PUBLIC

SPEAKING &
CRITICAL REASONING
Lecture 2

(I) Commemorative speech

(2) Speech Objective & Topic
(3) Research & Organise materials
(4) Self-review best practices
(5) Speaking with Style

Speech Assignments schedule

Speech
type
Commemorativ
e
(ungraded)
Informative
(15%)
Persuasive
(20%)
ResponderCritique (15%)
Impromptu
(ungraded)

Tutorial

PO
needed?

Yes

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} 9
}
}

Yes

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Yes
Yes
X No
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(1) TUTORIAL 3 Commemorative speech

5 mins

For special occasions:

Introduction
Presentation
Acceptance
Celebratory

Introducing main speaker

brief

accurate

adapt to occasion and

audience

build sense of anticipation

Acceptance or presentation
give

thanks for gift, award/

some recognition

present

gift, award/ some

recognition

Other commemorative occasions

tribute

to person, group,
institution or idea

inspire

audience

increase
No

appreciation

eulogies

(2) Speech Objective & Topic:

brainstorm

& concept-map:

select topic
analyse

audience:
assess familiarity & interest

review

setting/occasion

develop

speech objective
tailored to audience and
setting

Potential topics:

Assess

own knowledge,
experiences & personal
observations

Whats

important/ familiar to

you
To list topics, use:
(1)

brainstorming

(2)

concept mapping
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Potential topics via Brainstorming:

Inventory:

hobbies, interests,
skills, beliefs

clustering:

list first topics several categories

use

Internet subject directory,

encyclopaedia/ other ref site

books,

articles in periodicals,
statistical sources,
biographies, quotation books

Potential topics:

Study intended audience:

demographic

audience data

subject-related

(psychographic) audience data

first

speeches: assess via

informal observations/
educated guesses

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(3) Research Process

Gather

>Library,
databases:
books, academic journals,
magazines, newspapers

Gather

>Internet:

websites, deep web, blogs

Gather

>Interviews:

research interviews with

experts
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Research Process

Evaluate:

reliable, credible, current?

Lect_Add: Table of Critical
Questions on Evaluating Info.
Apply:

your critical thinking

skills:
What are the authors
assumptions?
What evidence is presented
to
support the conclusions
drawn?
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Research:

review

speech type & own

expertise to gauge number of
sources

If

not drawing from solely

personal experience, should
use multiple sources:

avert

risk of plagiarism &

insufficient research

13

Research:

Aims:
develop

original approach to

topic:
ensure

broader research base

increase

likelihood of
uncovering various opinions on
your topic

14

Acknowledge sources oral citation

Oral

citation e.g.:

Jacqueline and Milton

Mayfield, professors at Texas
A&M International University,
found in their research that a
supervisors language use
affects employee absenteeism.
Their 2009 article in the
Journal of Business
Communication reported that

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Acknowledge sources - Bibliography

Bibliography:

written list of all

full citations author, date of publication,

title, place of publication &
publisher
Use

MLA (Modern Language

Association) or APA (American
Psychological Association)
academic style 16

Acknowledge sources

Bibliography

e.g.:

Mayfield J. & Mayfield M.

(2009). The role of leader
motivating language in
employee absenteeism. Journal
of Business Communication, 46,
455-479

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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Chronological:

gives audience sense of how topic

unfolds over time *Topic: The Job Search
*Central Idea: (CI)
Finding a job requires four steps:
self-analysis, resume development,
application and follow-up.
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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Spatial

gives audience visual

understanding of relationship
between the parts of topic
*Topic: Yosemite National Park
*CI: The terrain in the Yosemite National
Park ranges from soaring pinnacles and
spires
to
flatland prairies.
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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Topical

gives audience image of sub-topics

within topic
*Topic: Local Public Transportation Can
Work for You
*CI: The key modes of public transport in
our area are light rail, trolley and bus.
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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Problem-solution

gives audience rationale to

consider
specific solution for problem
*Topic: Telecommuting
*CI: Because too many people commute
long distances to work, more companies
should promote telecommuting.
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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Cause-and-effect

shows how an action produces

specific outcome
*Topic: Diabetes and Dieting
*CI: Eating too much sugar has caused the
recent increase in the number of people
with diabetes in Singapore.

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Speech Body:
strategic order of main points
Narrative

gives audience basis to share

speakers
point of view
*Topic: Kayaking Adventure
* CI: Kayaking the Menominee River
on the Wisconsin-Michigan border was
filled with white-water, white knuckles,
and fun.
Source: Coopman and Lull, Public Speaking The Evolving Art

Speech Body
For each distinct main point:
use

same pattern of wording

(parallel structure):
repeated > more memorable

balance
gather

time devoted to each key point

supporting materials

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Speech Body
Does

my audience need a reminder

or an alert about how far Ive come?

Do

they need a reminder of how

my last point relates to my next point?

Do

I need some verbal markers

to help them follow my outline?

Will

they follow my ideas better if I

give them a brief preview?

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Speech Body
Connectives:
words, phrases/ sentences to connect
your ideas & give coherence:
Internal

preview

Internal

summary

Signpost
Transition

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Connective e.g.
??
As you can tell, human biological
cell cloning
is a complex and intriguing subject.
Equally intriguing is the potential for
medical research, which I want to
elaborate on .
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Connective e.g.
??
So the current campaign finance
laws really
do pose a serious problem, because
they encourage legislators to forego
their legislative work to engage in
time-consuming fundraising,
and they lessen public confidence in
governments ability to represent the
interests of ordinary working people.
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Connective e.g.
??
In discussing how different races or
ethnic groups have been stereotyped
in
local English textbooks used in
Singapore schools, well look first at
the origins of the problem
and second at its continuing impact
today.
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Connective e.g.
??
I have spoken so far about David
Marshall, Singapores first Chief
Minister,
as a labour leader and radical
politician,
but it was his work as a criminal
lawyer
that truly etched his name into local
history.
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Use Supporting Materials

examples -

statistics & facts -

testimony -

definitions -

narratives -

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Beginning of your Speech

Primacy effect: first

impressions influence later
perceptions

audience most attentive at

beginning:
decides then whether to pay
attention to speaker

32

Common Attention-getters

cite surprising fact or statistic:

draw attention to topic

tell emotionally arousing but

brief human-interest story

ask question you want

audience to answer/consider

33

Common attention-getters

tell joke to introduce topic &

get interest

use info you gathered about

your audience

include short audio/video clip/

photograph or other visual aid

34

Beginning

indicate your speech purpose

and central idea

establish your credibility on

topic: show youve researched
it
&/ have experience/expertise

preview main points

35

Ending

spark audiences imagination;

leave lasting impression:

use visual/auditory imagery -

Recency effect: audience

recalls what speaker presents
last, better than speech body

review key points & reinforce

speech goal

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Ending

provide closure:

end with quotation/visual aid

make dramatic statement,

refer to Introduction/ later
events

reinforce speaker-audience
link

thank audience
37

Speaking Outline (SO)

Significance:
provides

speaker prompts/
reminders -

use

different colour/font to
distinguish from content:

e.g.:
REPEAT,
SLOW DOWN,
SUMMARISE /
PAUSE
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Speaking Outline:
helps

cement flow of ideas in

speakers mind

helps

focus on key ideas &

phrases

legible,

concise

rehearse

speech aloud using SO

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Speaking Outline musthaves:

attention-grabbing

step in Intro
& closure-developing step in
Conclusion (word for word)

refs

to supporting materials &

oral citations

key

statistics & quotations

reminders

on when to refer to
visual aids

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Preparation outline [PO]

compulsory

submission
(except Impromptu Speech)

Template
Sample:

Lucas, pp. 211-213

identifies
puts

(IVLE)
all content for speech

ideas & information in order

basis

for SO

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PO
uses
lists

complete sentences
all parts of your speech

includes

all references

plans

your speech (does not

reflect every word you will say
when you deliver it)

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(4) Practise Speech Delivery

Important to **rehearse**

divide speech

practise beginning till

comfortable

next, focus on ending

then speech body

finally, put all segments

together in correct order
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TIPS: Self-review of Recording

Must know how you really

appear effective use of
body & effective use of
voice

1. Prepare to make own notes

2. Turn off sound completely

& watch body language;
posture, movement & gestures;
eye contact; facial expression &
poise; annoying habits you may
not be aware of
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Self-review TIPS!

3. Replay clip; this time close

your eyes and listen

4. Listen for use of voice:

vocal inflection, variety,
pacing, pauses, punch;
bad verbal habits: fillers,
mispronounced words, awkward
phrases, mumbling, slang,
jargon -

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Self-review TIPS!

5. Replay;
now listen as you view

6. Make notes on what you

want to improve

7. Incorporate into speech

rehearsals; continue to
practise & improve delivery
-

Source: Kaye "Maximize Your Presentation Skills"

(5)

Speaking with style

Use of spoken words, rhythms

& cadences

Speaker builds mood, states

case

Objective:

Win hearts & minds of your

audience through what they
hear and feel
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Speaking rules

Listener cannot reread text if

fails to understand first time

Speaker must rely on

repetition to make & reinforce
points

Sounds can confuse:

e.g. this connection or
disconnection?

Speed: audience may miss

points or misunderstand
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Speaking rules

Style vs Substance?

Dress your ideas in carefully

chosen language:

Important substance >>

stronger, clearer & colourful
style to help communicate

Need for rhetoric vs

bare lists, flowcharts

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Watch the Impact:

Study speeches by
exceptional speakers:

Some suggestions to improve

speaking styles

Use language with precision &

power:
(Communications Prof CW
Hensley)

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Watch the Impact:

Guard against
language
homicide:
Use Link correct words
languag with correct
e with grammar
precisio Use sensory
language
n

& power Develop lively

figures of speech
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Language homicide
Do not add unnecessary words
to express idea: e.gs.:

foreign imports; few in number

Avoid jargon or idioms;

define technical terms: e.gs.

energy documents;
analog temporal displacement
monitor

Voluntary Separation Incentive

Programme
52

Language homicide
Avoid clichs & euphemisms:
e.gs.

back to the drawing board

touch base

downsizing

Audience may need background

cultural knowledge to correctly
interpret

Confusion /lose interest in speech,

thinking message is not novel
53

Use precise words & grammar

Misuse of word choice: e.gs.

affect and effect

illicit vs. elicit

Use the right grammar:

distinguish between singular

& plural

watch your tenses

self-improvement exercises http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice

/learningenglish/grammar/grammar_
challenge/
54

Use sensory language

Appeal to physical senses &

feelings
e.g.

President Roosevelt to
Congress asking for
declaration of war:
original text: Dec 7th a day
which will go down in history

Changed to a day that will live

in infamy stirring depth of
feeling: heinous crime
55

Use sensory language

raise rhetorical questions

use powerful images

make moving metaphors

lively figures of speech

connect speakers ideas to

images familiar to audience

Dr. ML King:
master of the metaphor
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Use sensory language

Simile compares ideas,

using like & ase.g.:

On proposal to reduce drinking age

to 16: "Thats like giving a stick of
dynamite to a baby.

Metaphor discusses one

thing in terms of another
e.g.:

College admission officer on

process: Transfer applicants are
our safety net.
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Apply the art of alliteration

Repeat consonant sounds

-make mental images more
vivid e.gs.

President Ford (nomination

acceptance speech:
From August of 1974 to August of
1976,
the record shows steady progress
upward toward prosperity, peace
and public trust.

On slow passage of time:

tick-tock, tick-tock

58

Antithesis compares by
comparison
Use opposites for emphasis:

It was the best of times; it was

the worst of times. Dickens A

Tale of Two Cities

JFK: promoting individual

responsibility & voluntarism:
Ask not what your country can do
for you ask what you can do for
your country.

Let us never negotiate out of fear.

But let us never fear to
negotiate.
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Style increases impact

Lect_Add:

(i) Achieving clarity, rhythm

and
vividness Table
(ii)Info. Speech topics
showcasing SP & CI

Make your speeches rise

above the mediocre and
mundane!
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