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Public Speaking

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1. Do it as often as possible, because eventually it isn't a big deal.
2. If you get self conscious, look at the wall behind everyone. They can't tell the difference.
3. Make eye contact with the teacher during a part you are confident about, they have to say you aren't just looking at the back wall.

To add to #2 and #3, if you struggle with eye contact, look at their forehead. They can't tell the difference
 
1) Practice. Whenever I had a big test, I tended to study in the room the week/day before I had the test. Or if I had to give a speech, I'd go into the classroom the night before and practice it. Doing the activity or related activities in the room just makes you feel more comfortable. Practice in front of a mirror too. Sounds silly but it helps.

2) Really watch the filler language. I can't tell you how bad it sounds when you're speaking professionally. Words such as "Like, uhm etc. Obviously you can't help saying uhm once in awhile, but be aware of it. Don't do the "Today I'm going to talk about uhm middle east foreign policy uhm and then uhm I'll discuss"

3) It will only get easier with time. And it sounds like everyone in the class is going to have to do it. So take comfort in that. No one is going to really judge others.

4) Wear something comfortable but professional. It will make you feel better while you're up there. You won't be sweating or unable to move your arms. It makes a difference.

5) Wear good anti-perspirant or a white shirt or something if you tend to sweat when you're nervous.
 
1) Practice. Whenever I had a big test, I tended to study in the room the week/day before I had the test. Or if I had to give a speech, I'd go into the classroom the night before and practice it. Doing the activity or related activities in the room just makes you feel more comfortable. Practice in front of a mirror too. Sounds silly but it helps.

2) Really watch the filler language. I can't tell you how bad it sounds when you're speaking professionally. Words such as "Like, uhm etc. Obviously you can't help saying uhm once in awhile, but be aware of it. Don't do the "Today I'm going to talk about uhm middle east foreign policy uhm and then uhm I'll discuss"

3) It will only get easier with time. And it sounds like everyone in the class is going to have to do it. So take comfort in that. No one is going to really judge others.

4) Wear something comfortable but professional. It will make you feel better while you're up there. You won't be sweating or unable to move your arms. It makes a difference.

5) Wear good anti-perspirant or a white shirt or something if you tend to sweat when you're nervous.

That's actually one of the requirements, our professor wants us to dress business casual. I was thinking like a polo shirt and khaki (spell check?)i pants.

Plus this class starts at 8:50 in the morning, so no one really isn't going to pay attention, only the professor will be. This is an informative speech, the next one I have to do, which will be like four weeks after the first one is a persuasive speech.
 
The typical Rx if you're going to go the medication route is propranolol.
 
Once did a ten minute speech on fucking fantasy sports.

Seriously, I don't think ONE person in the class knew what fantasy sports were, and everyone perked up and seemed super interested. At the end I answered like 15 minutes of questions before the instructor cut it off and said we had to move on. It was such an easy speech, though, I didn't even need notes.
 
I've done them in how to break up with someone and why seatbelt laws are unconstitutional and how to turn a watermelon into a sailboat.and why people should smoke cigarettes
 
What are you're guys opinion on this and how you deal with it?

I have to give three speeches in my human communication class, one is coming in about a week or two. To narrow it down, it has to be about five minutes long and we pretty much have to memorize it, but important topics or information can be written down on index cards and my topic is the best gambling scandals in sports.

But basically, I have public speaking anxiety, and this is actually about my first time presenting in college and this class as about 30-35 people in it.

I feel comfortable about my topic.

My main three points I will be talking about is the Little League World Series scandal in 2001, Pete Rose and the Chicago White Sox "Black Sox Scandal."

Do you guys have any tips on how to deal with your anxiety in talking in front of a large crowd?

Don't have a whole lot new to add, but I've been teaching for 4 years for the military with class sizes ranging from seven to 300.

- Biggest thing: know your material. If you know your content, you'll be able to speak to one person or a thousand with relative ease.
- Obviously choosing a topic you know about to begin with is great, but practicing it over and over again until it is basically memorized will help a ton.
- If you have to go for five minutes, shoot for six to seven when you're practicing. Your nerves will likely cause you to talk faster than usual and cut short your time on the day you're set to perform.
- Not much to say for getting over nerves...it just takes practice. It's like going up to a girl in the bar. Once you get over the fear of bombing (usually based on repeated success, or realizing that the world doesn't end if you do fail), the nerves will go away. Remember that nearly everyone in your class is going through the exact same thing you are. You're lucky in a sense, as you should have a sympathetic audience.
- As for the note cards - if you know your material you won't even use them. Have them there if it increases your confidence, but strive to not use them at all.
- Use humor to get the audiences attention and put them in your corner. I'm not sure if you're allowed to use visual aids, but short audio/video clips or funny pictures are a great way to get an audience engaged.
- Take a couple deep breaths before you start. After a minute, you'll get into a flow and the audience becomes secondary to the material.
- Try to be different from what everyone else is going to do. I'd bet you have a format you're supposed to follow, but most people giving their first speech are going to do "textbook" things like starting with a famous quote or some other cliche shit.
- Transitions are another place where you can really shine that most people just starting out absolutely SUCK at. Find something to link the topic you just talked about and the topic you're going to talk about next. Even a mechanical transition ("We just talked about xxx, now we're going to talk about yyy") will help your audience follow the pieces of your presentation. As you get more practiced, you can spice up your transitions like the example(s) on the previous page.
- Have fun - it's not going to be as bad as you'll build it up in your head.
 
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Alright guys, here's my outline. I just read it out loud in front of a mirror and timed myself, and finished at 7:43. My professor said she will cut us off at 7 minutes and the time frame she would like us at is 4:45-5:15. I still have to cite everything. My speech is next Wednesday so I have time. Shout out too @The Human Q-Tip for the transitions. Worked perfectly! I know I need a better attention getter and I also need a memorable ending. I'm struggling on how to cut this down to the time frame she wants it in. And I probably need a better thesis as well.

Here's my outline right now, any suggestions on how to cut it down?

General Purpose:To inform.

Specific purpose:To discuss some of the biggest gambling scandals in sports.

Speech topic:Best gambling scandals in sports.

Attention Getter:Baseball is America’s greatest pastime sport, but, what if I told you that America’s past time has some of the best gambling scandals in sports history?

Thesis: In the world of today’s sports, there aren’t many scandals, but their have been in years past, that so big, have banished some players in that league for life.

Body:

Transition: The Black Sox Scandal became such a legend in baseball that we didn't see another gambling scandal for more than 60 years.
  1. Chicago White Sox Scandal - “Black Sox Scandal”
1. The most famous scandal in baseball history. This 1919 World Series was the subject of the most famous scandal in MLB history. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the series against the Cincinnati Reds. The players accused in the scandal were: “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude “Lefty” Williams, infielders Buck Weaver, Arnold “Chick” Gandil, Fred McMullin, Charles “Swede” Risberg and outfielder Oscar “Happy” Felsch (cite).

2. The eight players, which the scandal was later named “Black Sox” Scandal, they were accused of intentionally losing games in exchange for money from gamblers. All eight players were banned for life from baseball and were acquitted in court. One of the people blamed, or one of the causes for the scandal, was White Sox owner Charles Comiskey. Players disliked him. Comiskey had a reputation for underpaying his players, although the White Sox at the time were a powerhouse team (cite). However, the players were founded not guilty on the charges.

3. With the scandal giving baseball a bad name, in 1921, a federal judge name Kenesaw Mountain Landis was appointed as the first Commissioner of Baseball. On August 3rd, 1921 after the players were acquitted the new commissioner handed down his verdict: “Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ball game, no player who undertakes or promises to throw a ball game, no player who sits in confidence with a bunch of crooked ballplayers and gamblers, where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball.” (cite)

Transition: And just as the Black Sox scandal brought down a World Series Champion, the next scandal brought down the games all time leader for most career hits.

II. Pete Rose
1.
Pete Rose was a major league baseball player and played 1963-1986.v He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos and then during the last years of his career, he played again for the Reds. After the playing, he was named manger for the Reds in 1984 to 1989 He was a manager/player for the Reds 1984-1986, then a manager 1986-1989. During his playing times, he was a 17x all-star, 3x World Series Champ, NL MVP, World Series MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, 2x Gold Glove Award, Silver Slugger Award, Roberto Clemente Award, 3x NL batting champion and was named to the MLB All-Century Team.

2. In August 1989, a manager for the Reds then and three years after retiring as a player, Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball, as allegations came down that he gambled on baseball games when he was playing and was a manager. For years when the allegations came down, Rose denied the accusations that he gambled, but in 2004 he finally admitted he did bet on games. Lawyer John M. Dowd investigated the scandal, and in his report, he found the following: documented Rose betted on 52 games in 1987, where Rose wagered a minimum of $10,000 a day. Other people stated it was $2,000 a day.

3. However, in the Dowd Report, it said “no evidence was discovered that Rose bet against the Reds,” but Dowd stated in December 2002 that he believed Rose probably bet against the Reds while managing them (cite). Rose, for years has been trying to get reinstated so that his ban can be lifted, but, to this day, Rose is still banned from the game of baseball.

Transition: Now, if those two scandals didn't completely destroy our faith in the purity of the game, the most recent scandal definitely will: The Little League Word Series.

III. Danny Almonte - 2001 Little League World Series Scandal

1. Almonte was from the Dominican Republic. A little league pitcher for the Ronaldo Paulino Little league team from Bronx, NY team in 2001, at the age of twelve, or so he claimed to be. He led his team to third place in LLWS.

2. Allegations came after a couple weeks later of the LLWS that he was older than he claimed to be. Little League rules: Little League rules require that eligible players be no more than 12 years old during the regular Little League Season and turn 13 no earlier than August 1 of the year in which they are competing. Allegations came to be true that his real age is fourteen years old. He was born in 1987. Danny’s mother registered his birth certificate in the year 2000, but put 1989 and not 1987, thus, making it a false birth certificate.

3. The punishment that Little League put on the team: Almonte was declared ineligible, the team had to forfeit all their wins in tournament play. All the teams records were removed from the books and the team was required to demonstrate compliance with all regulations before entering the 2002 tournament. Felipe Almonte was banned from Little League competition for life. Paulino, the league president was also banned. Prosecutors from the Dominican Republic filed criminal charges against Felipe Almonte for falsifying a birth certificate. Danny Almonte knew nothing about the falsified document and was cleared of wrongdoing. Almonte also did not speak English during that time. (cite)
 
That looks more like a verbatim speech than an outline.

Try it from memory without looking at the paper at all. Don't worry about the exact words you've written - just get the basic facts and be able to transition between points.

Hopefully, you'll leave facts out and it will get shorter. If not, get rid of the parts that feel the least natural or least important to you. Don't try to shorten it just by losing a word here and a word there. Wack out whole sentences or even paragraphs.
 
I agree with having an outline. On outline, put some timestamps for practicing so you know how to pace yourself. 5 minutes is short.

---

I remember (some 27 years ago) taking a speech class at U of Akron. This guy gave a speech on different cultures beliefs throughout history on how to conceive a male child. As he was presenting, he kept it very matter-of-fact-like. But, all the while, I was thinking, "Dude, you got some balls." The instructor was sitting behind me. I could hear her very mildly chuckling. Towards the end, he started about the Vikings (I think). It may have been a different group. Anyway, he said rather dryly and they believed that "If you did it doggy style and penetrate real deep, … " I lost it. I struggled so damn hard to mute my laughter. Yeah, I was a bit juvenile at the time. The instructor to her credit kept it together. She replied, "Well, that was interesting." And to the guy's credit, he kept it 'professional'.

But, I bet after giving that speech, that guy had little problem presenting.

I used to be terrified to talk in front of people. Teaching English to people who cannot speak fixed that. Anymore, it doesn't bother me much. More than anything, be prepared. Know your topic very well. Pick something you are familiar with.
 
A lot of great advice in this thread. I was a communication & economics dual major so I had to get used to giving a ton of speeches early in college. The best advice I received was from my rhetorical communication professor who stressed the value of practicing public speaking in a controlled environment like a college classroom. Because if you think of it like that, you're crafting a skill that you can't practice anywhere else strictly for feedback. After college, you won't be able to give a speech in front of 20-30 people that really don't care what you're speaking about and get graded on your form.

Two other simple pieces of advice. 1. Slow Down! You're going to want to ramble and start flying through the speech. Just because you wrote, practiced, and performed the speech dozens of times doesn't mean everyone else knows what you're talking about. Slow down to a conversational pace, which you're going to have to consciously do the first few times. 2. Smile. It sounds corny but you give off great confidence when you smile while speaking.

Good luck!
 
Agree with Q-Tip's notes, but I would also add in some references that people can relate to. Not everyone in the class is going to be a fan of baseball, and while it is an informative speech, providing them with a reference point they know would be helpful. The references don't necessarily have to be 1 for 1...but you could talk about how the Pete Rose scandal was to baseball like the Bill Clinton scandal was to the Presidency. Or how the Black Sox damaged baseball's reputation just like Enron or the BP Oil Spill damaged the reputation of the energy industry.

You want to come off rehearsed, not scripted - try to stick to bullet points that you can talk about for 30-60 seconds, as needed.

Are you guys allowed to have someone set an iPad up with a running clock for you?

Why Danny Almonte instead of Biogenesis/PEDs for your 3rd point?

You should also have a conclusion where you (very briefly) wrap up the points you discussed.
 
Agree with Q-Tip's notes, but I would also add in some references that people can relate to. Not everyone in the class is going to be a fan of baseball, and while it is an informative speech, providing them with a reference point they know would be helpful. The references don't necessarily have to be 1 for 1...but you could talk about how the Pete Rose scandal was to baseball like the Bill Clinton scandal was to the Presidency. Or how the Black Sox damaged baseball's reputation just like Enron or the BP Oil Spill damaged the reputation of the energy industry.

You want to come off rehearsed, not scripted - try to stick to bullet points that you can talk about for 30-60 seconds, as needed.

Are you guys allowed to have someone set an iPad up with a running clock for you?

Why Danny Almonte instead of Biogenesis/PEDs for your 3rd point?

You should also have a conclusion where you (very briefly) wrap up the points you discussed.

The professor will keep time for her and someone will have notecards saying how much time remaining you have left basically.
 
I've spoken publicly way more times than I can count, and when presenting something I haven't presented before, I find myself talking it through in the shower, while in the car, etc.. No notes -- just getting the concepts imprinted on my brain.

If you practice too much with notes in front of you, you'll end up reading instead of speaking.
 

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