Sp Cm 212 Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Preparation Outline
Lecture, 1M
Introduction:
1. ACTIVITY[SpeechAnalysisFeedback]
2. The goal of this course is to start you off so that you will be giving great speeches and
presentations ten years from now.
Preview of today:
I. Where we'll be going this semester.
II. What you can expect in each unit.
III. What will be happening this week.
I. This class has four units.
A. The first unit is a "warm up"—an introduction to the people & activities in this
course.
i. You'll meet your lab instructor and fellow students.
ii. You'll also have the opportunity to give two short speeches.
iii. In lecture, we'll be covering some basic principles of speech construction.
B. The second unit focuses on Informative Speaking.
i. This kind of speaking requires you to present complex information to your
audience in an interesting and accessible fashion.
ii. An example is when as a specialist (architect, engineer, physical therapist) you
share your knowledge with a client.
ii. We will pay close attention to organization in this unit
C. The third unit focuses on Persuasive Speaking.
i. In this kind of speaking, you attempt to overcome your audience's objections
and earn their agreement.
ii. Campaign speeches and marketing talks are examples of persuasive speeches,
but so are proposals you may present to clients—or grade complaints, for that
matter!
iii. The persuasive appeals will be the center of this unit—the forces of character,
emotion and reason that convince people.
D. The fourth and final unit focuses on speaking on Special Occasions.
i. In this kind of speaking, you celebrate a community's values, bringing people
together.
ii. The two types we'll be focusing on in particular are commemorative addresses
and after-dinner speeches.
ii. We'll pay close attention to language use in this unit.
Transition: That is where we will be going overall. But what will each of these units be like?
II. Each unit will help you proceed through three levels of learning,
A. It's useful to think about this by using a model of levels of learning known as "Bloom's
Taxonomy" (revised)
i. "Bloom's Taxonomy" is a pyramid, with basic skills such as remembering and
understanding at the bottom, applying and analyzing in the middle, and evaluating
and creating at the top.
ii. It represents the familiar process by which we go from familiarity to mastery
of a subject.
iii. A "big lecture class" like this one would normally focus on the lower levels,
with lectures, readings and multiple choice stressing memorization.
iv. This class, by contrast, focuses on an active skill—the skill of creating great
speeches.
B. Each unit will begin with you reading independent to gain a basic understanding of c
concepts relevant to your speaking task.
i. The required textbook is Lucas, 9th edition, plus Slagell, 10th edition.
ii. Note that you may be able to buy Lucas as a iPod download.
iii. After the reading, you will assess you understanding with a quiz.
a. The quizzes are on WebCT.
b. The quiz is due by 9:00 a.m. the day it is scheduled.
c. They will have 10 questions and take 12 minutes.
d. They will cover the reading for the day only.
e. You can take them twice, with a half hour in between.
f. Only the higher score will count.
C. Lecture sessions will focus on applying the concepts and analyzing real speeches.
i. Lecture will not review the book; it will take concepts in the book and ask you
to use them.
ii. We will also be applying the concepts to analyze speeches, as we began this
hour.
iii. Each unit will end with a test which will ask you to apply concepts and
analyze a speech.
D. Finally, in Lab you will go to the highest level, creating your own speech and
evaluating those of others.
i. Coursework assignments will give you an opportunity to get feedback
throughout the process of creating a speech—on your topic, research, and draft
outline, for example.
ii. Practice exercises in lab will allow you to practice aspects of speech
construction before being graded on them.
iii. Finally, of course, you'll give your speech.
iv. And also give feedback to other speakers.
E. After that—You'll have the rest of your life to continue to improve.
ACTIVITY [Syllabus Quiz]
Transition: So what should you expect this week?
III. There are several things you can look forward to this week.
♣A. Tell us about yourself by submitting the Background Survey on WebCT .
i. It will also give you a chance to see how WebCT works, if you're not familiar
with it.
ii. Like almost all coursework assignments, its worth 10 points.
iii. Like almost all WebCT assignments, it's due by 9:00 a.m. Wednesday.
B. Go to your lab session on Wednesday.
i. It's the one in Pearson.
ii. Here's your TA.
ACTIVITY [Introduce TAs]
C. Before lecture, take the first WebCT quiz.
i. Again, the deadline is 9:00 a.m.
ii. The quizzes are "open everything."
a Please use your book.
b Also feel free to take the quiz with other people, discussing your
answers.
c. These are studying, not cheating.
iii. You will want to avoid cheating.
a. Cheating, by contrast, is when the answers are not your own.
b. Examples of cheating are having another person take the quizzes, or
simply relaying another's answers.
c. I'm confident that you are people of integrity, and want to avoid
cheating.
d. The temptation to cheat often arises when you're overwhelmed, or
desperate, or think the assignment is just busywork.
e. If you are in these circumstances, don't cheat; contact your lab
instructor or me, and we'll help you succeed in this course while presering
integrity.
D. In lecture on Friday, we'll begin to discuss the skills you need to give great speeches.
ACTIVITY [survey]
Conclusion: So I've answered the basic questions about this course: where it's headed, how it
wil get there, and further what to do this week. This class offers many opportunities; it's up to
you what you do with them. You may want to follow the immortal advice of Yogi Berra, who
once said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."