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...