Public Speaking

William Keith is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he supervised the public speaking course for more than a decade. He has taught public speaking for over 40 years at a variety of institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh, University of Louisville, Western Washington University and Oregon State University. In addition to teaching a range of graduate and undergraduate courses in rhetoric, argument and communication theory, he has written extensively about the history and significance of public speaking pedagogy in the U.S. context -- especially its connection to democracy and civic education -- for scholarly organizations as well as the Kettering Foundation and the World Bank. Christian O. Lundberg is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and co-director of the University Program in Cultural Studies. He also teaches first-year seminar "Think, Speak, Argue," which focuses on debate and public speaking skills as pedagogical tools and critical components of democratic life. Dr. Lundberg's current research focuses on theories of the public as a social and discursive form as well as the animating principles for public discourses and identities. His textbooks relate to rhetoric, public speaking and public deliberation, while his book LACAN IN PUBLIC: PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE SCIENCE OF RHETORIC (University of Alabama Press, 2012) works through the implications of Jacques Lacan's psychoanalysis for thinking the rhetorical character of publics as social formations and of the public discourses that circulate within them. In addition, Dr. Lundberg has written a number of pieces that unpack forms of discourse constituting specific publics, with special attention to the intersection between publics and religious discourse in Islam and evangelical Christianity. He earned a B.A. from the University of Redlands, a Master of Divinity from Emory University and a Ph.D. in communication studies from Northwestern University.

Part I: FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD SPEAKING.
1. Public Speaking.
Introduction: Why Learn Public Speaking? Remix: What is a Remix? Speech Is Powerful. The Power of Public Speaking to Change the World. The Power of Speeches to Change Your World. Speaking Connects You to Others: Democracy in Everyday Life. The Conversational Framework. Remix: Public Speaking and Democracy.
The Communication Process. The Public in Public Speaking. Speaking Is About Making Choices. Preparation. Informing. Persuading. The Speaking Process: Thinking, Creating, and Speaking. Thinking Through Your Choices. Your Responsibilities (Chapter 2). Your Audience (Chapters 3, 4). Your Goals (Chapter 5). Creating Your First Speech. Information and Arguments (Chapters 6, 7). Research (Chapter 8). Organizing (Chapter 9). Finding the Words (Chapter 10). Giving Your First Speech. Delivering the Speech (Chapter 11). Overcoming Anxiety (Chapter 11). Presentation Aids (Chapter 12). Making Responsible Choices. Good Speeches Are the Result of Choices. Taking Responsibility Means Respecting the Audience.
2. Ethics and the Responsible Speaker.
Introduction: Why Ethics Matter in Public Speaking. Remix: Ethics and Effectiveness.
Ethical Pitfalls in Public Speaking. Deceptive Speech. Inappropriately Biased Speech. Remix: Bias, or, on Being Fair and Balanced. Poorly Reasoned Speech. Seven Principles of Ethical Public Speaking. Be Honest. Be Open. Be Generous. Be Balanced. Represent Evidence Responsibly. Take Appropriate Risks. Choose Engagement. How to Avoid Plagiarism. How to Create an Ethical Speech. Respect Your Audience. Remix: The Golden Rule. Respect Your Topic. Present Other Views and Treat Them Fairly. Avoid Fallacies and Prejudicial Appeals. Name Calling. Glittering Generalities. Inappropriate Testimonials. Plain-Folks Appeals. Card Stacking. Bandwagoning. Remix: Ethics and the Audience.
3. Understanding Audiences and Publics.
Introduction: Those People Sitting in Front of You. Audience Analysis. The Literal Audience: Demographics. Problems With the Demographic Approach.
The Rhetorical Audience. The "As" Test. From "Me" to "Us". Adapting Your Speech to Your Audience. Identify Common Interests. Make the Most of Shared Experience. Work from Common Premises. Be Directive. Remix: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Address to the March on Washington. Two Views of the Audience: Marketing vs. Engagement. Marketing. Engagement.
The Audience and the Public. Advancing the Public Conversation. Remix: Public or Publics. Our Responsibilities to Your Audience.
4. Becoming a Skilled Listener.
Introduction: Public Hearing and Listening. Types of Listening. Passive Listening. Active Listening. Critical Listening. The Ethics of Listening. Obstacles to Good Listening. Distractions. Your Mental Zone. Taking Good Notes. Remix: Taking Notes. Giving Constructive and Useful Feedback. Criticize Speeches, Not People. Be Specific. Focus on What Can Be Changed. Be Communication Sensitive.
Part II: CREATING A GREAT SPEECH.
5. Choosing a Topic and Purpose.
Introduction: Picking a Topic and Defining Your Purpose. A Strategy for Picking a Topic. What Interests You? What Will Interest Your Audience? What Is the Occasion? What Is Your Purpose? What Is Your Thesis? How to Find a Topic Among Your Interests. What Do You Already Know or Care About? What Do You Want to Know More About? Remix: Brainstorming. Brainstorming. Choosing One of Your Topic Ideas. How to Focus Your Topic for Your Audience. Geography or Location. Past, Present, or Future. Typical Audience Interests. Speaking Purposes and Speaking Situations. General Purposes of Speeches. Types of Speaking Situations. Time Constraints. The Thesis Statement: Putting Your Purpose Into Words.
6. Research.
Introduction: Becoming an Expert. Researching Responsibly. The Research Process. Figuring Out What You Already Know. Designing a Research Strategy. Deciding Where to Go. Making a Methodical Search. How to Conduct an Online Search. Creating Search Terms. Remi