What I Will Take From This Class

What I will be taking from this class will actually have less to do with proper speech-giving techniques than how to be a receptive audience member. Although I feel that taking this class will make me more organized and prepared when speaking in public or group settings, I have really learned the importance of the audience from this experience. The reactions of the audience to your speech can have either a negative or a positive impact on your presentation. Likewise, audience feedback can either bolster your confidence or shake it. This is why I feel that it is important to be receptive and open-minded. It is also important to be respectful and do your best to pay attention (or at least do a very good job of pretending to pay attention) when someone is speaking. Public speaking should really be a shared experience. Neither the speaker nor the audience should be shouldering all of the burden. Besides, chances are that if a speaker feels that he or she has a good audience, it will in turn make them a better speaker. A combination of experiences in class and reading the text about audiences has really made me aware of these things. So despite what concepts and frameworks I have learned, I know that it will be this information which I will really try to work in to my “future endeavors”.

Helpful Concepts in Speech Preparation

In preparation for my speeches, a couple concepts that were extremely helpful were starting early and brainstorming. Until the demonstrative speech I hadn’t realized how much time and work really went in to the speeches. It came as somewhat of a shock to me and stressed me out beyond belief! So in learning from my procrastination and the preparation tips from the text, I decided to begin early on my speeches so that I did not overwhelm myself, and I had sufficient preparation time. Also, the concept of brainstorming was helpful  because it made me explore different ideas and narrow them down to figure out which were most appropriate and effective for my specific topics.

            Patterns of organization were very helpful in preparation for my speeches as well. Using the patterns of organization served as an effective guide for the outline and speech, and gave it a sense of order and uniformity. Without having these patterns of organization I feel that it would’ve been much more difficult to put together  an effective and well thought out speech.

My Favorite Speech

If I had to choose my favorite speech I presented it would probably be the tribute speech. This is for totally superficial reasons, of course. Because of all the practice we have had throughout the semester I really felt like I had the hang of things in preparing for that speech. I was comfortable, I finally had effective timing, and I felt like a gave a successful speech. I got 100%! Whew!! Also, it helped that I was presenting

Honestly though, it was a little difficult choosing my favorite speech. I also enjoyed the culture speech because it was super relevant to me, it was fun, and I was able to inject humor in to my speech (which I enjoy). Honestly, the only reasons I didn’t choose this speech as my favorite was because since it was the first I was a little bit more nervous and I didn’t yet have the proper speech structure down yet (like previewing and reviewing main points).

So I guess when it comes right down to it the speeches I most enjoy giving are ones that are particularly interesting and/or relevant to my life. This makes sense of course, and I’m sure most people would feel the same.

Speech Buddies

Dixie gave a speech which was pro homeschooling. I think she had some valid points, but I felt that she   spent too much time and energy talking about school violence. I also felt like she kind-of exaggerated the gravity of that aspect of public schooling.I think this could be harmful because if the audience finds her claims unsubstantiated or exaggerated, they may become disengaged or question the speaker's credibility. During her speech she appealed to emotions and reason. For the most part I feel that she did a pretty good job. I just think more hard evidence would've been beneficial.

Robert gave a speech which was against homeschooling. He appealed heavily to logic and gave more supporting facts than his partner. He used the argument that essentially most parents may not have enough general knowledge to effectively homeschool their children. I think he did a pretty good job with his speech.

From these two videos I was able to see a good example of the four points in a persuasive speech. These points are the thesis, claim, evidence, and reasoning. I think this was what was most helpful for me because I learn better by observing. Also, I evaluated how I perceived each speech based on the amount and type of evidence given. I realized that (for me, at least) I am more interested in speeches that provide more factual evidence (but don't overwhelm). When there is a good amount of supporting evidence it makes both the speaker and topic seem much more credible.

Persuasive Reasoning

Recently I got in to a discussion on facebook about how scantily women dress on Halloween. My brother actually began the whole conversation by posting a status basically saying that he didn’t understand why women felt that it was ok to go out wearing practically nothing on Halloween, and that it gives off the wrong impression. He added that if you go out dressed in such a way, you aren’t likely to end up meeting a nice guy. SO if your motivations in dressing that way are to meet someone, then know that you will most likely end up with some perverted bar fly who when he looks at you, sees nothing but all of the skin you are showing.

Now usually I try to stay away from confrontational conversations on facebook (regardless of if I agree or not), but after seeing this silly feminist comment someone made on his status I couldn’t help myself. The girl was droning on and on about how she’s thinks it’s wonderful that women can wear as much or as little clothing as they want on Halloween, and basically calling my brother sexist, and accusing him of calling women who dress in barely there clothes “sluts” (which he did not do). She said that regardless of how revealing a woman’s outfit is, men shouldn’t look at them and perceive them as being skanky or provocative.

Now, in my personal opinion, I don’t quite understand why women go out in a bra and panties and call it a costume just because it’s Halloween. I found it to be kind-of silly that she would argue that a woman in an extremely revealing costume could be perceived in a non-sexual or wholesome light. So in my response to this woman I used deductive reasoning and analogical reasoning. I won’t get in to my entire response (partially because I don’t remember all of it lol), but I will give a couple specific examples. One example of my deductive reasoning was that “ if it would be considered inappropriate to wear a bra and panties out in public on any given day, than it wouldn’t be ok to do so just because it’s Halloween.” I also used analogical reasoning by making comparisons between the situations of how someone perceives women who dress in very revealing clothing with someone’s perception of an inanimate object. My argument was basically that you cannot fault men for seeing a woman in an extremely revealing costume and perceiving her as being (pardon my language) “skanky”, because that is how she is presenting herself. A man isn’t going to look at a woman who is practically naked in public and think, “wow, I bet she is just an angel”. Likewise, if you see a nice juicy apple, you will likely say to yourself something along the lines of “ what a delicious looking apple”, not “hmmm, well it looks like an apple, but I bet it’s really a meatloaf”. So when it comes right down to it, if you don’t want to be perceived in a certain way, then don’t present yourself as such. ;)

After-Dinner Speeches

After-Dinner Speeches are usually a part of an organized event. The goal of the after-dinner speech is to contribute something pleasurable to the occasion. The topic of the speech can be serious sometimes, but is most often humorous. These type of speeches are generally used for occasions like weddings, anniversaries, retirements, or graduation parties. There are three helpful tips to keep in mind in preparation for an after-dinner speech.

Be entertaining and Lighthearted.
Although humor is most often the cornerstone of after-dinner speeches, they are not the ONLY way to entertain the audience. It is important that you do not try and force yourself to be humorous if you do not feel comfortable doing so. What's most important is to make your audience feel good about your time together and to develop good rapport with them. In order to do so you can share thoughtful reflections, tell a relevant story, make insightful comments about an issue of interest to the group, or use creative language.

Focus on a Theme.
After-dinner speeches should develop a thesis and have a point. A good after-dinner speech should not only entertain an audience, but enrich them as well.

Avoid Presentation Media.
In after-dinner speeches you should try to avoid presentation media. Audiences for these types of speeches don't want to feel like they are being lectured, challenged to seriously, offended, or like they should be taking notes. Sometimes presentation media may be appropriate, like for speeches focusing on sports, media, music, or fashion. In these situations an audio or video segment may be efficient, but you must be careful and only present the media if the room is specifically equipped for such media.

Persuasive Strategies for Different Audiences

A concept that I would like to discuss from chapter 13 of the text are the different types of audiences and what persuasive strategies should be used with each.

A negative audience or “hostile audience” is one that is informed about your topic, but has a negative or unfavorable attitude towards it. In approaching this type of audience, there are five persuasive strategies that you would use. First you want to establish your credibility. Next you want to take a “common-ground” approach to the topic, which means that you will identify areas of agreement with the audience, then cover areas of disagreement. After this you will help your audience visualize your topic in positive ways, prepare for your audience’s negative reactions to your topic, and lastly you should keep your persuasive objectives within reason.

A positive audience or “sympathetic audience” is informed about your topic and has a positive or favorable attitude towards it. In approaching this type of audience you should use engaging evidence to reinforce your audience’s commitment to the topic. Next you should use vivid language and images to keep your audience excited and enthusiastic. Then you should use narratives to elaborate on your points, and lastly call your audience members to action.

A divided audience is informed on your topic, but have differing opinions on it.  There are four strategies for approaching this type of audience. First, you want to demonstrate that you recognize and understand the arguments for or against the issue. Next you establish your credibility. Then you establish common ground among all of the audience members. Lastly you will integrate strategies representing both the negative and positive audience’s point of views.

An uninformed audience is one that is uninformed about your topic and doesn’t maintain an opinion on it. For this type of audience you must first show the relevance of your topic to the audience. Next you should demonstrate your expertise and show fairness in regard to all perspectives on the issue. Then you use repetition and redundancy to reinforce your points. Lastly you must try and keep your persuasion subtle.

An apathetic audience is an audience that is informed about your topic, but is uninterested in it. When approaching this type of audience you should begin by getting their attention and peaking their interest. Next you should demonstrate how the topic affects them personally. Then represent the importance of your topic by being energetic and dynamic, and take a one-sided approach on the subject. Lastly you should incorporate presentation media to hold your audience’s attention and help with visualization. 

A Sea of Persuasion

We are always “immersed in a sea of persuasion”. Any time you sit down to watch some television, drive down the street, go to the store, or check your email or social network, running in to some form of persuasion is inevitable. As of right now, when I try and think of specific examples of persuasion what comes to mind is the Presidential election. Although people are always using various methods to persuade us to buy a particular product, take a certain stand on an issue, or do things differently with our lives, I’d like to use the sea of persuasion involving the election as my example because it has been EVERYWHERE for quite some time now.

The past few months I haven’t been able to drive down the street, turn on my television, or even check my facebook without being bombarded with information trying to sway me one way or another regards to the election. On television you see various campaign advertisements either boasting of one candidate’s successes, or totally trying to drag the other one through the mud. Driving down the street you would see billboards and homemade signs praising a certain candidate, or ones blaming a candidate for certain financial ruins.  You see flyers and propaganda nearly everywhere you go. I think the persuasion concerning the election that I’ve had to see in social networking has been the most frustrating. Every time I log in to facebook I’m seeing tons of propaganda posted by my friends, and have even had my friends with opposing viewpoints target me and vehemently try to change my mind about who I felt should be President (which of course didn’t work). Even after the election is over my newsfeed is STILL flooded with election propaganda.

In general, to be a more critical consumer on persuasive messages I feel that it is important to do your research before making any decisions. Never take anything at its word. You must act as a “gatekeeper” and screen the persuasive information you receive in order to make sure you make the most informed decisions. This is something that I feel was definitely important in the time leading up to the election. Anyone can say anything, so often things are taken out of context, manipulated, or just false. They can also be true, but it’s our job to make sure we get to the bottom of things so that we aren’t persuaded with incorrect information.  

Persuasive Organizational Patterns

The problem-solution organizational pattern presents a need or problem, then provides a solution. In order to use this organizational pattern effectively you must clearly establish the problem’s existence. This is extremely important because if your audience is not convinced that there is a relevant problem, then the solution becomes null-in-void, rendering your speech ineffective. Also, it’s important that the solution flows nicely with the problem and is not too extreme in comparison to the issue at hand. For example, the problem is parents allowing their children to play violent video games. A valid solution would be for parents to discontinue allowing their children to play such games, or to introduce them to other types of games instead. However, if your solution was that parents will be ticketed and fined for allowing children to play violent video games, audience members would likely find this solution to be too extreme. There is also an extension to the problem-solution pattern called the problem-cause-solution pattern. This version adds an additional step to the original pattern, which is the cause of the problem. In this pattern the first main point would represent the problem, the second main point would be dedicated to the cause of said problem, and the third main point would provide the solution to the problem.

The monroe’s motivated sequence is a five-step thought process which encourages the audience not only to agree with you, but to take action. This is an audience-centered approach, which has you focusing each part of your speech on what you would like the audience to do. As I said earlier this approach is broken down in to 5 steps; Attention, Need, Satisfaction, Visualization, Action.

ATTENTION- Here you relate the topic to the audience, helping them to grasp the importance of the topic and see it as being relevant to them.

NEED- Establish the problem so that the audience will be aware of it and know that it deserves their attention.

SATISFACTION- Provide the audience with a satisfactory solution.

VISUALIZATION- Show the benefits of the proposed solution and/or the costs of not implementing it.

ACTION- Explain how the audience can implement this solution, and make them feel motivated to do so.

When I look at the two patterns of organization, I feel like the monroe’s motivated sequence seems like it would be most effective for a persuasive speech. Both patterns are effective, but since persuasive speeches usually aim to sway the audience and call them to action, the monroe’s motivated sequence seems to be more fitting (in my opinion). This is why I suppose I would prefer to use monroe’s motivated sequence for the final speech (which is good for me since that’s the one we HAVE to use). It just feels like this sequence does a better job focusing on the audience and motivating them to take action. The problem-solution pattern just feels (to me) more like someone is talking at you rather than tailoring their speech to fit your needs. Although I must admit that looking at the examples in the book for the monroe’s motivated sequence and then viewing the sample on blackboard makes me feel a bit confused as to the exact model to follow. I think maybe it’s the excessive labeling? Well I’m hoping that Carol can elaborate a little more at our next class meeting…good luck everybody!

Speechbuddies Chp. 10 and 12

Video 10.1

 Video 10.1 was about engaging your audience with audience-centered language. There were 5 different types of audience-centered language to pay particular attention to.

1) Refer to current events

2) Use pronouns we, us, you, and I

3) Use inclusive language

4) Spark imagination

5) Use Humor

Video 10.2

 Video 10.2 was on making effective language choices. There were 6 tips on how to use language effectively.

11)   Use meaningful words

22)   Keep a balance between clarity and ambiguity

33)   Be concise

44)   Avoid offensive language

55)   Build in repetition

66)   Don’t get attached to words

Video 12.1

 Video 12.1 was a review of effective and ineffective vocal delivery. There are 5 areas to pay attention to.

1) Volume- most important

2) Pitch- highness or lowness (easier to hear lower voices)

3) Rate- not too fast, not too slow, not the same rate the whole time. Avoid long pauses unless you’re using them for effect. Avoid vocal pauses.

4) Variety- Don’t speak in monotone, it’s boring. Vary volume, pitch, and rate.

5) Articulation & pronunciation- Say words clearly and correctly so people do not doubt your credibility in regards to your topic.

Video 12.2

Video 12.2 reviews proper physical delivery of your speech.

11)   Eye Contact- makes you appear more confident and knowledgeable on your topic.

22)   Facial Expressions- Employ balance. Be expressive, but don’t exaggerate. Don’t be too neutral or you may come across as bored.

33)   Gestures- Use more natural gestures like in everyday life, but a bit more formal.

44)   Body Movements- If using a podium you must be careful not to hide behind it or lean on it, stifling your body movements.

55)   Appearance- Keeping up your appearance makes you seem more confident and serious about your topic.

Video 12.3

Practicing your speech

Begin by reviewing your preparation outline and saying it out loud. Next, practice your speech in sections. Once your presentation outline is finished, work on your note cards. Try practicing your speech in front of friends.

I feel that all of the information was pretty helpful although much of it was either review, or things that I already kind-of knew on my own. I think I found video 10.2 (making effective language choices) most helpful. In particular I found these three tips to be most helpful…use meaningful words, keep a balance between clarity and ambiguity, and don’t get attached to words. Don’t get attached to words is perhaps the most important thing for me to remember because that is actually an issue I have. I feel that if I can remember that tip and utilize it effectively, it can definitely improve the delivery of my speech.

Flickr Discussion on Sexist Language

Flickr Discussion-

Ok, let me just start by saying that personally, I think that some people take the whole “sexist language” issue to an extreme and pick apart a lot of language which I (as a woman) find to be innocent and inoffensive. For instance, I refer to myself, my female friends, and female family members as “girl” all the time. I don’t find there to be some dark or sinister double meaning to this seemingly innocent word. As a matter of fact, most often I find this to be an endearing term for both men and women. Calling someone a “girl” as opposed to a “woman” (in my opinion at least) points more towards a certain innocence, purity, internal youth etc. Then again, it’s all in how you interpret things.

Despite my own personal opinion, if I was responding to the discussion based on what is written in the text I would take on a more politically correct stance. I would tell the people in the discussion that language is subject to interpretation and isn’t always gender neutral. Although an individual may use a particular word or phrase innocently and only with the best of intentions, it could still come across as offensive or sexist if your word choice is not given proper analysis. Because men and women are wired differently, have different histories, and experience life in different ways it is often difficult to relate to one another through language while maintaining equality in the spoken word.  To be safe, it is important that you keep descriptions linear. For example, you could refer to a male and female as “boy and girl” or “man and woman”. This is fine, but when you start mixing the terms, giving one a seemingly privileged status over the other, that is where things get sticky. So you wouldn’t say “man and girl” or “boy and woman”, because it seems that in each phrase one of the words offers an elevated status, thereby making the other one subordinate. It is important to assess people of different genders using the SAME criteria, and making sure that your language reflects that equality. Because language is completely left to interpretation, we must be aware of others and be sensitive in our verbal and written words.

"Language is Active"

One concept from the reading that I found to be interesting was the fact that “language is active”. What this means is that language doesn’t stand still and is ever changing.  “Each year, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary adds about 100 words  to its current edition” (Coopman 191). All the time new words are being created or altered ways in which have the ability to manipulate, alter, or distort our interpretations of them. Different innovations and occurrences in life also have a profound impact on word activity. For instance, the internet has both created new words such as “blog”, “phishing”, and “webisode” as well as altering the meaning of others such as “spam”, “zombie”, and “cookie”. Also, powerful events can alter our interpretations of words and can give them either a positive or negative connotation. For example, after the terrorist attacks of September 9/11, the word “Jihad” (for many) became synonymous with terrorism, evil, and many other negative words. However, the denotative meanings of the word “Jihad” are “struggle” and “the determination to do right” or “to do justice even against your own interests”. So truthfully the word is a positive one; however, due to the actions of certain people the word has been corrupted and holds a negative connotation for many. I think it’s fascinating how language evolves over time. If you never give a moment to think about it you just sort-of assume words are words…they are what they are. When you really explore the subject you find so many layers behind every word or phrase. It's amazing how easily the connotations of words can be forever impacted by a group, an event, or even an individual. I mean think about it...how many people do you hear in role call with the name Adolf?? I'd venture to guess not too many...

Self Evaluation 2

1) I think I achieved the purpose of my speech pretty well considering the time constraint. It's difficult because I chose such a broad and important topic and I had to try and figure out what aspects to discuss. However, I think I did do a pretty good job giving people a basic knowledge and understanding of my topic.

2) I felt somewhat confident during my speech. I'm usually extremely confident when speaking in public, but the time constraint really stresses me out and makes me feel uncomfortable and rushed. The time constraint aside, I was pretty comfortable speaking about my topic and being in front of the class.

3) If I had to do it again I would probably trim the fat a bit in my speech so that I would have an easier time staying within the allotted time slot. I feel that I was well prepared, and I practiced my speech quite a bit. I just couldn't seem to get the timing down. I would also not look at my presentation media, because I did get marked down for that. I think the issue is that I feel like I need to acknowledge my presentation media during my speech, which makes me draw my attention there.

4) One goal I have for improving the content of my speech is to try and focus more on the point and less on fancy wording. I think that the way I try to use such descriptive phrasing ends up coming around to bite me because it takes more time to say, which causes my speech to run long.

5) In order to better my delivery I'm mainly going to work on eye contact with the audience and try to stay within the time limit. I'm also going to pay more attention to the time cards that come up because I missed a couple this speech and I think it had a negative affect on my time management.

6) From my last speech I feel I did a better job orally citing sources. However, I did worse at maintaining eye contact and my time management was worse as well.

7) I can't think of anything that I did that could be very distracting. The only thing that may have distracted the audience a bit was when I broke eye contact and looked at my presentation media instead.

8) I'd probably give my eye contact a six or so. Immediately after the speech I would've said that I did a very good job maintaining eye contact. However, looking back now I do remember looking at my media more frequently than I originally thought I did. The funny thing is that I didn't even realize I was doing it.

9) Based on my performance I would give myself a B. This is because I feel that I did a good job presenting my topic, I don't think I paused or stammered much, and I think my presentation media as well as speech content was effective and interesting. The only things that I could see as a real problem were that I went over my time limit and I payed a little too much attention to my media.

10) I mentioned seven source citations throughout my speech. I cited a total of seven sources both orally and in my bibliography.

11) I feel like my last speech was better than this one. Although I went over on time during the demonstrative speech as well, it wasn't as long. Also, my eye contact was better and I was a bit less nervous.

Speaking Event Analysis

Some time ago I attended a speaking event that was on some of the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide, told from the perspective of a survivor who lost his entire family during the tragic event. The speaker’s media was effective in the way that it inspired true emotion and sympathy from the audience. Personally, the images that were shown both touched and disturbed me, and even brought me to tears (which is not an easy task).  He used photos and video interviews that he had taken himself that depicted the pure evil and unimaginable actions perpetrated during the Rwandan Genocide. Although he effectively inspired emotion in the audience, I did feel that he relied a bit too much on his presentation media, while under-preparing his actual oral presentation.  Also, although much of his presentation was very informative and awe-inspiring, it seemed at some points that he was just kind-of adding filler. I feel that there was a point where the audience was just a little bit overburdened with the presentation media. I would suggest that he work more on his oral presentation and limit his media presentation. Although much of the media was effective, the sheer volume of it made the information begin to just kind-of blend and lump together, rather than enhancing individual aspects of the topic. Also I would suggest that he weed out some of the less significant and impacting images so as not to take away from the really powerful ones. I think part of the problem there was that because he was so deeply affected by the tragedy, he focused his speech more around his own agenda rather than catering to the audience. 

Digital Slide Design Tips

I’m going to go over digital slide design tips. First, avoid relying on text or numbers. Presentation media is most effective when it is for visual representation as opposed to textual or numerical.

Limit the number of bullet points for each slide. Using too much text on a slide can possibly bore your audience. Make sure that if you decide to use text in your media presentation, you use only a maximum of four to six bullet points per slide.

Limit the number of words for each bullet point. Use only a few words or a brief phrase for each bullet point so as not to distract or bore your audience.

Make the type font large and clean. For the title use font size forty or larger, and for the text use font size twenty or larger. Stay away from overly abstract font so that they are not distracting or difficult to read. For best results use either Arial, Verdana, or Geneva as your font.

Choose transitions that fit the tone of your topic and visual material. Presentational software offers a few different ways to move from one slide to the next (transitions). “Fade through black” and “dissolve” or effective choices. Also, if you have keynote there are three-dimensional transitions you can use such as the “revolving door” and “page flip”. Make sure you use the same type of transition after each slide to create consistency for your presentation and your audience.

Avoid special effects. Special effects can be quite distracting and even annoying for your audience. If you insist on using special effects make sure that they serve a purpose directly related to the purpose of your speech.

Use color well. Choose colors that create a high contrast between the font and the background to maximize readability. 

Ethical Responsibility in Developing Presentation Media

Presentation media is a useful tool in drawing attention to your topic, illustrating an idea, evoking emotional reactions, clarifying points, supporting an argument, and assisting with audience recall. So essentially, the all-encompassing purpose of using presentation media is to enhance your speech in a variety of ways. It is exceedingly important to develop accurate presentation media for a speech. Just as supporting evidence in a speech provides speaker and topic credibility, so does presentation media. If media is altered or incorrect it can damage both the speaker credibility and the credibility of the speech topic. This will leave the audience with little confidence in the speaker and the “factual” content of their speech, as well as some confusion and a weak understanding of your topic. The best way to present effective presentation media is by checking the sources for the media (as you would for textual evidence) and using authentic media from a valid source. 

Components of Intro and Conclusion

According to the text, your introduction should get the audience’s attention (attention getter), indicate the purpose and thesis, establish credibility, and preview your main paints. The conclusion should contain a review of main points, it should reinforce the purpose, and provide closure. I

I’m going to use a startling statistic to achieve my attention getter. Since my speech is informative, my purpose and thesis will be to inform/educate the audience about the details of the Genocide. I haven’t completely decided on my main points as of yet, because since there is such a wealth of information, I still need to narrow it down. In order to establish credibility I am mentioning my relation (through marriage) to survivors of the Cambodian Genocide. I’m still trying to figure out my conclusion, but for the closure I would like to give the audience something to think about that will be meaningful and lasting. Something that will make my presentation AND the tragic events of the Genocide stick out in their minds and stay with them.

Here is my rough and unfinished intro and conclusion...

According to historyplace.com, around 2,000,000 people lost their lives during the vicious tyrannical campaign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, in a catastrophic event known as the Cambodian Genocide. (Attention Getter). Now I know what many of you are likely thinking…what Cambodian Genocide? Well don’t feel bad, I too had been ignorant of the atrocities of the Cambodian Genocide for most of my life. It was only when I married in to a Cambodian family and came in close contact with survivors of the Genocide that I learned of the violence and terror that left so many scarred or dead (Credibility). The Cambodian Genocide, perpetrated by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, devastated a country and tore through the Cambodian people attempting to destroy everyone in its path (Thesis). Today I would like to begin by discussing some of the history of the Cambodian Genocide, then I will discuss the atrocities committed by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and lastly I will … (I haven’t completely figured out my main points yet)

I hope that now you have a better understanding of some of the history of the Cambodian Genocide, the atrocities committed by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and the ----(This is part of my Review of Main Points).  With your newfound knowledge of the Cambodian Genocide you can begin to not only understand the tragedy, but to be more aware of the suffering in the world around you, and the burdens shouldered by your fellow human beings (Reinforce Purpose). So…(This is where I will provide closure).

Guidelines for an Effective Informative Speech

I’m going to discuss the “Guidelines for Effective Informative Speeches”. Because proper planning and preparation plays such an important role in the efficiency and success of your informative speech, it is helpful to follow five valuable tips to insure an excellent presentation.

First, keep your speech informative. This means that you will try and avoid interjecting your own opinion, evaluation, suggestions, or personal views on a subject. You are there strictly to share information through description, explanation, or demonstration.

Second, make your speech topic come alive.  You can do this by demonstrating a positive attitude and connecting the audience to the topic in meaningful ways. This can be achieved by exciting your audience’s imagination using vivid language to describe your main points.

Third, connect your topic to your audience. As a speaker, you can encourage your audience to pay attention and focus on your topic by connecting it to their general life experiences (if they are unfamiliar with the topic). If your audience is familiar with the topic then you can hold their attention by reinforcing commonalities between yourself and the audience. It’s also important to help them understand how the topic is significant or beneficial in their own lives.

Fourth, inform to educate. Informative speeches are good for more than just informing the audience. In an informative speech you want to educate your audience so that they will understand the importance and nature of the topic.  People usually respond best to information that they feel will enhance their lives in some way. Therefore, if you would like to educate your audience you must demonstrate how your topic is relevant to the lives and/or values of the audience.

Fifth, use presentation media to inform.  It’s important to use the right amount of visual aids and to use them at the right time. Limiting your presentation media and delivering them in a smooth, rhythmic, and confident fashion can increase the potential impact of your media and can make your informative speech a positive experience for you and your audience. 

Speech Buddy VIdeos Chps. 9 & 13

9.1

This video discusses the introduction to a speech, and it’s main components. They discussed the “attention getter”, which is often a surprising fact or statistic, a story, or humor. They then gave examples of effective “attention getters”. Then the speaker mentioned that the introduction should also contain a thesis/purpose, and preview of main points. I didn’t really learn anything new in this video per say, but it was helpful to see an example of an effective “attention getter”.

9.2

This video discussed the main elements of the conclusion, which are the review of main paints, reinforcing the purpose, and providing closure. They then showed an example of an effective conclusion.

13.1 A

This video was an example of an informative speech on techno music.

The speaker did a good job with the attention getter, purpose, and preview of main points. His transitions were clear and made his main points easy to follow. Also, he used visual aids, which helped the audience to better understand the information he was supplying them. He did a good job maintaining eye contact, and projecting, and his conclusion was also effective. Overall, I feel that he did quite well and this video is a good model for giving an informative speech.

13.1 A USE IT

In video 13.1A “USE IT” Katherine is giving a speech on “Kosher”. Although I thought her “attention getter” was kind-of strange, Katherine did a good job on her introduction. She established her credibility well, and did a good job on her thesis/purpose, and on previewing her main points. Although Katherine stuttered some in her speech, she did well with using light and expressive hand gestures, and had plenty of expression on her face. One thing I also noticed, however, was that it seemed that Katherine looked at her note cards quite often. I feel that she could’ve improved on this, but since she also did a satisfactory job with establishing eye contact, I don’t feel that it was too big of a deal. I also think she could’ve done a better job with making more clear transitions between main points. With that being said, her visual aids were effective, and she had a good conclusion.

13.1 B

            Janine did a good job giving history on the Kodak camera, establishing eye contact, projecting, and using visual aids.  However, I feel that her speech was a bit difficult to follow (organization-wise) because it seems like the video kind-of skips around. It began with her introduction, but it seems like they cut it very short and skipped right to the body of her speech. I didn’t hear a CLEAR thesis or a preview of main points.  Also, I didn’t hear any transitions so it seemed kind-of like an endless string of historical facts. Like I said, I think the video skipped around a bit instead of letting the speech flow in its natural order, so that may account for the way I perceived the speech.

I didn’t particularly LEARN much from these videos, because they felt more like review, but they are good tools and references to use when planning an informative speech.

Self-Evaluation Assignment #1

        I feel that I achieved the purpose of my speech fairly well. I believe I presented the demonstration as effective as I could considering the time constraint, and that I did a decent job conveying my main points.
        During my speech I felt pretty confident and comfortable in explaining and demonstrating my topic. I don't have a problem speaking in front of the class. However, my confidence did wain and I felt  a sense of utter panic and terror after each time card was held up once I hit the 3 minute and 30 second mark.
        If I had it to do over again, I would've come better prepared and would've made sure to include oral citations for all of my sources. Because I was not as well prepared as I should've been my brain could not handle delivering all of the information as well as adding the proper citations. I also would've been more aware of my body positioning in regards to the audience. I realize at one point my back was to the audience, and that is never effective when delivering a speech.
        One goal that I have for improving the content of my next speech is making sure I give myself ample time to research, make connections, organize my information, and study my work. Sadly, I did not afford myself these benefits on the demonstration speech, because...well, let's just say I've had a tremendous amount on my plate. However, regardless of what I have going on, I know that if I begin now and I make my next speech a priority and a project over time, I will improve my content and make for a more effective speech.
        One goal I have for improving the delivery of my next speech is to make sure to present oral citations in order to establish my credibility. This was an issue on my demonstration speech; however, I know the importance of such citations (establishing credibility and avoiding plagiarism), and I am ready to begin applying them. Also, I need to work on my time management, so that the end of my speech falls within the acceptable time limits.
        In thinking back on my delivery, I honestly didn't notice too many things...partially because the time cards were taunting me and severely breaking my concentration! I did , however, notice that when my mind goes blank or I get nervous I say "Anddddddddd..." or "Sooooooo..." as somewhat of a filler for the silence in my brain.
        I'm not sure if I did anything distracting in my speech. It is really difficult to remember, especially since I couldn't see my presentation from the viewpoint of an audience member. I don't think I was distracting, but I'm sure that it wasn't pleasant for people having to stare as my back as I absent-mindedly drew on the board forgetting that I was doing a "No No".
        I feel that I did a pretty good job maintaining eye contact and scanning the audience, keeping them engaged. I'd probably give myself an 8 or so since I did have to check my note cards a few times and I was "talking to the board" at one point. It's difficult and uncomfortable having to get in front of people and make eye contact with the whole audience, but I think I do a pretty decent job of forcing myself to do so.
        I only orally cited one source throughout my entire speech. I realize that this is a problem and I plan to improve on this in my future presentations.
        On a scale from A-F I would give myself a "B" on the demonstration speech. I would give myself this grade because overall I feel that I did a pretty good job delivering my speech and making my topic easily understandable and relatable to the audience. However, (like I said) I did not meet the time requirement and I did not cite my sources. Based on these facts I don't believe I deserved an "A". However, in my opinion these were the most significant issues with my speech, and I feel that it was otherwise quite effective.
       

Speech Buddy Videos 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2

7.1

In video 7.1 I learned that Supportive evidence has strengths and weaknesses so it’s good to use a mixture of evidence types in your speech. I was already somewhat familiar with the strengths of different types of supportive evidence, but I hadn’t fully considered the weakness of each. Narrative adds a dramatic element to your speech and can keep your audience entertained and emotionally tied to your topic. However, the downside of the Narrative is that it provides only one opinion on the subject and if it is too long the audience can lose interest. Examples can also be helpful but sometimes they are detrimental because they make generalizations, which may not be realistic. The speaker offered Bill Gates as an example. He was a college drop-out, but his situation is unique because most college drop-outs are not billionaires. It was nice getting familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of each type of supporting evidence and it will be helpful in preparation for my future speeches.

7.2

In video 7.2 the speaker discussed examples of credible resources. I didn’t particularly learn anything new from watching the video, but it’s still a helpful tool.

8.1

Video 8.1 discussed the 7 types of organizational patterns that speakers rely on for their speeches. Although this is very informative, I have already read about this concept in great detail from the text (not to mention that I posted on it as well). So this was basically review.

8.2

Video 8.2 discussed the 6 transitions, ordering (words like first, second, and third), reinforcing (similarly, also, likewise, moreover), contrasting (however, yet, whereas, instead), chronology (when, while, now, before), causality (therefore, consequently, since), and summarizing (in summarize, let’s review). In this video I got to see examples of each transition which was helpful in understanding them all and being able to apply them to future speeches.

Patterns of Organization

Patterns of organization are a structure for ordering the main points in your speech. An effective pattern of organization will help your audience connect your supporting evidence and content to your original topic. There are 7 different patterns of organization

The chronological pattern is the organization of ideas in a time sequence. This particular pattern is most useful when organizing a speech on the history of a subject, a sequence of events, or a step-by-step process. This helps the audience see how your topic unfolds over time. The chronological pattern is used in informational speeches.

The spatial pattern links points together based on their physical or geographical relationships. This pattern is best used when describing a place or object. This is helps the audience to visually understand the relationship between all parts of the topic. The spatial pattern is used in informational speeches.

A topical pattern arranges your speech by subtopics which are all equally important. This is useful in explaining the different elements involved in a topic and helps the audience to get an image of the subpoints within a topic. The topical pattern is used in informational speeches.

A narrative is a dramatic retelling of events (like a story). This pattern encourages audience participation and involvement. It provides the audience an opportunity to share the speaker's point of view.

The cause-and-effect pattern illustrates how an action produces a particular result, demonstrating a link between two events. This pattern helps the audience  recognize relationships between conditions or events. The narrative it used in speeches meant for entertainment. The cause-and-effect pattern is used in persuasive speeches.

A problem-solution pattern describes a problem and comes up with possible solutions. The purpose of this pattern is to convince the audience to agree with a course of action. This provides the audience with a rationale for considering a particular solution to a problem. The problem-solution pattern is used in persuasive speeches.

The Monroe's motivated sequence is a five-step pattern that requires speakers to find out what will motivate an audience to pay attention, and then to respond to that. This is useful in keeping your audience interested in your topic. This pattern makes the audience want to listen and possibly take action. The Monroe's motivated sequence is used in persuasive speeches.

The text discusses these patterns in great detail and gives examples of each. It is very helpful to understand each of these patterns because they are great tools when preparing for a speech.

Facts and Statistics

Facts and statistics are forms of supporting materials and/or evidence. "Supporting materials provide the substance of your speeches- the "stuff"that holds together, illustrates, clarifies, and provides evidence for your ideas" (Coopman 126). Facts and statistics are most efficient when given in persuasive speeches. Since the audience appeals to logic, using these types of evidence is particularly effective when establishing your credibility and strengthening your position. The use of facts and statistics are also helpful in informational and entertainment speeches. The supporting evidence has the power to make your speech both interesting and impacting. As long as your facts and statistics are accurate, credible, and properly tied in to your subject matter, they will usually have a positive effect on your speech and your audience. Although facts and statistics are an extremely helpful tool in preparing and delivering a speech, there are a couple situations in which  utilizing them can actually be detrimental to your presentation. If your sources are not credible or are not properly researched it can not only ruin the credibility of your speech, but can lead your audience to not trust you as a speaker and authority on your topic. Another situation in which facts and statistics could be detrimental is if you overload your audience with too much supporting evidence. In doing so the audience may lose interest and the evidence would go in one ear and out the other, rendering it ineffective. So it is important to use your facts and statistics wisely, making sure to use enough to support your topic, yet not so much that your topic becomes drowned out.

Light Pollution and Drinking

The Light Pollution video was pretty dull. The speaker was giving the introduction to her speech on the effects of light pollution and possible ways to combat that issue. I did feel that she did a good job of outlining what her speech would be about in her introduction. However, there was no hook and nothing to grab and hold on to my attention. Also, I didn't like that it seemed that she was reading from a paper almost the entire time. She didn't really engage the audience and there was very little to no eye contact. She did look up every few seconds, but it gave the impression that she was forcing herself to do so just so she could give the allusion that her face wasn't buried in her notes.

I found the video on drinking to be much more effective. The speaker hooked the audience when he was pretending to vomit at the beginning of his speech. Then in giving so many viable statics, it gave his speech more weight and made it both more interesting and hard-hitting. Also, I thought that the use of visual aids made it easier for the audience to comprehend and take in the evidence that was being presented. The only thing that I think could have been improved upon was that the speaker seemed kind-of nervous, and didn't have great posture. However, at the risk of sounding like a knit-picker, I think overall he did a pretty good job.

In watching the video on light pollution I was able to see a good way to outline your speech within your introduction. The drinking video illustrated to me the importance of incorporating statistics and evidence in to your speech, as well as the importance of visual aids.

Psychographics

A technique for gathering information to better understand and analyze your audience is using psychographics. “Psychographics [focus] on psychological concepts such as standpoints, values, attitudes, and beliefs” (Coopman 82).

A standpoint is a person’s perspective of the world and everything in it. Standpoint can be broken down in to two words, which can make the word more easily understandable…”stand” and “point”. When you have a standpoint, you are essentially taking a “stand” on your “point” of view. Standpoints are most often a product of personal experiences such as family life, status, age, sex, ethnicity, occupation etc. The analysis of standpoints is useful in determining commonalities as well as differences in your audience.

A value is basically a person’s sense of what is good, important, and right. Similarly to the standpoint, values also stem from personal experience, as well as media and societal influences. This is not entirely coincidental. Values and standpoints are tightly connected. Values directly influence your point of view (standpoint). Being able to identify values will help you to determine what is important to your audience, which will aid you in choosing a topic that they are interested in and that they will find entertaining and relevant.

An attitude is how a person feels about something. These feelings can be either positive or negative and are subject to change. Like standpoints and values, attitudes often come from personal experiences and past bias.

A belief is something that someone accepts as being true. Like attitudes, beliefs are subject to change. When confronted with new evidence or a compelling argument, it is possible for a belief to change. However, beliefs are often strongly engrained and are not often swayed or manipulated.

Audience Analysis and Adaptation

 Audience analysis is “obtaining and evaluating information about your audience in order to anticipate their needs and interests and design a strategy to respond to them” (Coopman 77). Essentially, audience analysis involves finding out your audience’ interests, views, and familiarity with your topic. Once you have done so, you will then mold your speech to fit these aspects. This is extremely important because if your audience is interested and feels engaged in your speech, you are more likely to deliver a successful speech with positive results. However, if your audience cannot relate to your topic and/or speech, and do not find it interesting, it would be very difficult to deliver an effective speech. Audience adaptation involves both using audience feedback (nonverbal cues) to adapt, and recognizing audience diversity and adhering to it. I plan on using audience analysis in preparation for my demonstration speech in order to make my topic more interesting to the entire class as opposed to only subgroups. This may be difficult considering my particular topic; however, if I can single out different ways in which my demonstration would be useful to my peers (based on their backgrounds, marital and parental status, age etc.) then I can tailor my speech to best fit my audience.