Today – Week 8Informative presentationsSpecific Purpose and Central Idea statementsEthical public speakingThe introduction, body, and conclusionDeveloping an effective outlineCritiquing a presentation

Public Speaking Basics

“The human brain starts working the moment you’re born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.”

- George Jessel

How is public speaking similar to everyday conversation?

How is it different?

The Communications Process

What are the three basic types of presentations we do?

What are the four ways we generally deliver speeches?

What are the four ways we generally deliver speeches?

Impromptu

What are the four ways we generally deliver speeches?

Scripted

What are the four ways we generally deliver speeches?

Memorized

What are the four ways we generally deliver speeches?

Extemporaneous

Individual vs. Group Presentations …What’s different?

What qualities do we associate with an effective presentation and presenter?

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two.

Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

- Jerry Seinfeld

“There are only two types of speakers in the world: one, the nervous and, two, liars.”

- Mark Twain

Overcoming Anxiety

Nervousness isNormal

Creating theillusion of competency

First Impressions

From Negative to Positive

ExperiencePreparationThink positiveBreatheFocus on messageDon’t expect perfection

ImpromptuSpeeches

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”- Dale Carnegie

Developing Your First Speech• Know your objective• Limit your points• Organize: introduction, body, conclusion• Fit the time limit• Rehearse out loud• Team feedback• Revise

"It takes one hourof preparation foreach minute of presentation time."

- Wayne Burgraff

Informative Presentation Guidelines• Limit the amount of information• Adjust level of complexity• Stress relevance and usefulness• Relate new information to old• Make speech easy to remember• Focus audience attention

Selecting Topic & PurposeGuidelines for your speech proposals and outlines . . .

What is the topic?What is the general purpose?What is the specific purpose?What is the central idea?

Choosing a Topic

“The best way to sound like you know what you're talking about is to know what you're talking about.”

-- Author Unknown

General Purpose

The broad goal of a speech.

"If you don't know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will."

- Harvey Diamond

Specific Purpose Statement

A single phrase that states precisely what a speaker hopes to accomplish in his or

her speech.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

Express as a statement, not questionAvoid figurative languageLimit to one distinct ideaAvoid being too vague or general

Write as a full infinitive phrase

Ineffective: Calendars

More Effective: To inform my audience about the four major kinds of calendars used in the world today.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

Express as a statement, not question

Ineffective: Is the U.S. space program necessary?

More Effective: To persuade my audiencethat the U.S. space program provides many important bene-fits to people here on earth.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

Avoid figurative language

Ineffective: To inform my audience that yoga is extremely cool.

More Effective: To inform my audience how yoga can improve their health.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

One distinct idea

Ineffective: To persuade my audience to become literacy tutors andto donate time to Habitat for Humanity.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

More effective: To persuade my audience to become literacy tutors.

More effective: To persuade my audience to donate time to Habitat for Humanity.

OR

Not too vague or general

Ineffective: To inform my audience about the Civil War.

More Effective: To inform my audience about the role ofAfrican-American soldiers in the Civil War.

Specific Purpose Guidelines

Questions to Ask About Your Specific Purpose

Does it meet the assignment?Can I accomplish it in the time allotted?Is it relevant to my audience?

Too trivial?Too technical?

Central Idea

A one-sentence statement that sums up or encapsulates the major ideas of a speech.

“If you can't write your message in a sentence, you can't say it in an hour.”

- Dianna Booher

Guidelines for the Central Idea

Do not be vague or overly generalExpress as a full sentenceDo not express as a questionAvoid figurative language

Guidelines for the Central Idea

Not too general

Ineffective: Paying college athletes a salary is a good idea.

More Effective: Because college athletes in such as revenue-producing sports football and basketball generate millions of dollars in revenue for their schools, the NCAA should allow such athletes to receive a $250 monthly salary as part of their scholarships.

Guidelines for the Central Idea

Complete sentence

Ineffective: Use of the laser.

More Effective: The laser is a highly versatile device with important uses in medicine, industry, art, and communications.

Guidelines for the Central Idea

Not a question

Ineffective: How does indoor soccer differ from outdoor soccer?

More Effective: Played on a smaller, enclosed field that resembles a hockey rink with artificial turf, indoor soccer involves faster action, more scoring, and different strategies than outdoor soccer.

Guidelines for the Central Idea

Avoid figurative language

Ineffective: Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is an awesome place for a vacation.

More Effective: Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula has many attractions for vacationers, including a warm climate, excellent food, and extensive Mayan ruins.

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audienceof the three major racesin alpine skiing.

Central Idea: The three major races in alpine skiing are the downhill, the slalom, and the giant slalom.

Main Points: I. The first major race in alpine skiing is the downhill

II. The second major race in alpine skiing is the slalom.

III. The third major race in alpine skiing is the giant slalom.

Selecting Topic & PurposeHere are several specific purpose statements for classroom speeches. Identify the problem with each, and rewrite the statement to correct the problem.

1. To inform my audience how to make perfect popcorn every time.

2. To inform my audience about the growth of credit card fraud and the methods of sound financial planning.

3. What is obsessive compulsive disorder?4. To inform my audience why square

grooves are superior to U-shaped grooves on golf clubs.

5. To inform my audience about Thailand.6. Donate blood.7. To persuade my audience that

something has to be done about the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Activity

Write Your Specific Purposeand Central Idea statements

What’s the role of the introduction?

Gain attention and interestReveal the topicEstablish credibility and goodwillPreview the body of the speech

What’s the role of the conclusion?

Signal the end of the speechReinforce the central idea

Activity

Setting the Hook:

Design an attention-grabbing opening for the introduction of your final individual speech.

Organizing Your Speech• Organizing and supporting the main points

of your presentation– Ordering your speech– Connectives

Organizing Your Speech• Outlining your presentation

– The preparation outline– The speaking outline

Informative Presentation Guidelines• Limit the amount of information• Adjust level of complexity• Stress relevance and usefulness• Relate new information to old• Make speech easy to remember• Focus audience attention

Supporting Materials

• Examples• Statistics

• Testimony

“I am not one of those who in expressing opinions confine

themselves to facts.”

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and

statistics.”

Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Organizing Your SpeechEach of the following statements violates at least one of the criteria for effective supporting materials. Identify the flaw (or flaws) in each statement.

Critiquing a Speech• Focusing on the positive

• Content– Organization and flow– Strong introduction and conclusion– Transitions– Appropriate to audience– Meeting the goal/purpose

Critiquing a Speech• Delivery

– Voice– Language – Movement and gestures

• Visual Aids

Organizing Your SpeechEach of the following statements violates at least one of the criteria for effective supporting materials. Identify the flaw (or flaws) in each statement.

Elements of Delivery: VoiceVolumePitchRate/pacingPausesVocal varietyArticulationPronunciationDialect

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

Activity

Voice InflectionRead the following sentence emphasizing the highlighted word:

I didn’t say you are crazy.

"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a

rightly timed pause."

- Mark Twain

Activity

Vocal Exercise

Reading a speech excerpt

Elements of Delivery: Gesture

NaturalRelaxedUnobtrusiveCoordinated with speechConsistent with messageVariedAppropriate to audience and situation

Elements of Delivery: Movement Purposeful movementPosture & appearance

Elements of Delivery: Eye Contact Shows interest in audiencePromotes credibilityMaintains connectionGauge audience response

Practical tips

Critiquing a Speech• Focusing on the positive

• Content– Organization and flow– Strong introduction and conclusion– Transitions– Appropriate to audience– Meeting the goal/purpose

Critiquing a Speech• Delivery

– Voice– Language – Movement and gestures

• Visual Aids

Practical tips

Value of Visual Aids

• Gain and maintain audience attention• Help audience understand and remember

your message• Graphically support your message• Illustrate a sequence of events or

procedures

Common Visual Aids

PowerPoint slidesChartsPhotosDrawings/IllustrationsFlip chartWhiteboard

ModelsHandoutsSamplesCD-ROMVideo

Visual Aid Tips

Consider your audienceThink of your speech objectiveBe realistic about your skillsKnow the roomRehearse with your visual aids