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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.