GEC 5

• Audience analysis


  A process of looking into the behavior, values, beliefs, or even the culture of the audience
• Audience analysis is usually done by identifying the demographic profile of your audience. However, situational and psychological factors can also be considered.
• Maslow's hierarchy of human needs


  • Physiological
  • Safety
  • Love/Belonging
  • Esteem
  • Self-actualization
• Room set-ups for presentations

  • Theater style
  • Classroom style
  • Chevron style
  • Modified chevron
  • Semi-circle or Circle
  • Cluster Style
  • Hollow Square or Rectangle
  • Boardroom
  • Perpendicular style
  • U-shape
• Large group (40 or more participants)


  • Theater style accommodates the most people per area, about 10-13 square feet per person, appropriate for lectures and keynotes, note-taking cumbersome for audience
  • Classroom style same as theater style but with tables, about 17-20 square feet per person, supports note-taking and use of handout materials
• Small group (below 40 participants)


  • Semi-circle or circle can be set-up with or without tables, presenter's role is minimal, excellent for emotional sessions, encourages a sense of group and bonding
  • Cluster style good for presentations with breakout groups, clusters easily return to being a single group, quick and easy to follow with a meal, table can be either round or small rectangles
  • Hollow square or rectangle for meetings where hierarchy is not an issue, excellent for facilitator meetings, encourages audience participation, awkward to use any visuals
• Smiling and greeting your audience is the kindest things that you can do to your audience. Your audience will feel more comfortable and not intimated when you do so. In most cases, smiling is one way to gain respect from your audience.
• Use the pronoun "we" or "you" frequently to minimize the gap between you and the audience. Remember, your speech is about your audience, not you.
• Use layperson's terms in your word choice. Make sure your examples are simple and relatable. When you introduce a new concept or item, it is imperative that you explain it very clearly based on the level of understanding of your audience.
• Effective use of nonverbal cues will make you become a more interesting and dynamic speaker.
• Feel what your audience feels; think what they think. Once you are familiar with the beliefs, values, cultures, and needs of your audience, relate to them. If you see them as a happy audience, show them happiness, too. If they see you as a credible speaker, prove to them that you are one.
• Make your audience feel important. What most effective speakers do usually is they address the audience as "Sir" or "Madam" and use empowering and positive words such as young and beautiful, indefatigable spirit, bright and talented, or dynamic and effective. Connecting with your audience is building relationship, one that is harmonious.
• Before and after your presentation, move around and welcome, greet, and thank your audience. This is also a good strategy in knowing the people who will be listening to you.
• Use words that are not offensive or biased.
• Look in the eyes of the person giving the feedback on your speech to listen attentively.
• Simple words such as "Thank you," "Much appreciated," or "Lovely to hear that from you" can stir positive emotions in your audience.
• Allow audience participation when necessary. This is one way to engage and sustain the attention of your audience.
• Use humor naturally and with caution. Never use green jokes or toilet humor. Be sensitive to your audience.
• For positive disruptions such as adding to your ideas or saying yes to your arguments, just ride along. For negative interruptions such as embarrassing you or showing inappropriate behavior, just relax and keep composed.
• Hold your fire; cling to your positives. Public speaking is not warfare. Positives provide permanent power.
• Anticipate possible questions from your audience. Also, expect some who will ask irrelevant questions. To deal with them, politely ask them to clarify or rephrase their questions.
• Impromptu speech


  A speech delivered with limited preparation time (two minutes or even less in some instances)
• Strategies for impromptu speaking

  1. Use a virtual outline (Past, Present, Future; Point-Reason-Example/Explanation-Point; Opening, Rule of Three, Clincher)

  2. Bridging (building a connection between what you don't know to what you do know)

  3. Reframing (reframing, rephrasing, or redefining a topic the way you like it to be)
• Reframe


  To define or present a topic in a different way than it was originally given
• If you are given a topic you just do not like or one that is not right for you, do not despair -- reframe it as one you would like to respond to
• Redefining a topic

  1. Keep the structure but alter the subject

  2. Rephrase the question

  3. Challenge the question and explain why it is not the right question
• Playing the Devil's Advocate


  Standing on the opposite side of an argument
• Keep your speech brief and to the point
• Do not apologize or say something that will affect your credibility as a speaker
• If you need time to process what to say, begin by greeting your audience and acknowledging their presence
• Read a lot so you are always well-informed of the happenings and knowledgeable about any topic
• Create or recreate a story using your imagination
• Speak slowly and clearly, take a deep breath and stay calm
• Before the speech


  • Smile
  • Relax and think positive
  • Identify your purpose
  • Choose an appropriate structure
  • Focus on what to say first
• During the speech

  • Keep composed and walk slowly
  • Maintain eye contact and begin right away
  • Use appropriate transitional devices
  • Observe appropriate non-verbal cues
  • Observe time limit
  • Shake hand with the one who introduce you
• After the speech


  • Say thank you
  • Return to your place comfortably
• Informative speaking


  Speech about objects or people, speech about processes, speech about events, and speech about concepts
• Chronological pattern


  • Present a history or evolution, or development of your topic in a sequential order, from past up to the present, beginning to end
• Spatial/topical/categorical pattern


  • Inform your audience about the main features, descriptions, or categories of your topic
• Cause-effect pattern


  • Show the causal relationship of an event or phenomenon