Delivering
Your
Speech
Steven A. Beebe & Susan J. Beebe
Speech vs. Talking
The Power of Speech Delivery
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Delivery is important.
Not just what is said, but how it is said.
Nonverbal Communication:
communication other than written or
spoken that creates meaning.
The Power of Speech Delivery
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65% of a message’s meaning is based on
nonverbals.
Speakers can lose credibility if delivery
disappoints listeners (Nonverbal Expectancy
Theory).
Emotions can spread to listeners (Emotional
Contagion).
When nonverbals and verbals contradict,
listeners believe nonverbals more.
The Jabberwock
(Lewis Carroll – Through the Looking Glass)
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
The Power of Speech Delivery
•
•
•
Delivery is important.
Not just what is said, but how it is said.
Nonverbal Communication:
communication other than written or
spoken that creates meaning.
Methods of Delivery
Manuscript
Word for
word
reading
Memorized
Recalled
from your
mind
Impromptu
good: accurate when talking
about sensitive issues.
bad: limited adaptability.
good: strong eye contact.
bad: could forget & sound
“stiff.”
Given
good: sounding informal &
with little
stronger eye-contact.
or no
bad: can be poorly organized;
preparation
limited research.
Extemporaneous Prepared
good: conversational, planned.
speaking
bad: requires rehearsal &
with limited
editing.
notes
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
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Good eye contact.
Effective gestures.
Good movements.
Structured posture.
Strong facial expression.
Effective vocal delivery.
Appropriate physical appearance.
SPEECH EVALUATION CHART
Speaker
Grade
Subject
Content:
Date
Time
Excellent Good
Fair
Poor
Comment
Excellent Good
Fair
Poor
Comment
Aroused Attention
Purpose Made Clear
Organization
Supporting Material
Visual Aids Effective
Delivery:
Rate
Loudness
Voice Quality
Eye Contact
Posture
Gestures
Comments:
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Good eye contact
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Is established with entire audience.
Connects with people; for 2 – 3 seconds or
more.
Does not look above heads.
Varies naturally (not mechanically).
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective gestures
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Use of hands to emphasize key ideas.
Functions of gestures:
• Repeat: illustrate
• Contradict: oppose
• Substitute: replace
• Complement: enhance
• Emphasize: accentuate
• Regulate: control
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective gestures
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Are natural.
Are definite & have a purpose.
Are consistent with your words.
Do not call attention to themselves.
Are appropriate to the audience and occasion.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective movement should
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Be controlled.
Be made with a purpose.
Create closeness with the audience.
Highlight transitions.
Not be overdone.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective posture
•Can enhance credibility.
•Can intensify emotions.
•Is adjusted to the occasion:
• Informal (more relaxed).
• Formal (more professional).
•Means to stand up straight.
•Don’t slump or slouch.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective facial expression
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Should reflect the mood of the speech.
Should reflect the purpose also.
Should be sincere.
Remember: Listeners see face before hearing words.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
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Adequate volume.
Clear articulation.
Non-distracting dialect.
Solid pronunciation.
Display vocal variety.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
• Adequate volume:
Loud enough to create desired effect, while also
allowing people to hear message.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
Clear articulation (enunciation): producing clear sounds of
each syllable & word.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Weak articulation
“Wanna”
“Lemme”
“Whadayado”
“Seeya”
“Soun”
Strong articulation
1. “Want to”
2. “Let me”
3. “What do you do”
4. “See you”
5. “Sound”
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
Dialect: pronunciation related to an ethnic group or
geographical region.
Distracting
1. “Earl” (New York)
2. “Cuber” (Boston)
3. “Raahtin” (Rochester)
Non-distracting
1. “Oil”
2. “Cuba”
3. “Rotten”
Note: dialects generally okay, as long as content is not
distracting.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
Pronunciation: use of sounds to form words clearly and
accurately.
Weak pronunciation
1. “Febuary”
2. “Actchally”
3. “Aks”
Strong pronunciation
1. “February"
2. “Actually”
3. “Ask”
Note: work to prolong sounds that can get mispronounced.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
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Vocal variety: diverse qualities of voice.
1. Pitch: highness & lowness of voice.
2. Inflections: changes in pitch.
3. Rate: how fast or slow you speak.
4. Pauses: use of silence.
5. Avoid vocalized pauses (uh, um, er).
Vary pitch, inflections, rate and pauses.
Characteristics of
Effective Speech Delivery
Effective vocal delivery
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Personal Appearance.
Appropriate wardrobe depends on:
• Climate.
• Custom.
• Culture.
• Audience.
• Do not violate audience expectations for your
appearance.
Pause
Everyone
Persuades
Persuasion Defined
Process of changing or reinforcing attitudes,
beliefs, values or behaviors.
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Attitudes: likes or dislikes.
Beliefs: what is regarded as true or false.
Values: enduring ideas of what is right/wrong,
good/bad.
Attitudes: most likely to change.
Values: least likely to change.
Behaviors: actions displayed.
How Persuasion Works
The Classical Rhetoric Approach
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Rhetoric: discovering ways to persuade.
Three methods of persuasion:
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Ethos - creating audience trust & believability through
ethics, character & concern for the audience.
• Logos - rational & logical arguments, through sound
evidence.
• Pathos - emotions that may involve stories, pictures
and music.
• Ethos, logos & pathos motivate people.
How to Motivate Listeners
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Dissonance.
Listener Needs.
Positive Motivation.
Negative Motivation.
Positive Motivation
• Good things will happen if listeners follow
speaker’s advice.
• Emphasize that positive values will be
maintained or restored.
• Emphasize benefits & features.
• Benefit: a good result appealing to emotions.
• Feature: rational cognitive explanation
appealing to logic.
Negative Motivation
• Bad things will happen if speaker’s advice is
not followed.
• Fear appeals are common.
• Threats to loved ones work better.
• Fear appeals work better when speaker
credibility is higher.
• As fear appeals intensify, so do chances of
success.
Determine your
“Persuasive Purpose”
• Set a reasonable goal.
• Do not expect drastic changes.
• Social Judgment Theory:
• Listeners in latitude of acceptance: more likely
to be convinced.
• Listeners in latitude of rejection or noncommitment: may not be convinced.
How to Develop
Your Persuasive Speech
Develop your central idea & main ideas
• State central idea as a proposition:
(statement seeking audience agreement)
1. Fact: States something is true or false; or it did or
did not happen.
2. Value: Judges something (good or bad, right or
wrong, etc.).
3. Policy: Advocates change in law, procedure or
behavior.
• Main ideas should support your proposition.
How to Develop
Your Persuasive Speech
Proposition of Fact
National Steel, Inc. has contaminated the city
I.
Lead samples in city soil match lead
isotopes from National Steel, Inc.
II. Children living near National Steel, Inc.
have blood-lead concentrations higher
than the state average.
III. Employees of National Steel, Inc.
are reporting incidents of cancer.
How to Develop
Your Persuasive Speech
Proposition of Value
Reggae music is better than Rock music
I.
Reggae music communicates a
message of equality for all people.
II.
Reggae music and its rhythms
evoke a positive, uplifting mood.
III. Reggae music draws upon a variety
of cultural and ethnic traditions.
How to Develop
Your Persuasive Speech
Proposition of Policy
Our college should abolish academic tenure
I.
Academic tenure is outdated.
II.
Academic tenure is abused.
III. Academic tenure contributes
to ineffective education.
Putting Persuasive Principles
into Practice
• Learn about listeners’ attitudes, beliefs &
values.
• Create messages that help listeners avoid
dissonance.
• Shown listeners how plan solves a
problem or satisfies needs.
• Manage fear appeals: don’t go overboard,
and show how the threat can be
controlled.
A Sample Persuasive Speech
Watch the video, and ask
yourself:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Is this speech addressing a proposition of fact, value or
policy?
How does the speaker try to point out cognitive dissonance
in the listeners?
Which of Maslow’s needs are addressed?
What type of organizational pattern does the speaker use?
Does the speaker ask for changes in attitudes? Beliefs?
Values? Behaviors?
What types of sources does the speaker use to
substantiate claims?
A Sample Persuasive Speech
A Sample Persuasive Speech
Watch the video, and ask
yourself:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Is this speech addressing a proposition of fact, value or
policy?
How does the speaker try to point out cognitive dissonance
in the listeners?
Which of Maslow’s needs are addressed?
What type of organizational pattern does the speaker use?
Does the speaker ask for changes in attitudes? Beliefs?
Values? Behaviors?
What types of sources does the speaker use to
substantiate claims?
A Question of
Ethics. . .
Persuasion

“…is the process of adjusting ideas to
people and people to ideas.”
- Donald C. Bryant,
rhetoric scholar
Establishing Credibility

Also known as ethos.
• Audience’s perceptions of the speaker.
• Various dimensions:
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• Competence- knowledge & skill.
• Trustworthiness- believability & honesty.
• Dynamism- energy level.
• Charisma- charm, talent & magnetism.
Enhancing Your Credibility
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Credibility established in three places:
• Initial credibility: perceptions before speech.
• Derived credibility: impressions formed during
speech.
• Terminal credibility: final impressions, after
speech.
• Ways to boost credibility:
• Well-stressed values and concerns shared
with audience.
• Well-documented evidence.
• Well-organized ideas.
• Well-managed delivery.
Using Logic
and Evidence to Persuade
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• Aristotle: “always prove what you state.”
• Logos: formal system of rules to reach a
conclusion.
• Reasoning: drawing a conclusion from the
evidence.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
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Inductive Reasoning.
Deductive Reasoning.
Causal Reasoning.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning
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Using specific examples or instances to reach
a general or probable conclusion.
Used when one can claim that an outcome is
probably true because of specific evidence.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
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Testing the Validity of
Inductive Reasoning
Are there enough specific instances to
support the conclusion?
Are the specific instances typical?
Are the instances recent?
Understanding Types
of Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning: an example
I. Students are sneezing in dorms & classrooms.
(specific example 1)
II. Professors are cancelling classes.
(specific example 2)
III. Campus Clinic has long waiting lines.
(specific example 3)
IV. There must be a flu on our campus.
(general conclusion)
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Reasoning by Analogy
(a special type of inductive reasoning)
• Makes a comparison between two things,
entities, processes, etc.
• If you conclude what is true for one can be true
for the other, then the analog is strong.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Testing the Validity of
Reasoning by Analogy
• Are similarities between both, greater than
differences?
• Is the conclusion being drawn actually true?
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning
• Opposite of induction.
• Conclusion (generalization) is more certain
than probable.
• The more valid or truthful the outcome, the
more certain the conclusion.
• Start with widely accepted general claim, and
then move towards specific conclusion
illustrating general claim.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Structure of Deductive Reasoning
• Syllogism – three-part argument:
• Major Premise: widely accepted general
statement.
• Minor Premise: specific statement that
applies to the major premise.
• Conclusion: logical outcome, minor premise
exemplifies major premise.
• The more valid the major premise, the more
valid the deduction.
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Testing the Validity of
Deductive Reasoning
• Is major premise (general statement)
true?
• Is minor premise (specific instance) true?
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning: an example

I.
All tough drug laws introduced in mediumsized communities result in diminished
drug-related crimes.
(generally accepted statement)
II.
San Marcos, Texas is a medium-sized
community.
(specific case supporting
general statement)
III. San Marcos should institute tough drug
laws.
(specific conclusion)
Understanding Types
of Reasoning
Causal Reasoning
• Relating events to show connection.
• To conclude that one or more events caused
another event.
• Can move from cause to effect.
• Can move from effect to cause.
Supporting Your Reasoning
with Evidence

• Use facts.
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Use valid true examples.
Use opinions that enhance credibility.
Use sound & reliable statistics.
Use reluctant testimony: shows that someone
has been convinced.
Use new & specific evidence.
Use evidence to tell a story.
Avoid Faulty Reasoning

• Be ethical & appropriate with evidence &
reasoning.
• Fallacy: false reasoning when someone
attempts to persuade without adequate
evidence, or with arguments that are
irrelevant or inappropriate.
Avoid Faulty Reasoning
Reasoning Fallacies
Causal
“Hurricanes are caused by war”
(a connection not related)
Bandwagon
“Everyone knows cell phones
are safe” (popularity appeals)
Either-Or
“Either you’re with us or you’re
against us” (only 2 choices)
Hasty
“Since my niece is failing, city
Generalization schools are bad” (quick
Conclusion)
Avoid Faulty Reasoning
Reasoning Fallacies
Ad
Hominem
“What does a divorced man know
about parenting?” (personal attack)
Red
Herring
“Let’s not focus on the lawsuit
against me; let’s talk about…”
(changing the topic to distract)
Misplaced “Jessica Simpson says McMillan
Authority
trucks are best” (not a true expert)
Non
Sequitur
“Support me for Congress – I have 3
children” (ideas do not follow)
Using Emotion to Persuade

• Can make people feel pleasure or
displeasure.
• Can make people feel more aroused.
• Can make people feel dominance.
Tips for Using Emotion to Persuade

• Use details that help listeners visualize.
• Use emotion-arousing words (“freedom,”
“9-11,” “mommy.”)
• Delivery should reflect emotions.
• Use pictures or images.
Tips for Using Emotion to Persuade
• Use appropriate metaphors & similes.
• Use right amount of fear appeals.
• Appeal to several emotions.
• Appeal to audience members’ myths.
Myth: not necessarily false, but a belief of how people view
their world. (e.g., Old West pioneers: strong & adventurous)
• Avoid unethical emotional appeals & appeals
to listeners’ prejudices (demagoguery).
Adapting Ideas to People
and People to Ideas

Persuading the receptive audience.
• Identify with them.
• Clearly state your objectivity.
• Tell them exactly what you want them to do.
• Ask them for an immediate show of support.
• Use emotional appeals effectively.
• Make it easy for them to take action.
Adapting Ideas to People
and People to Ideas
Persuading the neutral audience.
• Capture their attention early.
• Stress commonly shared beliefs.
• Relate topic to them, their friends, families and loved
ones.
• Be realistic with the response you want.
Adapting Ideas to People
and People to Ideas

Persuading the unreceptive audience.
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Wait before telling them your purpose.
Start with noting areas of agreement.
Set realistic goals.
Acknowledge how they might oppose you.
Clearly tell them any experiences you have.
Adapting Ideas to People
and People to Ideas
Persuading the unreceptive audience.
Consider understanding (not advocacy) as your goal.
• Summarize common misconceptions people have.
• State why misconceptions may seem reasonable.
• Dismiss misconceptions, and provide evidence to
support your point.
• State accurate information you want them to
remember.