Page 52 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Chapter 1 Practical Speaking 19

will learn not only about developing your speech but also about avenues for re-
search you can travel to prepare your speech, including the Internet.
Just as there is more than one way to putt a golf ball, there is more than one way
to organize a speech. This is especially true in light of the fact that today’s mul-
ticultural audience may decode your message using different patterns of organi-
zation. You will learn about organizing your message using alternative patterns
of speech organization in Chapter 9.
As noted earlier, public speaking is a symbolic transaction. We elaborate on
this fact in Chapter 10’s treatment of the language of public speaking. You will
learn that language is both complex and central to one’s cultural heritage. You
also will learn how to use this knowledge to your and your audience’s advantage
in your speeches.
Chapter 11 throws a realistic light on a subject fraught with misinformation:
the delivery of your message. How nonverbal communication functions in the
delivery of your speech is explained and examples are provided. Common mis-
conceptions about this type of communication also are dispelled.
Using media to enhance your speeches seems such a simple thing. Yet, as you
will read in Chapter 12, nothing could be further from the truth. Media such
as overheads or media projected from a laptop computer in combination with
a projection machine require precise care in both their construction and execu-
tion. Public speakers routinely abuse these presentational media in the class-
room, in business, and in government.
Informative speaking is far and away the most common type of public speak-
ing you are likely to encounter. Informative speeches are an essential compo-
nent of most college classes, whether or not they are labeled as such. A lecture
essentially is an informative speech. So too is a book report or an oral presenta-
tion based on a term paper. Chapter 13 outlines and discusses the types of infor-
mative speeches common in everyday life and details the elements that combine
to make an effective informative speech.
Chapter 14 builds on the discussion about informative speaking. You will
learn about the process of persuasion as well as the process of persuasive speak-
ing. You also will be shown the perceptual characteristics that infl uence judg-
ments about your credibility and will read about message variables that can en-
hance the persuasive effect of your speeches.
Chapter 15 extends what you learn about persuasion to thinking and speak-
ing critically. You will be treated to information on deceptive communication
practices that are commonly used by unscrupulous communicators, and you’ll
learn how to recognize the fallacies that frequently characterize their messages.
In the pro cess, you also will learn how to avoid using such fallacies in your own
reasoning and speaking.
Finally, Chapter 16 introduces life circumstances in which you can expect to
be called on to speak. Some of these circumstances, such as a wedding toast, are
social. Others, such as being asked without warning at school or at work to make
a progress report on a project, are task oriented.
All in all, we think these chapters combine to provide you with the introduc-
tory knowledge and skills necessary to see you through not only the speeches
you will share in your class but also the lifetime of public speaking all college
graduates can expect. Good luck as you proceed.