midterm (COM101)

• Public speaking


  The process or act of performing a presentation (or a speech) focused around an individual directly speaking to a live audience in a structured, deliberate manner in order to inform, influence, or entertain them
• Material


  The subject that the speaker explores or discusses during their presentation or speech. It is the central idea or theme around which the speaker builds their argument, evidence, and stories.
• Principles of Effective Public Speaking (4Ms)


  • Audience
  • Expertise
  • Purpose
  • Relevance
• Message


  The main points to the central idea or theme that the speaker wants to convey to the audience. It is the core of the speech or presentation and serves as a guide for all other elements, such as the supporting evidence, anecdotes, and examples. It is critical because it determines the impact and effectiveness of the presentation.
• Speech according to purpose


  • to inform
  • to entertain
  • to persuade
• Methods of delivery


  The way in which a speaker presents their speech or presentation to the audience
• Methods of delivery


  • Manuscript
  • Memorized
  • Impromptu
  • Extemporaneous
• Manners in speech


  The way in which a speaker uses their voice and language to communicate their message effectively to the audience. These include volume, tone, pace, pronunciation, articulation, inflection, pause, and body language. These also refer to the ethical standards in delivering a speech in public.
• Ethical standards in public speaking


  • Observe ethically sound goals
  • Prepare all the time
  • Tell the truth
  • Be sensible and sensitive
• Non-verbal communication


  All kinds of responses that are not expressed in words
• Importance of non-verbal communication


  • Enhances and emphasizes the message
  • Can communicate all feelings, attitudes, and perceptions as well as expressing anything without saying a word
  • Sustains the attention of listeners and keeps them engaged in the speech
  • Reflects what type of speaker a person is
  • Makes the individual more dynamic and animated in the delivery
• Aspects of non-verbal communication


  • Using eye contact
  • Using facial expressions
  • Using gestures
  • Using a good posture
  • Clothing and appearance
• Body language


  The speaker's body movements which include eye contact, facial expressions, posture, and gestures
• Gesture interpretation


  • openness
  • aggressiveness
  • dominance
  • defensiveness
  • boredom
  • frustration
  • readiness
  • confidence
• Vocal elements


  Pitch, volume, rate, tone, articulation, pauses, pronunciation
• Proxemics


  The space and distance between the speaker and the audience
• Colors


  Reflect people's personality and reveal character. An individual's choice of colors in terms of clothes and visual aids matter to the audience.
• Touch


  A physical contact used to communicate love, care, or comfort
• Non-verbal patterns


  • Power, dominance, superiority
  • Submission, apprehension, nervousness
  • Boredom or disinterest
  • Secretiveness and dishonesty
• Non-verbal patterns indicating submission, apprehension, nervousness


  • Palm-up handshake
  • Fidgeting
  • Fingers clasped
  • Head down
  • Minimum eye contact
  • Throat-clearing
  • Constant blinking
• Non-verbal patterns indicating boredom or disinterest


  • Lousy handshake
  • Shuffling papers
  • Cleaning fingernails
  • Minimal eye contact
  • Looking at door, watch, window
  • Playing with objects on desk
  • Picking at clothes
• Non-verbal patterns indicating evaluation


  • Hand gripping chin with index finger up
  • Slightly tilted head
  • Nodding
  • Slight blinking of eyes
  • Stroking chin
  • Raised eyebrow and head tilted back
  • Index fingers to lips
  • Squinting but with good eye contact
  • Pulling upper lip
  • Ear turned toward the speaker
  • Glasses in mouth
  • Body parallel to the speaker or turned toward the speaker
  • Casual tapping of the foot
• Building a connection with the audience enhances engagement, increases the speaker's credibility, helps tailor the message, creates a positive atmosphere, and encourages feedback. When the audience feels a connection with the speaker, they are more likely to pay attention, retain information, and respond positively to the message.
• Audience analysis


  A process of looking into the behavior, values, beliefs, or even the culture of the audience, so the speaker will know what and what not to say, how to say it, and when to say it
• Sample audience analysis worksheet


  • Age range
  • Male-female ratio
  • Educational background
  • Educational institution
  • Place of residence
  • Marital status
  • Economic status
  • Language spoken
  • Religious affiliations or beliefs
• Impromptu speech


  To be done without being planned, organized, or rehearsed in any way, shape, or form
• Characteristics of an impromptu speech


  • Limited to no preparation time (could be three minutes or less)
  • Short presentation time (two to seven minutes)
  • Points are organized spontaneously
• Past, present, future strategy


  1. Reflecting on the past related to the topic

  2. Describing the current situation in the present

  3. Sharing thoughts or predictions for the future
• Point-reason-example/explanation-point (PREP) strategy


  1. Making a clear point

  2. Providing a reason

  3. Giving an example or explanation

  4. Restating the point to summarize the key ideas
• Opening, rule of three, clincher strategy


  1. Starting with a strong opening

  2. Followed by three supporting details or information

  3. Ending with a clincher that leaves a lasting impression on the audience
• Bridging strategy


  1. Acknowledging the current topic or question

  2. Providing a brief response or comment

  3. Connecting it to a related topic or question
• Reframing strategy


  Taking a statement or question and rephrasing it in a way that shifts the focus or changes the perspective on the topic
• Playing the devil's advocate strategy


  Temporarily adopting a position that is opposite to one's own in order to explore the potential strengths and weaknesses of different arguments or perspectives
• Extemporaneous speech


  Delivering a speech or presentation without a prepared script or memorized content, relying on notes, outlines, or mental preparation to organize ideas and key points
• Characteristics of an extemporaneous speech


  • Flexible and adaptable
  • Has a more conversational and informal tone
  • Relies on research, clear organization, and practiced delivery
  • Speech is delivered spontaneously, using only an outline or notes
• How much background should you give to the audience?


  • Assume that the audience knows no more and no less than the average person
  • The more of a "big deal" the topic is, the more the audience will have heard about it
  • The "closer" the topic is to the audience's life, the more they are likely to know about it
• Purpose of extemporaneous speech


  • To inform (exposition)
  • To entertain
  • To persuade
• Informative extemporaneous speech


  • It is important for the speaker to explain the context of the question and provide the necessary background information for the audience to understand the arguments
• How much background should you give to the audience


  • Assume that the audience knows no more and no less than the average person
  • The more of a "big deal" the topic is, the more the audience will have heard about it
  • The "closer" the topic is to the audience's life, the more they are likely to know about it
• Entertaining extemporaneous speech


  • Humor is certainly one form of entertainment. But when it comes to entertaining the audience, it is about making the speech pleasant to listen to from beginning to end
  • Talented extemporaneous speakers use word choice, vocal inflection, pacing, volume and gestures to add interest to their speech