Why study public speaking?

A. To gain personal benefit

academic skills for college, clarity of thought, and clear communication
knowledge -- 10 percent of what we read, 20 percent of what we hear, 30 percent of
what we see, 70 percent of what we speak
retention learning -- rereading notes silenting vs regiving the lecture
build self confidence
B. Professional benefits
advance your career
speaking competence has a direct relationship to career success
rated second only to job knowledge
Get a job in the interview process
C. Public benefit
taking a leadership role
citizen role
important part in creating and sustaining a society of informed, active citizens

Definitions of communication
--defined as both a process and a product
Ogden and Richard's triangle of meaning
Interpreter--person communicating, Symbol--anything that people assign meaning to,
Referent--object or idea for which a symbol stands for
(make sure others are hearing what you are saying)

Levels of communication
intrapersonal--within yourself
interpersonal(dyadic)--ourselves plus one other
group communication--three or more people trying to reach a common goal
public--one person speaking to an audience, one direction flow of info
mass--print, electronic, media 1. feedback delayed 2. method is important

Elements of communication
Speaker--sender, source, encoder
encodes the message, encoding is the process speaker uses hwen outting ideas into
symbols
Message--the ideas actually communicated (verbal and nonverbal)
Listener--person to whom the message is sent
receiver is the decoder, attaching meaning to the symbols

ETHICS
Samuel Johnson -- "Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not
original, and the part that original is not good."
Goal: to develop and maintain your integrity
Ethics -- standards used to determine right from wrong in thought and behavior
Principles of ethics -- unwritten contract between speaker and listener
listener should expect to learn without pre-judging you and should evaluate your ideas of the
speaker but the speaker has to be well prepared, communicate clearly, be open to
feedback
individuals (speaker or listener) possess attitudes and standards before they come to listen and
before they give a speech. Ethics is a working philosophy.
Responsibilities of an ethical speaker
1. Speak up about topics you consider important
2. Choose topics that promote positive ethical values
3. Speak to benefit yoiur listener
4. Use truthful supportive material and valid reasoning
5. Consider the consequences of your words
6. Strive to improve your public speaking

What I want and expect out of people when I'm speaking What I don't want
1. looking at me/signs of interest 1. annoying noises
2. silence when i speak 2. people sleeping
3. they ask me questions 3. people talking to other people
4. theyre awake 4. no interest
5. theyre showing signs of enjoyment
6. note taking

What i expect from a speaker What I don't want

1. engaging 1. boring
2. excited 2. tired
3. they have something to say 3. annoying
4. eloquent 4. suck at getting point across
5. have a strong argument 5. say nothing new or interesting
i found the cat in the farmhouse. the old wood screaming at me. the eaves a lampshade with
holes poked through it with pencil tips. the dust a packaged drink mix for the gods spilled on the
air. the wind stirring it with a metallic whir.
I didnt know what it was at first, i thought it was a person. but then the shadow moved its face
from staring into the corner to looking after my footsteps, i saw whiskers. the man shaped
shadow purred and dropped his tail over the edge of the seat, thumping it. It crossed a leg over
the other and yawned.
"Hello", it said.
I couldnt say anything. i was quiet. the unnatural balance of the cat in the chair, the static
floating of the long black hairs, sifting through the shafts of light, the wind in the holes in the
ceiling whispering to me like muses in chaotic cacaphony, it all bothered me. It was a weird
feeling i cant describe. something inside that felt just...off.
"Its okay", he said, for it was a male voice. "Sit down".
I shook my head and slowly walked
backwards, a cold chill rolling
down the back of my head,
off my neck,
down
my
spine.

I backed my way towards the door, but the cat laughed. "Its okay, I'm not gonna hurt you". His
voice was warm, relaxing. I let my hand down from the handle.
"Who are you?"
I anticipated the answer, almost as if I had been