PBSP final

Q: What is public speaking?

A: A speech in, by, and for the public; a form of free expression, ethical practice, cultural action, and multidimensional communication across personal, professional, and public contexts.

Q: What is the primary goal of public speaking?

A: To persuade the audience to believe what the speaker advocates.

Q: What is the basic communication process?

: Sender → Message → Channel → Receiver (who decodes the message).

Q: What are the types of communication?

A: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational, mass, and public.

Q: What is free speech?

A: The right to express opinions without government censorship, except for incitement, defamation, slander, and libel.

Q: Why are ethics important in public speaking?

A: Offending audiences does not persuade; hate speech, baseless claims, and demagoguery should

Q: What does “difference” mean in public speaking?

A: Recognition that all people are complex and shaped by multiple identities.

Q: What is defensive speaking/listening?

A: Reacting protectively instead of engaging productively across differences.

Q: Why is being challenged important in public speaking?

A: It deepens conversation and critical thinking.

Q: What is bias?

A: Interpreting others through preconceived beliefs, often inaccurately.

Q: What is stereotyping?

A: Projecting bias onto individuals or groups.

Q: What is ethnocentrism?

A: Believing one’s culture is superior to others.

Q: Why is speaking for others problematic?

A: It removes their ability to speak for themselves.

Q: What is disengagement?

A: Withdrawing from discussion when feeling threatened.

Q: Myth: Everyone is a natural public speaker.

A: False—public speaking is a learned skill.

Q: Myth: You either have it or you don’t.

A: False—practice and training improve speaking.

Q: Myth: Public speaking is just reading aloud.

A: False—effective speaking is engaging and conversational.

Q: Myth: Style or substance alone is enough.

A: False—both are necessary.

Q: What is public speaking anxiety?

A: Nervousness or fear associated with speaking to an audience.

Q: Name 3 ways to manage public speaking anxiety.

A: Practice, preparation, knowing your audience, confidence, healthy habits.

Q: Why isn’t public speaking universal?

A: Effectiveness depends on the specific situation and moment.

Q: Who is the speaker in a speaking situation?

A: The individual shaped by personal experiences, culture, and education.

Q: What is an audience?

A: People addressed who may change opinions or behavior based on the speech.

Q: What is the occasion?

A: The event or moment the speech marks.

Q: Why does environment matter?

A: Location affects delivery and audience reception.

Q: What is immediacy?

A: Physical or perceived closeness between speaker and audience.

Q: What is an argument?

A: A well-supported, well-reasoned assertion about the world.

Q: What is a claim?

A: A statement expressing how the world is or should be.

Q: What is a thesis statement?

A: A single sentence stating the central argument of the speech.

Q: What are main points?

A: Claims that support the thesis.

Q: What are subpoints?

A: Smaller assertions supporting main points.

Q: What is evidence?

A: Credible information used to support a claim.

Q: What is inartistic evidence?

A: Evidence not created by the speaker (e.g., statistics, testimony).

Q: Examples of inartistic evidence.

A: Definitions, testimony, statistics, laws, precedents, narratives.

Q: What is artistic evidence?

A: Evidence created by the speaker during the speech.

Q: What is logos?

A: Logical reasoning.

Q: What is ethos?

A: Speaker credibility.

Q: What is pathos?

A: Emotional appeal.

Q: What is a warrant?

A: Reasoning that connects evidence to a claim.

Q: What is a logical fallacy?

A: An argument that seems logical but is not.

Q: Ad hominem fallacy?

A: Attacking the person instead of the argument.

Q: Bandwagon fallacy?

A: Something is right because it’s popular.

Q: Slippery slope fallacy?

A: A small step leads to extreme outcomes.

Q: Strawman fallacy?

A: Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument.

Q: False dilemma fallacy?

A: Presenting only two options when more exist.

Q: Red herring fallacy?

A: Distracting with irrelevant information.

Q: What is research?

A: Collecting and considering ideas and evidence to support claims.

Q: What is brainstorming?

A: Generating ideas for possible speech topics.

Q: What are academic sources?

A: Peer-reviewed research by scholars.

Q: What is plagiarism?

A: Using someone else’s work without credit.

Q: Name 3 types of plagiarism.

A: Global, incremental, patchwork, self-plagiarism.

Q: What is organization in a speech?

A: How key elements are arranged.

Q: What are the parts of a typical introduction?

A: Attention getter, thesis, relevance, credibility, preview.

Q: What is the body of a speech?

A: Where arguments, evidence, and claims are developed.

Q: What is a transition?

A: A phrase that connects main points.

Q: What is a call to action?

A: Telling the audience what to do next.

Q: What is impromptu speaking?

A: Speaking with little or no preparation.

Q: What are topoi?

A: Common lines of argument usable for many topics.

Q: Name three common topoi.

A: Possible/impossible, cause/effect, past/future fact.

Q: What is extemporaneous speaking?

A: Prepared speech delivered from notes.

Q: Why is eye contact important?.

A: Builds connection and engagement

Q: What is vocal variety?

A: Changing tone to avoid monotony.

Q: What is proxemics?

A: How a speaker uses physical space.

Q: What are speaking aids?

A: Tools that help reinforce a message visually, audibly, or physically.

Q: Types of speaking aids?

A: Visual, audio, haptic, olfactory, environmental, digital.

Q: What is active listening?

A: Fully engaging, understanding, and responding thoughtfully.

Q: How can audiences listen effectively?

A: Be attentive, open-minded, and engaged.

Q: What is a policy speech?

A: Advocates action to solve a public problem.

Q: What is confirmation bias?

A: Favoring info that supports existing beliefs.

Q: What persuasion strategies work best?

A: Empathy, repetition, moral reframing, anticipation of counterarguments.

Q: What is a commemorative speech?

A: Praises a person, place, event, or value.

Q: Examples of commemorative speeches?

A: Toasts, eulogies, commencements, acceptance speeches.