What I will be Taking from This Class

Where do I begin?  In my opinion, public speaking is the same if I was talking to one person or a million people.  The way in which you present yourself truly matters.  I don’t think anyone can take enough speaking and writing classes.  This class has given me so much more confidence.  I was happy to learn that there is such a thing as “ethical speaking” because a person with ethics in today’s society is not the norm.  Developing a purpose, adapting to the audience, supporting ideas were extremely helpful.  My thoughts are better organized.  This is the first time I’ve made a power point presentation, and I actually had lots of fun putting it together.  Some other important items I will be taking with me are how important “details” are in a speech.  For an example, the use of precise applicable words during a speech is critical.  It’s important because I want to be sure I am communicating properly and effectively.  Lastly, I really enjoyed presenting all four types of speeches in class.

My Favorite Speech

My favorite speech was the Persuasive Speech because Monroe’s Sequence provides a great foundation to an organized speech.  The use of persuasion can be used in the workplace whether you are trying to convince your supervisor to implement a new procedure or process or take the day off!  I’ve sold print and radio advertising in the past and quickly realized while studying the material that the persuasion speech correlated with selling.  You can use a “persuasive” strategy when trying to return merchandise to a store WITHOUT a receipt.  You must have sharp persuasion skills in order to get your money back or you might end up with a store credit.  People don’t realize how much “persuading” they do throughout their day.  My second favorite speech was the Informative Speech.  In a few days, I will be a leading an “Informational” meeting at work.  I created a full sentence out line and will be following the outline to ensure that my delivery is organized, concise, clear, and of course informative. 

Helpful Concepts from COMM I Class

Hello,

All of the different types of speeches and how to prepare for each type was extremely helpful.  Organization in any speech is “key” to a successful delivery and was equally important to me.  Learning full-sentence outlines were extremely beneficial to me.  The demonstration speech taught me to start from the beginning of a process and end with a final result.  Informative speeches are simply just that – to inform your audience.  The tribute speech was fun and useful and can be used in a variety of settings.  The persuasive was one of my favorite speeches because people persuade others throughout the day and don’t even realize it.  I is important to “think-through” the steps before you begin your speech whether it is to one person or a large group.  I realized that “speaking” to one person must be organized and presented the same as if you were speaking to 100 people. 

Interactive Videos, 15.1

What I liked about Dixie’s speech is that her voice was very smooth and clear, she made great eye contact, her citations were stated at the beginning of each sentence , her thesis and main points were given upfront, and she also did not stand in one place.  Dixie held my attention, and actually had me sold on the concept of home schooling. 

Janine did an excellent job too.  He used the same exact delivery style as Dixie.  What I also liked is he came up with a “compromise” in that "parental involvement” is the goal.  His thesis was clearly stated, and I thought his conclusion was very strong by stating, “Home school is the not answer.”  This was a very direct and confident statement.

Both used the appeals of “ethos” because both speakers were competent, trustworthy, dynamic, and likeable.  Both speakers influenced me, but I’m going to have to go with Janine.

Types of Claims

Hello,

I like the way the book explained the two types of claims:  premises and conclusions.  If you give your audience three premises that make sense to them, then the audience will agree with the conclusion.  This strategy can be helpful in not only speaking, but in a writing assignment.  It can also be used when you are trying to present an idea for a project, etc in the workplace.  I am taking an Argumentation class here at Sierra College this semester, and the claim has been explained as the main idea of the argument.  In other words, the claim is what you want your audience to believe.  I have never heard of the term “enthymeme.”  Obviously from looking at the Coca Cola ad in the book, I recognized the enthymeme and do admit it fits in nicely with the girls in the ad.  Enthymeme’s appear in advertising all of the time, and now I will be able to recognize them.  

Max

Ethical Public Speakers

I really like the idea of ethical public speakers.  I had no idea that ethical speakers must meet the National communication Association’s standards of ethical communication.  In my opinion, speaking ethically should be the only option; however, there is no quality control over public speakers.  Audience members must use their own educated mind and good judgment when listening to a speech.  The fact that the National Communication Association has standard of ethical communication involving two categories of ethical violations is important for the audience.  These categories will help to prevent misleading information to be delivered to the audience, and will enforce the speaker to state the full ramifications of his or her topic.  The book uses an example of DNA as the topic.  Yes, it would be fascinating and tempting to get your DNA; however, as the book states, there are serious drawbacks of DNA testing.  In addition, if I knew the speaker was an ethical public speaker, the credibility of that speaker would be much higher at the beginning of the speech.  In other words, the speaker would have instant credibility with me. 

Sea of Persuasion

I never realized how much persuasion I actually have on a daily basis in my life.  For example, I started my morning off by making some coffee, taking the dog for a short walk, doing homework, trying to save money on my energy bill, and AT & T Uverse trying to persuade me to schedule a “last effort” technical repair service.  I persuaded myself to have three cups of coffee this morning so I could get through the day.  The dog persuaded me into going for a walk first thing this morning.  During the walk, I noticed signs posted persuading dog owners to pick up after their pets.  I persuaded myself to leave the air condition off today so I could save money on my monthly electric bill.  Lastly, I’ve been having problems with AT & T Uverse for the past month, and when I called to cancel, the customer service representative tried to persuade to schedule a “last effort” technical service repair.  Thankfully, I am not the type of consumer that has to have the greatest and latest.  I tune out most advertisers.  I like to pick and choose how I want to spend my money.  I'm not easily persuaded.

Monroe

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is just that, a “Motivated Sequence” of motivational statements in a speech.  Using the five-step organizational pattern allows the speaker to focus on one step at a time, and build on each step.  The goal is to motivate the audience to take action.  In other words, the speaker must motivate the audience to go whatever the speaker is asking whether the speaker is asking for church donations, selling magazine subscriptions, or soliciting volunteers.  I prefer to use the “problem-solution” pattern of organization because its sequence is designed to “sell the audience.”  Monroe developed this sequence in 1930 and used it to keep sales presentations organized.  Persuading is really selling; therefore, if you want to persuade the audience you must sell the audience on your idea or concept.  You must first grab your audiences attention; next, present a problem that must be addressed; then offer a solution to the problem; next help the audience to see how life will change for the better with the solution; and finally offer a specific plan to implement the satisfaction step.  Following these five steps for persuading the audience is the foundation of a successful motivating persuasive speech.

Max

Flickr - Sexist Language

The people who are posting discussions regarding sexist language on Flicker are really in a different place than the students taking this COMM 1 class.  The students at Sierra College are taking their education and careers seriously and are being taught the “proper” way to deliver a speech in today’s society.  The individuals on Flicker are just “shooting the bull” sorta speak about sexist language and are not to be taken very seriously.  I would be offended if someone called me a girl.  Calling a woman a girl is disrespectful and sloppy.  Perhaps it just might depend on when you were born.  Every generations see things differently.  It is imperative that people who engage in public speaking deliver a politically correct speech.  If a speaker delivers a speech with sexist language, his or her credibility will be shot.  Another example of how language has changed is trailer parks are now mobile homes.  What about man and wife? 

Speech Video 10.1

Hello,

It is helpful when a speaker refers to the audience as "we, us, and you" because it makes a clear statement that the speaker is a normal person just like the people in the audience.  Instead of feeling that the speaker is superior, it gives the audience a sense of comfortableness.  The separation between speaker and audience disappears, leaving the audience feeling more comfortable with the speaker.  The audiences' guard is down which allows an instant connection to the speaker.  Asking the audience to "visualize" something is very powerful.  It gives the audience an opportunity to think and put themselves in another place.  Inviting the audience to imagine something is an excellent way to connect with the audience.  To put yourself in a situation that you normally would not allows a person to use critical thinking skills.  Humor has connected me to many speakers.  A speaker who makes me feel like I am just the same as they are, and one who can  make me laugh is a speaker worth listening to!

Cheryl

Language and Culture, Chapter 10

Hello,

The Language and Culture section in Chapter 10 made lots of sense to me.  Put public speaking aside, and focus on individual conversations for a minute.  You can tell a great deal about someone's culture just by listening to the way they speak to you.  Listening to a speech and listening to someone speak to you are reflections of that person's culture.  First impressions are lasting impressions.  For example, when someone in the office uses the word "whatever" joking or not, it tells me something about that person's personality.  People use jargon in texts such as "OMG!"  Jargon in text messages is fine as long as everyone reading the text understands.  Euphemisms can be cleverly used to "mask" direct or harsh messages.  Cliches might be overused, but when someone uses one, the listener is never confused about its message.  If you are speaking to someone and used a cliches they did not understand, they would ask you what you meant.  Some jargon are generational.  For example, you wouldn't hear a 60-year-old man or woman say, "My bad."  Overall, using jargon in the workplace or in a speech is risky, and is best left between you and your best friends.

Cheryl

Max's blog: Self Evaluation #2

Overall, I feel like I did well presenting my Informative Speech on American Sign Language (ASL).  While I tried not to rely on my on my index cards, I believe I gave an adequate overview of the purpose of my speech.  It was important to me to make my power point presentation “real” and include pictures of someone I personally know who is deaf rather than show a power point presentation of someone I don’t know.  I felt extremely comfortable and confident while delivering my speech.  It is extremely important to me to use as much “improv” as possible and not rely on note cards; however, the note cards would have kept me more organized and I will definitely use them as an aid in my next speech.  Showing the class how to say a specific phrase such as “How are you,” may have added more substance to my speech.  I was not aware that I said so many “ums”!  For my next speech, I will definitely practice more so there will not be an opportunity for me to say “um…”  There is no comparison to this speech and my last speech (pesto demonstration) because I was much more familiar with ASL.  I’ve worked with Christy (in PPP) for three year, and I am very familiar with her struggles as a deaf person.  I also was not ill for this speech as I was for the first speech.  In my first speech, I could not find enough information during my research on pesto so I wasn’t as confident.  I believed that my eye contact was great and gave myself a “7” rating.  I recall comfortably glancing at the class rotating from side-to-side; however, lack of eye contact was noted on my critique by the professor.  I rate my grade for this speech as a “B” because I did not rely heavily on my note cards; I had an interesting topic and used a co-worker in my PPP; I started with an attention getter; continued with the purpose and thesis; established credibility; and previewed main pointes.  I expressed 2 main points and supporting subpoints, and concluded with a review of my main points; reinforced my purpose, and provided closure.  I used only a couple of my citations, and actually had more on my outline.  I can improve on my next speech by practicing my speech more frequently with my note cards.  In addition, I must list all of my citations on my note cards.  I do not believe all of my citations were listed on my note cards for this speech.  This speech was much better because you learn by doing.  I’m more comfortable with the class and the professor.  I look forward to my tribute and persuasive speeches.  I plan to list citations on note cards, keep main points simple, and practice more.  As I stated earlier, I was not as familiar with my last speech topic as I was this one.  It is best that I stick with a topic that I have a strong passion for and interest in.  I doubt I will be making pester anytime soon! 

Cheryl D. Davis

Self Evaluation #2

Self-Evaluation Assignment #2

Directions: Review your speech video. In an approximately 500 – 1,000 word

response, please address the following questions. In order to receive credit for

this assignment, you must make your response cohesive. It is not sufficient to

simply answer the questions and post them. Organization, content and writing

style will be evaluated.

1). How well do you think you achieved the purpose of your speech?

2). How comfortable and confident did you feel during the speech?

3). If you had to do it over again, what changes would you make in

preparation, support, organization or delivery?

4). What one goal do you have for improving the content in your next speech?

5). What one goal do you have for improving the delivery in your next speech?

6). What specifically was different from your last speech? BOTH good and

bad?

7). Did you do anything distracting? Was this an improvement from your last

speech?

8). How would you rate your eye contact on a scale from 1-10?

9). On a scale from A to F, what grade would you give yourself based on your

performance? Why? Use specific examples.

10). How many source citations did you mention during the course of your

speech? (Please watch the video and count how many times you

mentioned your sources).

11). Was this speech better than your last speech? Why or why not?

This assignment is worth 10 points.

Self-Evaluation Assignment #1

Hello,

            In my pesto demonstration speech, I believe I achieved my purpose at approximately 70%.  The actual demonstration was clear because all I had to do is mix the olive oil with the presto which was already made.  I would have preferred mixing all of the ingredients before the class rather than presenting with 99% of the ingredients already combined.  What was lacking was a strong rich history of pesto sauce.  When I conducted my research, I had a difficult time finding information on pesto.

            Realizing that I did not have enough research information, contributed to me being very uncomfortable while giving my pesto speech.  I was much more comfortable presenting my “Fountains” speech.  I was aware that I didn’t have enough history on pesto, and what history I did have I had a difficult time remembering it.  I should have “dug deeper” and found more history on pesto, and I also would have preferred to have mix the ingredients one-by-one instead of coming in with most of the ingredients premixed.  

            It will be important for me to become familiar with my next speech inside and out.  Anticipating what the audience is thinking and how they are feeling as I am stating my information will be useful.  Successful delivery involves taking each piece of my speech and clearly stating each piece clearly so the audience will have better understanding of my next message.  

Cheryl D. Davis

Chapter 8 - Organizing Your Speech

I thought the book did a great job in Chapter 8 discussing the importance of organizing your speech.  The four main parts include the introduction, body, transitions, and conclusion.  I am hoping that once I use this organized arrangement several times, it will become “second nature” to me and I can apply to discussions and speeches at work.  Next month, our unit will participate in a meeting, and my supervisor notified me that I was to lead the meeting.  I must admit I was a bit nervous until I read this chapter in the book.  Now I feel confident that I can provide a clear message to our unit.  I plan to develop an outline for the meeting and include the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, main ideas and subpoints.  The pattern of organization will be classified as “topical.”  I also did not realize that transitions were most beneficial if used between the introduction and the first main point, between the main points, and between the last main point and the conclusion.

Speech Buddy Videos

I actually enjoyed all of the videos.  The few that I found to be most helpful in any of my future speeches is the ability to “mix” my supporting materials to include narrative, example, definition, testimony, facts and statistics as much as possible.  The ability to diversify and use several types of supporting materials will ensure I will have made a strong connection with the audience finding my speech valuable.  The seven patterns of organization were extremely helpful as well.  Depending on my topic, it will be important to choose the one pattern that will be best to ensure organization of my speech.  I also like the idea of using a Power Point presentation for facts and statistics rather than transparencies.  Power Point presentations look much more professional and are easier to see and understand than transparency presentations.  Presentations on Power Point seem to lend speaker credibility.

Discussion Question #2 - Facts and Statistics

Facts and statistics are most effective when the speaker talks about a “hot topic” and uses credible facts and statistics to back his or her claim (logical appeals).  Facts are effective to use in a speech when the specific fact is something that happened in the past, and can be verified through a credible course.  For example, if you wanted to find out when the U.S. Supreme Court banned segregation in interstate bus travel, you would look for a credible source such as http://www.history-timelines.org/.  Statistics can be used successfully to make comparisons.  For example, if you are interested in researching how many California teens vs. adults die each year in auto accidents, you could search the California Highway Patrol (CHP) death statistic log.  Facts and Statistics would not be beneficial  if the speaker wanted to appeal to our emotions (pathos) or mythos which focuses on the values and beliefs embedded in cultural narratives or stories.

Chapter 5 – Using Demographic Information

Creating an audience by using specific demographic information is very powerful because the speakers invites and chooses individuals to participate based on specific characteristics.  For example, if I worked for UC Davis Medical Center (UCD), and my goal was to educate high school students on the endless medical careers available, I would visit high schools and speak about all of the many careers in the medical field.  Too many people think that the medical field just consists of nurses and doctors.  There are so many other medical career options!  I would leave behind a handout stating the different opportunities within UCD along with a contact telephone number encouraging students to call and meet with UCD staff to learn more about potential careers and the education requirements.  Sierra College used this approach with their free workshops.  Participation is specific.  For example, if you are interested in learning how to use your scientific calculator more efficiently, you can attend a workshop and the speaker will show you what all of those lovely buttons do on your calculator.

Chapter 5 - Speech Buddy Videos

In the drinking speech video, Matthew used too many statistics during his speech; therefore, I became confused.  I liked the opening demonstration of the reenactment of the sounds of someone getting sick after drinking too much.  He mumbled most of his words, and did not appear to have passion in his voice.  While most of the statistics are probably accurate, his speech would have had more of an impact on me if he would have used three top statistics and if he would have spoken with more confidence.  The use of the transparencies was a good idea, and for visual learners, could have added more meaning to the seriousness of drinking too much.  I found the transparencies distracting.  Courtney spoke with confidence, and I believed in her speech topic.  She owned her speech.  Early on in the speech, she cited three ways that light pollution affects all of us.  She kept her speech simple which made it easier for me to remain interested and focused on her speech.

 Max

Chapter 5 Post

Hello,

The importance of audience analysis is to learn as much as possible about the audience so the speaker can design messages that will appeal to the mass of the audience.  The speaker must know who he or she is talking to.  For example, is the audience primarily made-up of primarily retirees?  High school graduates?  Does the audience involve people with disabilities?  In order for the speaker to adapt to the audience, the speaker must deliver a message and communicate with an audience who is genuinely interested in receiving “relevant” messages that they can benefit and apply to their own lives.  Choosing the correct setting for your speech is also important.  For example, if you are delivering a speech to a group of first-year law students, you might want to consider giving your speech in the local law school auditorium.  For my next speech, I plan to develop a research questionnaire that will include closed- and open-ended questions that will give me more information about the audience and individual interests.  I like the idea of using a few quotes I noted in the questionnaires to ensure that I connect with the audience which will help support some of my main points. 

Cheryl

Sierra College Library has so Much to Offer!

Hello,

I had no idea that when I ever did a “Google” search for speech that I was only scratching the surface of my resources.  It has never occurred to me to go to the Sierra College library.  It says in our text book that “books” remain a key source of information which most includes “peer review.” Peer review is important because it contributes toward the credibility of the article.  I will utilize the library’s online catalog entry.  For the most current information, I could look for journals, magazines, and newspapers.  The library provides access to full-text databases of articles from periodicals.  I didn’t know that government publications existed!  Utilizing reference materials is another area I would enjoy exploring for my next speech.  My Sierra Counselor suggested I take a library reference class this semester.  After reaching Chapter 6, I can definitely understand why becoming familiar with the campus library would contribute significantly to the quality of my next speech.  

Max

Chapter 6 - Speech Buddy Videos

Hello,

For my next speech topic, I will need to gather my research information carefully.  The research and the author(s) I plan to use will be evaluated for soundness and credibility.  I will also research the author.  I will take note if there is a pattern of topics the author like to talk about.  What are his/her views?  Do they make sense to me?  Can the facts be supported?  Learning about the author will assist me in the evaluation process.  I have heard that the library offers an amazing array of resources, and would like to consider learning more about all of the data bases of information available to me.  I thought that the suggestion about recording the bibliographic information was extremely helpful.  Recording the information would not only keep me organized, but would prevent duplicate work.  I really liked Dory’s speech.  Everyone has a personal story, and after listening to her speech, I learned that my parents did not teach me that family is an important part of life which is really sad. 

Max

Research Interviews

Hello,

I worked part-time for a marketing research firm in Sacramento.  My main responsibility was to interview people over the telephone to see if they met the pertinent criteria to participate in a particular focus group.  A lengthy contact list was provided to me of people who possessed the necessary experience that would qualify them to participate in a focus group.  I contacted each person and asked many specific questions.  The questions were very specific which helped me choose only the most qualified participants.  One problem is that it took at least 50 – 100 telephone calls just to form one focus group.  It would have been more helpful if the person who provided me with the list would have provided a much narrower list because many did not qualify.  I would suggest asking and stating the most challenging question(s) first instead of waiting for the middle or end of the interview.  This would have saved me time.

Max

Speech Buddy Videos

Hello,

I feel the visualization technique is a great place to start when I begin practicing a speech.  It is an opportunity to memorize, rehearse, and develop a feel for what type of speech I want to deliver.  I will definitely use the releasing tension breathing techniques before and after a speech.  My shoulders are my tense area, and using this breathing technique will help alleviate my stress.  What I liked about the 2.2 speech was that the speaker had a nice relaxed way of moving around while giving her speech.  She did not stay in one place which made it interesting.  I thought the “Intro Jessica” was very successful.  The speaker had a nice smile, she looked very relaxed, she appeared as though she was talking to everyone individually, her energy was positive and humorous, she is a very likeable person, she had a cherry demeanor, and I loved her energy.  She intertwined several life-lessons and gave a pep-talk about “rolling with the punches.”

Max

Benefits of Knowing Your Audience

Hello,

Some speakers actually target and choose the demographics of their audience.  For example, I’ve heard Stan Atkinson and his business partner talking on KFBK Newstalk radio about reverse mortgages.  The audience of KFBK listeners are generally older.  Stan and his partner are looking for established homeowners who might be close to retirement.  Their goal is to reach as many people as possible through their radio advertisement, and share with the audience how they can save money by committing to a reverse mortgage.    Essentially, while their commercial is airing, they are speaking to literally thousands of people, and inviting them to participate in their upcoming seminar. 

Once the seminar has been conducted, Stan and his partner will have made their topic relevant by targeting an older audience.  They have a better chance of selling their product because they were careful with choosing the best radio station to deliver their message and reach their targeted audience.  Stan, former news anchor for KCRA is a celebrity, and he has the ability to capture many peoples attention just by his name.  Since most people find him credible, he will have a very good chance of connecting with his audience, and developing a successful business.  Thank you for reading my blog!

Max

Why I am Apprehensive About Public Speaking

Hello,

What makes me apprehensive about public speaking is the possibility of an audience questioning my ideas in my speech.  Every person in the audience will have their own opinion, likes and dislikes, and views; therefore, the topic I choose must be a neutral non controversial topic.  I recognize that the first thing I must do is build a common ground with the audience.  For example, most people are dog lovers.  I could deliver a speech that included dog trivia or something fun and interesting that most people wouldn’t know about dogs.  I can visualize myself giving a heart-warming speech about the man’s best friend, and hope that my passionate energy and/or humor will be felt by the audience.  I can reduce my level of uneasiness and fearfulness by choosing a topic that I believe in and feel good about.  This will allow me to deliver my speech in the most comfortable way.  Once I gain more confidence, I will experiment with different topics.  Thank you for reading my blog!

Chery.

Introductory Post

Hello,

Last year, I decided to return back to college to acquire my Communications degree. The majority of my work experience has included marketing and advertising.  The highlight of my advertising career was working with Rush Limbaugh at KFBK, and selling inaugural Sacramento Kings advertising sponsorships.