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07

The advice about writing also applies to speaking in public. The major difference, of course, is that you not only have to write the speech, but you also have to present it to an audience. Because many people believe that fear of public speaking ranks up there with the fear of death, you might be thinking: What if I plan, organize, prepare, and rehearse, but calamity strikes anyway? What if my mind goes completely blank, I drop my note cards, or I say something totally embarrass-ing? Remember that people in your audience have been in your position and will understand your anxiety. Just accentuate the positive, rely on your wit, and keep speaking. Your recovery is what they are most likely to recognize; your suc-cess is what they are most likely to remember. The accompanying guidelines can help you improve your speaking skills tremendously, including losing your fear of speaking publicly (see the sug-gestions on page 93).

Using Body Language and Your Voice

When you speak, let your hands rest comfort-ably at your sides, reserving them for natural, spontaneous gestures. Don’t lean over or hide behind the lectern. Unless you must stay close to a fixed microphone, move comfortably about the room, without pacing nervously. Some experts suggest changing physical positions between major points to punctuate your presentation. The unconscious message is “I’ve finished with that point; let’s shift topics.” Face your audience, and move toward them while you’re speaking.

Here are additional tips for successful speaking:

• Make eye contact with as many listeners as you can. This helps you to read their reactions, dem-onstrate confidence, and establish command.

• A smile warms up your listeners, although you should avoid smiling excessively or inap-propriately. Smiling through a presentation on world hunger would send your listeners a mixed message.

• As you practice, pay attention to the pitch of your voice, your rate of speech, and your volume. Project confidence and enthusiasm by varying your pitch. Speak at a rate that mirrors

normal conversation—not too fast and not too slow. Consider varying your volume for the same reasons you vary pitch and rate—to engage your listeners and to emphasize impor-tant points.

• Be aware of pronunciation and word choice. A poorly articulated word (such as gonna for going to), a mispronounced word (nuculer for nuclear), or a misused word (anecdote for antidote) can quickly erode credibility. Check meanings and pronunciations in the dictionary if you’re not sure of them, and use a thesaurus for word vari-ety. Fillers such as um, uh, like, and you know are distracting and detract from the quality of your presentation.

• Consider your appearance. Convey a look of competence, preparedness, and success by dress-ing professionally.

Becoming a Better Public Speaker

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07 Communicating Clearly

07

Becoming a Better Public Speaker 93

Successful speaking involves six fundamental steps:

Step 1: Clarify Your Objective

Begin by identifying and clarifying what you want to accomplish. Is your goal to inform your listeners about the student government’s accomplishments? Or, as a commut-ing student, do you want to persuade your listeners that your campus needs additional student parking? What do you want your listeners to know, believe, or do when you are finished?

Step 2: Analyze Your Audience

Understand the people you’ll be talking to. Ask yourself:

• What do they already know about my topic? If you’re going to give a presentation on the health risks of fast food, you’ll want to determine how much your listeners already know about fast food so you won’t bore them or waste their time.

• What do they want or need to know? How much interest do your classmates have in nutrition? Would they be more interested in some other aspect of college life?

• Who are my listeners? What do they have in common with me?

• What are the audience’s attitudes toward me, my ideas, and my topic? How are my listeners likely to feel about the ideas I am presenting? What attitudes have they cultivated about fast food?

Step 3: Collect and Organize Your Information

Now comes the critical part of the process: building your presentation by selecting and arranging blocks of informa-tion. A useful analogy is to think of yourself as guiding your listeners through the maze of ideas they already have so that they gain the new knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs you would like them to have.

Step 4: Choose Your Visual Aids

When visual aids are added to presentations, listeners can absorb 35 percent more information—and over time they can recall 55 percent more. You may choose to prepare a chart, show a video clip, write on the board, or distribute handouts. You may also use your computer to prepare overhead transparencies or dynamic PowerPoint presenta-tions. As you select and use your visual aids, consider these rules:

• Make visuals easy to follow. Use readable lettering, and don’t crowd information.

• Explain each visual clearly.

• Allow your listeners enough time to process visuals.

• Proofread carefully. Misspelled words hurt your credibility as a speaker.

• Maintain eye contact with your listeners while you discuss visuals. Don’t turn around and address the screen.

A fancy slideshow can’t make up for inadequate prepara-tion or poor delivery, but using quality visual aids can help you to organize your material and can help your listeners to understand your message. The quality of your visual aids and your skill in using them can contribute signifi-cantly to the overall effectiveness of your presentation.

Step 5: Prepare Your Notes

If you are like most speakers, having an entire written copy of your speech in front of you may tempt you to read much of your presentation. But a speech that is read word-for-word will often sound canned or artificial. A better strategy is to memorize only the introduction and conclusion and then use a minimal outline, carefully prepared, from which you can speak extemporaneously. You will rehearse thoroughly in advance. But because you are speaking from brief notes, your choice of words will be slightly dif-ferent each time you give your presentation, with the result that you will sound prepared but natural. Since you’re not reading, you also will be able to maintain eye contact and build rapport with your listeners. You may wish to use note cards because they are unobtrusive. (Make sure you number them, in case you accidentally drop the stack on your way to the front of the room.) After you become more experienced, you may want to let your visuals serve as notes. A handout or PowerPoint slide listing key points may also serve as your basic outline. Eventually, you may find you no longer need notes.

Step 6: Practice Your Delivery

As you rehearse, form a mental image of success rather than failure. Practice your presentation aloud several times to harness that energy-producing anxiety. Begin a few days before your target date, and continue until you’re about to go on stage. Make sure you rehearse aloud, as thinking through your speech and talking through your speech have very different results. Practice before an audience — your roommate, a friend, your dog, even the mirror. Talking to someone or something helps simulate the distraction that listeners cause. Consider audiotaping or videotaping yourself to pinpoint your mistakes and to reinforce your strengths. If you ask your practice audience to critique you, you’ll have some idea of what changes you might make.

Six Steps to Better Public Speaking

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94 Chapter Review

07 Chapter ReviewOne-minute paper . . .This chapter has information that you can use to improve your writing and speaking skills. Which strategies struck you as methods that you could or should put into practice? If your instructor could cover one area in more depth, what would you want it to be?

Applying what you’ve learned . . .Now that you have read and discussed this chapter, consider how you can apply what you’ve learned to your academic and personal life. The following prompts will help you reflect on chap-ter material and its relevance to you both now and in the future.

1. Develop a five-slide PowerPoint presentation to introduce yourself to your classmates in a new way. You might include slides that contain points about your high school years, your hobbies, your jobs, your family, and so forth. Use the effective speaking strategies in this chapter to help you outline your presentation. In addition to text, use visuals such as photos, video clips, and art to engage your audience.

2. Before reading this chapter, had you consid-ered the differences between writing an exam response and writing a blog post or responding to someone on Facebook? Think about the online communications you’ve had in the last week. Can you say for certain that you knew exactly who your audience was? Did you send anything that could be misinterpreted or end up being read by someone outside your intended audience? What advice about online communications would you give to other students?

Building your portfolio . . .In the public eyeThe media provide ample opportunities for celeb-rities and public figures to show off their public speaking skills. As you have probably noticed, some celebrities are much better speakers than others. However, being a good public speaker is important not only for those who are “in the public eye.” Whether you want to be a movie star or a marine biologist, potential employers tend to put excellent communication skills at the top of their “must have” list.

1. Identify a public figure who, in your opinion, is a good public speaker.

2. In a Word document, explain why it is impor-tant for that person to speak well. List the specific qualities (e.g., humor, eye contact) that you think make that person a good public speaker.

3. Next, re-create the chart on page 95. Recalling the last time you gave a presentation in front of a group and using a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being excel-lent), rate yourself as a public speaker using the guidelines in the chart.

4. Save your responses in your portfolio on your personal computer or flash drive. The next time you make a presentation, revisit the chart and spend extra time preparing in the areas in which you rated yourself less than “good.”

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Chapter Review 95

Where to go for help . . .

On Campus

Writing center: Most campuses have a writing center—frequently, in the English Department.

Learning assistance center: Learn-ing centers offer assistance with a wide range of learning issues, including help with writing.

Departments of speech, theater, and communications: These depart-ments offer resources and specific courses to help develop speaking skills.

Student activities: One of the best ways to learn and practice speaking skills is to become active in student organizations, especially those such as your student government associa-tion and debate club.

Online

Writing Tips: http://www.uiowa.edu/~histwrit/website/grammar %20help.htm. The University of Iowa’s History Department offers help on common writing mistakes.

Plain Language: http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/ guidelines/reader-friendly.com. Have you ever been confused by government gobbledygook? Here’s a guide to writing user-friendly docu-ments for federal employees.

Toastmasters International Public Speaking Tips: http://www.toastmasters.org.

My Institution’s Resources

1 Poor

2 Fair

3 Average

4 Good

5 Excellent

Level of Preparedness (well-prepared and confident, last-minute tech-nology check)

Professional Appearance (appropriate business attire, including proper shoes)

Effective Vocal Presentation Style (clear and persuasive, paying attention to the pitch of your voice, rate of speech, volume, and correct grammar)

Appropriate Behavior and Speech (no chewing gum, being careful to avoid fillers such as um, uh, like, and you know )

Natural Body Language (good eye contact with the audience, appropriate facial expressions, relaxed posture)

Public Speaking Skills

Note your lowest scores as areas you need to work on as you prepare for your next presentation.

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