Public Speaking: Reflection Essays Packet

Note: All reflection papers (Journals) are due at the end of the semester.The date will be determined later.

Revised: Fall 2016

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Public Speaking: Reflection Essays

A reflection essay is a piece of writing that basically involves your views and about each one of the speeches that you will deliver this semester (Informative, Persuasive, Poetry & Tribute). The goal of a reflection essay is to not only discuss what you learned about each speech, but to also critique your deliveries. You are required to write four reflection essays. Each essay is required to be written with 500 words or more (page and a half) 12 font/doubled spaced/Times Roman.

Reflection Essay # 1: (Informative Speech) In your observation, what were your strengths and challenges that you encountered when you wrote and delivered your Informative speech? Please explain based on the methods sheet.

500 words or more

Reflection Essay # 2 : (Persuasive Speech) Do you think that persuasive speaking is an important aspect of our global community--why or why not? Based on your speech, what tools are needed to effectively deliver a persuasive speech?

500 words or more

Reflection Essay # 3 : ( Poetry Performance) Ms. Graham believes that “poetry is an expression of one’s emotionality!” After delivering your poet’s poem, what were your thoughts about your performance?

500 words or more‘Reflection Essay # 4 : (Tribute Speech) Your final speech reflects the positive character of a famous person who you admire and respect, who has made a positive impact on our global community. With that said, do you think that your past 3 speeches (informative, persuasive and poetry) adequately prepared you for the tribute speech? What skills did you bring with you into this final speech?

500 words or more

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In writing your reflection papers, please consider the following methods below as supporting guides:

Methods of Delivery

Vocal variety/Conversational style/Storyteller

Comments

Voice projection MonotoneAvoided fillers, such as, um, like, tongue, clicking, smackingStood up straight/Good postureAvoided pacing/Rocking/Moving AroundEye contactSmiling Enthusiasm in voiceNo gum chewing ProfessionalismPortfolioAttention GettersVisualization/RelabelingObjects/Demonstration/Free stylingGesturesAnxiety/Breathing techniquesSpeech stayed on podiumWell-developed speech and outlineStand point, closing stand pointAudience centered speechInteraction with partnerHand-outsStrategic pausingFacial expressionsGesturesIntroduction, Poem & SlideCreativityToast & HumorStorytellingInformative languagePersuasive languagePoetic language

Reflection essays are due at the end of the semester. The date will be determined at a later time. NO LATE JOURNALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

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Here is an example of a reflection essay

In your observation, what were your strengths and challenges that you encountered when you wrote and delivered your Informative speech? Please explain based on the methods sheet.

It has been roughly ten years now since I have been out of high school and a lot has changed for me.

Back then I was super quiet, didn’t participate actively in any group projects, and always sat in the

back of a class. The point I am trying to make is that I hated public speaking with a fiery passion. Of

course, once I got out of high school and decided continuing my education wasn’t a priority, I was

forced to work odd jobs in the food and beverage world where a paycheck depended entirely on how

well of a public speaker one could be in order to earn gratuity on top of minimum wage. With time I

actually got pretty good, especially as my time as a bartender. With that being said, push came to

shove and the better I got to talking to people, the more I learned about how important education was

and public speaking. When I learned that I had to take a public speaking class at Horry Georgetown

Technical College, only one phrase came to mind. Bring it on! The first speech, the informative

speech, was basically two pages of persuading the audience why my hobbies were awesome.

Fly fishing, backpacking, and shed collecting are hobbies that I am extremely passionate about, and

had no trouble what so ever putting them into words that my audience could understand and relate to.

At first, I was actually slightly nervous about standing in front of my classmates and presenting the

written material about my hobbies. I knew I had plenty of attention getters, a few dry jokes to prevent

anyone from falling asleep, and background pictures to keep my audience in awe. For some reason, I

suppose I just felt slightly out of place because of the age gap between me and my fellow classmates.

However, as I went through my speech and heard a few laughs and several people complimenting my

pictures in the background, I began to loosen up a little. The biggest problem I had was trying to make

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eye contact with my audience and then immediately afterwards losing my place in my speech and

trying to pick up where I left off. According to my graded rubric, eye contact was something I needed

to work on a little more. Also, apparently I was paying more attention to my objects on display when it

came time to answering questions about the hobbies to the class. I don’t consciously remember doing

that, but I suppose now I’ll be better prepared about what I should and shouldn’t do when it comes

time for the next informative speech I may give in the future.

If I had to go back and perform my informative speech again, I think I probably would have to practice

a little more beforehand. The assignment called for reading the speech out loud in front of a mirror or

friends and family at least 25 times altogether. I think I read it out loud probably half that amount. This

wasn’t the first time I have presented an informative speech in front of a group of people though. I

gave one a little over a year ago in front of the South Carolina Wildlife Society in Columbia, South

Carolina in front of 200 natural resource professionals but for some reason I was more excited than

nervous. Another time was last May when I had to give a speech in front of the HGTC faculty and the

president of the college about my successful college experience. This time, however, was the first time

I was being graded and perhaps that was why I was a little nervous at first.

Word count: 625

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