Com 3 exam

Audience analysis

Studying the audience so the speech fits their background, beliefs, needs, and situation.

Demographic characteristics

Outward traits of an audience, like age, gender, religion, culture, occupation, education, or region.

Psychographic characteristics

Internal traits of an audience, like beliefs, attitudes, values, and needs.

Stereotyping

Assuming everyone in a group is the same based on one trait.

Totalizing

Treating one characteristic as the whole identity of a person or group.

Heterogeneous audience

An audience made up of different types of people.

Homogeneous audience

An audience whose members are very similar.

Beliefs

Ideas or statements that a person holds to be true.

Attitudes

Positive or negative feelings toward a person, idea, object, or topic.

Values

Deep beliefs about what is right, wrong, important, or worthwhile.

Needs

Things people feel they must have or satisfy, such as safety, belonging, or respect.

Contextual factors

The situation around the speech, including room size, time, audience size, occasion, and setting.

Hearing

The physical process where sound waves hit the ear and are sent to the brain.

Listening

An active process of trying to understand, process, and remember information.

Comprehensive listening

Listening to understand and remember important information.

Empathetic listening

Listening to understand someone’s feelings and motivations.

Appreciative listening

Listening for enjoyment, such as music, poetry, theatre, or movies.

Critical listening

Listening to judge whether the information and arguments are valid.

Planned redundancy

Purposefully repeating structure, like previews, transitions, and summaries, to help the audience follow.

Confirmation bias

Searching for or interpreting information in a way that confirms what someone already believes.

Presentation aids

Resources beyond the speech itself that help strengthen the message.

Main purpose of presentation aids

To improve understanding, memory, interest, and speaker credibility.

Good presentation aids

They are clear, simple, visible, uncluttered, and directly connected to the speech.

Bad presentation aids

They are confusing, messy, distracting, hard to see, or unrelated to the point.

Charts

Visuals that show data or explain an ordered process.

Graph

A visual that shows relationships between numbers or quantities.

Line graph

A graph used to show trends or changes over time.

Bar graph

A graph used to compare different quantities.

Pie graph

A graph used to show parts of a whole.

Pictograph

A graph that uses pictures or symbols to represent data.

Diagram

A visual that shows the parts or structure of something.

Model

A smaller or larger version of something used when the real object cannot be shown.

7 by 7 rule

A slide guideline: no more than about 7 lines of text and 7 words per line.

Slide font size

Text on slides should generally be at least 22 point so the audience can read it.

High contrast

Using clearly different colors for text and background so slides are easy to read.

Technology backup plan

Always be ready in case slides, internet, projector, or files fail.

Language

A formal system of gestures, signs, sounds, and symbols used to communicate thought.

Denotative meaning

The dictionary or objective meaning of a word.

Connotative meaning

The emotional, personal, or cultural meaning connected to a word.

Euphemism

A softer word or phrase used to make something unpleasant sound better.

Abstract language

General language that can create different images in different people’s minds.

Concrete language

Specific language that creates a clearer meaning.

Literal language

Language that means exactly what it says.

Figurative language

Language that uses comparisons, such as similes or metaphors.

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as.”

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things.

Cliché

An overused expression that has become predictable.

Imagery

Sensory language that helps the audience see, hear, smell, taste, or feel something.

Jargon

Specialized language used in a specific field or group.

Slang

Informal language used by a specific group or subculture.

Alliteration

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds.

Antithesis

Contrasting ideas placed in a balanced structure.

Parallelism

Repeating the same grammatical structure.

Anaphora

Repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of sentences.

Hyperbole

Intentional exaggeration for effect.

Irony

Saying something that normally means the opposite, often for humor or emphasis.

Appropriateness

Using language that fits the audience, topic, speaker, and occasion.

Inclusive language

Language that avoids excluding or disrespecting people or groups.

Special occasion speech

A speech designed to fit a specific event and connect with audience emotions.

Key rules for special occasion speeches

Be prepared, adapt to the occasion, adapt to the audience, and watch the time.

Speech of introduction

A short speech that introduces another speaker and prepares the audience to listen.

Speech of presentation

A speech that gives an award, prize, or honor.

Speech of acceptance

A speech given by someone receiving an award or honor.

Acceptance speech structure

Thank the givers, thank those who helped, and explain why the award matters.

Speech of dedication

A speech marking the opening, naming, or honoring of a place or structure.

Toast

A short speech meant to congratulate, appreciate, or remember someone.

Roast

A humorous speech that praises and good-naturedly insults someone being honored.

Eulogy

A speech given in honor of someone who has died.

Lament

To express grief or sorrow.

Console

To offer comfort during a time of grief.

Eulogy structure

Praise, lament, and console.

Speech of farewell

A speech that says goodbye to one part of life while moving to the next.

Commencement speech

A graduation speech that celebrates achievements and gives advice.

After-dinner speech

A humorous speech that still makes a serious point.

Motivational speech

A speech meant to create emotion and inspire the audience to act.

Hero speech

A motivational speech given by someone considered a hero or role model.

Survivor speech

A motivational speech given by someone who overcame tragedy or adversity.

Religious speech

A motivational speech that uses religious ideas to inspire change or reflection.

Success speech

A motivational speech by someone successful who teaches others how to succeed.