CMST&220 - Public Speaking Notes

Textbook: Public Speaking for College & Career by Hamilton Gregory

“The only message that counts is the one that is received.”

i wrote this with no sleep. slightly unhinged

Unit 0 - Extra in class stuff

Chaos + Order: Yin and Yang > Life of balance

• Chaos + Order - communicate by having part of each other.

  • eg. Having things in common (relatability)

• Communication allows balance

  • Learned by your environment (people around you).

    • Communication is the power of people

• How you send a message is important

  • Communicate for benefit of the receiver

Knowledge of the audience will improve your presentation. [DEMOGRAPHICS]

• Vocal quality is sigma

Values>Morals>Ethics

• Ethics - How to do the most right/least wrong thing. (doing things in the best way for the audience)

• Values - Ethics are situational based on majority, values are individually based.

• Morals - Right vs. Wrong

Have respect for the audience.

Convincing People with the Formula:

• Start with “WHY” so people recognize you for your brand, not your product.

  • Meet their beliefs to earn their trust

• Believe > What

  • People show up for their beliefs, not yours.

  • “I have a dream” > “I have a plan”

• Specific with words

  • Call things easy for relatability

  • Ask questions to pique interest

• Use body language

  • Taking space, leaning, gestural movement, showing emotion

Unit 0.5 - Assigned Video Notes

Unit 1 - Introduction to Public Speaking

Benefits of a Public Speaking Course

1. Learn how to speak to an audience.

2. Learn skills that apply to one-on-one communication.

3. Develop the oral communication skills that are prized in the job market.

4. Learn in an ideal environment for gaining experience and building confidence.

The Speech Communication Process

Speaking and communicating are not the same. You can speak to a listener, but if the listener doesn’t understand your message in the way you meant it to be understood, you have failed to communicate it.

• Elements of the process

  • Speaker - Source of message, getting through to listeners.

  • Listener - Recipient of message, focus and listen to speaker

  • Message - Sent in form of symbols (verbal/nonverbal)

    • Use clear and specific symbols (apple, smoking trouble)

    • Combine verbal and nonverbal symbols to strengthen message

  • Channel - Medium used to communicate message.

  • Feedback - Response listeners give speaker

    • Verbal (questions, comments) Nonverbal (body language, nodding)

  • Interference - Anything that blocks/hinders communication of a message

    • External (outside, hallway noise, broke A/C) Internal (hunger, tired)

    • Speaker - unfamiliar words, confusing concepts, wack clothing

  • Situation - Context (time, place, circumstance)

The Speaker’s Responsibilities

• Ethical standards - Be honest/straightforward, avoiding deceit, unfair, no morals

• Don’t Lie/Distort - not cool (persuasion through distortion)

• Respect Audience - Talking down to listeners

• Reject Stereotyping and Scapegoating

  • Stereotype: Generalization of a larger community based on actions of some.

  • Scapegoating: Person/group unfair blame for real/fake wrongs by majority.

• Enrich/Improve Lives - “What will my listeners get from this?”

Quick Guide to Public Speaking

• Preparation

  • Audience (reach listeners, find out about them and adapt speech).

  • Topic (choose smth interesting to you and know about. Interesting to listeners, worth it. Narrow topic.)

  • Purposes + central idea

    • General purpose; to inform, persuade etc.

    • Specific purpose; what to achieve with audience.

    • Central idea; message of speech in 1 sentence.

  • Finding materials - interview, personal exp, example, stats, story, quote

  • Organization - 2/3 main points that explain or prove central idea, develop main points with support material.

  • Transitions - transition words/phrases. Intro - grab attention. Conclusion - Summary and close with quote or story.

  • Outline - Make sure: Serves to explain, illustrate, or prove central idea

  • Speaking Notes, practice

• Delivery

  • Self-confidence. Approach + Beginning - calm start, take ur time

  • Eye contact, Speaking rate, Expressiveness (voice phrasing), Clarity + Volume, Gesture + Movement, Posture + Poise (good posture), Use of notes, Enthusiasm, Ending + Departure (nonchalant outro, ‘questions?’)

Unit 2 - Managing Nervousness

its ok to skibidi (mess up)

How to manage

• Planning stage

  • Choose topic you know well. Prepare thoroughly. Don’t memorize speech >:(. Positive Visualization (delusion). Focus on audience rather than urself. Plan visual aids. Make arrangements (inspect location, plan for problem). Practice intro.

• Before Speech

  • "i have everything”. Get used to the place. Release tension (ungeorge floyd)

• During Speech

  • Pause (take time). Rationalize symptoms of stress. Communication, not performance. Ppl don’t see it gang. Don’t be a pick me “i’m nervous uwu sorry” and apologize. Confidence. Mog audience by staring back. Speak normal speed. Ask question to get audience reaction. Release energy with movement. Its ok to not be perfect <3. Its for the experience.

Unit 3 - Listening

Hearing vs. Listening: Hearing occurs when your ears pick up soundwaves. Listening is using ur brain and making sense of things heard.

How

• Be prepared (sleep). Expect to use energy. Listen nd analyze (focus on main ideas, evaluate supporting information.). Take notes. Don’t get distracted. Listen fr don’t pmo. Hear them out!. Control emotions.

Listener’s Responsibilities

• Show courtesy respect. No phone. No multitask. Encourage speaker by skibidi!. Find value in every speech.

• Evaluate Speech

  • Establish criteria, listen objectively, take notes, look for both pos/neg aspects, give pos comment first, negative comments given with pos alternatives, ignore nervousness, be specific.

• Receiving Evaluation

  • Don’t argue/counter. Seek clarification. Strive improvement.

Unit 4 - Reaching the Audience

• Some speeches are ineffective because the speaker is self-centered, focusing on their insecurities. They fail to focus on the audience and their needs. Be audience centered, connect with listeners and offer a meaningful experience.

• Analyze and adapt: Analyze listeners to find out who they are and where they stand. Adapt the speech to the listener’s knowledge level and viewpoints. [CUSTOMIZING]

  • Not all speech works well with all types of groups. Some fw u nd some don’t.

  • Customize for all subgroups in an audience. (eg. younger nd older group)

  • Don’t sacrifice ethics!!!! (not sigma)

Getting Information about the Audience

• Interviewing

• Surveys - Open-ended questions / closed questions

Audience Diversity

• Demographics: Sex, Age, Education, Occupation, Religious Affiliation, Economic and Social Status, International Listeners, income, etc.

• Psychographics: Attitudes, beliefs, preferences, expectations, goals.

Avoid

• Social taboo, Slang (unprofessional speak), Too casual, Stereotyping, Jargon (professional slang), Ethnocentrism (assuming things based off own cultural views. means belief of one’s own cultural group being superior to other groups.)

HOW TO FIX NO REACTION LAME AUDIENCE

• Invite audience participation.

• Use dynamic action with movement/vocals.

Unit 5 - Selecting Topic, Purpose, and Central Idea

Choose a Subject/Topic

• Care about

• Can Master (personal experience)

• Interests audience

• Narrow/focus presentation

The General Purpose

• To inform

• To persuade

• To entertain

Statement

• Thesis statement - What is your claim?

• Purpose statement - What is your point?

• Specific purpose statement - “After presentation, audience will ___?”"

The Specific Purpose

• Begin statement with infinitive “to ___”

• Reference audience “to my listeners”

• Limit statement to 1 big idea.

• Make statement precise. (concise, yet specific and clear)

• Don’t do too much. Specific > broad

• Not too technical. (technical, complicated = confusing)

WIIFM - What’s in it for me

Unit 6 - Finding Information

• Begin with Purpose Statement before starting research. (turn it into a question, “how can we skibidi?”

• Plan ahead and give yourself extra time (optional)

Misconceptions ab Research

• Searching websites is better than using trad library resources such as books. XXX

  • Its more time consuming.

• Websites are more accurate

  • nah

Preparing for an Interview

• Make an appt, conduct research beforehand, prepare questions, decide how to record the interview

Conducting an Interview

• Start in a friendly relaxed manner, get biographical information, ask both prepared and spontaneous questions (close/open end/clarifying/follow up question), ask about other sources and visual aid, ask if missed any question, end interview on time

Follow up

• Expand notes, evaluate info, write thank you note

Unit 7 - Evaluating Information and Avoiding Plagiarism

Unit 8 - Supporting Your Ideas

Unit 9 - Presentation Aids

Unit 10 - The Body of the Speech

Well organized (logical)’

• Main points (3-5)

• 1 idea per point

• State then claim, then support

• Customize for your audience

• Use parallel constrction

Patterns of Organization

Chronological, Spatial, Problem- Solution, Cause and Effect, Topical

Support Material

Transitions

Unit 11 - Introductions and Conclusions

Like a Court Case

• Opening Statement - Intro

• Evidence - Body

• Closing Statement - Conclusion

Intro “Jobs”

1. Get attention

   • Grabbers, hooks

     • Stories, question, quote, quote, visual aid.

2. Orient the Audience

   • Background info, establish credibility

3. Preview Body

   • Central Idea

   • Main Points

   • Never Apologize