Public Speaking Notes PDF

Chapter 1: Introduction to public speaking What is public speaking? = Act of delivering a structured speech to a live audience with the purpose of informing, persuading, entertaining, or inspiring. Importance of public speaking. (1) Builds leadership skills - Strong public speakers of...

Chapter 1: Introduction to public speaking What is public speaking? = Act of delivering a structured speech to a live audience with the purpose of informing, persuading, entertaining, or inspiring. Importance of public speaking. (1) Builds leadership skills - Strong public speakers often emerge as leaders in group projects, work settings, and community events, guiding discussions and making important points with clarity. (2) Enhances communication - Public speaking improves your ability to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively, making it easier to explain complex concepts or convince others. (3) Opens career opportunities - From interviews to presentations, public speaking plays a critical role in career growth. The ability to speak confidently and convincingly can set you apart in the workplace. Similarities between public speaking and conversation - Organizing thoughts logically. - Tailoring message to audience. - Adapting to listener feedback. Differences between public speaking and conversation (1) Structure Public Speaking Conversation Formal Informal Clear intro, body, conclusion Spontaneous Prepares in advance Free flow of idea between participants Practices the delivery No structured format (2) Audience Size Public Speaking Conversation Larger Small group of people Dozens or hundreds of people One-on-one Speaker must project & engage with aud. More personal & interactive dynamic (3) Purpose Public Speaking Conversation Has specific purpose Casual Informing, persuading or entertaining Exchange information or engage socially Speaker must achieve clear objective Change direction as it evolves (4) Preparation Public Speaking Conversation Careful preparation Unplanned Rehearsals Spontaneous Speechwriting for effective communication Ideas shared naturally Chapter 2: Speaking in public 6 Time-tested Ways: (1) Acquire speaking experience - First day at kindergarten - First day at school (2) Prepare, prepare, prepare - Each minute of speaking time requires one to two hours of preparation time - Proper preparation can reduce stage fright by up to 75%. - Practice in front trusted friends (3) Think positively - Confidence is the power of positive thinking - Ratio of positive thoughts regarding stressful activities should be 5 to 1. (4) Power of visualization - A technique used by experts: musicians, actors, athletes. - Create a vivid mental blueprint in which you see yourself succeeding in your speech. - The more lucid your mental picture, the more successful you are likely to be. (5) Most nervousness is not visible - Only a fraction of nervousness is visible on the outside. - Even though your palms are sweating, and your heart is ponding, your listeners will not realize, especially if you do your best to act cool and confident on the outside. (6) Don’t expect perfection - such moments are usually not evident to the audience. Because, the audience does not know what the speaker plans to say! - Audience focuses on message rather than on the fine points of delivery. The speech communication process: (1) Speaker - Success depends on you - Your knowledge on the subject - Your preparation of the speech - Your manner and sensitivity to the audience - Enthusiastic (2) Message - How you say is more important compared to what you say. - Verbally (requires research) & nonverbally (tone of voice, gestures, facial expression & eye contact). - Make sure nonverbal does not distract from verbal message. (3) Channel - The tool used to communicate. - E.g., microphone (4) Listener - Filtered through a listener’s frame of reference. (our own bubble). - Speaker and listener can never have the same frame of reference. - ‘That is important to me’, ‘I need to listen to this’ – keep this attitude. (5) Feedback - Message sent from listener to speaker. - Public speaking is a TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION. - Speaker must pay additional attention to those in order to avoid any messages from unattended. - E.g.: (i) Lean forward in their seats, as if paying attention? (ii) Applaud in approval? (iii) Laugh at your jokes? (iv) Quizzical looks on their face? (v) Shuffle their feet and gaze at the clock? - Arabs, North Americans & Europeans – direct feedback - Asians – may not respond, out of concern that doing so will show disrespect for the speaker. (6) Interference - Anything that impedes the communication. - Can be external or internal. - The challenge is to hold the listeners’ attention despite various kinds of interference.  (7) Situation - Time and place which the speech occurs. - It matters where and how the message is delivered. Culture diversity and public speaking - We communicate the way we do because we are raised in a particular culture and learn its language, rules and norms. - Gestures, facial expression, and other non-verbal signals also vary from culture to culture. - Audience survey is needed to understand your crowd. Avoid Ethnocentrism - A belief that one’s own group or culture is superior to all other groups or culture. - It can play a positive role in creating group pride and loyalty. - It can also be a destructive force – especially when it leads to prejudice towards different cultural group. - Does not mean you must agree with the values & practices but learn to understand. Chapter 3: Ethos, Pathos, Logos Logos Logical senses (left part of the brain). If want to persuade, need to build strong argument, with logical facts, statistics & evidence. Must be clear and make sense to the audience. Argument flows, with an opening, statements & conclusion. Example of Logos Philosophy and logic Facts Statistics Explanation of ideas Cause and effect Logical reasons & explanations Pathos Appeals to emotions (right part of the brain). To appeal emotions, can use vivid and sensory words to make the audience experience and feel what you’re saying. The speaker’s delivery (face, voice) also affects the audiences’ emotions. Example of Pathos Spirituality or religious traditions Personal stories Personal connections Imagery & figurative language that provokes emotional response Powerful words, phrases, or images that stir up emotion Visual images or words that inspires you empathize or have compassion towards the idea Ethos Need credibility. If your listeners don’t think you’re credible, you won’t persuade them of anything. If you don’t have a high level of reputation for a particular topic, you can improve your credibility using experts’ sources, pointing your experience, surrounding yourself with recognized people. Keep a positive personal branding (the way you speak, the way you dress, the way you appear online) in order to maintain your reputation. Example of Ethos Qualifications Speaker’s believability Relevant biographical information Use credible sources Appropriate language: discipline language Appropriate tone Not arrogant Experience and authority: person knows the issues and has experience in the field Sample statement: Chapter 4: Audience analysis Audience centeredness Need to keep several questions in mind when working on speech: (1) To whom I am speaking? (2) What do I want them to know, believe, or do as a result of my speech? (3) What is the most effective way of composing and presenting my speech to accomplish that aim? Keep in mind when working on speech: Select an appropriate topic Organize the message Delivery Example scenario: Must create a bond with the listeners by emphasizing common goals, values & experience. Before speech must make sure: (1) Listener’s background (2) Interest (3) Level of knowledge (4) Attitude regarding the stance Must take the classroom audience seriously as a lawyer, a politician. If we regard the audience as artificial, the speech will sound artificial too. Must consider every audience as worthy of our best efforts to communicate our knowledge or convictions. Psychology of Audience No one can make audience listen unless they want to. Contains two messages: one sent by the speaker and the one received by the listener. People hear what they want and disregard the rest. People usually hear things that are meaningful. (Egocentric) They pay close attention to messages that affect their own values, own beliefs, own well-being. They will always have one questions in their mind, “Why is this important to me?” Listeners will hear and judge what you say based on what they already know and believe. Must relate your message to your listeners – show how it pertains to them, explain why they should care about it as much as you do. Audience Analysis Study of audience composition, knowledge, interests, attitudes and the speaking situation. Every speech two messages: (1) Designed message: Sent by the speaker (2) Residual message: Received by the listener Methods to conduct audience analysis: (1) Observation (2) Interviews (3) Written questionnaires Demographic audience analysis:  Psychological audience analysis: Audience knowledge Neutral - Are they neutral or predisposed to agree or disagree your message? Values - The most important values to the audience. Values of their organization? Problems - What problems do they have? If your presentation aims to offer them a solution, it surely helps if they agree with you that the problem exist in the first place!  Situational audience analysis: - Audience size - Occasion - Voluntary audience - Physical setting - People wearing - Obstacles or distractions exist in the room Chapter 5: Gathering materials 4 ways to gather materials (i) Using own knowledge & experience - What one knows and has experienced personally is a prime source for speech topics because we are naturally inclined to speak better about that with which we are familiar. Information from oneself can also give an effective personal touch as a supporting detail. (ii) Doing library research (1) Librarian - These professionals can help locate sources of information, and specific information – and can save valuable research time. (2) The catalogue - This lists all the books, periodicals, and other resources in a library. Books can be searched in this computer system by author, title, subject, or keywords. Periodicals are given in the catalogue by title. A call number classifies books and periodicals and indicates the shelf location. (3) Periodical database - These catalogue article from many journals & magazines. - There are two kinds: general databases (mostly popular magazines) and special databases. Periodicals can be searched by subject. An abstract summarizes a magazine or journal article by someone other than the author. (4) Newspaper Databases - Available for national & international newspaper. (5) Reference works - These are encyclopaedias (general and special), yearbooks, dictionaries, quotation books, biographical aids, atlases, and gazetteers (geographical dictionary). (iii) Searching the internet (1) Use Search Aids - (Search engines, metasearch engines, and virtual libraries), Keyword Searches, Subject Searches, Bookmarks, and Specialized Research Resources (government, reference, news and multicultural resources). (2) Evaluating Internet Documents - Analyse their authorship, sponsorship, and recency. (3) Citing Internet Sources - Fully, clearly, and consistently in the speech and bibliography. (iv) Interviewing - (Before) Define the purpose of the interview, decide whom to interview, arrange the interview, decide whether to record the interview and prepare questions. - During: Dress appropriately and be on time, repeat the purpose of the interview, set up the recorder (if using one), keep the interview on track, listen carefully, and stay within the period. - (After) Review notes as soon as possible and transcribe them. Chapter 6: Language in public speaking Importance of language Words - Words used in speech refers to language - Spoken language existed before written language - Words consist of sounds (oral) and shapes (written) - More than six thousand languages that are spoken around the world today 12 differences - Oral language (used in public speaking) and written language (used for texts) do not function in the same way. - People listen to and read information differently - When you read information, if you don’t grasp the content the first time, you can reread a section. When we are listening to information, we do not have the ability to “rewind” life and relisten to the information. - When you read information, if you do not understand a concept, you can look up the concept in a dictionary or online and gain the knowledge easily. - But we do not always have the ability to walk around with the Internet and look up concepts we don’t understand. - So, oral communication should be simple enough to be easily understood in the moment by a specific audience, without additional study or information. Attention getter - A device a speaker uses at the beginning of a speech to capture an audience’s interest and make them interested in the speech’s topic. Four things to consider in choosing attention-getting device: (1) Appropriateness or relevance to audience (2) Purpose of speech (3) Topic (4) Occasion Example of attention getter devices: Sample attention getter: Chapter 7: Selecting topic & purposes Two ways to decide on a topic: (1) Subject you know a lot about. - Speaker is highly competent in their respective field of knowledge, usually they are well versed with all the information and executing the content to the audience should not be an issue. - E.g., I have depth knowledge in Quantum Theory, I want to share this knowledge with my audience in simpler manner on how they can use this in their daily life, hope all of them will get benefitted out of this speech. (2) Subject you want to know more about. - Speaker may not have adequate knowledge but has high interest to know more about. - E.g., I know Quantum Theory can benefit one in daily life, but I need to know more so that the content can be disseminated correctly to the audience. Five methods to choose a topic: (1) Brainstorming - A method of generating ideas for speech topics by free association of words and ideas. (2) Personal inventory - Make a quick inventory of your interest, experience, hobbies, skills, beliefs and so forth. (3) Reference search - Make use of encyclopaedia, periodical database, dictionaries to look for topics. (4) Internet search - Randomly search in internet for interesting topics. (5) Clustering - Randomly place words and connect them with the main idea. Chapter 8: General & specific Choosing a topic: - Speech topic determined by occasion, the audience, and the speaker’s qualification. - Subject you know a lot about: more familiar. - Subject you want to know more about: a learning experience for yourself as well for your audience. Brainstorming for topics: (1) Brainstorming: - By free association of words and ideas. (2) Personal inventory: - Quick inventory of your interest, experience, hobbies, skills, beliefs and so forth. (3) Research Search: - Encyclopedia - Periodical database - Dictionaries (4) Internet Search (5) Clustering: - Speaker brainstorm things under nine different categories: (1) People (2) Places (3) Things (4) Events (5) Processes (6) Concepts (7) Natural (8) Phenomena (9) Problems (10) Plans & policies E.g.: Determining the general purpose: General purpose: (1) To inform (teachers, lecturers): - Enhance the knowledge & understanding of the listeners. - To give information that did not have before. (2) To persuade (advocate, partisan): - Change or structure the attitude or actions of the audience. E.g.: Tips for formulating the specific purpose statement: (1) Write the purpose statement as a full infinitive phrase, not as a fragment - E.g.: Ineffective - Calendars More Effective - To inform my audience about the four major kinds of calendars used in the world today. - (The ineffective statements above are adequate as announcements of the speech topic, but they are not thought out fully enough to indicate the specific purpose.) (2) Avoid figurative language in purpose statement: - E.g.: Ineffective - To inform my audience that yoga is extremely cool. More Effective - To inform my audience how yoga can improve their health. - (The ineffective statement does not state concisely what he or she hopes to achieve. Metaphors, analogues, and the like are effective devices for reinforcing ideas within a speech, but they are too ambiguous (vague/unclear) for specific purpose statement.) (3) Limit purpose statement to one distinct idea: - E.g.: Ineffective - To persuade my audience to become literacy tutors and to donate time to the Special Olympics. - More Effective (1) - To persuade my audience to become literacy tutors. - More Effective (2) - To persuade my audience to donate time to the special Olympics. - (What you need to avoid is not simply the word ‘and’, but a specific purpose statement that contains two unrelated ideas, either of which could easily be developed into a speech.) (4) Make sure specific purpose is not too vague or general: - E.g.: Ineffective - To persuade my audience that something should be done about medical care. - More Effective - To persuade my audience that the federal government should adopt a system of national health insurance for all people in the United States. - (The more effective purpose statement is crisp and clear. It does not leave us guessing what the speaker hopes to accomplish. The more precise your specific purpose, the easier it will be to prepare your speech.) (5) Express purpose as a statement, not as a question - E.g.: Ineffective - What is Deepavali? - More Effective - To inform my audience about Hindu’s celebration, Deepavali. - (The questions might make adequate titles, but they are not effective as specific purpose statements. They give no indication about what direction the speech will take or what the speaker hopes to accomplish.) Chapter 10: Ethics in public speaking & delivery Good delivery Convey the speaker’s ideas clearly, interestingly, and without distracting the audience. If speaker mumbles his words, shuffle his feet, gaze out the window, or talk in a monotone, he will not get the message across. Not effective if: speaker show off, strike a dramatic pose, or shout in ringing tones. Audience prefers combines a certain degree of formality with best attributes of good conversation – directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness, and a lively sense of communication. 4 types of delivery methods: (i) Manuscript speech: - A speech that is written out word for word and read to the audience. - Do not appear as reading to your audience. - E.g.: president’s message to Congress. (ii) Reciting from memory: - Be sure to memorize so thoroughly that you will be able to concentrate on communicating with audience, not on trying to remember the words. - E.g.: congratulatory remarks (iii)Speaking impromptu: - Delivered with little or no immediate preparation. - Sketch a quick outline. - Guide your audience with signposts such as ‘my first point is…; second, we can see that…; in conclusion, I would like to say…’ - E.g.: Simple class discussion, business meeting. (iv) Extemporaneous speech: - Prepared ahead of time but the exact words are chosen at the moment of presentation. - Direct delivery than does reading from a manuscript, carefully prepared and practiced in advance. - Speaker only uses a set of brief notes or speaking outline to jog the memory. The exact word is chosen at the moment of delivery. Extemporaneous speech has several advantages: - More precise control over thought and language. - Greater spontaneity and directions. - Adaptable in many situations. - Sound spontaneous. - Full control over ideas.