements interesting.
Ch. 12
I have been part of the speech and debate club in my high school, and have given many impromptu as well as extemporaneous speeches. Impromptu speeches are very fun to do as they get your heart rate up and some of the best things that you can say end up coming out spontaneously. However, this chapter deals with more than just the different kinds of speech deliveries. It also discusses how a basic speech should be orally delivered. Voice, speed, articulation, and body language are all key in making or breaking a successful speech.
Ch. 10
This chapter dealt with the concept of language. The written and spoken word are what allow us to communicate our thoughts and ideas with the rest of the world. I was definitely familiar with certain concepts such as language and gender, figurative language, cultural influence on language, many other defining themes discussed in this chapter. However, I was very interested to read the section on the spoken versus written language. Often when I write a speech with the goal of orally delivering it, the words and structure are very different as compared to the material I produce for an essay. This is best described as dynamic versus static language. Dynamic language is required when the speaker and audience interface directly, and the language is orally delivered to listeners. The amount of time isn't unlimited to present ideas and thoughts, and listeners don't have the luxury of re-hearing certain passages of the speech. Therefore, it is a dynamic or actively-changing situation. My strategy for writing a 5 minute speech will be to use clear, pithy statements that are organized into a simple structure and can be understood and retained by my audience easily. However, when I write a 5 page essay I will focus on clarity, but I will try to use good supporting evidence to really develop my main points. I may not try to focus too much on brevity or on making certain statements interesting.
Ch. 12
I have been part of the speech and debate club in my high school, and have given many impromptu as well as extemporaneous speeches. Impromptu speeches are very fun to do as they get your heart rate up and some of the best things that you can say end up coming out spontaneously. However, this chapter deals with more than just the different kinds of speech deliveries. It also discusses how a basic speech should be orally delivered. Voice, speed, articulation, and body language are all key in making or breaking a successful speech.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Discussion #3 - 10/26
Response to Reading
Chapter 11 was mainly about the different kinds of presentation media that can be used to supplement our speeches. While presentation media may or may not be required in some speeches, I believe they enhance speeches in many ways. The book definitely goes over the main advantages of having presentation media included in our speeches. They can be used to illustrate points, draw attention to a certain topic, clarify a point, support an argument, and they promote better retention of your speech by the audience. I use presentation media for two main reasons. Firstly, I like to illustrate points and show graphic examples during my speech so that the audience gains a better understanding of my topic. And secondly, I always include a succinct outline of my speech in the presentation media (for instance a slideshow) allowing my audience to follow a road map of where my speech is headed. This way, without being distracted, my audience can really understand my thoughts and the speech.
Presentation media are very useful for any speech, as long as they don't distract you from directing your speech at the audience. Although I am a firm believer in using media in my speeches, I often have to question whether the use of one type over another would distract my audience and my own attention or not. For example, if I were to use printed our copies of all my visual aids instead of putting them on a slideshow, I may distract the audience's attention while they scan my print outs. It's important to evaluate which presentation works best in our public-speaking scenario.
Chapter 11 was mainly about the different kinds of presentation media that can be used to supplement our speeches. While presentation media may or may not be required in some speeches, I believe they enhance speeches in many ways. The book definitely goes over the main advantages of having presentation media included in our speeches. They can be used to illustrate points, draw attention to a certain topic, clarify a point, support an argument, and they promote better retention of your speech by the audience. I use presentation media for two main reasons. Firstly, I like to illustrate points and show graphic examples during my speech so that the audience gains a better understanding of my topic. And secondly, I always include a succinct outline of my speech in the presentation media (for instance a slideshow) allowing my audience to follow a road map of where my speech is headed. This way, without being distracted, my audience can really understand my thoughts and the speech.
Presentation media are very useful for any speech, as long as they don't distract you from directing your speech at the audience. Although I am a firm believer in using media in my speeches, I often have to question whether the use of one type over another would distract my audience and my own attention or not. For example, if I were to use printed our copies of all my visual aids instead of putting them on a slideshow, I may distract the audience's attention while they scan my print outs. It's important to evaluate which presentation works best in our public-speaking scenario.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Speech #2 Evaluation
Self Evaluation #2
The second speech that I made for this course, was an informative speech. I chose to do my speech on Human Fear. This topic is very interesting to everyone, I think, because we all have fears and phobias that we deal with in our lives. My purpose was to inform the audience about the origins of fear, the many different kinds of fears that exist in the world today, and how fear can be dealt with. I did an excellent job of achieving my purpose. I gave some scientific and non-scientific background information about the origin of fear, and I backed it up verbally with a credible source. I also gave a personal anecdote citing my own phobia of birds and how it may have come about. This was effective in helping the audience relate to me, and better understand how fear can develop. I, then, gave examples of some common and uncommon kinds of phobias that exist today (with another verbal citation). And finally, I explained how fear can be fixed or dealt with, citing some methods that were backed by experts on the topic. As far as content and purpose go, I felt my speech was coherent, organized, and well-referenced (I had all 4 verbal citations). I wouldn't change anything for my next speech.
I also feel that I did a good job with the technical aspects of my speech. These would include, voice-projection, visual aids, transitions, and speech delivery. I was very confident when I gave my speech, in fact, I was more comfortable this time around then I was in the first speech. First of all, I think I had an amazing attention-getter! I really caught everyone's attention by starting my speech off with a LOUD SCREAM! I know I scared quite a few people, but it was effective and directly led into my topic about fear! For the rest of the speech I spoke in a clear voice, and felt that I projected well. Also, since I couldn't listen to my speech on the tape, I looked at the evaluations that the class had given me and quite a few said that I spoke loud and clear! My transitions were smooth, I think, and obvious because as I wrote them I remember thinking, "Ok people should be able to tell that this is a transition." My visual aids were good, except that I chose to hand them out instead of posting the enlargements on the board (which I printed and had with me!). I just assumed it would be easier for everyone to have a paper with all my visual aids. However, I lost valuable points due to my visuals being too distracting from the speech. I understand now that line of vision is important in maintaining the audience's attention. Once that breaks, there's no guarantee that the audience is still following your speech. So I suffered a little on visuals, but at least I had them, and I think they were also very effective. My speech delivery was good. I had good posture, I maintained eye contact (for which I would give myself a 9/10), spoke at a good speed/volume, and was within the time limit of 6 minutes. Overall, I did well in the technical aspects of the speech.
I was a little more confident making this speech, than my last. One obvious difference was that I didn't keep repeating "Basically..." as I did in my first speech. Filler words like that are usually used when the speaker is nervous. Also, I noticed in my first speech that I kept swaying back and forth a lot. This is very distracting and luckily I didn't do it this time around. I felt my second speech also flowed much better. It seemed that all the main points led into each other more smoothly. This could be because I tried making my transitions more obvious and they directly tied one point to the next.
The one thing I would change for the next speech is how much information I am including in my speech. I felt pressured for time in this speech, and had to cut out a few parts so that I would be within the time limit. And although I made it, I didn't like having this perpetual fear of going over the 6 minute limit. For the next speech I will make sure that I am speaking comfortably and still finishing 30 seconds short of the limit. Also, I will use a Powerpoint in my next speech. I have always used slide show presentations in previous classes, and they are quite useful when it comes to supporting your speeches with visual aides or even including a bulleted outline of your speech for the audience to follow.
Overall, I would give myself an A on this speech. I felt I did much better on my second speech than I did on my first. I was more comfortable, I was more confident, and I made all my points and transitions coherently.
The second speech that I made for this course, was an informative speech. I chose to do my speech on Human Fear. This topic is very interesting to everyone, I think, because we all have fears and phobias that we deal with in our lives. My purpose was to inform the audience about the origins of fear, the many different kinds of fears that exist in the world today, and how fear can be dealt with. I did an excellent job of achieving my purpose. I gave some scientific and non-scientific background information about the origin of fear, and I backed it up verbally with a credible source. I also gave a personal anecdote citing my own phobia of birds and how it may have come about. This was effective in helping the audience relate to me, and better understand how fear can develop. I, then, gave examples of some common and uncommon kinds of phobias that exist today (with another verbal citation). And finally, I explained how fear can be fixed or dealt with, citing some methods that were backed by experts on the topic. As far as content and purpose go, I felt my speech was coherent, organized, and well-referenced (I had all 4 verbal citations). I wouldn't change anything for my next speech.
I also feel that I did a good job with the technical aspects of my speech. These would include, voice-projection, visual aids, transitions, and speech delivery. I was very confident when I gave my speech, in fact, I was more comfortable this time around then I was in the first speech. First of all, I think I had an amazing attention-getter! I really caught everyone's attention by starting my speech off with a LOUD SCREAM! I know I scared quite a few people, but it was effective and directly led into my topic about fear! For the rest of the speech I spoke in a clear voice, and felt that I projected well. Also, since I couldn't listen to my speech on the tape, I looked at the evaluations that the class had given me and quite a few said that I spoke loud and clear! My transitions were smooth, I think, and obvious because as I wrote them I remember thinking, "Ok people should be able to tell that this is a transition." My visual aids were good, except that I chose to hand them out instead of posting the enlargements on the board (which I printed and had with me!). I just assumed it would be easier for everyone to have a paper with all my visual aids. However, I lost valuable points due to my visuals being too distracting from the speech. I understand now that line of vision is important in maintaining the audience's attention. Once that breaks, there's no guarantee that the audience is still following your speech. So I suffered a little on visuals, but at least I had them, and I think they were also very effective. My speech delivery was good. I had good posture, I maintained eye contact (for which I would give myself a 9/10), spoke at a good speed/volume, and was within the time limit of 6 minutes. Overall, I did well in the technical aspects of the speech.
I was a little more confident making this speech, than my last. One obvious difference was that I didn't keep repeating "Basically..." as I did in my first speech. Filler words like that are usually used when the speaker is nervous. Also, I noticed in my first speech that I kept swaying back and forth a lot. This is very distracting and luckily I didn't do it this time around. I felt my second speech also flowed much better. It seemed that all the main points led into each other more smoothly. This could be because I tried making my transitions more obvious and they directly tied one point to the next.
The one thing I would change for the next speech is how much information I am including in my speech. I felt pressured for time in this speech, and had to cut out a few parts so that I would be within the time limit. And although I made it, I didn't like having this perpetual fear of going over the 6 minute limit. For the next speech I will make sure that I am speaking comfortably and still finishing 30 seconds short of the limit. Also, I will use a Powerpoint in my next speech. I have always used slide show presentations in previous classes, and they are quite useful when it comes to supporting your speeches with visual aides or even including a bulleted outline of your speech for the audience to follow.
Overall, I would give myself an A on this speech. I felt I did much better on my second speech than I did on my first. I was more comfortable, I was more confident, and I made all my points and transitions coherently.
Dicussion #2 - 10/26
Response to Speech Buddy Interactive Videos
11.1
This video was very clear in explaining the correct way of using digital slides in a speech presentation. It drove in the point that digital slides are used to support the main ideas presented in our speech. They are supplements to our speeches, not the meat of the speech itself. I always use bullet points when I make slides to support my speeches. This ensures that I won't put my entire speech content on the slides. And each bullet shouldn't contained more than 1-3 words. The object of having an outline-type format is so that the audience can use it as a map while they are listening without getting distracted. Images, too, a good way to support the info you present in a speech. However, there should be a limit to the number of images shown per slide, as well as a limit on the total images shown throughout the presentation. Generally, I try to have one image per main point.
11.2
This video showed two examples of speech presentations that included presentation media as supplements. The first speech effectively used the digital slides. She made each slide simplistic, with few words, and with large font. She also used an image that highlighted a main point without distracting the audience too much. The second speech however, suffered not only because of the poor choice of background/font color, but also because one of her slides was too cluttered. When making use of presentation media, it is important to remember that the audience will only be looking at the slide for a few seconds, from a certain distance. Thus, they should be able to immediately see and understand what the slide is saying.
11.1
This video was very clear in explaining the correct way of using digital slides in a speech presentation. It drove in the point that digital slides are used to support the main ideas presented in our speech. They are supplements to our speeches, not the meat of the speech itself. I always use bullet points when I make slides to support my speeches. This ensures that I won't put my entire speech content on the slides. And each bullet shouldn't contained more than 1-3 words. The object of having an outline-type format is so that the audience can use it as a map while they are listening without getting distracted. Images, too, a good way to support the info you present in a speech. However, there should be a limit to the number of images shown per slide, as well as a limit on the total images shown throughout the presentation. Generally, I try to have one image per main point.
11.2
This video showed two examples of speech presentations that included presentation media as supplements. The first speech effectively used the digital slides. She made each slide simplistic, with few words, and with large font. She also used an image that highlighted a main point without distracting the audience too much. The second speech however, suffered not only because of the poor choice of background/font color, but also because one of her slides was too cluttered. When making use of presentation media, it is important to remember that the audience will only be looking at the slide for a few seconds, from a certain distance. Thus, they should be able to immediately see and understand what the slide is saying.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Discussion # 1 - 10/26
Public Speaking Event
The most recent event I can think of is the 40th birthday of one of our friends. There were a number of speeches made that day in honor of the birthday girl. And they all were very amusing for the audience members. The speech that stood out the most was made by the birthday girl's younger brother. He made a crack about being tortured as the younger sibling to capture everyone's attention. It truly got the large crowd to focus on him AND it broke the ice as everybody could relate to their own experiences with younger/older siblings! His speech lasted about 6-7 minutes and was structured in a topical outline form.
The main theme of the speech was his sister's accomplishments (and how he was overshadowed by them!), and the brother cited special events or incidents in their lives that illustrated what he was talking about. At the end of the speech he presented a slideshow of pictures taken throughout the birthday girl's life. Many of the elicited laughter from the audience, some made all of us get emotional inside, others just made us all collectively say, "Awwwwwwe!" The presentation media used here was effective in really bringing out the personality of the birthday girl. As the audience, we got a glimpse into her life, seeing her at age 3, then 10, then 16, and onwards. We saw that she, indeed, always loved to dance and have fun. And it became obvious from the pictures how close she was to her family, which was also reflected from not only the brother's but also the parents' speeches. The media didn't distract from the speech because it was displayed at the end of the speech, almost as if to highlight and illustrate things that were mentioned in the speech. After the speech finished, the brother said a few more statements to give closure to his entire speech presentation. He concluded with the following powerful words, "No matter where life takes us Leena, you will always be the wind beneath my wings."
The most recent event I can think of is the 40th birthday of one of our friends. There were a number of speeches made that day in honor of the birthday girl. And they all were very amusing for the audience members. The speech that stood out the most was made by the birthday girl's younger brother. He made a crack about being tortured as the younger sibling to capture everyone's attention. It truly got the large crowd to focus on him AND it broke the ice as everybody could relate to their own experiences with younger/older siblings! His speech lasted about 6-7 minutes and was structured in a topical outline form.
The main theme of the speech was his sister's accomplishments (and how he was overshadowed by them!), and the brother cited special events or incidents in their lives that illustrated what he was talking about. At the end of the speech he presented a slideshow of pictures taken throughout the birthday girl's life. Many of the elicited laughter from the audience, some made all of us get emotional inside, others just made us all collectively say, "Awwwwwwe!" The presentation media used here was effective in really bringing out the personality of the birthday girl. As the audience, we got a glimpse into her life, seeing her at age 3, then 10, then 16, and onwards. We saw that she, indeed, always loved to dance and have fun. And it became obvious from the pictures how close she was to her family, which was also reflected from not only the brother's but also the parents' speeches. The media didn't distract from the speech because it was displayed at the end of the speech, almost as if to highlight and illustrate things that were mentioned in the speech. After the speech finished, the brother said a few more statements to give closure to his entire speech presentation. He concluded with the following powerful words, "No matter where life takes us Leena, you will always be the wind beneath my wings."
Friday, October 17, 2008
Discussion #2 - 10/12
Response to Reading: Ch. 9 & 13
Chapter 9 discusses the importance of having an effective introduction and conclusion. I've learned from previous speaking experiences that both have similar structures (state main points, state thesis, state attention-getter). All three are vital. In some of the speech buddy videos that we watched, the speakers left out the statement of main points. I felt their speeches suffered slightly without that part. When I listen to a speech, I want to hear right in the beginning what the speaker will delve into later on. My mind listens to the main points and then is able to put up flags that I can listen for as the speech continues. It makes the comprehension of the speech much easier if I have a road map of where it's headed. When I write speeches, I try to do all three things in my intro and conclusions to the point that they are practically written on my forehead! I don't believe in making mundane statements like "Today I will talk about this, this, and this". However, no matter what technique I use to state my thesis and main points, the message HAS to be clear enough for everyone to understand. Keeping that it mind always helps me write and make my speech better!
Chapter 13 was very informative about Informative speeches. As we continue work on our own Informative speeches, it was interesting to read about the different types of informative speech topics, as well as the different kinds of speech organizations. My speech on human fear and phobias will be organized in a topical pattern. I will first discuss what fear is and how it comes about in us, what kinds of fears exist, and how to deal with fear.
Chapter 9 discusses the importance of having an effective introduction and conclusion. I've learned from previous speaking experiences that both have similar structures (state main points, state thesis, state attention-getter). All three are vital. In some of the speech buddy videos that we watched, the speakers left out the statement of main points. I felt their speeches suffered slightly without that part. When I listen to a speech, I want to hear right in the beginning what the speaker will delve into later on. My mind listens to the main points and then is able to put up flags that I can listen for as the speech continues. It makes the comprehension of the speech much easier if I have a road map of where it's headed. When I write speeches, I try to do all three things in my intro and conclusions to the point that they are practically written on my forehead! I don't believe in making mundane statements like "Today I will talk about this, this, and this". However, no matter what technique I use to state my thesis and main points, the message HAS to be clear enough for everyone to understand. Keeping that it mind always helps me write and make my speech better!
Chapter 13 was very informative about Informative speeches. As we continue work on our own Informative speeches, it was interesting to read about the different types of informative speech topics, as well as the different kinds of speech organizations. My speech on human fear and phobias will be organized in a topical pattern. I will first discuss what fear is and how it comes about in us, what kinds of fears exist, and how to deal with fear.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Discussion #1 - 10/12
Response to Speech Buddy Interactive Videos
9.1
This video really highlighted what was also mentioned in the book about having an effective introduction to really capture the audience and ensure that they comprehend the rest of your speech. Getting audience attention is vital in setting the mood of the speech, and engaging the audience right from the start. I tend to use humor or trivia (or both) to start most of my speeches. Currently, I'm working on a speech about different kinds of fear. I'm thinking it'll be fun to start the speech by listing a whole bunch of really interesting types of phobias! Stating the thesis and introducing the main points of the speech are also really important in an effective intro. The thesis provides a central idea that the audience and even speech-makers can hold on to throughout the body of the speech. And the main points offer a clear road map of where the speech is headed.
9.2
Conclusions are equally as important as intros. Organizationally, the conclusion is just a reversal of the intro. You start by recapping the main points so that the audience can start to tie in all your supportive info to the central idea. The central idea, or thesis, is restated to accentuate your message one last time. And finally, to gain closure you must leave the audience with something that relates to your speech and leaves them with something to think about.
13.1A
Evan's speech on Techno music was indeed informative. I thought that his speech was organized, easy to understand, and filled with lots of information that at least I didn't know about techno. I did notice, however, that Evan didn't state all of his main points in the introduction. In this particular speech, I don't think it took away heavily from the speech itself, though I feel stating all the main points in the intro would have helped me understand his central thesis better. Also I realized that towards the end of the speech Evans became a bit sloppy with the conclusion in that there was none! He was talking about trance music one minute and then he just closed his speech by asking the class if they wanted to hear any clip again. Towards the beginning, also, the transitions were smooth. Towards the end I didn't hear any transitional words that would have helped me realize he was moving from one point to another, or from the last point to the conclusion. All in all, I learned that conclusions are as important as the attention-getting intros. If we lose structure in the end of the speech it wastes all the efforts of capturing the audience early on.
13.1B
Janine gave an effective presentation on cameras and photography today. The intro was attention-getting with the camera flash and the unifying statement. Janine used some important transitional words to tell the audience when she was giving background/historical info. However, she didn't use smooth transitions all the time. Even though her speech organization was in a chronological structure, Janine still should have used obvious transitions to ensure that her audience knew what she was talking about at all times. All in all, I feel that Janine, too, was organized and coherent. However, I think she should have stated her main points in the beginning of the speech. Her conclusion was effective.
13.1 Use it!
This speech had a great intro! Katherine introduced the key concept of Kosher by giving an example of how one may have heard the word being used. She established credibility by explaining her personal experience with Kosher cooking. And she also listed what information she will be giving later in the speech. I also appreciated her useful visual materials, and the smooth transitions she made during her speech. All in all, the speech was very informative, coherent, and well organized!
9.1
This video really highlighted what was also mentioned in the book about having an effective introduction to really capture the audience and ensure that they comprehend the rest of your speech. Getting audience attention is vital in setting the mood of the speech, and engaging the audience right from the start. I tend to use humor or trivia (or both) to start most of my speeches. Currently, I'm working on a speech about different kinds of fear. I'm thinking it'll be fun to start the speech by listing a whole bunch of really interesting types of phobias! Stating the thesis and introducing the main points of the speech are also really important in an effective intro. The thesis provides a central idea that the audience and even speech-makers can hold on to throughout the body of the speech. And the main points offer a clear road map of where the speech is headed.
9.2
Conclusions are equally as important as intros. Organizationally, the conclusion is just a reversal of the intro. You start by recapping the main points so that the audience can start to tie in all your supportive info to the central idea. The central idea, or thesis, is restated to accentuate your message one last time. And finally, to gain closure you must leave the audience with something that relates to your speech and leaves them with something to think about.
13.1A
Evan's speech on Techno music was indeed informative. I thought that his speech was organized, easy to understand, and filled with lots of information that at least I didn't know about techno. I did notice, however, that Evan didn't state all of his main points in the introduction. In this particular speech, I don't think it took away heavily from the speech itself, though I feel stating all the main points in the intro would have helped me understand his central thesis better. Also I realized that towards the end of the speech Evans became a bit sloppy with the conclusion in that there was none! He was talking about trance music one minute and then he just closed his speech by asking the class if they wanted to hear any clip again. Towards the beginning, also, the transitions were smooth. Towards the end I didn't hear any transitional words that would have helped me realize he was moving from one point to another, or from the last point to the conclusion. All in all, I learned that conclusions are as important as the attention-getting intros. If we lose structure in the end of the speech it wastes all the efforts of capturing the audience early on.
13.1B
Janine gave an effective presentation on cameras and photography today. The intro was attention-getting with the camera flash and the unifying statement. Janine used some important transitional words to tell the audience when she was giving background/historical info. However, she didn't use smooth transitions all the time. Even though her speech organization was in a chronological structure, Janine still should have used obvious transitions to ensure that her audience knew what she was talking about at all times. All in all, I feel that Janine, too, was organized and coherent. However, I think she should have stated her main points in the beginning of the speech. Her conclusion was effective.
13.1 Use it!
This speech had a great intro! Katherine introduced the key concept of Kosher by giving an example of how one may have heard the word being used. She established credibility by explaining her personal experience with Kosher cooking. And she also listed what information she will be giving later in the speech. I also appreciated her useful visual materials, and the smooth transitions she made during her speech. All in all, the speech was very informative, coherent, and well organized!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Discussion #2 - 10/5
Response to Speech Buddy Interactive Videos
7.1
The first video was very informative and supported the information that I read in Chapter 7. All the different tools that can be used to support the main topic of a speech are effective if used properly. I have used all of the different supporting materials at some point in my speech-making career. Narratives and testimonies can really help the audience relate to the speech topic, and make the speech more clear to them. Definitions and statistics are also helpful in driving home the main idea of a speech as they solidify the foundation of the speech itself.
7.2
Video 7.2 brings up a good point about determining whether a media source is reliable or not. Often, we assume that the written or spoken word found on the internet/television is accurate. In this day and age, however, that may not always be the case. Because it is much easier to broadcast yourself today (ie: Blogs) the reliability of all the material in the media can be questionable. Information found on television can also be inaccurate. Sometimes it isn't the inaccuracy of the facts presented but the point of view of the person giving them. For example, if the opinion of a republican is being given on the presidential debates is/her point of view may be biased. Therefore, even though the interview may be broadcasted on CNN (a highly reputable and reliable source) the point of view of the speaker may be the exact opposite of what someone else may think. Thus, it's always important to not only determine the reliability of the source of information but also what perspective the source has.
8.1
The patterns of speech organization are pretty straightforward. I understood all of the different organizations and tried to come up with examples for each style.
Chronological: Speech the rise and fall of the Roman empire.
Spatial: Structural benefits of steroid isomers.
Topical: The different types of birth control available to women today.
Casue-and-effect: Effects of different types of eating habits in children.
Problem solution: Dealing with a divorce.
8.2
Transitions are also important aspects of speeches. Without proper transitions our speeches would be choppy. The lack of smooth transitions can also hinder the audience in following the organization and content of our speeches.
7.1
The first video was very informative and supported the information that I read in Chapter 7. All the different tools that can be used to support the main topic of a speech are effective if used properly. I have used all of the different supporting materials at some point in my speech-making career. Narratives and testimonies can really help the audience relate to the speech topic, and make the speech more clear to them. Definitions and statistics are also helpful in driving home the main idea of a speech as they solidify the foundation of the speech itself.
7.2
Video 7.2 brings up a good point about determining whether a media source is reliable or not. Often, we assume that the written or spoken word found on the internet/television is accurate. In this day and age, however, that may not always be the case. Because it is much easier to broadcast yourself today (ie: Blogs) the reliability of all the material in the media can be questionable. Information found on television can also be inaccurate. Sometimes it isn't the inaccuracy of the facts presented but the point of view of the person giving them. For example, if the opinion of a republican is being given on the presidential debates is/her point of view may be biased. Therefore, even though the interview may be broadcasted on CNN (a highly reputable and reliable source) the point of view of the speaker may be the exact opposite of what someone else may think. Thus, it's always important to not only determine the reliability of the source of information but also what perspective the source has.
8.1
The patterns of speech organization are pretty straightforward. I understood all of the different organizations and tried to come up with examples for each style.
Chronological: Speech the rise and fall of the Roman empire.
Spatial: Structural benefits of steroid isomers.
Topical: The different types of birth control available to women today.
Casue-and-effect: Effects of different types of eating habits in children.
Problem solution: Dealing with a divorce.
8.2
Transitions are also important aspects of speeches. Without proper transitions our speeches would be choppy. The lack of smooth transitions can also hinder the audience in following the organization and content of our speeches.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Discussion #1 - 10/5
Response to Reading: Ch. 7 & 8
One of the main points in Chapter 7 was how to support your speech points by giving anecdotes or short narratives. This concept really strikes a chord with me as I often try to use anecdotal references in my speeches. For one thing, they are generally easier to understand than just spouting statistics and other information from our research. And generally, I try to give anecdotes that are personal (as in an experience or belief that I have). This makes it so much easier for the audience to relate to the speech topic. I've also noticed that when others make speeches, I get very interested if the speaker starts telling a short story that relates to the topic. I can literally hear my brain say "Okay, how do I connect the speaker's main idea to his anecdote?"
Analogies are also great tools in really clarifying your point to the audience. At times, a good metaphor can really make a difference in how well your audience understands not only your topic but also your personal opinion of the topic. My husband works for the IT industry, and I have ZERO background in that field. When he is explaining his projects to me he generally uses some really good analogies (they MUST be effective if I can even get a gist of what he does for a living). Analogies are not only good for supporting your main point, but they also help be giving a different way of looking at the same ideas.
One of the main points in Chapter 7 was how to support your speech points by giving anecdotes or short narratives. This concept really strikes a chord with me as I often try to use anecdotal references in my speeches. For one thing, they are generally easier to understand than just spouting statistics and other information from our research. And generally, I try to give anecdotes that are personal (as in an experience or belief that I have). This makes it so much easier for the audience to relate to the speech topic. I've also noticed that when others make speeches, I get very interested if the speaker starts telling a short story that relates to the topic. I can literally hear my brain say "Okay, how do I connect the speaker's main idea to his anecdote?"
Analogies are also great tools in really clarifying your point to the audience. At times, a good metaphor can really make a difference in how well your audience understands not only your topic but also your personal opinion of the topic. My husband works for the IT industry, and I have ZERO background in that field. When he is explaining his projects to me he generally uses some really good analogies (they MUST be effective if I can even get a gist of what he does for a living). Analogies are not only good for supporting your main point, but they also help be giving a different way of looking at the same ideas.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Discussion # 1 - 9/29
Self Evaluation of Speech I
The first speech of this course was to be a demonstrative speech lasting about 4 to 5 minutes in length. I chose to do my speech on the preparation of Guacamole (a topic very close to my heart). Because I like cooking, I was excited to research this topic and present it to the class. I decided my main points would include the history of Guacamole, the recipe and preparation of it, and nutrition info about it.
The research portion of my speech went extremely well. Contrary to what I thought, I was able to find many resources that had information about Guacamole. I knew it would be easy to find Guacamole recipes, but I thought there would be no historical info available. Pleasantly, I was wrong and found a great deal of background info just on the internet.
Writing up the outline (with a complete intro and conclusion) was also a quick and easy process. I realized it's easier to make outlines if there is an abundance of information. It's always better to have too much info that needs to be trimmed, rather than have too less and try to pad the speech with nonsense.
The day of the speech, I was a little nervous but I often feel those butterflies just before speeches and I usually calm myself down as I'm saying the first couple sentences of my intro. This was also my first demonstrative speech, so I was a little nervous about having to prepare Guacamole and do it within a certain time limit. All in all, I felt that my speech might have been a little rushed and my voice stuttered a little bit. This generally doesn't happen, so I was rather surprised when I watched the video and saw how nervous I really looked. I don't know if the audience thought I was very nervous, because none of my peer evaluations seemed to point that out. However, I tend to indulge myself in the spotlight effect so it could be a result of that too. I think I maintained good eye contact, spoke clearly, and had a well-organized speech to present. I could have improved on practicing my actual demonstration a few more times to calm myself down.
The first speech of this course was to be a demonstrative speech lasting about 4 to 5 minutes in length. I chose to do my speech on the preparation of Guacamole (a topic very close to my heart). Because I like cooking, I was excited to research this topic and present it to the class. I decided my main points would include the history of Guacamole, the recipe and preparation of it, and nutrition info about it.
The research portion of my speech went extremely well. Contrary to what I thought, I was able to find many resources that had information about Guacamole. I knew it would be easy to find Guacamole recipes, but I thought there would be no historical info available. Pleasantly, I was wrong and found a great deal of background info just on the internet.
Writing up the outline (with a complete intro and conclusion) was also a quick and easy process. I realized it's easier to make outlines if there is an abundance of information. It's always better to have too much info that needs to be trimmed, rather than have too less and try to pad the speech with nonsense.
The day of the speech, I was a little nervous but I often feel those butterflies just before speeches and I usually calm myself down as I'm saying the first couple sentences of my intro. This was also my first demonstrative speech, so I was a little nervous about having to prepare Guacamole and do it within a certain time limit. All in all, I felt that my speech might have been a little rushed and my voice stuttered a little bit. This generally doesn't happen, so I was rather surprised when I watched the video and saw how nervous I really looked. I don't know if the audience thought I was very nervous, because none of my peer evaluations seemed to point that out. However, I tend to indulge myself in the spotlight effect so it could be a result of that too. I think I maintained good eye contact, spoke clearly, and had a well-organized speech to present. I could have improved on practicing my actual demonstration a few more times to calm myself down.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Discussion #3 - 9/14
Audience Analysis and Audience Adaptation
Audience analysis involves getting to know your audience better. When we prepare speeches it is important to know the demographics of our audience so that we can write a speech which is specifically aimed at them. Audience adaptation is the tool that we use in order to write an audience-specific speech.
For instance, if I need to make a speech about Euthanasia to an audience of doctors I would gather information about the doctors first. This would be the audience analysis portion of speech making. I would find out what the stance of these doctors is on the topic of assisted suicide. I would also gather other information about the doctors' personal experiences and preferences within the medical world. This would help me get an idea of how open my audience would or wouldn't be towards listening to my speech.
Once I would have gathered info about my audience I would try to write my speech in a way that suits the audience best. This would be the audience adaptation portion of my speech. If I find that the audience is pro-Euthanasia, I would try not to write a speech which heavily negatively about it. This adapts my speech for my audience, and in doing so, allows the audience to relate to and understand my speech better.
Audience analysis involves getting to know your audience better. When we prepare speeches it is important to know the demographics of our audience so that we can write a speech which is specifically aimed at them. Audience adaptation is the tool that we use in order to write an audience-specific speech.
For instance, if I need to make a speech about Euthanasia to an audience of doctors I would gather information about the doctors first. This would be the audience analysis portion of speech making. I would find out what the stance of these doctors is on the topic of assisted suicide. I would also gather other information about the doctors' personal experiences and preferences within the medical world. This would help me get an idea of how open my audience would or wouldn't be towards listening to my speech.
Once I would have gathered info about my audience I would try to write my speech in a way that suits the audience best. This would be the audience adaptation portion of my speech. If I find that the audience is pro-Euthanasia, I would try not to write a speech which heavily negatively about it. This adapts my speech for my audience, and in doing so, allows the audience to relate to and understand my speech better.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Discussion #2 - 9/14
Response to Reading: Ch. 5
Chapter 5 focuses on audiences. If we are the speech-makers, then the people to whom we direct our speeches are the listeners. It is our duty to make sure that the speech caters to the audience and not the other way around. Therefore, it is important to compose our speeches keeping our audience in mind.
I was very interested in reading about how there can be multiple subgroups of audiences existing within a large audience. I always assumed that I could treat my audience as one entity. It makes sense that, if I am making a speech, the diversity of my audience causes different members of it to interpret my info in different manners. I like the suggestions Chapter 5 gives for unifying the audience in such situations. Using a common language, finding examples that everyone can relate to, and even by just being friendly and knowledgeable about my topic I can adapt to my diverse audience and really unify them.
I also liked the idea of using a questionnaire or survey to get the demographics of my audience. It seems like the most straightforward thing to do. Instead of trying to assume and predict what an audience is like isn't it easier just to ask them?
Chapter 5 focuses on audiences. If we are the speech-makers, then the people to whom we direct our speeches are the listeners. It is our duty to make sure that the speech caters to the audience and not the other way around. Therefore, it is important to compose our speeches keeping our audience in mind.
I was very interested in reading about how there can be multiple subgroups of audiences existing within a large audience. I always assumed that I could treat my audience as one entity. It makes sense that, if I am making a speech, the diversity of my audience causes different members of it to interpret my info in different manners. I like the suggestions Chapter 5 gives for unifying the audience in such situations. Using a common language, finding examples that everyone can relate to, and even by just being friendly and knowledgeable about my topic I can adapt to my diverse audience and really unify them.
I also liked the idea of using a questionnaire or survey to get the demographics of my audience. It seems like the most straightforward thing to do. Instead of trying to assume and predict what an audience is like isn't it easier just to ask them?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Discussion #1 - 9/14
Response to Speech Buddy Interactive Videos
Light Pollution
The first speech that I listened to was Courtney Stillman's introduction on light pollution. I felt it was an excellent introduction as it listed very clearly the different points she would cover in her presentation. Her intro alone showed that she was able to organize her speech into a very coherent structure. She started out by listing some well-known pollutants, and then introduced light pollution. She, then, succinctly listed the main points she would cover later in her speech. She would define light pollution, describe the effects of it on earth, and finally, she would conclude her speech by giving solutions for fighting light pollution. This intro showed me how important it is to keep introductions short and general. The bulk of our info should be given in the body of our speech.
I felt that spending about 40 seconds on the intro was also a thoughtful act. For a speech that was supposed to be 8 to 10 mins long, any intro between half a minute to a whole minute is adequate. By doing so, Courtney could devote 2-3 minutes on each of her three main points and another minute or two on the conclusion. This speech definitely made one thing clear for me: Timing is KEY in speech making.
The only negative feedback I would give Courtney is that she was looking more at her notes and less at her audience. At times it felt like she was reading off complete sentences, and I would suggest that she do the exact opposite. I know through previous experiences that you want very short bullet-point notes and you want to make eye contact with the audience more than your note cards! Other than that, the intro was great!
Drinking
Matthew's speech on the hazards of drinking irresponsibly was very INFORMATIVE. The purpose of his speech was supposed to be to PERSUADE the audience not to drink irresponsibly. His hook into the speech was also clever and attention-capturing. However, he lacked emotions and was delivering the speech too slowly to really hold the attention of the audience. I felt that Matthew's speech could have had a few less statistics and a few other bits of information (how do illegal drinkers get alcohol, how might one get peer-pressured). The speech seemed extremely dry, and monotonous. Also, just stating statistical figures throughout the body of the speech can't count as a proper written speech. Generally, you have statistics here and there in your speech to support your already existing argument or claim. Also, I felt that the speech was NOT persuasive.
The only tool Matthew was using to persuade students not to drink was the probability of getting hurt. There was no mention of personal problems due to drinking, social problems, distraction at work, school, or in relationships. At least if he was going to state just number figures, Matthew should have spoken with more emotion and varying tones in his voice so that students could stay awake during the speech. Also, using an overhead/transparencies was not justified. In fact, it distracted me from the speech because there was hardly any info on the overhead that he couldn't have just said in his speech out loud.
Finally, Matthew's speed was too slow to keep the audience engaged. I had to skip bits of the speech because I felt he was going too slow and stumbling on certain words which was distracting me from the flow of the speech itself. All in all, it was a waste of 7 minutes. I could have looked up stats online in half of that time. This was an example of how NOT to deliver a persuasive speech. Actually, this was also an example of how NOT to deliver an informative speech either. Nowhere is it said that if the purpose of the speech is to dish out facts then the speech has to be so dry!
Light Pollution
The first speech that I listened to was Courtney Stillman's introduction on light pollution. I felt it was an excellent introduction as it listed very clearly the different points she would cover in her presentation. Her intro alone showed that she was able to organize her speech into a very coherent structure. She started out by listing some well-known pollutants, and then introduced light pollution. She, then, succinctly listed the main points she would cover later in her speech. She would define light pollution, describe the effects of it on earth, and finally, she would conclude her speech by giving solutions for fighting light pollution. This intro showed me how important it is to keep introductions short and general. The bulk of our info should be given in the body of our speech.
I felt that spending about 40 seconds on the intro was also a thoughtful act. For a speech that was supposed to be 8 to 10 mins long, any intro between half a minute to a whole minute is adequate. By doing so, Courtney could devote 2-3 minutes on each of her three main points and another minute or two on the conclusion. This speech definitely made one thing clear for me: Timing is KEY in speech making.
The only negative feedback I would give Courtney is that she was looking more at her notes and less at her audience. At times it felt like she was reading off complete sentences, and I would suggest that she do the exact opposite. I know through previous experiences that you want very short bullet-point notes and you want to make eye contact with the audience more than your note cards! Other than that, the intro was great!
Drinking
Matthew's speech on the hazards of drinking irresponsibly was very INFORMATIVE. The purpose of his speech was supposed to be to PERSUADE the audience not to drink irresponsibly. His hook into the speech was also clever and attention-capturing. However, he lacked emotions and was delivering the speech too slowly to really hold the attention of the audience. I felt that Matthew's speech could have had a few less statistics and a few other bits of information (how do illegal drinkers get alcohol, how might one get peer-pressured). The speech seemed extremely dry, and monotonous. Also, just stating statistical figures throughout the body of the speech can't count as a proper written speech. Generally, you have statistics here and there in your speech to support your already existing argument or claim. Also, I felt that the speech was NOT persuasive.
The only tool Matthew was using to persuade students not to drink was the probability of getting hurt. There was no mention of personal problems due to drinking, social problems, distraction at work, school, or in relationships. At least if he was going to state just number figures, Matthew should have spoken with more emotion and varying tones in his voice so that students could stay awake during the speech. Also, using an overhead/transparencies was not justified. In fact, it distracted me from the speech because there was hardly any info on the overhead that he couldn't have just said in his speech out loud.
Finally, Matthew's speed was too slow to keep the audience engaged. I had to skip bits of the speech because I felt he was going too slow and stumbling on certain words which was distracting me from the flow of the speech itself. All in all, it was a waste of 7 minutes. I could have looked up stats online in half of that time. This was an example of how NOT to deliver a persuasive speech. Actually, this was also an example of how NOT to deliver an informative speech either. Nowhere is it said that if the purpose of the speech is to dish out facts then the speech has to be so dry!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Discussion #3 - 9/7
Response to Reading: Ch. 5 & 6
Chapter 6 goes into great detail regarding the types of research materials we should include in our speech. I think this is one of the most important issues that students deal with in today's world. Due to the emergence of the World Wide Web, and the popularity of user-generated content on it, there is an abundance of information available to us on the net. The sad part of it is that most of the information we come across isn't necessarily reliable or accurate. Therefore, it is vital to evaluate the kinds of resources we use on the internet and the kind of info we are citing in our research.
The best way to counter the negative impact of widely available info is to look at only certain types of websites, and to sift through the data that is given. I like using sites that end in .edu or .org because most of the time university/school sites, as well as organizations, tend to be official and reliable. Also, as was mentioned in the reading, certain websites list academic journals and other informative periodicals that have been written by experts and can be used to support our own points. In any case, I think it is important to have an eye for picking out someone's personal website from geocities.com and distinguishing it from an actual article from ScienceMag.com.
Chapter 6 goes into great detail regarding the types of research materials we should include in our speech. I think this is one of the most important issues that students deal with in today's world. Due to the emergence of the World Wide Web, and the popularity of user-generated content on it, there is an abundance of information available to us on the net. The sad part of it is that most of the information we come across isn't necessarily reliable or accurate. Therefore, it is vital to evaluate the kinds of resources we use on the internet and the kind of info we are citing in our research.
The best way to counter the negative impact of widely available info is to look at only certain types of websites, and to sift through the data that is given. I like using sites that end in .edu or .org because most of the time university/school sites, as well as organizations, tend to be official and reliable. Also, as was mentioned in the reading, certain websites list academic journals and other informative periodicals that have been written by experts and can be used to support our own points. In any case, I think it is important to have an eye for picking out someone's personal website from geocities.com and distinguishing it from an actual article from ScienceMag.com.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Discussion #2 - 9/7
Research Interview from the Past.
During my senior year in high school, I was required to complete a research project on the adverse effects of youth alcoholism. During my research I met with a couple non-profit organizations that helped alcoholics identify and resolve their drinking problems. At one particular organization I was allowed to interview an anonymous member and it was an incredible experience.
My research was mainly on the kinds of problems that can arise from drinking at a very young age. To prepare myself for the interview, I prepared a list of questions that I would ask, and I reviewed the key points of my research so that I would be able to relate to the answers I would get. I made a checklist of the items I would need for the day of the interview, too.
On the day of the interview, I took with me the list of questions, a notepad and pen, and an audio-recorder. When I met the interviewee I was a little nervous about asking personal questions about her drinking issues. Thus, I started by thanking the interview, and letting her know that she could pass on any question if she felt uncomfortable answering it. Initially, I tried to jot down notes of what the interviewee was saying. That became too distracting, and I realized I didn't need to take notes as I was recording the entire interview. So I stopped taking notes, and just listened intently to what was being said. At times I asked questions straight from my list, and sometimes I listened to the answer and asked questions that spontaneously arose in my mind.
The interview turned out to be more like an actual conversation. If I was to ever repeat the interview, I wouldn't change a thing!
During my senior year in high school, I was required to complete a research project on the adverse effects of youth alcoholism. During my research I met with a couple non-profit organizations that helped alcoholics identify and resolve their drinking problems. At one particular organization I was allowed to interview an anonymous member and it was an incredible experience.
My research was mainly on the kinds of problems that can arise from drinking at a very young age. To prepare myself for the interview, I prepared a list of questions that I would ask, and I reviewed the key points of my research so that I would be able to relate to the answers I would get. I made a checklist of the items I would need for the day of the interview, too.
On the day of the interview, I took with me the list of questions, a notepad and pen, and an audio-recorder. When I met the interviewee I was a little nervous about asking personal questions about her drinking issues. Thus, I started by thanking the interview, and letting her know that she could pass on any question if she felt uncomfortable answering it. Initially, I tried to jot down notes of what the interviewee was saying. That became too distracting, and I realized I didn't need to take notes as I was recording the entire interview. So I stopped taking notes, and just listened intently to what was being said. At times I asked questions straight from my list, and sometimes I listened to the answer and asked questions that spontaneously arose in my mind.
The interview turned out to be more like an actual conversation. If I was to ever repeat the interview, I wouldn't change a thing!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Discussion #1 - 9/7
Speech #1 - Demonstration of Making Guacamole
We've already determined that public speaking can be much more interesting and easier to do if the topic we speak about is close to our hearts. I know from personal experience that if my speech topic is about something that I am interested in I will probably have a much easier time researching and presenting it. For this reason, I have chosen my Speech #1 topic to be "How to make Guacamole". As is obvious, I LOVE cooking and find it to be very therapeutic. Guacamole is one of my favorite things to prepare and have come up with numerous variations on the original recipe. For the speech, however, I will present the tradition Guacamole recipe.
For my demonstrative speech I will present information on the origin of Guacamole and demonstrate how to prepare/eat it! I've begun the information-gathering process by looking up facts about the cultural background of Guacamole. So far, I have collected some valuable nutrition information and am currently in search of how Guacamole was originally invented. Since I already know how to prepare this tasty dip, I will write down the recipe and practice narrating it while I simultaneously make the dip. Since I will demonstrate how to make Guacamole, my visual aids will be the vegetables and other ingredients I use for my recipe.
The main points of my speech will be:
Background Information on Guacamole (origins, nutrition, etc)
Ingredients
Procedure
Conclusion (popularity today, eating!)
Hopefully, I will be ready to demonstrate how to make Guacamole by our presentation day!
We've already determined that public speaking can be much more interesting and easier to do if the topic we speak about is close to our hearts. I know from personal experience that if my speech topic is about something that I am interested in I will probably have a much easier time researching and presenting it. For this reason, I have chosen my Speech #1 topic to be "How to make Guacamole". As is obvious, I LOVE cooking and find it to be very therapeutic. Guacamole is one of my favorite things to prepare and have come up with numerous variations on the original recipe. For the speech, however, I will present the tradition Guacamole recipe.
For my demonstrative speech I will present information on the origin of Guacamole and demonstrate how to prepare/eat it! I've begun the information-gathering process by looking up facts about the cultural background of Guacamole. So far, I have collected some valuable nutrition information and am currently in search of how Guacamole was originally invented. Since I already know how to prepare this tasty dip, I will write down the recipe and practice narrating it while I simultaneously make the dip. Since I will demonstrate how to make Guacamole, my visual aids will be the vegetables and other ingredients I use for my recipe.
The main points of my speech will be:
Background Information on Guacamole (origins, nutrition, etc)
Ingredients
Procedure
Conclusion (popularity today, eating!)
Hopefully, I will be ready to demonstrate how to make Guacamole by our presentation day!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Discussion #3 - 8/31
Response to Readings: Ch. 2 & 4
One of the most important parts in speech-writing is identifying and developing the purpose of the speech. Chapter 4 goes into great depth about figuring out what the purpose of our speeches should be. This is an important aspect of the speech because it determines how we will construct the speech itself. Tied to the purpose of the speech are other factors such as audience, time, and location. Once we have a clear idea what the purpose of our speech will be it is much easier to evaluate how to modify our information to fit a particular public-speaking atmosphere.
I strongly believe that before we even start brainstorming ideas for a speech, it's important to consider why we are giving the speech in the first place. There are three main purposes for which we may be speaking. Those are to inform, persuade, or entertain. Once the purpose is determined, we can brainstorm and evaluate all the possible topics that would serve that purpose.
Let's say I need to make a persuasive speech. I will start evaluating all the different issues that people get passionate about these days. In order to narrow down the possibilities, I will consider my audience and speech location. If I am speaking to a group of 3rd graders at a local elementary school, for example, I wouldn't choose to speak persuasively about abortion and birth control. Instead I would choose a topic such as whether the school should adopt uniforms or not. This way my audience will be able to directly relate to and understand my speech.
Once I have chosen a specific debatable topic, I will start constructing an outline of the main points to be given during the speech. I will keep the amount of time allotted for my speech in mind as I do this so I don't have to cut and rearrange my info later on. Speech writing can be very simple if we start the process by identifying a few important factors.
One of the most important parts in speech-writing is identifying and developing the purpose of the speech. Chapter 4 goes into great depth about figuring out what the purpose of our speeches should be. This is an important aspect of the speech because it determines how we will construct the speech itself. Tied to the purpose of the speech are other factors such as audience, time, and location. Once we have a clear idea what the purpose of our speech will be it is much easier to evaluate how to modify our information to fit a particular public-speaking atmosphere.
I strongly believe that before we even start brainstorming ideas for a speech, it's important to consider why we are giving the speech in the first place. There are three main purposes for which we may be speaking. Those are to inform, persuade, or entertain. Once the purpose is determined, we can brainstorm and evaluate all the possible topics that would serve that purpose.
Let's say I need to make a persuasive speech. I will start evaluating all the different issues that people get passionate about these days. In order to narrow down the possibilities, I will consider my audience and speech location. If I am speaking to a group of 3rd graders at a local elementary school, for example, I wouldn't choose to speak persuasively about abortion and birth control. Instead I would choose a topic such as whether the school should adopt uniforms or not. This way my audience will be able to directly relate to and understand my speech.
Once I have chosen a specific debatable topic, I will start constructing an outline of the main points to be given during the speech. I will keep the amount of time allotted for my speech in mind as I do this so I don't have to cut and rearrange my info later on. Speech writing can be very simple if we start the process by identifying a few important factors.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Discussion #2 - 8/31
Speech Buddy Videos 2.1, 2.2, & Intro Jessica
Although these videos discussed concepts that we all may already be familiar with, they approached public speaking in a technical and practical fashion. Themes such as anxiety, choosing a speech topic, and speech delivery were clearly presented so that we could better understand how to deal with them.
In the breathing techniques video, I was pleasantly surprised to watch as the speaker demonstrated how we can use our breathing to calm our nerves. I've learned to conquer anxiety but I used to be a very nervous speaker and not being able to control my nerves used to interfere with my speech. I remember times when I could feel my face burning and my heart beating loud and rapid in my ears. All of these symptoms used to be distractions during my actual speech delivery. If I had known then what I know now!
I could relate very well to the video in which public speaking fears were identified and addressed. It's really important to first understand what exactly makes us nervous in making a speech before we try to find ways to eliminate it. I think my greatest fear used to be that of blanking our during my presentation. Once I was able to identify my problem I began working on fixing it. I practiced my speeches numerous times alone, and in fr0nt of friends and family. I would also make sure that I really understood and, at times, believed in the content of my speech. Just memorizing random concepts and regurgitating them was not good enough, I used to make sure I was speaking from my heart. This was largely the reason my public speaking ability greatly improved.
I absolutely loved the content and delivery of Jessica's speech. It was a very real topic and immediately drew me in because the intro was truly though-provoking. Often, the kind of hook we have in our speeches can make it or break it for the rest of the speech. Jessica had it all! Her intro not only questioned a natural human trait (viewing closed and open doors) but it was also spoken with much enthusiasm and emotion. Her expressions alone had me captivated, and I supported that speech tactic completely! Jessica also used a great analogy to put her speech topic into perspective for her audience (traveling to Italy) which is a great way of making concepts more coherent to listeners. And lastly, she included a personal anecdote which can always serve as a better way to bridge the gap between the speaker and the audience, allowing them to relate to her. All in all, it was a great speech, beautifully delivered!
Although these videos discussed concepts that we all may already be familiar with, they approached public speaking in a technical and practical fashion. Themes such as anxiety, choosing a speech topic, and speech delivery were clearly presented so that we could better understand how to deal with them.
In the breathing techniques video, I was pleasantly surprised to watch as the speaker demonstrated how we can use our breathing to calm our nerves. I've learned to conquer anxiety but I used to be a very nervous speaker and not being able to control my nerves used to interfere with my speech. I remember times when I could feel my face burning and my heart beating loud and rapid in my ears. All of these symptoms used to be distractions during my actual speech delivery. If I had known then what I know now!
I could relate very well to the video in which public speaking fears were identified and addressed. It's really important to first understand what exactly makes us nervous in making a speech before we try to find ways to eliminate it. I think my greatest fear used to be that of blanking our during my presentation. Once I was able to identify my problem I began working on fixing it. I practiced my speeches numerous times alone, and in fr0nt of friends and family. I would also make sure that I really understood and, at times, believed in the content of my speech. Just memorizing random concepts and regurgitating them was not good enough, I used to make sure I was speaking from my heart. This was largely the reason my public speaking ability greatly improved.
I absolutely loved the content and delivery of Jessica's speech. It was a very real topic and immediately drew me in because the intro was truly though-provoking. Often, the kind of hook we have in our speeches can make it or break it for the rest of the speech. Jessica had it all! Her intro not only questioned a natural human trait (viewing closed and open doors) but it was also spoken with much enthusiasm and emotion. Her expressions alone had me captivated, and I supported that speech tactic completely! Jessica also used a great analogy to put her speech topic into perspective for her audience (traveling to Italy) which is a great way of making concepts more coherent to listeners. And lastly, she included a personal anecdote which can always serve as a better way to bridge the gap between the speaker and the audience, allowing them to relate to her. All in all, it was a great speech, beautifully delivered!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Discussion #1 - 8/31
What makes you apprehensive about public speaking?
I am generally a very talkative person. Although I have strong articulation skills with family and friends, I believe speaking clearly to strangers requires a completely different set of communication skills. My husband knows exactly what kind of person I am, and therefore, can understand the message I'm conveying even at times when I am not speaking coherently. I know very well, however, a random audience would not have the benefit of knowing me inside out.
In past public speaking experiences, I have learned that in order to communicate clearly one must know what it is they really mean to say. I usually practice enough to know my presentation inside out. However, even though I have created a niche for myself in the world of public speaking, I too run into some minor roadblocks when it comes to actually getting up in front of an audience. The usual sweaty-palms syndrome kicks in. I start questioning my appearance, the depth of my knowledge, and even how well the audience will respond to my speech (will they laugh at my jokes?). Because I tend to be a perfectionist I also start worrying about what will happen if I forget some important information, or if I mispronounce a word, or even (in a worst case scenario) if I blank out!
The initial anxiety of making a presentation lasts from about an hour before I speak up until the first minute or so of my presentation. And then, like fog lifting, I settle in and truly start enjoying the adrenaline-rush feeling.
I am generally a very talkative person. Although I have strong articulation skills with family and friends, I believe speaking clearly to strangers requires a completely different set of communication skills. My husband knows exactly what kind of person I am, and therefore, can understand the message I'm conveying even at times when I am not speaking coherently. I know very well, however, a random audience would not have the benefit of knowing me inside out.
In past public speaking experiences, I have learned that in order to communicate clearly one must know what it is they really mean to say. I usually practice enough to know my presentation inside out. However, even though I have created a niche for myself in the world of public speaking, I too run into some minor roadblocks when it comes to actually getting up in front of an audience. The usual sweaty-palms syndrome kicks in. I start questioning my appearance, the depth of my knowledge, and even how well the audience will respond to my speech (will they laugh at my jokes?). Because I tend to be a perfectionist I also start worrying about what will happen if I forget some important information, or if I mispronounce a word, or even (in a worst case scenario) if I blank out!
The initial anxiety of making a presentation lasts from about an hour before I speak up until the first minute or so of my presentation. And then, like fog lifting, I settle in and truly start enjoying the adrenaline-rush feeling.
Monday, September 1, 2008
And we're back!
Hi! My name is Ume (pronounced Ooo-me) and I am a junior at SJSU. I was born in Pakistan, lived in Saudi Arabia for 18 years, and moved to California in the summer of 2002. I'm a BA Chemistry major, and am preparing myself to teach chem at a highschool/college level. I've been married almost three years, and am now expecting my first child (hence the online class!). I love cooking, being creative, and of course, TALKING! I was on the speech and debate time in high school, and have written and made speeches for a variety of school-related activities. I love emceeing at parties and absolutely am looking forward to learning more about how to be a better communicator! Good luck to the rest of you this semester...hopefully we'll all do great in our classes!!!
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