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.
Friday, October 31, 2008
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.
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