[...]... Essential Guide to Rhetoric by William M Keith and Christian O Lundberg; The Essential Guide to Presentation Software by Allison Ainsworth and Rob Patterson; The Essential Guide to Intercultural Communication by Jennifer Willis-Rivera; The Essential viii Preface Guide to Interpersonal Communication by Dan O’Hair and Mary O Wiemann; and The Essential Guide to Group Communication by Dan O’Hair and Mary... 2009, a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2009 Learn Practical and Transferable Knowledge Perhaps more than any other course of study, public speaking offers extraordinarily useful practical knowledge and skills that lead to satisfying personal and professional development For example, public- speaking training sharpens your ability to reason and think critically As... already have In several respects, for example, planning and delivering a speech resemble engaging in a particularly important conversation When speaking with a friend, you automatically check to make certain you are understood and then adjust your meaning accordingly You also tend to discuss issues that are appropriate to the circumstances When a relative stranger is involved, however, you try to get to. .. STARTED Vocal Delivery Vocal delivery includes speech volume, pitch, rate, variety, pronunciation, and articulation As you rehearse, do the following: • Pay attention to how loudly or softly you are speaking • Pay attention to the rate at which you speak Aim to speak neither too fast nor too slowly • Avoid speaking in a monotone • Decide how you want to phrase your statements, and then practice saying... correctly and clearly Nonverbal Delivery Beyond noticing the words of a speech, audiences are highly attuned to a speaker’s nonverbal speech behavior—facial expression, gestures, general body movement, and overall physical appearance As you rehearse, do the following: • Practice smiling and otherwise animating your face in ways that feel natural to you Audiences want to feel that you care about what you are... successful pocket- size speech text available We have used their generous feedback to create this third edition Features A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking addresses all of the topics and skills typically covered in an introductory speech text And because the book is meant to be used throughout students’ academic careers and in a wide variety of classroom settings, examples are drawn from a broad range of... public speaking, from meditation and visualization to other forms of relaxation techniques The first step in taming speech anxiety is to have a clear and thorough plan for each presentation Prepare and Practice If you are confident that you know your material and have adequately rehearsed your delivery, you’ll feel far more confident in front of an audience than otherwise Preparation should begin as soon as... anticipated communication to an audience as a speaker.2 Identifying at which stage you become anxious can help you lessen your fear Lack of Positive Experience If you have had no exposure to public speaking or have had unpleasant experiences, anxiety about what to expect is only natural And with no positive experience to fall back on, it’s hard to put these anxieties in perspective It’s a bit of a vicious circle... know that I am well prepared, I really try to just relax — Kristen Obracay, student Identify What Makes You Anxious Lacking positive public- speaking experience, feeling different from members of the audience, or feeling uneasy about being the center of attention—each of these factors can lead to the onset of public- speaking anxiety, that is, fear or anxiety associated with either actual or anticipated... speaker who has a reason for speaking, an audience that gives the speaker its attention, and a message that is meant to accomplish a specific purpose.7 Public speakers address audiences largely without interruption and take responsibility for the words and ideas being expressed Shared Elements in All Communication Events In any communication event, including public speaking, several elements are present . who want an easy and affordable tool for teaching basic presentation skills that is also manageable enough to allow them to focus on their own course material. Happily,. speak- ing course. These guides are available to be packaged with A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking for a very low price. Versions include The Essential Guide