 Will you die, faint, shake, sweat, look down, or feel your mouth go dry?  Will you blush, flush, stammer and trip over your tongue?  Will you forget what you were saying?  Will you survive the course?

ZAlumni say courses in writing and speaking are the most valuable. ZEmployers say your ability to express yourself is one of the most important job skills. ZIn the end, you achieve EMPOWERMENT

Communication: A transaction occurs in which speaker and listener simultaneously sends, receives and interprets messages. Speaking is different from writing and other forms of communication.

Z Source : The person who originates the message. Z Receiver : The listener or audience that hears and listens to, the message sent by the source. Z Verbal messages are the words chosen for the speech. Z Nonverbal messages are movements, gestures, facial expressions, and vocal variations that can reinforce or contradict words.

Z Channel : The means of distributing your words, whether by coaxial cable, microwave, radio, video or air. Z Situation : The time, place and occasion in which the message sending and receiving occurs. Z Noise : The interference with, or obstacles to, communication.

 Searching for a Topic  Individual brainstorming occurs when you write down all the possible topics you can think of.  Categorical brainstorming begins with categories that prompt you to think of topics.  Conduct a personal inventory of your experiences, attitudes, values, beliefs, interests and skills.  Consider current topics–items that you find in the news, on the media, and on the minds of people in your audience.  Access the World Wide Web through the Internet & use a subject-based search engine. Selecting a Topic and Purpose

Selecting a Topic  Speak about topics that:  Are familiar to you.  Interest you.  Are uniquely your own.  Your audience finds interesting.  The audience embraces but you do not.  Are important to your local community.

Evaluating Topics  Topic should be appropriate to you.  You should be interested in the topic.  Topic should be appropriate to audience.  It should be interesting and worthwhile to the audience.  Topic should be appropriate to situation.  The subject should be significant, timely, and tailored.

Guidelines for Topic Appropriateness Z1.Do you have involvement with the topic? Z2.Do you have competence with the topic? Z3.Will the topic hold interest for audience? Z4.Is the topic worthwhile for audience?

Guidelines for Topic Appropriateness Z5.Is the topic significant? Z6.Is the topic appropriate for occasion?  7.Have you appropriately narrowed and limited the topic?

What To Avoid In a Presentation Exhausted topics unless you have a new approach.  Illegal subjects lest you end up suspended or in jail.  Insulting your audience.  Getting your speech from the Internet.  Plagiarism is punishable by receiving zero points, a low grade, suspension or dismissal from college.

Becoming an Effective Speaker  An audience decides in seconds what they think of the presenter.  Source credibility is the audience’s perception of your effectiveness as a speaker.

How do you establish source credibility?  Find common ground.  Point out features you share with your audience.  Establish trustworthiness.  Does the audience perceive you as honest and honorable?

More on credibility:  Display competence.  Be thoroughly familiar with your topic.  Pay attention to dynamism.  Audiences are attracted by movement, gestures, facial expression and voice variety.

Tips For Gaining Respect  Talk about something important  Establish your qualifications  Translate ideas for understanding  Organize ideas for clarity  Have an enhanced conversation

Understanding Communication Apprehension  Communication Apprehension: An individual’s fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication.  What is fear or anxiety? �  What is real or anticipated communication? �

Ways to Reduce Anxiety  Act confidently  Know your subject  Care about your subject  See classmates as friends  See yourself as successful  Practice for confidence

Summary  Public speaking is an important course.  The communication process includes 7 components: speaker, audience, message, channel, feedback, situation, & noise.  Public speaking is a unique form of communication.  Topic choice involves much thought.  You need to establish source credibility  Communication apprehension is a natural part of public speaking