Name: Sandra Cash ID# 971382

Date: December 5, 2010

SPE1075

Final Student Evaluation Essay

My expectation for this class was to help me communicate better, because if I become a vet I'll need good communication skills. I thought delivering a speech would be like playing the piano in front of people. Where it just takes time but is easy to do once you’ve practiced a lot. I found out it is a lot harder! It is harder because unlike when I play the piano in front of people if I make a mistake I can cover it up, but with delivering a speech your audience can tell right away when you make a mistake. When I first took the “Personal Report of Communication Anxiety” and when I took it again at the end of this class, it was pretty much the same except for in the beginning I had for public speaking a 10 and at the end I had an 11 in it. I believe this changed because I found public speaking harder than I thought it would be. Otherwise my anxiety for dyadic and small groups wasn’t that high due to the fact I have been in small groups plenty of times. I have accomplished during this course how to write a speech, deliver the speech and how to communicate better. I am very satisfied with my progress in communicating better, writing speeches and delivering speeches. I am especially satisfied with my progress in delivering speeches. My self introduction speech was my very first speech. I did a really good job for my first speech. I was

very organized, because I was very organized when I needed to look at my notes no one noticed that I

was looking at them while I was picking up the item I was about to talk about. Also I did not look as

nervous as I felt. What I didn’t do well was I talked to fast and I went through my speech to fast. This

speech was a huge help in me feeling comfortable giving speeches. I felt like if this was how the rest of

my speeches were going to be than they wouldn’t nearly be as hard as I thought they would be.

My informative speech, which was the very first time I delivered a speech and did a power point to.

What I did well was I accomplished my purpose of the speech. Now my home church knows how flood

myths came to be and why there are so many of them. Also what I did well is when I got lost in my

speech my power point helped me find my place. What I did not do so well was that I wasn’t always on

time with my power point. While giving my speech I noticed that I was either behind or ahead with the

power point. I also looked really nervous, when I was nervous; mostly because it was new for me to

deliver a speech and present a power point. I really learned a lot about the topic of my speech and I

learned how to present power points while delivering a speech.

In the persuasive speech, I actually talked loud enough while I deliver my speech. Also when I got lost in

my speech my outline helped me find my place and I kept going even though I made a mistake. I did not

look at my whole audience; I noticed that when watching my speech that I mostly looked to my

audience that were on my right. Also when I had quotes I mostly looked at my outline because they

were long quotes that I didn’t quite have memorized. I learned how to build my creditability, and how

to use the problem solution form of persuasive essays.

The tribute speech I accomplished was my purpose of the speech. Now my friends know how amazing

my birth mom is. Also I shared personal details candidly. Though once again I needed to speak up

louder, and when I had a long quote looked at my outline mostly. I really enjoyed this speech because I

found a way to explain even though I was adopted it showed that my birth mom really loved me. I was

happy that I could express this in this speech.

In the small group analysis project I realized that you can solve a problem without using brainstorming

techniques but that they really do help. My strengths were I answered each question in as much detail I

could give. As I was required I watched the movie two times. I need to learn how to conform to a pre-

made outline.

My audiences were very helpful! They were completely honest with me and yet very sweet about pointing out things I needed to work on. I learned through my audiences that I needed to speak up louder, and to slow down. They also were very encouraging telling me that I always had interesting topics and that they could see improvement. I believe that from the hard work I put into this course and how well I did on all the homework, that I have earned an A in this class. I kept working hard in this class even when I got behind a lot. I have grown and achieved many things. I have accomplished how to write different speeches and deliver them. I also have learned how to communicate better, which will help me in the future. I wish to improve my confidence, poise, and enunciation in public speaking.