Public Speaking

A. The first objective is to gain the attention and interest of the audience. B. The second objective of a speech introduction is to reveal the topic of the speech. C. The third objectives of a speech introduction is to establish the credibility and good will of the speaker. D. The fourth objective of a speech introduction is to preview the body of the speech.

1. One method of gaining attention is to relate the topic to the audience. a. People pay attention to things that affect them directly. b. No matter what other interest-arousing lures a speaker uses, she or he should always relate the topic to the audience. 2. A second method of gaining attention is to state the importance of the topic. a. An audience is not likely to be interested in a topic they regard as unimportant. b. Whenever a speaker discusses a topic whose importance may to demonstrate its importance in the introduction. 3. A third method of gaining attention is to startle the audience. a. This method can be highly effective. b. It is important, that the startling material be directly related to the speech. 4. A fourth method of gaining attention is to arouse the curiosity of the audie...

A. The introduction should usually be relatively brief. B. Speakers should keep an eye out for potential introductory material as they research the speech. C. Speakers should be creative when devising their introductions. D. Speakers should not be concerned with the exact wording of the introduction until the body of the speech is finished. E. The introduction should be worked out in detail so it can be delivered effectively.

There are four tips for preparing an effective conclusion A. Speakers should keep an eye out for potential concluding materials as they research the speech. B. Speakers should conclude with a bang instead of a whimper. C. Speakers should not be long-winded in the conclusion. D. Speakers should prepare the content and delivery of their conclusions with special care.

A. The first function is to signal the end of the speech. 1. Abrupt ending leave listeners surprised and unfulfilled. 2. One way to signal the end of a speech is with a brief verbal cur such as “In conclusion” or “One last thought.” 3. Another way to signal the end is by the speaker’s manner of delivery. a. In a crescendo ending, the speech builds in force until it reaches a zenith of power and intensity. b.In a dissolve ending, the final words fade like a spotlight on a concert singer, bringing the speech to an emotional close. B. The second function of a conclusion is to reinforce the audience’s understanding of or Commitment to the central idea of the speech. 1. There are four methods of accomplishing this. a. One method is to summarize the main points of the speech. b. A second method is to conclude with a quotation. c. A third method is to end with a dramatic statement. d. A fourth method is to refer back to the introduction of the speech. 2. Th...

Public speaking retains three important characteristics of good conversation.First it preserves the natural directness and spontaneity of informal talk. Second, it is colorful. And third, it is tuned to the reactions of listeners. Public Speaking Preserves Conversational Directness and Spontaneity. Even though a speech has been carefully researched, thoughtfully prepared, and well rehearsed, it should sound conversational and spontaneous as it comes to life before an audience. Those words bear repeating; a speech comes to life before an audience. Consider the following opening to a self-introductory speech: It may seem hot here today, but it’s not near as hot as Dhaka , Bangladesh , where I was born and reared. I almost said “roasted.” John has just told us about the joys of urban living. Now you’re going to hear about what you might call a “country-fried” lifestyle. Compare that opening with My name is Rashadul Islam, and I come from Dhaka , Bangladesh . ...

What makes public speaking distinctive as a from of communication are the relationships among a set of nine elements: speaker, purpose, message, medium, setting, listener, response, interference, and consequences. These elements interact with one another in ways that can affect those who participate and the world around them. They constitute a dynamic, interactive communication process.

In public speaking, speaker and listener roles are clearly defined. There is little doubt as to who the speaker and listeners are. Public speaking spotlights the role of the speaker, but whether speakers can take advantage of Conversations Public Speaking 1. Audience-centered 1. More audience-centered 2. Loosely Organized 2. Organized and planned 3. Off of the top of your head 3.Grounded in responsible knowledge 4. Often no clear purpose 4. Has a clear purpose 5. Informal language 5. More formal language 6. Speaker/listeners change roles 6.Speaker/listeners roles clearly defined 7.Informal environment/small group 7.More formal environment/large group this attention depends on their ability to reward listeners with interesting and useful messages. As Aristotle pointed out more than two thousand year...

People seldom speak in public unless they have some purpose in mind something they wish to accomplish. A purpose can be complex, privet, and psychological. With respect to the public work performed by public speaking, scholars called reroricians have been working to identify major types of purposes for over two thousand years. Aristotle, who lived about 2,400 years ago, near the end of a great era of civilization called the Golden age of Greece, divided purposes into three forms: forensic, deliberative, and ceremonial. The forensic purpose, enacted in speeches before the Athenian courts, satisfied the needs of the justice system. These speeches were concerned largely with past events and with the guilt and innocence of individuals. The deliberative purpose was fulfilled in speeches before the assembly dealing with the formation of public policy. How the future might be shaped and controlled was the business of such speeches. The ceremonial purpose was satisfied by speeches that celeb...

Successful public speaking offers a massage that is designed to serve the speaker’s purpose. It is based on responsible research and careful thought and should be internally consistent and complete. Its aim is to coax an audience to give sympathetic attention to the speaker’s ideas. It has been carefully worded and rehearsed so that it achieves maximum impact. The message is the product of the speaker’s encoding processes-the effort to convey through words, tones, and gestures how the speaker thinks and feels about the subject. Audience members respond by decoding the message, deciding what the speaker mended and determining the value of the message for their lives. Shaping a message is a basic public speaking skill. It begins with a search for supporting material-facts, examples, testimony, and stories-that will help convey your purpose. How you word your message can determine its fate. In the 2,000 presidential elections, George W. Bush used the term compassionate conservatism to...

The medium transmits a speaker’s message. When public speaking takes place in a direct, face-to-face encounter, the medium is the air through which the sound travels. When a speech is presented outside or in a large auditorium, a microphone and amplifiers may be part of the medium. We tend to take the medium for granted until we discover something wrong with it, like poor acoustics. Public speeches can also be transmitted through the electronic media of radio, television, and video-or-audiotapes. The electronic media have major effects on the entire communication process. For example, radio emphasizes the attractiveness, clarity, and expressiveness of a speaker’s voice. Television brings a speaker into a close relationship with viewers, so personality and physical appearance take on added importance. When speakers want news coverage, they must compress important ideas into twenty-second sound bites, and the language must be immediately clear and colorful. Any change in the medi...

A speech occurs within a physical and psychological setting that can determine how well it succeeds. The physical setting in which a speech is presented can include such factors as the time the speech is given; the time allotted for the presentation the pace of the presentation, and the size and arrangement of the audience. For example, when speaking outside, a speaker may need a more forceful presentation than when speaking in a small room. A larger audience may require a more formal manner of presentation than a smaller audience. The very quality of the physical setting can affect the speech. For example, one of the most profound discussions of the ethics of communication, Plato’s Pbaedrus, written in ancient Greece some 2,400 years ago, takes place in a woodland setting that frames and colors its message appropriately. In this setting, Socrates envisions an ideal communication that promotes spiritual growth for both listeners and speakers. One classroom setting in which we ta...

A constructive listener is supportive yet listens carefully and critically. Such listeners seek the value in all messages. Because the fate of a message depends on how listeners respond to it, the audience must be at the center of your thinking as you plan, prepare, and present your speeches. What needs or problems concern them? What subjects interest them? What biases could distort their reception of message? Such questions are crucial to the selection of your topic and to the way you frame your message. Moreover, you should be sensitive to the fact that your words could affect the lives of listeners and even their perception of themselves. Listeners do not come to a speech with a blank slate. Their minds are filled with past experiences, information or misinformation about a topic or speaker, attitudes and values, aspirations and fears. All of these factors form the frame of reference that a listener brings to a speech. The better you understand these audience factors, the more...