1. ENC 3254 Speaking & Writing for Engineers
Speech Fundamentals
ENC 3254
Speaking & Writing for
Engineers

2. Engineers are poor communicators.
True or False?

3. Cost in salaries of audience
Presentations are expensive. Consider whether it is really necessary.
Cost in salaries of audience
Cost in time for presentation
This slide addresses the importance of scientific presentations. Corresponding discussions about the importance of scientific presentations can be found on pages 1-3 in The Craft of Scientific Presentations.
Cost in time to prepare presentation

4. Presentations have several advantages over documents
Work can come alive for audience
Work
Presenter can read audience and react A B C D
I usually begin my discussion of scientific presentations by having the students think of the advantages and disadvantages of presenting technical information in a presentation as opposed to a document. (CSP, pages 3-5, 7-8)
Presenter receives
instant reaction ! ?

5. Presentations also have disadvantages
Speaker has limited
chance to catch errors ?
Audience cannot
reread text
has one
audience
chance
to hear
I usually begin my discussion of scientific presentations by having the students think of the advantages and disadvantages of presenting technical information in a presentation as opposed to a document. (CSP, pages 5-7)
Audience cannot look
up background material

6. What are the most common public speaking challenges?
Anxiety
Lack of preparation time
Not knowing your purpose
Not knowing the audience
The most common of those challenges include ….although we won’t review all of these today, we will consider several plus a review of putting the speech together.

7. Communication Apprehension
The Book of Lists ranks fear of public speaking as the #1 fear, even ahead of death, disease, and nuclear war.
A 2001 Gallup Poll found that public speaking was second only to a fear of snakes.

8. What are the causes of CA?
Fear of Embarrassment
Fear of Failure
Fear of Rejection

9. Overcoming or Controlling CA
Know your environment
Relax
Breathe
Use extras wisely
Keep your focus on the material
Know your material & practice
Your audience is on your side

10. Presentations can be viewed from three stylistic perspectives
Structure and
Speech
Visual Aids
Delivery
This slide maps a discussion about style in scientific presentations. In this discussion, one’s style in a presentation consists of three perspective: the structure and speech of the presentation, the visual aids that one uses, and the delivery of the individual. Note that although the book breaks up the discussion into four perspective, it is more balanced to divide a presentation of the material as three perspectives, especially if you are dedicating only three or four lectures to the material.
While the speech simply consists of the words that the speaker chooses, the structure includes not only the organization of the presentation, but also the depth, the emphasis, and the transitions between the major sections of the talk. The visual aids include presentation slides, handouts, demonstrations, and films. Finally, the delivery consists of the speaker’s voice, movements (including eye contact), and stage presence before the audience. (CSP, pages 8-11)
Archives, Cal-Tech

11. Structure and Speech Visual Aids Delivery Archives, Cal-Tech
This slide indicates a transition to the first topic to be discussed. In a shorter presentation, I often delete this slide. One point worth noting is that in teaching this material, I try to give the students a model for presentation slides that they can use in their own presentations. That is why I am careful to make a point of the mapping.

13. Begin preparing a scientific presentation
by analyzing your constraints
Who are they?
What do they know?
Why are they here?
What biases do they have?
audience
to inform
to persuade
to inspire
to teach
formality
size
time
purpose
occasion
This slide shows what constraints students are under as they begin preparing a scientific presentation. In other words, this slide tells students where they should begin the preparation process (an assumption here is that the students understand the content of their presentation and now must communicate that content). (CSP, pages 28-44)

14. There are 2 messages in any speech:
1. The one you send
2. The one the audience receives
Poor speeches--there is disconnect between these two messages
Effective speeches--the audience receives the message you wish to convey

15. Challenge: Audiences can be Poor Listeners
Reactive to trigger words or topics
Listen faster than you can speak
Prefer info similar to their beliefs
Retain very little
May respond in an unexpected way to topic
* negative response--may reaction visibly (walk out); or ignore rest of message
*important to know audience & be DIPLOMATIC in language
2. Brain is EFFICIENT:
Talk at rate of words/min; brain processes words/min
Avoid talking down to audience--since do listen faster
* can also bore audience by talking down
3. More responsive to messages/info that conform to their perceptions/understanding
* be diplomatic in all cases
* speeches challenging beliefs must give ample EVIDENCE to back up claims
4. Short attention span--and retain little
*REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

16. Goal: Be Compelling Know Purpose of Speech Know Audience
Show Value of Message
Build Rapport
Purpose: to inform? To persuade? To instruct?
Audience: what are their expectations? Level of understanding?
Use audience knowledge to show value:
Audiences are egocentric
Relate message to an audience’s existing knowledge and beliefs.
(teaching something valuable? Will this save $$? Improve efficiency?? )
KEY IN INTERVIEW--SHOW VALUE
Build rapport: CONNECT with audience--eye contact, stories

17. Types of Speeches Informative:
Conferences, technical updates, new product introductions
Instructive:
Training, coaching, orientation
Persuasive:
Client presentations, in-house proposals

18. Types of Audiences: Demographics
Technical or Non-technical
Managerial or Staff
Educational Level
Age
Demographic characteristics to consider when scripting speech
Color audience’s understanding, interest, motivators
Speech should capitalize on these characteristics

19. Types of Audiences: Situational & Psychological
Occasion
Size of Room & Group
Roles & Motives
Culture
Feelings about you or your topic
What’s the occasion of the speech? Be sure it conforms with purpose…don’t use an informal approach when a more formal delivery is appropriate
Size of room and size of audience determines use of handouts and visuals.
*too many and handouts are not effective
*use font large enough for those in back row
Why is audience here? Craft message to meet their needs.
International audiences--consider English proficiency, use of humor, gestures may be interpreted differently.

20. Goal: Present a clear message
Speech Overview/Preview
Prepares Audience
Use Connectives/Transitions
Signals Topic Change
Review Points
Enhances Audience Retention
Overview/Preview: Provides Insight into Speech content
“Today I’m going to talk about…”
“New technology in telecommunications has enhanced our lives in many ways. Yet with each new advancement in telecommunications, we face new challenges…”
Connectives: “Now that we’ve discussed challenges, let me describe some solutions…”
“First, we will consider… Second, we will discuss…Third, we should remember…”
Signal conclusion:
“In conclusion…” “Finally…” “Where does this leave us?”
Review Points at end of speech--do so SUCCINCTLY

21. As with documents, the structure of presentations should have clear beginnings, middles, and ends
This slide maps a discussion about organization in technical presentations. As with documents, all scientific presentations should have a clear beginning, middle, and ending. On this slide, I use the unusual shape to show that most successful scientific presentations begin with a bigger picture (perhaps a problem in engineering or science that needs addressing) and then focusing in on the work done. The middle is a discussion and analysis of that work, and the ending comes back to show the ramifications of this work on the big picture.
This image also applies to the concept of targeting an audience. Generally, at the beginning and ending of a scientific presentation, you give comments that address everyone in the room (technical and non-technical members). The middle is often more technical, although you may very well try to help those not familiar with the definitions and background information. (CSP, pages 55-60)

22. Beginnings prepare the audience for the work to be presented
Defines work
Work = A + B
Shows importance
This slide shows the kinds of information that the “Introduction” of a scientific presentation typically addresses. Often I ask the students what things they want to know when they are first introduced to a topic. The analogy I use is that an introduction section is a bus ride to a place where the readers will learn something. I ask the students to imagine that I am leading them out the door to a parked bus that will take them some place where they will learn something. I then ask what questions they have as they are walking out the door. The students will mention the first two aspects right off (“what topic are we going to learn about?” and “why is that topic important?”) and usually after prodding will state the fourth one (“how long will this trip take?” or “will we come back in time for our next class?”). Although they rarely guess the third aspect (“what information do I need to know to understand this subject?”), the third aspect makes sense to them because they usually associate background information with introductions.
I mention to the students that the fourth aspect (mapping the presentation) is more important in a presentation than in a document because the audience has no idea what direction the speaker is going unless the speaker divulges that information--at least, in a document, the readers can look at the forthcoming headings and subheadings. Moreover, in a presentation, the audience has to pace themselves--listening is hard work--and if the audience doesn’t know where they are, they become tired much more easily. (CSP, pages 66-78)
Maps presentation A B C D
Gives background

23. Speech Organization Attention grabber thesis/central idea
Introduction
Attention grabber
thesis/central idea
relation statement
qualifications (if necessary)
preview/forecast

24. The middle presents the work in a logical order
pre-combustion methods
This slide is a trigger for the discussion about how to organize the middle of a scientific presentation. The body of the slide shows a common way to organize information: breakdown of the topic into parallel parts. There are certainly other logical organizations: time, position, or cause and effect. Almost all of these come down, though, to dividing the middle of the talk into sections.
The most important points for the students to understand about organizing the middle are that those divisions should be logical and that there should not be too many divisions. For instance, the example presentation reflected in the body of this slide is about five different methods for reducing sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired utilities. Rather than confront the audience with all five methods up front (and probably intimidate the audience at that point), the speaker wisely chose to group the methods into three parallel divisions. Groupings of two, three, and four work well in a technical presentation. Groupings of five, six, seven, or more usually intimidate the audience. Moreover, with large numbers of divisions, the audience will probably not remember all the names of the divisions.
Note that the body of this slide was used in a mapping slide for the presentation. While most speakers just give the audience a vertical list (and usually include the names “Introduction” and “Conclusion”) for the mapping slide, this speaker couched the list in an image, which is much easier to remember. In regards to the names “Introduction” and “Conclusion,” every talk has those sections, and the names are not missed. (CSP, pages 55-59, 74-75)
combustion
methods
post-combustion
methods

25. Speech Organization-Organizational Patterns
Body
Topical
Triad
Chronological
Problem/Cause/Solution
MMS

26. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
Step 1--Attention
Step 2-Need
Step 3-Satisfaction
Step 4-Visualization
Step 5-Action

27. In the middle, make smooth transitions between major points
pre-combustion
methods
combustion
Besides finding a logical organization for the topic in presentation’s middle, the speaker also should concentrate on making smooth transitions between the divisions of those topics. How does a speaker make a smooth transition? (I usually pose this question to the students.) One way is through speech. That concludes what I have to say about pre-combustion methods. Now I will discuss combustion methods. Another way is through delivery: a pause, for example. Yet a third way is through the slides. By having at least one slide for each major division of the middle, the speaker showing that slide’s headline can signal a change in topic. Often good speakers use more than one of these clues that the talk has moved from one section to another.
In addition to transitions between the divisions of the middle, the speaker should clearly make a transition between the presentation’s beginning and its middle and between the presentation’s middle and its conclusion. The last transition is particularly important. Many students hurry through the ending and in so doing miss one of the best opportunities to emphasize information. When an audience knows that the ending of the presentation is approaching, they often sit up and concentrate (even if they have gotten lost in the technical details of the middle). The speaker should capitalize on that prospect of increased concentration by making sure that the audience knows that the ending has arrived. (CSP, pages 83-88)
post-combustion
methods
combustion

28. The ending should summarize main points and place those results in the context of the big picture
Summary
That concludes what I wanted to say about the middle of presentations. Now I will discuss a presentation’s ending. In the ending of a presentation, the speakers want to accomplish two things: give a summary of the most important details and provide a big-picture perspective. Many students have a fear of repeating details. Perhaps they confuse repetition for redundancy (a needless repetition such as “bright green in color”). I usually ask them to imagine a technical course in which there was no repetition. In such a course there would be no help sessions or classes in which review was done. For each type of problem, the teacher would work through only one example.
Repetition is important in scientific writing and in scientific speaking. After all, on average, people remember only about 10 percent of what they hear. For that reason, at the end of a scientific presentation, the speaker should repeat the most important points so that the audience is more likely to walk out the door with those points.
In addition to a summary, the speaker should give a big-picture perspective on the work. In some presentations, that perspective might be a discussion of the work that needs to be done. In another presentation that perspective might be a list of recommendations. In another presentation, this perspective is a look at the technical work from the vantage point of the big picture discussed at the beginning of the talk. Each of these perspectives provide closure for the presentation. (CSP, pages 64-65, 88-91)
Big Picture

29. Speech Organization forewarn audience of ending
Conclusion
forewarn audience of ending
summarize your main points
remind audience of desired response
end in an upbeat manner

30. Structure and Speech Visual Aids Delivery Archives, Cal-Tech
This slide indicates a transition to the third topic to be discussed: delivery. Delivery consists of the speaker’s voice, movements (including eye contact), and stage presence before the audience. Richard Feynman, who was a dynamic speaker, represents this perspective. (CSP, Chapter 5)
Archives, Cal-Tech

31. Delivery is the speaker’s interaction with the audience
Cal-Tech
Stage Presence
Movement
Cal-Tech
Voice
AIP
This slide discusses three key aspects of delivery in a technical presentation. Voice, which is represented by the physicist Chien Shiung Wu, includes such things as speaking loudly enough, not speaking in a monotone, overcoming strong accents, and avoiding filler phrases. Movements, which is represented by Richard Feynman, include stance, eye contact, gestures, and avoidance of nervous movements such as tapping feet or pulling on ties. Stage presence, which is represented by Linus Paulin, includes controlling nervousness, handling disruptions, and fielding questions.
In teaching this aspect of presentations, I have the students use their experience at seeing presentations in their classes to come up with lists of strengths and weaknesses that they have witnessed. The way that I run the class is to divide the class into groups of four and have each group come up with examples of three strengths and three weaknesses of delivery (voice, movements, and stage presence) that they have seen. The rules are that the students must keep the weak examples anonymous. Often I have individual groups concentrate on specific areas of delivery.
After the groups come up with their lists, representatives from each group then makes a presentation to the class demonstrating or explaining the items on those lists. I usually speak at the end to cover important points not discussed. Discussions about these aspects appear in Critical Errors 9 and 10 of CSP.

32. Goal: Be Captivating & Memorable
Delivery
How You Give the Speech
Verbal Techniques
Volume, Rate, Emphasis, Vocal Variety, Articulation
Non-verbal Techniques
Personal Appearance, Gestures, Eye Contact
Language
Enhances Understanding
Language: don’t talk down to audience, but use language that is CLEAR and SUCCINCT
Stories: Bring speech alive, provide relevance, help connect with audience.

33. Delivery Functions Accent & Emphasis Complement Reinforce
Regulate/Control
Contradict
Substitute

34. There are several choices speech delivery
Memorizing the Speech
+ allows eye contact
- difficult for long speeches
- room for precision errors
- no room for improvising
Reading From a Text
+ ensures precision
- does not sound natural
- no room for improvising
- hinders eye contact
This slide shows the advantages and disadvantages of four different sources for one’s speech:speaking from slides or notes, memorizing, reading, or winging it. In general, I advocate speaking from presentation slides or from notes. However, I think that it is important to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each source. Moreover, I also think that there is a place for the other sources to some extent in presentations.
For example, I often memorize the first sentence of an important presentation just so that I can deliver that opening in a confident manner. Having the first sentence memorized allows me to make good eye contact around the room. Note, though, that trying to memorize more than a couple of sentences in a presentation is burdensome and impractical for most engineers and scientists who are extremely busy in their jobs.
In pressure situations such as a press conference about an environmental or safety problem, reading a statement is usually better than speaking from notes. In such situations, you want to say exactly what your institution recommends. Another situation in which you might read part of a speech is when you are quoting a law or statute in a presentation and want to be exact.
Winging it is generally not a good idea, but it is one that students should practice because occasions arise (such as in question and answer periods) in which they will be placed on the spot. Having practiced for such situations, they will be in a better position to rise to the occasion. (CSP, Critical Error 2)
Winging It
+ sounds natural
- has much room for error
Speaking Extemporaneously
+ insures organization
+ allows eye contact
+ allows improvising
- some room for error

35. Delivery Essentials ~65% of total message
Eye Contact and Facial Expression
50% of nonverbal message
Body Movement--body language
hand gestures, walking, podium use
Vocalics or Paralanguage
30% of nonverbal message
Distracting Mannerisms

36. Engineers can be excellent communicators too!
Structure and
Speech
Visual Aids
Delivery
This slide maps a discussion about style in scientific presentations. In this discussion, one’s style in a presentation consists of three perspective: the structure and speech of the presentation, the visual aids that one uses, and the delivery of the individual. Note that although the book breaks up the discussion into four perspective, it is more balanced to divide a presentation of the material as three perspectives, especially if you are dedicating only three or four lectures to the material.
While the speech simply consists of the words that the speaker chooses, the structure includes not only the organization of the presentation, but also the depth, the emphasis, and the transitions between the major sections of the talk. The visual aids include presentation slides, handouts, demonstrations, and films. Finally, the delivery consists of the speaker’s voice, movements (including eye contact), and stage presence before the audience. (CSP, pages 8-11)
Archives, Cal-Tech

37. “The ability to communicate is everything.”
--Lee Iacocca
Former CEO, Chrysler Corporation