Public Speaking

[Simon]

After watching people do their speeches today, I am actually not as nervous as I use to be. Everyone pretty much used note cards for their speech.

I just am trying to figure out what information to use in my speech from my outline because an outline is required to turn in on speech day.

I appreciate everyone's advice on this!

 

[Chris]

I don't like note cards for speeches. I'm one of those people that just ingrains the material into my brain to the point where I could, say, walk up to you and have a healthy five to ten minute conversation on the topic with you not knowing anything about the subject. Then I get up there and use the power point slides as my prompts. That's a whole 'nother issue though, if you use powerpoint you better know how to use it effectively for public speaking ... ie not reading off of it, more is less when it comes to slides, etc.

But I think you'll be fine. Good luck let us know how it goes.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

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.

Heh -- no wonder your advice seemed so familiar. I was an instructor for a couple of years with similar sized classes as well. We had to undergo a "murder board" before teaching, where you'd present your class in the classroom to four other instructors who would usually sit in the corners. They'd try to stump you with questions to make sure your technique (repeat the question, answer the question, ask if question was answered) was correct. They ensured that your voice carried (no microphones permitted -- had to use "command voice"), that you "commanded the room" and didn't just stand in one place, and that you could run through all your slides without looking at them. Really excellent training, and doing jury trials and seminars later in life after that was an absolute breeze.

We used to try to work movie clips and a lot of humor into classes. I remember one fellow instructor who taught "Weapons Platoon in the Attack" used to open with a clip from "The Terminator", and commenting that if you had Arnold, he was your weapons platoon. But otherwise, you better learn how to employ the shit you actually had, etc.. I used to open a class that included teaching firing commands with a scene from "Zulu" where the disciplined British rifle fire holds off a horde of Zulus. Motivating shit right that.

Ah, good times!

 

[Ruken]

Make sure you have a mic to drop at the end

 

[Simon]

I seriously appreciate everyone's advice! You've guys made this easier. I emailed my prof today and she said I can take out one of my main points from my speech, as with all three points, it is long. I'll keep it on my outline. I'm struggling to think of what to take out.

Which one do you guys think: Pete Rose, Almonte or the White Sox scandal?

I'm leaning towards the White Sox one, can't make up my mind.

 

[Simon]

Speech went okay today. My voice was a little shaky, and I think I was short on time, but I think overall it went okay! Next speech is at the end of the month and that is a persuasive speech.

 

[Sumac13]

Congrats. The more you do, the easier it should become. You will be surprised how you will gain confidence in yourself over time the more you do it.

For me, even bombing a few times helped. I identified what went wrong and worked on it. Don't forget self-evaluation after each time. Think about what went well and what didn't. Incremental improvements add up quickly. Soon enough you will feel quite comfortable. Be prepared. Practice. Have talking points. Don't try to memorize verbatim.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Speech went okay today. My voice was a little shaky, and I think I was short on time, but I think overall it went okay! Next speech is at the end of the month and that is a persuasive speech.

Good job! Just gotta keep plugging away at it. I've probably offered too many "tips" so far, but here's another. Try to think of it less as a "speech", and more as a conversation in which it is your turn to talk to the people in the class. In smaller groups, the conversational tone is more effective, and that's particularly true in persuasive speeches. Present it as if you're really trying to convince a group of friends about something, and want them to take you seriously, but don't keep it as "formal" as you probably kept your first speech.

 

[Lee]

I saw this thread title got excited because i thought it said "Public Spanking"

Re-read thread title, got allot less excited.

Carry On.

 

[natedagg]

Speech went okay today. My voice was a little shaky, and I think I was short on time, but I think overall it went okay! Next speech is at the end of the month and that is a persuasive speech.

Can you elaborate a little bit more? How did it compare with other speeches in content, flow, and delivery? What were some other topics? Did anyone do a great job and what was great about it? On a scale of 1-10, how nervous were you at the beginning versus the end? Did anyone ask any questions afterward? What feedback did you get (if none, then what feedback would you give yourself)?

 

[jlj3184]

On to the next one.

You're always your own harshest critic. Places where you "screwed up" probably weren't even noticed by the majority of the class. If you have any friends in the class, ask them for candid feedback - besides practice, it's the best way to improve.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

Didn't read everyone's tips, but one that is pretty universal is that most people talk faster than they think they are talking. Sloooow down and make sure you pause every so often between points.

 

[Chris]

I actually have a speech next week.

Doooooont caaaaaaaaaare.

Eventually you'll be the same way.

 

[Simon]

So, very interesting. For my persuasive speech, I am do should college athletes be paid? Well, I find out today that two people are also doing this topic. I am for it. One person who is doing it is against it, the other one is for it as well.

The guy who is against it goes the same day as me, and I think I go before him.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

So, very interesting. For my persuasive speech, I am do should college athletes be paid? Well, I find out today that two people are also doing this topic. I am for it. One person who is doing it is against it, the other one is for it as well.

The guy who is against it goes the same day as me, and I think I go before him.

The key to being truly effective is to overcome the primary objections to the other point of view. Think about what the most persuasive arguments are on the other side (even talk to the guy if you want), and make sure you address those arguments in your speech. Along with how much they should be paid, and by whom.