Amber Shoopman Janice Lung Communications 101 December 14, 2011 Final Exam Public Speaking Dear Me,

I hope you enjoyed the communication guidebook I wrote for you in my last letter. It was filled with information that you will need throughout the career you have chosen in order to be a more competent communicator. Most of your communication is going to take place on an individual level. However, there will be those times when it will be necessary to address a group of people to either inform them, like when teaching about a particular diagnosis, or to persuade them to act, like when you need a specific program to be approved by the Human Rights Committee. I thought about sending you another guidebook I have written, which illustrates the key points to remember in any public speaking scenario. Then I realized that another guidebook may be a bit tedious for you to read. Instead, I have included with this letter a copy of an interview I did about my guidebook. It details the steps to follow to effectively address an audience from researching to presenting any topic. I hope it is beneficial to you, and prepares you for the future you have chosen. Best of luck in all your endeavors, Amber Interviewer (I): We have with us today Amber Shoopman, best-selling author of How to Survive Social Encounters: A Guidebook to Communicating Competently and Public Speaking: A

Lesson in Informing and Persuading. Amber, why did you choose to write a follow up guidebook? Wouldnt the skills taught in Surviving be sufficient for addressing groups as well as individuals? Amber (A): While the skills in Surviving are definitely important in any communication setting, there are still other steps which need to be followed in order to make an effective public speaking presentation. Thats what my new book addresses. The two books work hand in hand to help the reader communicate any topic for any purpose to any audience, while exuding competence, confidence, and clarity. I: Lets focus on your second book today, Public Speaking. What specific situations will this guidebook assist the reader in? A: This guidebook assists the reader in any situation imaginable. If you break public speaking down to its core, you realize that there are really only two purposes behind any encounter; to persuade or to inform. When you are informing an audience you aim to increase their understanding and knowledge by presenting them with new, relevant, and useful information (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 320). Persuasive speeches are intended to influence the attitudes, beliefs, and behavior of your audience (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 322). I: I see. So where is a good starting place when you have to give a public speech? A: The most important thing to do first is determine what your specific purpose of giving the speech is. It is helpful to write out what is called a specific purpose statement. The specific purpose statement expresses both the topic and the general speech purpose, in action form, in terms of the specific objectives you hope to achieve with your presentation (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 325).

I: Im sorry, but I dont think I quite follow what you mean. Can you explain it for us, please? A: Not a problem. Lets say for example I am going to be giving a speech on Turner Syndrome. I know my topic so now I need to determine if I am going to be informing or persuading my audience about my topic. For this example we will say that I am informing them. That is my general purpose. So to determine the specific purpose statement you need to ask yourself what objective you hope to accomplish by informing your audience about this topic. For this instance, my objective would be to create awareness, so my specific purpose statement would read something like this: To inform the audience about what Turner Syndrome is, how it is diagnosed, and some of the health risks involved, so that they will be better prepared to assist women and girls who have been identified as having this chromosomal anomaly. I: That sounds a lot like a thesis statement to me. Is it the same thing? A: Thats a great question, and the answer is no. A thesis statement adds an additional level of specificity to the specific purpose statement, and should be determined only after you have analyzed your intended audience (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 325). I: What do you mean analyze your audience? A: It is important for you to know where your audience is starting from in terms of both previous knowledge of your topic and their perceptions of you as a speaker (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 326). Just like I mentioned in Surviving, in order to communicate competently with others you have to understand them. You do this by evaluating your perceptions as well as theirs, and by recognizing the relational, situational, and cultural context of your audience. Are you a 20 something female speaking to 1st graders about drugs in a small classroom setting on Wednesday at 10:00 A.M.? Or are you a 60 something male

speaking to high school students about drugs in a large auditorium setting on Friday at 3:00 P.M.? Things like age, day, time, and venue influence the effectiveness of your speech. First graders are generally more comfortable talking to young women in a familiar setting and are more focused early in their day. If you keep your speech short and simple, you will probably be able to hold their attention long enough to make your point. On the other hand, high school students are going to view you as an old authoritative man who doesnt really know about the drug issues of today. Moreover, the setting in an auditorium makes the topic impersonal to them. Throw in the fact that it is Friday and school is out for the weekend as soon as you are done talking, and you have completely lost the focus of your audience, unless you are able to put together a supremely engaging presentation. I: What you are talking about is demographics. A: Exactly. Demographics is the systematic study of the quantifiable characteristics of a large group (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 329). This includes age, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, political affiliation, family status, ethnical and cultural backgrounds, and any other sub-culture identifier you can think of (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 330). I: Okay so now weve analyzed our audience, lets get back to the thesis statement. You said its more specific than the specific purpose statement. Can you explain what you mean? A: Sure. Lets go back to our original example of Turner Syndrome. If my specific purpose was to inform my audience about what Turner Syndrome is, how it is diagnosed, and some of the health risks involved, so that they will be better prepared to assist women and girls who have been identified as having this chromosomal anomaly. My thesis statement takes that purpose one step further to convey the central idea or core assumption of what I

want my audience to take away from my speech. So my thesis might be something like this: Understanding Turner Syndrome, the signs, symptoms, and health risks associated with it will improve the chances of women diagnosed with this chromosomal anomaly to live happy, healthy, productive lives. Do you see the difference there? The thesis statement should clarify and solidify your specific statement purpose. It should be solid and specific enough that your audience will remember what your main point was long after you have finished your speech. I: Okay. So youve got a topic; youve got a purpose and a thesis statement. Where do you go from here? A: Now its time to research. The first amendment of the United States Constitution gives every man, woman, and child, the right to free speech (US Continental Congress, 1789). That means that anyone has the opportunity to speak about any topic they want at any time and in any location. Does that mean they are competent on the subject? Not at all. Does it mean they are telling the truth? Not necessarily. Does it mean what they are saying is in any way useful to the audience? No, again. A good speaker will offer their listeners something new, whether it is information, perspective, insight, or an idea that they didnt have before (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 336). This is usually the result of deep personal reflection on the topic and careful, quantifiable research (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 336). I: There is so much information available in the world. How do you determine what information you should use in your speech? A: Dont let the fact that there is so much information available discourage or overwhelm you. With your thesis statement, you know the direction you want your speech to take. Focus

only on the information that will allow you to follow that path. For instance, if my topic is horseback riding and my thesis is that it is a good form of exercise for people with physical challenges, I am going to search for information about that. I need not concern myself with different riding styles, horse breeds, training techniques, or the number of riding accidents that occur each year. You have the option of a variety of different sources to gather information from. In fact, I recommend using a variety of sources to keep your listeners entertained as well as informed. I: What sources are you talking about? A: Testimony is one. Whether it is an expert testimony from a professional on the topic, or a lay testimony from someone who is not necessarily an expert but has a personal experience or witnessed an event relevant to your topic, testimony is your strongest factor in providing evidence to your thesis. In fact, when you are doing research, I suggest starting with a live person, before going to the internet or a book. They will be able to provide you with not only great information, but possibly some new factors you hadnt thought of and also some alternate sources (Newberry, 2011). I: Thats a great idea. I hadnt thought of it before. I know that when I have a presentation I have to give, the web is the first place I start searching. A: Dont get me wrong. The web is a great place to find statistical evidence, which is also important in your speech. Like I said, you should have a variety of sources. Aside from testimony and statistics, anecdotes are also both common and highly effective. An anecdote is a brief personal story that makes a point, and more importantly adds a personal element to your speech (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 337). Showing your audience that your topic has real life implications helps them to internalize it better and

makes it more relevant. For instance, if I was to stand up and list all of the signs and symptoms of Turner Syndrome, the audience will probably be thinking, Ive never even heard of this syndrome so it must be pretty rare, so why does it matter to me? If I, instead, tell my audience the story of how my niece was diagnosed with this syndrome, all the while showing pictures of her struggles and life, and describe in detail how we were blindsided and struggle daily with how to help her succeed, Turner Syndrome has become real to them. It is something that can and might occur in their family. They are more apt to listen and internalize what I am saying. I: I can see how anecdotes can be effective. In a way an anecdote is your own lay testimony. A: Thats exactly right. I: I want to back up a moment though. Even though youve given us some great advice here, most people are going to go directly to the internet for the majority of their research because it is convenient and readily accessible. How do you determine the good information from the bad? A: The two things you should evaluate with any online source are credibility and relevancy (Newberry, 2011). Credibility is the quality, authority, and reliability of the source (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 340). A credible source will have a reliable, qualified author or be sponsored by a reputable organization or institution. For instance, if your topic is the effect of second hand smoke on children under the age of 12, a credible source would be an article written by a Pediatrician who is affiliated with the American Lung Association, and not your farmer uncles blog (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 341). On the other hand, if your topic were on the benefits of crop rotation, your uncle would be a far more credible source than the pediatrician.

I: You also mentioned relevancy. How is that determined? A: Relevancy can be most simply defined by how up-to-date your source is (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 341). If you are being asked to talk about your companys productivity line, you arent going to use statistics from ten years ago. Youll use the numbers from this year and last to show the rise or fall of productivity. You will want to site statistics that evidence your point from the closest date available. If you are giving a speech on high gas prices, you want the price from this week or even today, not the prices from last month. Relevant information will gain you credibility in the eyes of your audience and encourage them to pay more attention to what you are telling them. I: Okay, so you have your topic, purpose, and thesis. Youve done the research and have good, credible, relevant sources. Now what? A: Now you organize and outline your information. I: That sounds like a lot of work. How can you simplify it? A: Organizing doesnt have to be overwhelming. The first thing you want to do is determine the main points of your speech. Each main point should include only one main idea (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 355). After you have determined your main points, you can further narrow them down by asking, Does this point prove my thesis? Does it help me achieve my specific purpose? (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 355) If the answer is, no then get rid of it. If the answer is yes then you can further divide it into subpoints to get more specific with the information you have gathered. When you have your subpoints, you should ask the questions again and proceed in the same manner as the main points. You dont want to overwhelm or confuse the audience with unneeded or irrelevant information (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 355). Remember: less is more.

I: So you have main and subpoints all figured out, now what do you do? How do you turn all that information into a well-organized speech? A: The first thing you will need to do is determine how you want to arrange your presentation. There are seven possible patterns you can speak in. The first is chronological which presents your information by time (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 356). This is effective if you are describing the events that led up to a crisis. The second is topical or categorical, which is based on organizing your information into categories (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 356). This would be effective if you were informing your audience about a disease and you wanted to talk about the history, signs and symptoms, and treatments. The third pattern is called the spatial pattern which arranges main points in terms of their physical proximity in relation to one another (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 357). You could use this pattern if you were describing an Air Force carrier and started with the top level and worked your way down, explaining what can be found on each level. The fourth is the problem-solution pattern which is most effective when you are trying to call the audience to act on a specific problem (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 357). This pattern focuses on the idea that there is a problem, there are many solutions, and your solution is the best solution. The fifth pattern is the cause-effect pattern. This pattern allows you to focus on specific causes and what effect it has on the audience (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 357). The next pattern is the motivated sequence pattern. This pattern is built around five phases: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 358). This pattern is used most often in marketing campaigns and can be highly effective in a persuasive speech. The last pattern is the narrative pattern. This pattern allows the speaker to build a vivid story complete with characters, plots, and

imagery (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 357). It is important to note that most narrative patterns occur more frequently within another pattern. This being said, you do not have to utilize only one pattern. If you find that using a chronological pattern on your main points and a topical pattern on your subpoints works best, then do it. Whatever makes you feel confident and presents your speech in an organized yet entertaining way is the right way to go. I: I never knew there was such a calculated way to organize your thoughts. Now that I think of it though, each of the ways you just mentioned is something I do with my ideas and thoughts all the time already. A: Most of the information in my book is that way. My ideas arent new; they have simply been given a defined name and put in a pattern of their own which makes referencing them that much easier. I: I like that. It makes me feel more organized even now. Lets get back to the topic at hand, though. You mentioned earlier organization and outlines. The patterns you just described sound like an outline to me. A: Basically, they are. The pattern you choose is going to be the basis of your outline. However, there are three different types of outlines you can choose from to organize your information. There is the sentence outline, which is the full text of your speech (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 365). It is important to keep in mind that this is a sentence and not a paragraph outline. Each sentence should be relevant and have its own outline symbol. I: What is an outline symbol? A: Standard outline symbols generally use roman numerals, letters, then standard numbers to indicate different levels of importance (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 363).

I: I understand. Thats just more of you defining what is already familiar to most of us. A: Exactly. Also remember when outlining that if you have a 1 you must have a 2. If you have an A you must have a B. An idea can never be split into only one part, it isnt logical. I: Of course. So you will have to have at a minimum, two main points for your outline. Getting back to the outline, you said there were three types of outline formats. A: Yes. Like I said, the first is the sentence outline, which is a word for word account of what you want to say in your speech. The sentence outline is also known as a working outline. It allows you to gather your thoughts together in a specific and organized manner. The working outline is not conducive to delivering a speech though. No one wants to listen to a speaker who stands in front of them and reads from a piece of paper. That is where the other two outline formats come in. You use them to develop a speaking outline. The first of these is the phrase outline. This outline takes certain phrases that act as instant reminders of each of your points (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 365). If provides the speaker with a clear guide to what he wants to say, without giving him the words verbatim. The final outline format takes the phrase format one step further. It is called the key-word outline and as the name suggests, it is simply a few key-words designed to remind the speaker of the next point to deliver (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 365). To make your speaking outline, you can use the phrase or key-word outline, or even a combination of the two. Along with your key-words and phrases you include delivery cues in your outline. These are brief reminders about important information, like showing a picture, telling a story, or repeating for emphasis, that are for your eyes only (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 366).

I: That is all really great information. Before we move on to the next topic I want to discuss with you, is there anything more you want to add about the organizing, outlining, or writing of a presentation? A: Just to remember to tie it all together (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 370). Get your audiences attention with a story, surprising statistics, a quote, questions, or even a relevant joke to make them laugh (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, pp. 371-373). Dont forget to use transitions to connect your thoughts and points; otherwise you are libel to confuse your audience (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 374). Lastly, signal the end and summarize your points again. Wrap it all up with a powerful quote or story that they wont soon forget that illustrates the main idea behind your thesis (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 377). If you do these things, you will have no problem presenting a speech that the audience is likely to remember and internalize. I: Well, now you said presenting a speech, but isnt there a difference between presenting a speech and delivering a speech? A: I think you are simply dealing with a matter of semantics there, but you are correct. There is more to a speech than simply putting together a good presentation. The best speech in the world, poorly delivered will be completely ineffective. Likewise, the poorest speech in the worldwell, no. You really need both. You have to start with an effective presentation. Once you have your outline, you are ready to deliver it to the audience. I: What a scary proposition that is. A: Absolutely. If public speaking terrifies you, just know that you arent alone; 75 percent of people have some level of communication apprehension (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 318). One of the best ways to overcome communication apprehension is by building your

confidence (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 390). The most effect thing you can do to build confidence is to prepare and practice, which is what we have just discussed (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 390). If you have done the research and organized your information, you should feel no apprehension in what you are presenting. I: That is true. But what about those people who know the information is valid, but the thought of the audience is what causes the most anxiety? A: Most speakers forget that the audience wants them to succeed (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 390). They arent there to attack you. They are there to learn from you. They are taking time out of their schedule to come and listen to what you have to say. If you are confident in your presentation, you can feel confident in the audience. I: What if that still isnt enough? I know, when I was in school, I hated speaking in front of people. My hands would sweat, Id get headaches, and everything I had prepared would fly right out of my head. A: This actually has nothing to do with the presentation or the audience and goes back, again, to the section in Surviving, that talks about self-confidence. You need to develop a constructive attitude toward fear and anxiety (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 390). As Professor Lupin told Harry Potter in the third movie, what you fear most is fear itself. (Cuarn, 2004) Fear is a natural emotion. It is okay to be nervous before giving a presentation. What is not okay is allowing fear to rule your actions. Dont be afraid of your fear. Embrace it and plan ahead. If it embarrasses you to have sweaty palms, apply antiperspirant to your hands prior to your delivery. Your speaking outline will help you remember the points you need to make. Basically, you consider a worst case scenario and prepare a plan of action on how to avoid it (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 390).

I: Thats some very good advice and it makes me re-evaluate my own self condemnation on anxiety. Now that weve worked past our fear and we are standing in front of that audience, what tips can you give us for effectively delivering our star studded presentation? A: This again goes back to Surviving. The same verbal and nonverbal strengths I mentioned there apply here. You need to have good tone, pitch, volume, and speed of your voice (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, pp. 395-396). It is also important that you have the right pronunciation, articulation, and enunciation of the words you choose to use (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 398). Just like in your personal conversations, body language also plays a big role in exuding your confidence and credibility to your audience. When you are speaking, scan the crowd (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 400). Your eye contact draws the audience closer to you. It makes them feel like they are a part of your presentation and sets them up a level of accountability for the information. I: What about the nervous energy people unconsciously exhibit through their body movements? A: I know exactly what you mean. For me, nervous energy is exhibited through rocking or swaying if Im standing, and shaking one of my legs if Im sitting. The first step to treating nervous energy is to recognize your personal outlet. Write yourself notes to remind you to stop doing it in your speaking outline. Furthermore, you can use other body language to overcompensate for it. If you feel like you have to move, talk with your hands. Use them to emphasize your points. Not only will you be redirecting the nervous energy, you will be strengthening and solidifying your speech. I: What about visual aids? Are they effective? When should you use them?

A: Visual aids can be very effective and can actually enhance a speech. Some things, people, places, or processes are difficult to describe with only words (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 406). It would be easier to describe the different levels of an Air Force carrier if I had a scaled down model to show. As most people have never seen one they would have a hard time visualizing, and therefore being attentive to, what I am saying. Graphs, likewise, accentuate statistics by allowing the audience to visualize the effects instead of just hearing numbers read. If I told you that profits were up 37 percent from last year, you would probably think, thats nice, but what does it mean? If I showed you a graph that shows the dollar amounts represented by that 37 percent and you can see how much more it is, you will be far more impressed with the information. The key thing to remember here, again, is that less is more. Use the visual aid if you need to emphasize your point or make something clearer for the audience. If you dont need it, dont use it, as it will just draw attention away from your main points. I: So weve talked about preparing the speech and delivering the speech. I want to get back to the two types of speeches you mentioned. I believe you said they were informative and persuasive, correct? A: Thats correct. The two reasons for giving a presentation are to inform or to persuade. There is nothing particularly challenging about either. Informative speeches are simply that; they inform an audience of a specific topic by increasing their understanding and knowledge (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 418). There are a few key point to remember with informative speeches. First, as with any speech, you need to arouse peoples curiosity (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 432). Secondly, you need to make the topic relevant to the audiences needs (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 433). Why do they need

the information you want to give them? Third, you dont want to overwhelm your audience with a bunch of useless, irrelevant information (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 437). This is where the main and sub point weeding, that we previously discussed, comes into play. The fourth thing you can do is to build on the audiences prior knowledge. It will make it more likely that your audience will listen to and retain the information in your speech if you relate old ideas to new ones (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 437). A: Persuasive speeches utilize all these same rules for delivery. The main differences to focus on with persuasion are your audience dynamics and what exactly you want them to do. In a persuasive speech, your thesis statement takes on the role of a proposition (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 453). This can be a proposition of fact claiming something is or is not, a proposition of value claiming that something does or does not meet a specific quality of standard, or a proposition of policy a claim that a specific goal or course of action should be pursued (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, pp. 453-455). Your audience will either be a receptive audience meaning they already agree with your proposition, a hostile audience meaning they oppose your position, or a neutral audience, which lies somewhere between the other two (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 456). Your purpose should then be related to their latitude of acceptance and rejection (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 457). If your purpose is to persuade people to increase the legal level of intoxication required to prohibit driving a car, and your audience is a group of fraternity boys, youre probably going to get a lot of support, and your purpose can be to persuade them to vote in your favor. On the other hand, if your audience is made up of members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), your purpose would more likely be to persuade them to understand your point-of-view.

A: In addition to knowing the disposition of your audience, it is important to understand their needs. Abraham Maslow, in 1954, developed what has now become known as Maslows hierarchy of needs. He argues that an individuals motivations, priorities, and behavior are influenced primarily by their needs (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 457). As each level of the hierarchy is met the individual can focus on needs from the next level. The first level is basic survival needs like food, water, air, shelter, and clothing (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 458). Then come safety needs such as security and protection (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 458). Next are the social needs which include love, friendships, and membership (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 458). Then are the esteem and ego-status needs which revolve around acceptance and recognition (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 458). Finally, you reach the highest point in the hierarchy, self-actualizing needs, which focus on personal ideals of success (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 458). Knowing the needs of your audience based on this hierarchy, will help you determine if what you are trying to persuade your audience to do is even effective to meet their needs. If you are trying to persuade a single mother who lives in the ghetto and survives on food stamps, to buy a new car, you are setting yourself up for failure. Now if you were trying to persuade a middle class family who live in a nice suburb, have plenty to eat, and money in savings to buy a new car, you just might succeed. I: So with informative speeches you should focus on your delivery to prevent boredom and increase the likelihood of retention, and with persuasive speeches you should focus on the needs and attitudes of your audience? A: That is exactly right. Public speaking is what causes change in the world. If you want to illicit change, you have to develop your skills as a public speaker. The things we just talked

about will help you do that. Plan, prepare, research, organize, and deliver your speech with confidence. That is what will get you recognized, remembered, and respected; and it those three things that will give you the power to change the world. I: Thank you, Amber for sharing with us today some of the ideas from you book, Public Speaking: A Lesson in Informing and Persuading. I dont know about the rest of the audience here today, but I for one cant wait for your next book to come out. A: Thank you so much for having me here. Its been a pleasure speaking with you too, and I hope everyone here leaves feeling a bit more confident to confront their next speaking assignment.

Bibliography
Cuarn, A. (Director). (2004). Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [Motion Picture]. Newberry, C. M. (2011). Professor of English 102. (A. Shoopman, Interviewer) O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real Communication: An Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's. US Continental Congress. (1789, March 4). Constitution of the United States. New York City, New York, United States.