Speech Preparation and Delivery Notes

Audience Analysis

• Audience analysis is crucial for any speaking event.
• It involves learning about audience members' attributes and motivations.
• Tools include interviews and surveys.

Topic Selection

• Decide on a topic (unless assigned).
• Consider the speech occasion and reason for speaking.
• Choose topics suitable for your audience.

Speech Purpose

• Direct your speech towards one of three general purposes:
  • To inform
  • To persuade
  • To mark a special occasion
• Formulate a specific speech purpose:
  • A statement of what you want the audience to learn, agree with, or act upon.

Thesis Statement

• Compose a thesis statement to summarize your speech's main point.

Main Points Development

• Organize speech around two or three main points.
• Divide each main point into sub-points.

Speech Structure

• Introduction
  • Draws the audience's interest to the topic, speaker, and thesis.
• Body
  • Contains the main points and sub-points.
• Conclusion
  • Restates the speech thesis and reiterates the main points.

Speech Outline

• Based on principles of coordination and subordination.
  • Coordinate points: Equal importance.
  • Subordinate points: Less weight.
• Working outline:
  • Contains points stated in complete sentences.
  • Used to fully develop ideas.
• Speaking outline:
  • Briefer, uses short phrases or keywords.

Organizational Patterns

• Select an appropriate organizational pattern.

Presentation Aids

• Consider using visual, audio, or a combination to enhance understanding.

Practice

• Practice is crucial.
• Verbal and nonverbal delivery are important.

Managing Speech Anxiety

• Feeling nervous is normal and can be desirable.
• Identify what makes you anxious.
• Public speaking anxiety is a situation-specific social anxiety.
• Being the center of attention is a factor.

Onset of Anxiety

• Pre-preparation anxiety:
  • Occurs when delaying planning for the speech.
  • Modify thoughts and attitudes.
• Preparation anxiety:
  • Stress, procrastination, and avoidance during preparation.
• Pre-performance anxiety:
  • Heightened anxiety right before the speech.
  • Practice positive self-thought.
• Performance anxiety:
  • Most pronounced during the introduction.
  • Use strategies to build confidence.

Strategies to Manage Anxiety

• Prepare & Practice.
• Modify Thoughts & Attitudes.
• Identify Negative Self-Talk.
• Examine Beliefs.
• Replace Negative Thoughts with Positive Statements.
• Visualization:
  • Summon feelings and actions consistent with successful performance.
  • Cognitive restructuring to think more positively.
• Activate Relaxation Response.
  • Rapid heart rate, breathing, dry mouth, faintness, freezing up are fight or flight responses.
  • Techniques: Meditation, stretching, focused body movements, controlled breathing.
• Stress Controlled Breathing:
  • Inhale air into the abdomen, then exhale.
  • Use a soothing word.
• Movement:
  • Use controlled movements, practice gestures, work the space.

Feedback

• Evaluations help identify ways to improve.
• Dynamic between listeners and speakers.

Listening vs. Hearing

• Hearing: Physiological, involuntary process of perceiving sound.
• Listening: Conscious act of receiving, processing, understanding, remembering, and responding.

Selective Perception

• No two audience members process information the same way.
• People selectively pay attention to certain messages.
• We pay attention to what we value and what aligns with our beliefs.
• Evaluate the speaker's message without prejudgment.
• As a speaker, give the audience a reason to care.

Listening Distractions

• Anything that competes for attention.
• External distractions: originate outside.
• Internal distractions: arise from our thoughts and feelings.
• Refrain from multitasking.
• Wait for the speaker to finish before devising arguments.
• Beware of laziness and overconfidence.
• Work to overcome cultural barriers.

Active Listening

• Focused and purposeful.
• Listen for main ideas.
• Watch for nonverbal cues.
• Use critical thinking.
• Set listening goals, identify needs, create action statements, and assess.

Dialogue

• Open sharing of ideas in an atmosphere of respect.
• Encourages both the listener and speaker to reach conclusions together.

Critical Thinking

• The ability to evaluate claims based on evidence and reasoning.
• Evaluate the speaker's evidence.
• Analyze assumptions and biases.
• Assess the speaker's reasoning.
• Consider other viewpoints.

Constructive Criticism

• Be honest and fair.
• Adjust the speaker's style.
• Be selective and compassionate.