Formal public speaking MODEL UNITED NATIONS

Public Speaking Verbally conveying your points to a large group of people in a structured, organized way Use in Model UN: To communicate your ideas to the rest of your committee in a persuasive manner

Organization Start with an attention-grabber CLEARLY and EXPLICITLY state your main idea Body – 2-3 substantial, relevant pieces of evidence Conclusion – a call to action Overall: Be clear and concise!

Presentation

1. EYE CONTACT Look at your audience, not the floor or your paper! It’s okay to look at certain people, but don’t look at them for too short/long. If you are too shy to look at the audience, you can look a little bit over their heads.

2. Voice Volume Be aware of the environment you’re speaking in – a small room vs. a conference hall “Not too loud; not too soft… Just right.” Speed You do NOT need to speak fast At the same time, do not drone Find the moderate speed that allows you to enunciate Pay attention to ending consonants Breath Relax… Take time to breathe and pause

3. words NO “filler” words If you don’t know what to say, PAUSE! e.g. Umm, You Know, Like, I mean… If you don’t know what to say, PAUSE! A silence is often very meaningful Avoid using 1st person or 2nd person (in committee) Avoid using overly sophisticated words At the same time, no slang Goal: communicate your ideas in the clearest way possible

4. Posture of your body Upright position; no leaning on the podium, the wall, etc. Feet should be shoulder-width apart (Interesting Fact: Studies show that tilting your head 8°to the right makes you seem more believable.) It is okay to walk around a little bit as long as: You’re not at the beginning or end of your speech You’re not stating a crucial fact You’re not using an unmovable microphone

5. Gestures Used to articulate specific points and emphasize certain words If abused, become distractions. Your hands should NEVER be in the pocket “Upside-down diamond” Gestures should come from elbows Useful gestures: Palms facing up Palms facing down Palms parallel