David Garcia

    This presentation investigates public speaking as a developing art and one of life's essential skills, going over preparation, presentation, and connection with the audience. In chapter 1, the author discusses the origins of public speaking in ancient Greece covering the four appeals of persuasion Logos, Pathos, Ethos, and Mythos, and the five arts Invention, Arrangement, Style, Memory, Delivery, from Rome. The author draws on the importance of speaking ethically, to espouse the significant need for public speaking for educational success, professional success, and civic engagement. Chapter 2 addresses communication apprehension, describing what causes it disposition, uncertainty, fear of evaluation, etc... and using mind-body strategies for managing visualization, deep breathing and preparation factors for things to do to feel more confident early planning and dry runs. The third chapter is dedicated to Listening. It distinguishes between Listening and passive Hearing and introduces three kinds of Listening: Comprehensive, Critical, and Empathic. Also, it outlines various active strategies to overcome certain, commonly shared barriers to Listening, such as taking notes and using non-verbal signs of feedback. Finally, the fifth chapter discusses the need to adapt to your audience engaging in Audience Analysis. Audience Analysis assesses the audience's demographics, psychographics values, and situational status. Key to adapting is also establishing speaker credibility which is defined as speaker Competence, Trustworthiness, Dynamism, and Sociability which also helps ensure a speaking message is at a maximum level of engagement and impact.    

    This presentation will address the key steps for preparing and developing a speech. We will discuss the topic, research, support materials, and organization of the speech. In Chapter 4, you learn how to identify the speech's General Purpose to inform, persuade, or commemorate a special occasion, and then narrow the focus to develop a specific purpose that includes the topic and what you want the audience to think, feel, or do. Preparing a speech entails brainstorming, making decisions based on audience relevance, and developing a Thesis to preview the main points. Chapter 6 builds on the research process and talks about the importance of research in a speech, developing a research plan, in particular how to search the Internet and library effectively. The focus is on maximizing all search processes, interviews, and evaluating materials for usefulness, intended purpose and validity. Again, it is particularly important to cautioned against plagiarism which is using and presenting other people's ideas or direct quotes from a person or source that needs to be properly cited. You will learn in chapter 7 about various Support Materials that contribute to a speech, especially narratives which can take a personal, cultural, or institutional form, with the goal of drawing an emotional out of the audience/participants. Examples which could be a more general example, specific example, hypothetical examples to clarify your point, definitions which could be functional or analogical to help the audience understand concept and that you can use Facts, Inferences, or opinions and will discuss the role of statistics and types of Testimony expert, celebrity, and lay to establish credibility. Chapter 8 focuses on organization to include major types of organization including Topical, Narrative, Cause and Effect, Problem Solution, and the five steps of Monroe's Motivated Sequence, which are also important to become coherent in organization.

    Here we discuss the last, critical aspects of preparation and delivery, with an emphasis on the psychological effects, language choices, media visuals, and physical delivery. Chapter 9 introduces the primacy and recency effects, asserting that the audience best recall a message's beginning and end. As such, the first and final aspects of a speech are critical to making a good first impression and leaving a lasting impression. Chapter 10 discusses language fundamentals though it is difficult to define language universally, language is arbitrary, ambiguous and active. Importantly, the meanings of words and phrases are based on denotative, formal definitions and connotative, personal experiences. Finally, a speaker should be cautioned against uses of language, such as slang words or phrases, lacks of clarity ambiguity, or gender based interpretations. Chapter 11 discusses the role of presentation media. The key idea is to make sure the visuals are meant to increase engagement, clarity, and retention of ideas, not detract from the audience experience. The principles of effective visual design are, clear and simple visuals, minimizing amount of text on your digital slides to focus on key ideas and principles, and prepare a technical backup plan. Chapter 12 goes on to talk about Speech Delivery, which also promotes the extemporaneous method as the best approach to maintain balance between preparation and spontaneity in conversation. When delivering in strong manner, it is important to consider voice volume, rate of speech, pitch of voice, and effective use of deliberate pauses to avoid the use of filler words, while also taking into account body appearance, movement, gestures, and eye contact to reinforce your message and ultimately turn ideas in to content that is meaningful, impactful, and something that has the potential to stick with your audience.

    The last section on speaking situations discusses specialized forms of presentation and advanced interactions involving communication throughout. Chapter 13 discusses Informative Speaking, which is focused on creating awareness and advancing knowledge through speeches on objects, processes, events, or concepts that follow an organizational pattern such as Chronological or Topical while connecting with and educating the audience. Chapter 14 summarizes Persuasive Speaking, which aims to influence attitudes and behavior by establishing the speaker as an intervener, and lists the various audience types here i.e., Positive, Negative, Divided, Uninformed, or Apathetic to generate strategic adaptations. Chapter 15 interprets the elements of persuading Arguments into three components the Claim Fact, Value, or Policy, the Evidence with support appeals of Logos, Ethos, Pathos, and Mythos, and Reasoning which is the critical formative connection that employs both Deductive general to specific and Inductive specific to general logic. Chapter 16 discusses Distance Speaking and Media Appearances which will emphasize clarity of delivery, uncomplicated visuals, and professional personal appearance for spokespersons who are conveying key organizational messages through an interview. Then, Chapter 17 outlines Special Occasion Speeches for Introductions, Nominations, Tributes, Roasts, Toasts, as well the quick Elevator Speech. All of these items will require speakers to dress appropriately for the moment, evoke the correct emotional response, and above all, remaining composed until the speech is concluded.