Public Speaking

Chapter 1:  Finding Your Voice

 

What Public Speaking Has to Offer

   Practical Benefits

   Personal Growth Benefits

   Introduction to Communication

What This Course Asks of You

   Respect for the Integrity of Ideas and Information

   A Concern for Consequences

Final Reflections:  The Fate of Public Discourse

 

Chapter 2:  Managing Your Fear of Speaking

Understanding Communication Anxiety

Managing Communication Anxiety

   Reality Testing

   Selective Relaxation

   Attitude Adjustments

   Cognitive Restructuring

   Visualization

   Putting it all Together

Final Reflections:  Victory Over Fear

 

Chapter 3:  Your First Speech:  An Overview of Speech Preparation

Managing the Impressions You Make

   Competence

   Integrity

   Goodwill

   Dynamism

Planning Your First Speech

   Step 1:  Find the Right Topic

   Step 2:  Focus Your Topic

   Step 3:  Find Material for Your Speech

   Step 4:  Design Your Speech

   Step 5:  Outline Your Speech

   Step 6:  Practice Your Presentation

   Step 7:  Make Your Presentation

Introducing Yourself or a Classmate:  An Application

Final Reflections:  Exploration Through Preparation

 

Chapter 4:  Becoming a Better Listener

The Benefits of Effective Listening

   Listening in the Workplace

   Listening in the Classroom

The Process of Listening

   Threshold Listening

   Critical Listening

   Empathic Listening

   Constructive Listening

Effective Listening Behaviors

   Overcoming External Barriers

   Overcoming Internal Barriers

Becoming a Critical Listener

   Do Speakers Support Their Claims?

   Do Speakers Rely on Credible Sources?

   Do Speakers Use Words to Reveal or Befuddle?

   What Strategies Do Speakers Use?

Evaluating Classroom Speeches

   You as a Constructive Listener

   You as a Critical Listener

Ethical Responsibilities of a Listener

Final Reflections:  The Golden Rule of Listening

 

Part Two:  Preparation for Public Speaking

 

Chapter 5:  Adapting to Your Audience and Situation

Why Audience Analysis is Important

Understanding Audience Demographics

   Age

   Gender

   Educational Level

   Group Affiliations

Understanding Audience Dynamics

   Attitudes, Beliefs and Values

   Gathering Information about Attitudes

   Motivation

Meeting the Challenges of Audiences Diversity

   Apply Universal Values

   Use Speaking Resources Skillfully

   Avoid Language Pitfalls

   Avoid Rhetorical Land Mines

Adjusting to the Communication Situation

   Time

   Place

   Occasion

   Size of Audience

   Context

Final Reflections:  Keeping Your Audience in Mind

 

 

Chapter 6:  Developing Your Topic

What is a Good Topic?

   A Good Topic Helps You Find Your Voice

   A Good Topic Involves Your Listeners

   A Good Topic Is One You Can Manage

Discovering Your Topic Area

   Brainstorming

   Interest Charts

   Media Prompts

Exploring Your Topic Area

   Mind Mapping

   Topic Analysis

   Selecting Your Topic

Refining Your Topic

   General Purpose

   Specific Purpose

   Thesis Statement

An Overview of the Topic Selection Process

Final Reflections:  The Great Chain of Communication

 

Chapter 7:  Building Responsible Knowledge

Developing a Research Strategy

   Prepare an Overview

   Build a Bibliography

   Acquire In-Depth Knowledge

   Be Sure Your Information is Up-to-Date

   Include Local Applications

Acquiring Responsible Knowledge

   Drawing on Personal Knowledge and Experience

   Doing Research in the Library

   Doing Research on the Internet

Evaluating Research Materials

   Evaluating Material from Library Resources

   Evaluating Material from the Internet

Interviewing for Information

   Establish Contact

   Prepare for the Interview

   Conduct the Interview

   Record What You Learn

Taking Notes on Your Research

   Preparing Source and Information Cards

   Taking Notes on Your Computer

   Know What Information to Record

Final Reflections:  Your Substantive Voice

 

Chapter 8:  Supporting Your Ideas

Facts and Statistics

   Framing Facts

   Developing Statistics

   Constructing Facts and Figures

   Testing Facts and Figures

Testimony

   Framing Expert Testimony

   Developing Lay Testimony

   Constructing Prestige Testimony

   Designing Testimony:  Other Considerations

Examples

      Types of Examples

   Fashioning Powerful Examples

   Testing Your Examples

Narratives

   Types of Narratives

   Building Narratives

   Testing Your Story

Selecting and Combining Supporting Materials

Final Reflections:  Developing a Strong Voice

 

Chapter 9:  Structuring and Outlining Your Speech

Principles of a Well-Structured Speech

   Simplicity

   Order

   Balance

Structuring the Body of Your Speech

   Selecting Your Main Points

   Arranging Your Main Points

   Developing Your Main Points

   Developing a Working Outline

   Adding Transitions

 Introducing and Concluding Your Speech

   Introducing Your Speech

   Concluding Your Speech

   Selecting and Using Introductory and Concluding Techniques

Preparing Your Formal Outline

Final Reflections:  Value of the Twin Disciplines

 

Part Three:  Developing Presentation Skills

 

Chapter 10:  Developing Presentation Aids

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Presentation Aids

   Advantages of Presentation Aids

   Disadvantages of Presentation Aids

Types of Presentation Aids

   People

   Objects and Models

   Graphics

   Pictures

Presentation Media

   Traditional Media

   New Media

Preparing Presentation Aids

   Principles of Design

   Principles of Color

   Making Presentation Aids

Using Presentation Aids

Ethical Considerations for Using Presentation Aids

Final Reflections:  Amplifying Your Voice

 

Chapter 11:  Putting Words to Work

What Words Can Do

   What Makes the Spoken Word Special

   Shaping Perceptions

   Arousing Feelings

   Bringing Listeners Together

   Prompting Listeners to Take Action

   Celebrating Shared Values

The Six C’s of Language Use

   Clarity

   Color

   Concreteness

   Correctness

   Conciseness

   Cultural Sensitivity

Magnifying the Power of Language

   Using Figurative Language

   Changing the Order of Words

   Using the Sounds of Words to Reinforce Their Sense

Final Reflections:  Give Me the Right Word

 

Chapter 12:  Presenting Your Speech

The Power of Presentation

Developing Your Physical Voice

   Pitch

   Rate

   Loudness

   Variety

   Vocal Problems

Developing Your Body Language

   Facial Expression and Eye Contact

   Movement and Gestures

   Personal Appearance

Developing Versatility in Presentation

   Impromptu Speaking

   Memorized Text Presentation

   Reading from a Manuscript

   Extemporaneous Speaking

Developing Flexibility in Special Situations

   Handling Questions and Answers

   Making Video Presentations

Practicing for Presentation

Final Reflections:  Taking the Stage

 

 

 

Part Four:  Types of Public Speaking

 

Ch 13:  Informative Speaking

Informative Speaking:  An Orientation

Forms of Informative Speeches

   Speeches of Description

   Speeches of Demonstration

   Speeches of Explanation

Helping Listeners Learn

   Motivating Audiences to Listen

   Maintaining Audience Attention

   Promoting Audience Retention

Speech Designs

   Categorical Design

   Comparative Design

   Spatial Design

   Sequential Design

   Chronological Design

   Causation Design

Rising to the Challenge of the Informative Speech

Briefings:  An Application

Final Reflections:  The Informed Voice

 

Chapter 14:  Persuasive Speaking

The Nature of Persuasive Speaking

The Types of Persuasive Speaking

   Speeches That Focus on Facts

   Speeches That Address Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values

   Speeches That Advocate Action

The Persuasive Process

   Awareness

   Understanding

   Agreement

   Enactment

   Integration

The Challenges of Persuasive Speaking

   Enticing a Reluctant Audience to Listen

   Removing Barriers to Commitment

   Moving from Attitude to Action

   The Challenge of Ethical Persuasion

Designs for Persuasive Speeches

   Problem-Solution Design

   Motivated Sequence Design

   Refutative Design

   Design Combinations

Final Reflections:  The Case for Persuasion

 

Chapter 15:  Building Sound Arguments

Reasoned Persuasion

   Building Evidence

   Developing Proofs

The Master Form of Proof

   Definitions of Central Concepts

   Reasoning from Principle

   Reasoning from Reality

   Reasoning from Parallel Cases

Avoiding Defective Persuasion

   Defective Evidence

   Defective Proof

   Defective Patterns of Reasoning

   Fallacies Related to Particular Design

Final Reflections:  Persuasion That Has Legs

Appendix A:  Speeches for Analysis

Endnotes

Index