We have all listened to many public presentations in our lives, and the majority of them are simply bad. This is due to many reasons, such as:

1. the speaker is not trained

Most speakers have never learned how to give an appropriate speech - they are asked to speak because they did something or they know something. For example, Mary has organized a Neighborhood Watch Program and is asked to speak to the City Council.

2. the speaker is lazy

Many speakers refuse to put in the hard work that is involved in creating a speech. Every speech takes time and effort; you can't simply crank out a piece of art. We are all aware of the painstaking work that is involved in the creation of an effective essay, a beautiful painting, a haunting poem, or a successful advertising campaign, but we tend to think, "Heck; speaking is easy. I've been talking all my life!"

3. the speaker suffers from either positive or negative egocentricity

Positive egocentricity is being self-centered, not audience-centered. It is thinking, "I'm great!" rather than, "How can I help this audience understand the ideas here?"

Negative egocentricity is similar to positive, only the mirror image: the speaker is scared spitless because they are thinking of themselves and their performance rather than the audience's understanding.

4. the speaker reads a bloodless "essay" standing on his/her feet.

Many speakers write their speech out in an essay form and then read the essay they have written. They do not listen to themselves. There is an old saying, "A speech is not an essay standing on it's feet." This means we speak differently than we write. Poor speakers either forget this or do not understand that communication is a contextual process.

Each one of these problems creates a poor quality speech and wastes the audience's time - the number one sin of any speaker. A person who gives a poor quality 20 minute speech to 200 people has wasted over 60 hours of audience time. If a speaker is not willing to put in the time, then the rewards can't be expect.

Introduction | Stage Fright | Ethics

Building a Speech

There are many elements of speechmaking and each element is as important as the next. In order to create an effective speech, all of these elements must be involved. Communication is a holistic process; therefore, even though you will not have had a lecture or reading assignment which covers a specific area when your first graded speech is due, I can not simply ignore that area. Because of this aspect in the process of communication, I will go over the basic elements of speech making briefly as you prepare your first speech. Please realize I will be lecturing on each of these aspects in more depth throughout the term:

1. Audience analysis

Every speaker needs to know and understand the audience to whom they are speaking, for every audience is made up of different people. No two presentations will be alike because no two audiences are alike. The speaker needs to interact directly with that specific audience in order to be effective. We understand that we do not speak in the same manner when we talk to our friends as compared to our boss; we use a different approach in order to persuade each of situation, even if we are trying to convince them of the same thing. A public presentation is no different.

2. Organization

This is the logical ordering of the points of your speech. Recognize that your audience does not know your topic nor where you want to take the audience with that topic. We as an audience need to be able to follow what you say; it needs to make sense to us.

Do the points make sense? Does it follow in a logical pattern?

"I went to school at Montclair High School. I was born in July, 1950. I have two children. I received my Bachelor's degree in 1982. I was so shy when I was young that my aunts and uncles did not know I could speak." That is not logical and it is hard to follow.

3. Supporting materials

You need to support what you say. Never simply utter a sentence, but support your ideas. We want proof that what you say is correct. We also want to understand your specific ideas.These needs of the audience will be covered by supporting your ideas.

"I have raised two sons who are really old now. My oldest son, Christopher, is 27. I am always amaze he lived past the age of 16.....not because he was so reckless, but because I thought I just might have to kill him.

"My youngest son is 25. David was always that precocious child who needed to understand the 'why' of everything. He was the kid who would take apart things to find out how they ran.....the clocks, the VCR, the computer."

By supporting my statements, I help you understand what I mean by "really old" as well as support my statement that I have two sons.

4. Transitions

Transitions help the audience move from one point to another. Once again, this helps us follow your thoughts and ideas in a logical manner. Think of transitions as the link between ideas. A strong transition should not hit the listener over the head, but gently guide them into the next point. This is accomplished by concluding one point and introducing the next, while finding the bridge or connection between the two points.

"Raising two sons has not only been a challenge as a single parent, but ithas been a joy."

My first point, that raising two kids is a challenge, is concluded and you can easily understand that the speech is moving into the idea of the joys of parenthood.

5. Introduction

The introduction is a vital aspect of any speech. Listeners remember the first things they have heard. It not only tells us the topic of discussion, but it's purpose is to get us interested, involved, to narrow down the focus of the speech, and to help the speaker attain some credibility. If there is no introduction, the speaker has to work even harder to attain our interest and involvement.

6. Conclusion

As important (and just as often overlooked) is the conclusion. Listeners remember the first things they have heard....and the last. The purpose is to summarize the content of the speech and to give it that note of finality.

7. Language

The language you chose to describe things, discuss things and argue things can help or it can hinder the audience's understanding. There are three aspects of language that must be observed: it should be interesting, active and above all else, clear. Allow the audience to see what you are describing. Use examples and creative language to accomplish this. But remember, do not get carried away and lose the clarity aspect. If you do, we will have an image, but it will be fuzzy.

8. Delivery

Delivery is the method of actually giving the speech. It includes all aspects of nonverbal communication: eye contact, gestures, voice, movement, facial expressions, and clothing. You are able to help the audience better interpret your message if your delivery is congruent with your words.

Introduction | Building a Speech | Ethics

Stage Fright

Comedian George Jessel once said, "The brain is a wonderful thing. It never stops working from the time you are born until the moment you stand up to give a speech."

One of the things everyone has in common is that we all have some level of stress involved in giving a speech. The Book of Lists (Wallechinsky et al, 1977) found the Ten Worst Fears (in the United States) are:

1. Speaking before a group
2. Heights
3. Insects and bugs
4. Financial problems
5. Deep water
6. Sickness
7. Death
8. Flying
9. Loneliness
10. Dogs

In fact, comedian Jerry Sienfeld said that is obvious we would rather die than give the eulogy.

The fact that this anxiety is common is something important because we tend to think we are the only ones who experience it. There are different degrees of this felt anxiety - some people feel only a slight twinge of anxiety while on the opposite end of the spectrum some people become aphasiac (lose the ability to speak). Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.

What IS this phenomena? What are the physical changes we experience? Some of the most common physical experiences are:

• heart rate increases
• face/neck flushes
• increased perspiration
• weak knees
• queasy stomach
• dry mouth
• cloudy eyesight
• fuzzy thinking (brain damage!)

These are all physical reactions to the increased flow of adrenaline. And when we experience these physical changes, we label it as F E A R! It is the same reaction as when we suddenly see a car speeding toward us, when we see a child in the middle of traffic, and when an athlete enters the playing field.

The "fight or flight" syndrome is what happens....and it spurs us to action. We jump out of the way of the speeding car, we run out and grab the child, and the athlete has a higher level of performance. But with presenting a speech, we think....no...can't run so have to put up with this.....

So, we want to relax and feel better, but that creates a paradox. What happens when we relax?

1. we give a boring performance
2. we lack spontaneity
3. we lack conviction
4. we lack sincerity
5. we lack direction

Remember what I said is the #1 sin of any speaker? To waste the audience's time. A boring speech which lacks conviction, direction and spontaneity will do this. So we need some "creative performance tension" but we want to have control over it. Each of us owns our own speech; it doesn't rule us. There are ways to learn how to be in control of your performance tension:

1. Be prepared

Gather your information, research the topic, prepare an organized outline, understand your purpose and direction of the speech. Get all it together

2. Practice

Talk through your speech - OUT LOUD! Never practice the speech in your head. First of all, by practicing your speech out loud, you get used to hearing your voice. It helps you understand where your are going with the speech and how it sounds logically and creatively. Secondly, we think much faster than we speak, so therefore your timing is accurately. Our brains are sneaky; they can skip parts because we know them already. The slower pace of speaking the speech out helps us recognize the holes and missing parts.

Try to simulate the speaking situation as you practice. This will help you stand in front of the audience and speak directly to them when the time of presentation arrives.

Practice while standing up. Unless you are mobility impaired, you will be standing while you present the speech, so do this now. Any way you can simulate the speaking situation helps you when the time comes.

Use any technology available to you: tape recorders (this can help you hear the vocalized pauses and vocal intonation patterns), mirrors (this can help you see your gestures and movements), friends (they can give you creative feedback), even animals are good listeners (and they never get sick of the same speech!)

When you think you have practiced enough, practice some more. I used to tell students to "practice a lot." The problem with this directive is it is too ambiguous. When I first started teaching this subject, I was unsure of my knowledge and would hesitate to suggest to a student he or she needed to practice more. I finally did and the student said, "I practiced a lot!" I nodded and realized I needed to understand what he meant by "a lot." He said, "Five times!" I just shook my head and said, "Oh my....."a lot" to me is at least 10 times that amount!"

Practicing "a lot" means to practice it enough so that you own your speech. You understand the organization, the formation, the reasoning. You are comfortable with the language you are using. You feel the rhythm of the speech. You have not memorized the speech (for that will cause you to lose a feeling of spontaneity), but "own" it.

If the performance tension spurs you toward preparing and practicing, it has done its job. Trying to conquer this tension will only intensify it: your whole focus will be on the way you feel. Use it and let it work for you.

On the day of your presentation, wear comfortable but appropriate clothing. Comfortable so that you can forget that aspect of the speech, and appropriate so that the audience is not distracted by your clothing.

Eat a small meal. This will keep your energy level up.

Try to avoid caffeine. The whole purpose of caffeine is to stimulate. Guess what? You already are stimulated! It also tends to dry out your mouth and increases your heart rate, which in turn increases perspiration.

Take deep breaths - slowly in, holding it for a few seconds, and pushing it out. Yawn several times. Move...gesture and move as you can.

Approach the front of the class with a look of confidence; think positively. Paint a picture in your mind of your success. Plant your feet, look at the audience and smile. Remember you own this speech. You are the expert on your speech. This small pause of silence shows the audience you are in charge and control. Be confident you WILL remember what you have practiced. Concentrate on the materials and the performance, not on yourself and your feelings.

Do not...repeat: DO NOT tell the audience how you are feeling. This shifts the focus from the speech to you the speaker and it makes the audience uncomfortable. The audience must now pay attention to any nervous behaviors. It also shifts your focus from the audience onto yourself. As my mentor Professor Ben Padrow told me, "The audience does not want to care how you feel, only how you look. Your mother will care; call her. But allow the audience to listen to your speech."

And most importantly, remember the audience does not want you to fail. Each person has given up their time to listen to you. They want you to succeed; they are on your side not your enemy.

Introduction | Building a Speech | Stage Fright

Ethics

There are a few basic things to remember when selecting your topic, forming your argument and supports, and presenting your speech. These are the basis of ethics.

Plato said in order to be a speaker, one must be a good person. To speak in favor of evil was evilness in itself. When you select a topic, remember your audience. Such topics as how to create a bomb, how to effectively steal from the college cafeteria or a speech which harms other beings is not ethical. When you are trying to find an appropriate topic, by-pass the sophomoric topics and look for something with substance. A speech on how to prepare a box of macaroni and cheese will waste your audience's time; a speech on what you can creatively do with a box of macaroni and cheese may not.

In order not to waste your audience's time, you need to give them new information. For the most case, a speech for or against abortion, euthanasia or the death penalty would be a waste of time because there is no new information for the audience muse over. These topics have been before the audience hundreds of times and most people have already made their decision on which side of issue they stand. If you found new information and you created innovative ways of presenting this information, then it would be a different story. So keep in mind the level of information you gather - how old it is and how obscure.

Pay attention to the accuracy of your information as well. It is your job to present the most accurate and recent information. When you speak on a topic, we expect you to know what you are talking about.

The presentation of the information is also important. While it can work to get your audience angry, it is not appropriate to incite a riot. The recent Metzer case tried in Portland is proof of this. The speaker is responsible for the actions of the audience if the purpose of the speaker is to incite violence.

This is not a difficult prospect....ethics are easy if you keep your audience in mind as you prepare your speech. Think about what they will need to know to believe you and research your topic with enough depth in order to bring this information to them. Think about what you want to accomplish in your speech and follow through.