Page 391 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

374 Appendix B

If your purpose was to persuade, this is your last chance to get the audience
emotionally involved in your topic. Use this opportunity to reconnect with your
audience, offer a challenge, or provide a call to action.

The Presenting Stage

Surveys show that many Americans fear public speaking more than they fear
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spiders, snakes, and even death. You may be enrolled in a group communication
class because you were trying to avoid the “dreaded speech.” However, even as a
group member, you may be faced with giving a public presentation. Many times in
your professional career, you may need to speak to a committee or larger audience,
so it is wise to work through this fear now. We offer the following advice to help you
do just that.

Check Your Language
Writing the speech is only half the battle; the delivery is just as important. Trying to
engage your audience and take action requires an effective use of language. Speak to
your audience in a conversational style, just as if you were giving the speech to good
friends. Generally, speakers should strive for a style that is clear, vivid, and
appropriate.
Clarity requires language that is concrete rather than vague and abstract. Note
the difference between explaining that last night you saw Ed “coming down the
street” and saying you saw Ed “staggering” or “crawling” or “stumbling” or “skip-
ping down the street.” Use terms the audience understands and avoid jargon.
Vivid language attracts attention. Using figurative language, repetition, and
amplification will add vividness to your presentation and help your audience pay
attention. Listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech for effective use
of repetition and figurative language.
Make sure your language choices are appropriate to the audience and the
occasion. A formal classroom presentation probably should not be filled with
expletives or street language unless they are being used to illustrate a point in your
presentation.

Practice Aloud
There are four ways of delivering an oral presentation: manuscript, memorization,
impromptu, and extemporaneous. Each has its own delivery style.
If you write out everything you want to say, word for word in a manuscript, you
are less likely to leave something out when you present. Unfortunately, you can
become too dependent on your manuscript and pay too little attention to the audi-
ence. You may not notice how your presentation resonates (or does not) with the
audience. If you decide on a manuscript delivery, you must work with the material
enough so that you can connect to the audience in a natural manner.

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