the art of public speaking by Stephen Lucas

the art of public speaking by Stephen Lucas

Art of Public Speaking 11e by Stephen Lucas continues to define the art of being the best by helping today’s students become capable, responsible speakers and thinkers. With a strong focus on the practical skills of public speaking and grounded in classical and contemporary theories of rhetoric, The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen Lucas offers full coverage of all major aspects of speech preparation and presentation. Utilizing the full suite of resources, students learn to internalize the principles of public speaking, build confidence through speech practice, and prepare for success in the classroom and beyond. With the new Enhanced Speech Capture in Connect Lucas, instructors now have the ability to evaluate live speeches using a customizable rubric in the classroom. Instructors may also upload speech videos on students’ behalf to create and manage true peer review assignments. With its ground-breaking adaptive learning system, Connect Lucas™ also helps students “know what they know,” while guiding them to experience and learn important concepts that they need to know to succeed.

Here are some topics from the book the art of public speaking Lucas.

Speaking in Public-:

Public speaking has been a vital means of personal empowerment and civic
engagement throughout history. The need for effective public speaking will almost
certainly, touch you sometime in your life. Your speech class will give you training in researching topics, organizing your ideas, and presenting yourself skillfully. This
training is invaluable for every type of communication.
There are many similarities between public speaking and daily conversation, but
public speaking is also different from conversation. First, it usually imposes strict imtimeimitations and requires more detailed preparation than does ordinary conversation. Second, it requires a more formal language. Listeners react negatively to speeches loaded with slang, jargon, and bad grammar. Third, public speaking demands a different method of delivery. Effective speakers adjust their voices to the larger audience and work at avoiding distracting physical mannerisms and verbal habits.
One of the major concerns of students in any speech class is stage fright. Your class
will give you an opportunity to gain confidence and make your nervousness work for you rather than against you. You will take a big step toward overcoming stage fright if you think positively, prepare thoroughly, visualize yourself giving a successful speech, keep in mind that most nervousness is not visible to the audience, and think of your speech as communication rather than as a performance in which you must do everything perfectly.
A course in public speaking can also help develop your skills as a critical thinker.
Critical thinking helps you organize your ideas, spot weaknesses in other people’s rereasoningnd avoid them on your own.
The speech communication process includes seven elements—speaker, message,
channel, listener, feedback, interference, and situation. The speaker is the person who initiates a speech transaction. Whatever the speaker communicates is the message, which is sent by means of a particular channel. The listener receives the communicated messages and provides feedback to the speaker. Interference is
anything that impedes the communication of a message and the situation is the time and the place in which speech communication occurs. The interaction of these seven elements determines the outcome in any instance of speech communication.
Because of the diversity of modern life, many—perhaps most—of the audiences you he addresses will include people of different cultural backgrounds. When you work on ur speeches, be alert to how such factors might affect the responses of your l tenders and adapt your message accordingly. Above all, avoid the ethnocentric the ef that your own culture or group is superior to all others. Also, keep in mind the imp chance of avoiding ethnocentrism when listening to speeches. Accord every speaker the same courtesy and attentiveness you would want from your listeners.

The Power of Public Speaking-:

Public speaking has always been very important and it still is, especially in business.
Public speaking is a way to make your ideas public; a way of sharing them with other
people; a way of influencing other people. The need for public speaking will almost
certainly, touch you too at some point in your life.
In a recent survey of 300+ business leaders, communicating effectively was ranked first among skills of college graduates, and in another survey, 2,000 managers ranked communication skills as most essential in today’s workplace. People are asked to give
more speeches at the beginning of their careers and college graduates are often asked to give a presentation in their job interviews.
The growth of the internet and other new technologies has not reduced the need for
public speaking. Business says that it’s so rare to find someone who has good
technical and verbal communication skills. If you combine those two, you will stand
out.
Not only in business but also in community life, public speaking is a way of making a
difference. This is what most of us want to do in life.

Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation-:

Telling a story to one friend or to a group of 30 people is very different and you will find yourself adapting to three major differences: public speaking is more structured, it requires more formal language, and it requires a different method of delivery.

Public speaking and conversation are not identical. Telling a story to one friend or to a group of 30 people is very different and you will find yourself adapting to three major differences: public speaking is more highly structured (time limitations, no

interruptions, the speaker must anticipate questions and answer them, much more

detailed planning and preparation), public speaking requires more formal language (a

the speech should be special, a little place for slang, jargon and bad grammar), and public speaking requires a different method of delivery (voice adjusting to being heard clearly, more erect posture, no distracting mannerisms, and verbal habits).

Public Speaking and Critical Thinking-:

Critical thinking is a matter of logic, being able to spot weaknesses in other people’s

arguments and avoiding them on your own. It has a lot to do with public speaking:

you have to arrange and shape your ideas, you have to express your ideas in clear,

accurate language, you learn the role of evidence in all sort of communications, and

you learn to listen critically.

Critical thinking is a matter of logic, being able to spot weaknesses in other people’s

arguments and avoiding them on your own. It also involves related skills such as:

distinguishing fact from opinion, judging credibility, assessing the soundness of the evidence.

It is focused, organized thinking, the ability to see clearly the relationships among ideas.

This has quite a lot to do with your public speaking class. Organizing your speeches is

closely related to critical thinking because it’s not just arranging the ideas you already

have, but it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves. As you work on

expressing your ideas in clear, accurate language, you will enhance your ability to

think clearly and accurately. As you study the role of evidence and reasoning in speechmaking, you will see their role in other forms of communication as well. As you learn to listen critically to speeches, you will be better able to assess the ideas of speakers (and writers) in many situations.

Ethics and Public Speaking-:

Because public speaking is a form of power, it carries with it heavy ethical

responsibilities. Today, as for the past 2,000 years, the good person speaking well

remains the ideal of commendable speechmaking.

There are five basic guidelines for ethical public speaking. The first is to make sure

your goals are ethically sound—that they are consistent with the welfare of society

and your audience. The second is to be fully prepared for each speech. The third is, to

be honest in what you say. The fourth is to avoid name-calling and other forms of

abusive language. The final guideline is to put ethical principles into practice at all

times.

Of all the ethical lapses a speaker can commit, few are more serious than plagiarism.

Global plagiarism is lifting a speech entirely from a single source. Patchwork

plagiarism involves stitching a speech together by copying from a few sources.

Incremental plagiarism occurs when a speaker fails to give credit for specific

quotations and paraphrases that are borrowed from other people.

In addition to your ethical responsibilities as a speaker, you have ethical obligations

as a listener. The first is to listen courteously and attentively. The second is to avoid

prejudging the speaker. The third is to support the free and open expression of ideas.

In all these ways, your speech class will offer a good testing ground for questions of

ethical responsibility.

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with issues of right and wrong in human

affairs. We face such questions in almost every part of our lives, and they also arise

whenever a public speaker faces an audience. The ideal is a truthful speaker who is devoted to the good of society. But the power of speech is often abused (Adolf Hitler s a good example).

As a public speaker, you will face ethical issues at every stage of the speechmaking

process. The answers are not always easy: they will be guided by your values, your

conscience, your sense of right and wrong. This doesn’t mean such decisions are

simply a matter of personal whim or fancy, they involve weighing a potential course of

action against a set of ethical standards or guidelines. Knowing those guidelines will

provide a reliable compass to help you find your way.

Listening-:

Most people are poor listeners, and we only grasp about half of what we hear. This is

mostly due to giving in to distractions, r even listening too hard. We may also jump

to conclusions or prejudge a speaker, either by their appearance or speaking manner.

That way, we don't really hear what is being said.

You can improve your listening skills by taking several steps: take listening seriously

and work on it, be an active listener and give your undivided attention, resist

distractions and force yourself to concentrate, and don't let a speaker's appearance or delivery distracts you or lure you into prejudgments before you've heard the speaker out. Focus your listening by paying attention to main points, evidence and, the speaker's techniques. Note-taking is an excellent way to improve your

concentration and keep track of the speaker's main points.

Giving Your Speech-:

The first speech is called the 'ice breaker speech': it's meant to break the ice by
getting students up and in front of the class as soon as possible. This helps to gain
experience and reduce anxiety.
When you've chosen your topic, focus it. This way it will fit in the allowed time, but
it's also easier to follow the main points. Don't make it too specialized, or your
the audience will not be as interested. In the development of your topic, it's good to
know the audience usually appreciated suspense, mystery, drama, danger, and
adventure. Using colorful and descriptive language also helps your audience visualize
your words.
In the introduction of your speech, you need to get your audience's attention and
interest. Good ways to do this, are to open with an anecdote, quotation, question or
a startling statement. After that, you have to let them know you're going to know move into the body of the speech. Here you will probably use a chronological or topical
organization. A topical organization subdivides the speech into its natural, logical or conventional parts. Make sure each main point focuses on one single topic. Using transitions helps your audience keep track of your message. In the conclusion of your speech, you have to do two things: letting the audience know you're about to finish your talk and reinforce your central idea. If possible, end on a dramatic, clever or thought-provoking note.
Instead of writing down your speech word for word and memorize it or read it from
the paper in front of the class, it is better to speak extemporaneously. This means
combining the careful preparation and structure of a manuscript with the spontaneity and enthusiasm of an unrehearsed talk. Your notes (which need to be short, clear, and easy to read) will help you with this. In order for this to work, you need to know the content very well and practice a lot. Practice in front of friends or
family, and ask for constructive feedback. Practice reduces anxiety (and if it does
come during your speech, try to focus and finish as well as you can) and makes the
speech seems smooth and effortlessly.
When you are in front of the class, stand upright but relaxed. Using gestures is
allowed and can help get your message across, but if you don't usually do this, you
don't have to. Avoid mannerisms that can distract your audience. Try to use your
voice as expressively as you would in normal conversation. It's important to make
eye contact with your listeners. Be sure to look to the left, right, and center. If you're
too nervous to look them directly in the eye, look just above or beside them. You will
probably experience some anxiety before the speech.

Selecting a Topic and Purpose-:

The first step is choosing a topic. For your practice speech, this can be something you

know a lot about, or something you'd like to know more about. If you can't find a

topic, there are three brainstorming procedures: making an inventory of your

hobbies, skills, interests, etc., clustering to list the first topics that come to mind in

several categories, or using an Internet subject directory, encyclopedia or reference

site.

The general purpose will usually be to inform or to persuade. Informing means to

communicate information clearly, accurately, and interestingly. Persuading means winning listeners over to your point of view.

Then, you must focus on a specific purpose statement. It should (1) be a full infinitive

the phrase, (2) be worded as a statement, (3) avoid figurative language, (4) concentrate

on one distinct idea, and (5) not be vague or general.

Your specific purpose statement should meet the assignment, be accomplished in the time allotted, be relevant to, and not too trivial and not too technical for your audience.

The central idea refines and sharpens your specific purpose. It's a concise statement

of what you will say in your speech, and it captures the main points to be developed

in the body of your speech.

Choosing a Topic-:

Speeches outside the classroom don't usually require selecting a topic, but in a public speaking class, you have to choose one yourself. You can choose something you already know a lot about, or do research about a topic you'd like to explore further.

Making a personal inventory, clustering, and an Internet search can help if you have trouble selecting a topic.

Speeches outside the classroom don't usually require selecting a topic: it's determined by the occasion, the audience, and the speaker's qualification. In a public speaking class, however, you generally have a lot of freedom in choosing a topic.

There are two broad categories of potential topics for your classroom speeches:

subjects you know a lot about (like your personal experiences, skills, or hobbies) and

subjects you want to know more about (this involves doing research to explore the

topic).

If you can't find a topic, you can use these brainstorming methods: making a personal

inventory of your hobbies, skills, interests, beliefs, etc., using clustering to see what

comes to mind in several different categories, or doing an Internet search of the subject- based Websites, online encyclopedias, etc.

Analyzing the Audience-:

Good speakers are audience-centered because the aim of speech-making is to gain the desired response from listeners.

Keep three questions in mind: To whom am I speaking? What do I want them to

know, believe, or do? What is the most effective way of composing and presenting

my speech to accomplish this?

A successful speaker has to know something about the psychology of audiences:

people are egocentric and ask themselves during the speech, "why is this important

to me?"

First, you need to learn your audiences demographic traits (age, gender, religion,

sexual orientation, group membership, and racial, ethnic, or cultural background).

Then, you have to identify traits based on the speaking situation (size of the d

the audience, attitudes toward the physical setting, topic, speaker, and occasion).

Outside the classroom, you can best ask information about the audience from ththeerson who invites you to speak. In the classroom, you can hand out a questionnaire.

Once the audience-analysis is completed, you have to adjust your speech

accordingly. Try to hear the speech as they will, and anticipate your audience's

response. During the delivery of your speech, keep an eye out for feedback.

Gathering Materials-:

You can use yourself as a resource for a speech topic, but outside information is

almost always needed. You can find this in the library, on the Internet, or by

interviewing people.

In a library, you can use the catalog (books, periodicals, etc.), databases (articles in

magazines, newspapers and journals), or the reference section (encyclopedias,

yearbooks, bibliographical aids, and quotation books).

Online, you need a search strategy that will help you find exactly what you need. It is

especially important to evaluate the authorship, sponsoring organization, and

regency of the research materials you find there.

You can also get information by conducting a personal interview. Before the

interview: define its purpose, decide on the interviewee, prepare the questions.

During the interview: listen attentively and to take accurate notes. After the

interview: review and transcribe your notes as soon as possible.

Your research will be more effective if you start early and make a preliminary

bibliography to keep track of all the books, articles, and Internet documents that look

as if they might be helpful. Thinking about the materials as your research can even

make your change your point of view about your topic, and you mind find that gathering material is the most creative part of your speech preparation.

Supporting Your Ideas-:

Three basic types of supporting materials are examples, statistics, and testimony.

Brief examples are specific instances referred to in passing or piled one upon the

other to create a stronger impression. Extended examples are more detailed.

Hypothetical examples describe imaginary situations and can be quite effective for

relating ideas to the audience. All three kinds of examples help clarify ideas, reinforce ideas, or personalize ideas. To be most effective, they should be vivid and richly textured.

Sometimes you can convey your message better with statistics, as long as you use

them sparingly and make them meaningful. You should understand your statistics,

make sure they're representative, that you use the measures correctly, and that they

are from reliable sources.

Your ideas can become more credible by citing the testimony of experts. Peer

the testimony comes from ordinary people who have firsthand experience on the topic.

You can quote or paraphrase them. Always make sure to quote or paraphrase

accurately and from qualified, unbiased sources.

When citing in a speech, let your audience know where you got your information and

why they should accept it as qualified and credible.

Organizing the Body of Your Speech-:

Clear organization is vital to speechmaking. Listeners demand coherence. A well-

the organized speech will enhance your credibility and make it easier for the audience to understand your message.

The process of planning the body of a speech begins when you determine the main

points. You should choose them carefully, phrase them precisely, and organize them

strategically. Because listeners cannot keep track of a multitude of main points, most

speeches should contain no more than two to five. Each should focus on a single to show that ld be worded clearly and should receive enough emphasis to be clear and convincing.

You can organize the main points in various ways, depending on your topic, purpose, and audience. Chronological order follows a time pattern, whereas spatial order follows a directional pattern. In causal order, the main points are organized according to their cause-effect relationship. Topical order results when you divide your main topic into subtopics. Problem-solution order breaks the body of the speech into two main

parts—the first showing a problem, the second giving a solution.

Supporting materials are the backup ideas for your main points. When organizing

supporting materials, make sure they are directly relevant to the main points they are

supposed to support.

Connectives help tie a speech together. They are words or phrases that join one

thought to another and indicate the relationship between them. The four major types of speech c, connectives are trans-connective sternal previews, internal summaries, and signposts. Using them effectively will make your speeches more unified and coherent.

Beginning and Ending the Speech-:

First impressions are important. So are final impressions. This is why speeches need

strong introductions and conclusions.

In most speech situations you need to accomplish four objectives with your

introduction—get the attention and interest of the audience, reveal the topic of your

speech, establish your credibility and goodwill and preview the body of the speech.

Gaining attention and interest can be done in several ways. You can show the importance of your topic, especially as it relates to your audience. You can startle or

question your audience or arouse their curiosity. You can begin with a quotation or a story.

Be sure to state the topic of your speech clearly in your introduction so the audience

knows where the speech is going. Establishing credibility means that you tell the audience why you are qualified to speak on the topic at hand. Establishing goodwill

maybe necessary if your point of view is unpopular. Previewing the body of the

speech helps the audience listen effectively and provides a smooth lead-in to the

body of the speech.

The first objective of a speech conclusion is to let the audience know you are ending,

which you can do by your words or by your manner of delivery. The second objective

of a conclusion is to reinforce your central idea. You can accomplish this by summarizing the speech, ending with a quotation, making a dramatic statement, or

referring to the introduction. Sometimes you may want to combine two or more of these techniques. Be creative in devising a vivid, forceful conclusion.

It's not possible for me to cover all the topics in one article, so I have decided to divide the information into two parts. This is the first part of the art of public speaking Lucas, remaining topics will cover in the next part 2. Wait and Stay toon for the next part😇. 

This was the first part of the art of public speaking Lucas. We hope you’ll find the one for you. Mastering public speaking will benefit both, your personal and professional life. If you like ❤️ this post then share it with others.

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