Public speaking is the art or practice of making a speech before an audience. There are many opportunities to make speeches at clubs and group events. Effective public speaking is a key part of leadership in any field of activity.
Approach to a speech
Speakers must consider four points: (1) their subject, (2) their audience, (3) themselves as speakers, and (4) their occasion.
Subjects.
The speaker’s direct and indirect experiences are the two general sources of speech subjects. Direct experience is knowledge gained from taking part in events. Indirect experience is knowledge obtained from radio, television, reading, and listening to other people. Speakers can usually make a more effective presentation with subjects from their direct experiences.
Audiences.
Speakers should try to find out what the members of their audience already know about the subject. The problem of explaining the operation and maintenance of a new computer to a group of engineers is different from explaining it to people who know little about technology.
The speaker who tries to persuade an audience should know their attitudes or opinions. Trying to persuade an audience that is opposed to a proposal is different from trying to persuade a favorable audience.
Speakers.
The speaker’s personality is an important factor in influencing audiences. Speakers should consider how they will appear to their audience. Speakers can gain insight into the experience the audience will have by recording and then viewing themselves giving the speech.
Occasions.
Speakers should think carefully about the time and place of their speeches. Speakers need to determine that an occasion is right for the subject they have chosen.
Planning the speech
When speakers have given careful thought to their subject, their audience, their own personality, and the occasion, they are ready to plan the speech itself.
Purpose.
Speakers should first decide their general purpose. In an informative speech, a speaker provides an audience with information. A speaker tries to change the beliefs or actions of the audience with a persuasive speech. In an entertaining speech, the speaker’s goal is to amuse the audience.
With their general purpose in mind, speakers should prepare a brief statement of their specific purpose. This statement should say exactly what a speaker wishes to accomplish—for example, “Tell a class about the feeding habits of snakes.”
The main ideas.
The next step should be to select the main ideas, or main divisions, of the subject as stated in the specific purpose. In informative speeches, the main ideas should define the specific purpose by answering the questions who? what? where? when? why? and how? In persuasive speeches, the main ideas ought to be the principal reasons for the desired belief or action. In entertaining speeches, the main ideas should be the divisions of the subject that can amuse the audience.
Supporting material.
After selecting the main ideas, speakers should choose supporting material. This material includes such things as description, narration, comparisons, examples, testimony, statistics, visual aids (charts, diagrams, demonstrations, slides, maps, photographs, samples, video clips, or working models), and repetition (restating important ideas to increase the chance that they will be remembered). The selection of main ideas and supporting material completes the body (main part) of the speech.
Introduction.
Speakers should next plan the introduction. Most introductions have two parts, the opening and the statement of the specific purpose. In the opening, speakers catch the attention of their audience and create interest in their subject. For example, a speaker may quote a famous author or ask the audience a question. In their statement of specific purpose, speakers tell the audience precisely what they intend to do in their speech and what value this topic has for the audience.
Conclusion.
Next comes the preparation of a conclusion. In informative speeches, this part should be a summary of the main ideas and specific purpose. In persuasive speeches, the conclusion should combine a summary with a final appeal to the audience to accept the arguments offered. Entertaining speeches usually end with a funny statement, without any type of formal conclusion.
Outline.
After all these steps, speakers should prepare an outline. An outline is a short summary of the main ideas in the speech. See Outline .
Delivering the speech
Speakers may deliver their talks directly from the outline, or they may use the outline as the basis for a written speech. Skilled speakers usually prefer to speak from the outline.
If speakers are properly prepared, they should feel at ease in front of an audience. They should relax and speak in a natural voice. They should stand erect, make eye contact with individuals in the audience, and speak loudly enough to be heard easily. In addition, speakers should vary the pitch and volume of their voice and their rate of speech to avoid always speaking in the same tone.
