Maximus Saenz
Bryan Chen
Landon Vass
Chapter 13: Delivery of the Speech
- Good delivery allows for information to be conveyed clearly and effectively, and it can feel like normal conversation, adding in elements of formal speaking. This is called a conversational quality, and it can take a speech to the next level.
- You can deliver a speech by:
- Reading from a manuscript (reading directly from a pre-written paper),
- Reciting from memory (which involves memorizing the speech and delivering it solely based off of memory)
- Speaking impromptu (speaking with short notice, and it can be done on the spot, with little preparation)
- Speaking extemporaneously (having time to prepare for the speech, so it is well prepared and presented with notes)
- The speakers voice varies from person to person naturally, but you can control a few different parts of your voice to your advantage.
- Volume depends on the room, since the acoustics and size play into it, so you have to do your best to analyze the situation you have to speak in, both before on while giving the speech.
- Pitch can have a big impact in engaging the audience and impacting the meaning of your words. The way that words are understood by the audience is heavily impacted by the pitch.
- Rate can make a big impact in how confident you appear to the audience, whether it be nervous or ill prepared, and rate generally should be a medium between too fast or too slow; it depends on the situation.
- Pauses can be used to make an important and shocking moment in the speech, but they have to be used skillfully and at the right time. They should not be filled pauses.
Landon:
Chapter 13 talked about a variety of different things when it comes to the delivery of the speech.
They talked about the vocal variety and how the rate and pitch were incredibly important, as well as being able to control it. As well as being able to talk very casually as if it were a normal conversation. Being able to pronounce every word properly because not doing so may hurt your credibility and being able to practice your speech beforehand is a good idea., which ties in to being articulate, but the presenters made sure to say that the two, pronunciation and articulation, are not the same but articulation is being able to make each word distinct. They also used examples to portray different dialects, the 4 major dialects being Eastern, New England, Southern, and General American.
It’s important to also keep in mind that the body presentation is important. Your personal appearance will determine how credible you seem and the way you move along as you present is important. The speakers even demonstrated themselves how this was important using themselves as examples.
Bryan:
Chapter 13 talked about a variety of different things when it comes to the delivery of the speech.
They talked about the vocal variety and how the rate and pitch were incredibly important, as well as being able to control it. As well as being able to talk very casually as if it were a normal conversation. Being able to pronounce every word properly because not doing so may hurt your credibility and being able to practice your speech beforehand is a good idea., which ties in to being articulate, but the presenters made sure to say that the two, pronunciation and articulation, are not the same but articulation is being able to make each word distinct. They also used examples to portray different dialects, the 4 major dialects being Eastern, New England, Southern, and General American.
It’s important to also keep in mind that the body presentation is important. Your personal appearance will determine how credible you seem and the way you move along as you present is important. The speakers even demonstrated themselves how this was important using themselves as examples.
Bryan:
Eye contact is one of the most important things you can take away from this chapter. Strong eye contact with the audience establishes a communicative bond and is a way to exude confidence. However, the opposite is true when you fail to maintain eye contact. In fact, speakers who don’t make eye contact are often perceived as insincere and discreditable. When speaking to a group, you should make sure your eyes aren't locked on one person. Ideally, your eyes should be scanning across the audience and conveying confidence and sincerity.
Practicing delivery
You know the saying “Practice makes perfect”, and there is no better place to apply it than in public speaking. Reading your outline aloud prepares you for the real thing so when the day your presentation arrives, you are ready to perform. Practicing in the mirror can also be helpful for your speech as it can be used to gauge mannerisms, volume, and pitch. Holding a dress rehearsal under similar conditions to the actual speech can help build your confidence,refine and smooth-out any inconsistencies, and allow you to get a feel for how it will be. To add on, preparing the outline in short sentences allows you to read it quickly without detracting from your eye contact with the audience.
Answering Audience questions
Prior to the speech, thinking about possible questions the audience may ask can help you during the Q&A since you are already familiar with them. When you answer these questions, instead of speaking directly to the person who asked, you should direct the answer to the whole audience to clear up any misconceptions. Approach questions with a positive attitude and avoid sounding defensive or condescending. Also, not knowing the answer to a question is alright, just be honest and sincere about it. Maintaining a professional. attitude toward the questioner and avoiding arguments with them streamlines the Q&A process.
Presenting Your speech online
Your camera should be clear/at the right angle and showing your head and shoulders. Since it is in a virtual environment where people can click off at any time, make sure you are keeping the audience engaged and listening. You can do this by speaking in a way that forces your audience to focus. Ask questions, answer their questions and generally maintain a back-and-forth conversation between you and your audience. You should also take full advantage of visual aids like screen sharing and tools that make your presentation more captivating.
Max:
Reflection
The main thing that we learned was about how nuanced giving a speech can be, and delivery is one of the most important parts. The content of your speech can be amazing, but if you do not properly deliver the speech, it may not be as effective as it could be and you may not be taken seriously. Also, delivery goes beyond the obvious qualities of volume and rate, since body language and quality of voice can make big differences.
This is an important thing to learn because it must be used on every speech you give, it is not situational. We will try to keep all of these ideas in mind when we present our chapter, and for all of our presentations for the rest of our lives. The best way to improve is to practice and record yourself, which we will do now, keeping track of all the factors that influence the strength of delivery.
