Self Evaluation

The purpose of my speech was to persuade my audience as to why they should support gay marriage. Not for themselves, not for their church, but for equality. I think I did a good job bringing awareness of this issue to my audience. If they are religious, homophobic, or unaware of the problem with gay rights, I certainly brought it to their attention by using examples that concerned them. I’m pretty sure the whole class raised their hand when I asked if they knew someone who is gay. In that sense, they are supporting their friends and family. When reading my feedback, only one person gave me a low rate of how persuasive I was. It must have been more of a personal issue, but my reasons of history and equality did not get through to them for some reason. I expected mixed responses though because my topic was very touchy.
As far as confidence goes, I certainly felt more confident this time than I did with my demo speech. After doing the three speeches, I learned how to prepare better, manage my time better, and paid more attention to what was on the grading sheet, like the structure of my speech. I knew who my audience was, and it was a little easier since a lot of people dropped the course since the first meet. The only thing I think could have been stronger was my support. I went crazy researching this topic because there is a ton of information of gay marriage, and millions of opinions for and against it. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence definitely helped with my organization, so out of everything, I could have improved my delivery. I’m still not comfortable enough presenting my speech without note cards or with only a few notes on the cards, but I could have practiced a lot more. I should have tried practicing in front of a group of people, that may have helped. Another thing I could have done better is use a better variety of sources. I didn’t use any textbooks this time, which could have been helpful. I did, however, cite the sources I did use, which was mostly internet and interviews. I counted four sources throughout my entire speech.
In my last speech, I swayed back and forth a lot and got a few comments back about it, so this time, I tried to stay still. It was my nerves that was causing my to move back and forth I think. I didn’t notice anything distracting this time in my speech, except that I could have sounded a little more enthusiastic. I tend to sound very monotone when I speak in public. I used my note cards less this time than the last, which I did unconsciously because I didn’t realize that I actually knew my topic, so there was no need to constantly glance down. My eye contact was much better than my last speech, and I would rate it an 8. I didn’t memorize my speech on purpose, and only used my cards to remind me of what’s next.
Based on my overall performance, I would give myself an A-. I took past comments and suggestions into consideration and focused on not making the same mistakes. I even structured my speech a little better than I did before. I know my speech was not perfect because I went over my time limit for the third time and could have practiced more until it was almost perfect. But overall, I think I did a pretty good job and deserved at least an A-. I didn’t get any negative comments this time, so I’m not sure where I went wrong except for the time limit. This speech was definitely an improvement from the previous two, as I performed the best this time.

Public Speaking

People fear public speaking more than anything else. It is a great sense of confidence to develop. Public speaking classes should be a requirement in middle school because that is when you start to give speeches in front of the class. I used to get red and go blank while giving a speech before I took my first public speaking class in college. The practice and the tips help a lot. It gains your confidence not only for school speeches but in everyday situations, conversations, and meetings. I know next time I give a speech I will use what I learned in this class and even go back and read the book for help with organization.

Favorite Speech

My informative speech was my favorite speech because I actually enjoyed researching my topic on dreams. I learned a lot about dreams and could use what I learned in real life. I felt a lot more confident doing that speech as well because the topic was interesting, I knew my topic, and I prepared for it more than the other two. I also enjoyed doing my persuasive speech, but it is hard to persuade people with such a touchy topic like the one I did on gay marriage. I felt much more confident doing my last speech though, I knew what to expect and how to prepare.

Helpful concept

Delivery gets close to perfection through practice, so I usually worried more about the content and format of my speeches. The concept that was very helpful was Monroe’s Motivated Sequence because it helped me organize the points in my persuasive speech. It would have been too broad for me to use the problem-solution organizational pattern because I have trouble focusing on the main points. With Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, it hints what you should talk about in each step. It helped me know what to research too because it had the need, satisfaction, visualization, and action steps clearly stated.

Chapter 15

The section in Chapter 15 that was the most helpful to me was the section that explains the type of appeals. I heard of the terms logos, ethos, pathos, and mythos before, but I could not tell you off hand exactly what they meant. This section made me clearly understand what each type of appeal is specifically used for. For my speech on same-sex marriage, I need to use all of the types of appeals in order to support my topic and have sufficient evidence. I need to use personal stories (pathos) of friends that I know that are gay as evidence that my view is the best. I also need to use religion or history (mythos) to tune into the audiences personal cultural beliefs. Since I have a touchy topic, these types of evidence will help develop my view into a good, strong argument.

Interactive Videos Ch. 15

The ideas presented in the interactive videos for Chapter 15 could be helpful in my speech. In the first video, the speaker reiterated that a thesis must be supported with a claim, evidence, and reasoning. To help develop a good argument, the evidence should be supported with examples and statistics. In the video for pro-home schooling, the speaker clearly stated the advantages and disadvantages of home schooling. She also clearly stated the problem and what she thought to be the solution. She appealed to the audience by using specific examples that related to and affected the audience's lives. Even in the video against home schooling, the speaker made me think about my own education and how beneficial my resources are now, and how different my life would be if I were to have been a student at home with my parent as my teacher.

Persuasive Discussion

I recently had a discussion with a family member about Prop 8. I was trying to convince him to vote against it, while he was trying to persuade me to vote for it. It was more like a debate because more family members joined the discussion and brought up new arguments. Two of us were pro same-sex marriage and two of us were against it. The arguments for same-sex marriage were valid and included points about discrimination and history (proof of gay’s centuries ago). The arguments against it were based on personal views and morals. In my opinion, we had good reasoning. However, those against same-sex marriage we not persuaded by the end of the discussion because they strongly believe in their morals. For my speech, I need to find stronger points in order to persuade my audience who perhaps may have strong beliefs as well.

Chapter 14

In Chapter 14, I found the section about a negative audience very useful. It closely related to my topic of supporting gay marriage and even used gay marriage as an example. This section suggested ways to counter the resistance I may experience from the audience due to my position. One way was to take the common-ground approach to my topic. The text used the example of drawing parallels between same-sex marriage and other struggles over civil rights like slavery, child labor, and women’s right to vote. I will most definitely use this advice and point out how these once resisted laws are now ordinary.

Sea of Persuasion

I am immersed in a sea of persuasion everyday by driving by billboards with advertisements, watching commercials on TV, listening to commercials on the radio, and communicating with family and friends. My best friend has been trying to persuade me to go out with her and some other friends this Friday when I have an exam on Saturday morning, so it wouldn’t be such a good idea. I have watched the commercial for freecredit.com several times, so last week I was persuaded to go on the website and sign up. However, once I got on the site, I realized that it wasn’t as “free” as it claims to be in the commercial. It was $15 per month, and when I cancelled, was charged $1. This is why it is important to be a critical consumer. It is important to analyze both the pros and cons of everything before you are persuaded into it. You must question its accuracy, credibility, honesty, value and significance before you can decide whether or not you should believe in it.

Persuasive Speech

I have been researching about how I am pro-gay marriage with is a hot topic after Prop 8 passed. I have had many arguments with family members who voted yes on Prop 8 because I have many friends who are gay and deserve equal rights. All of the arguments I hear from people who are against gay marriage have invalid arguments. I have found a ton of newspaper articles and internet sites on my topic, which is mainly how I will support my speech. However I still want to find some textbooks on gay marriage. My main points will be: the problem- which is why are people against gay marriage, and the solution- which is how we can appeal Prop 8 and support gay marriage. I plan on beginning my speech with something funny to get the audience’s attention, but nothing offensive because it is a touchy topic. I plan to end my speech with a quote from one of the gay people I know who I plan to interview. I am going to persuade my audience towards my point of view with statistical evidence of gay people, and proving how this issue is discrimination.

Flickr

Some of the comments on Flickr regarding sexist language suggest banning the use of derogatory words. It’s interesting how the first respondent “Dancing Deer” confessed that she does not care how people regard her including tags like girl, broad, chick, woman, hey you, and lady. The text shows examples of how (in speeches especially) we should use gender-neutral words, like saying humankind instead of mankind. I think it just depends on how sensitive a person is and how they perceive the meaning of certain words. I personally would not take offense to someone calling me a freshman/chairman/etc because I know it is not intended to be offensive and with equal rights between men and women, I just I’m just passed that stage. However, I do also know that some people may be offended, so in formal speeches especially it is best to just avoid those words. One of the last comments on Flickr stood out to me. It read: If you aren't seeking out things to get annoyed about, you'll find life a lot less annoying. I completely agree with her! People always take things the wrong way when it’s not necessarily a HUGE issue (unless it’s intentional of course).

Interactive Videos Ch 10 and 12

I learned more helpful tips for my speech in the videos for Chapter 10 and 12. As a reminder from the text, I learned that you can make your speech audience-centered by referring to current events, using inclusive language, and sparking imagination. When delivering your speech, it is best to use a variety of tones so your speech isn’t boring. Keeping natural, formal movements is also a key to physical delivery so the audience is not distracted. And a new tip in the last clip suggested practicing your speech in sections so you can master each part and make your speech flow. It is also helpful to practice in front of friends or family so you can feel more comfortable in front of a large audience. It was easier to comprehend what the text says by actually watching examples of what you are and are not supposed to do.

Chapter 10

The section in Chapter 10 about spoken versus written language was very interesting. I always wondered why we shouldn’t memorize our speeches. This section explains why memorized speeches may be heavy and hard to follow. Audiences prefer an extemporaneous delivery method which is more conversational and engaging. It also explains how it is good to be redundant while saying a speech so the audience recalls your main points. In written language, readers can simply reread the information over again so redundancy is not necessary. This section also reiterated how engaging storytelling can be, and how too many facts and statistics during a speech loses the audiences attention. I have never compared the specific differences between spoken and written language, so I found this section very appealing.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 gave me a lot of good ideas about presentation media. Most people think of using PowerPoint when told to use a visual aid, when really there are many other options. Depending on your topic, you can choose which presentation technique will help present your ideas the best. In the past, I have only used powerpoints and posters. The table on page 279 is helpful because it shows the advantages and limitations of each type of presentation media. I think the audio and video ideas would be a good way to catch the audiences attention. Most of these types of presentation media may take away a lot of valuable speaking time, which is probably why it is just easier and more time convenient to use PowerPoint. However, now I know there are much more options than just showing slides.

Self-Evaluation 2- Informative Speech

The purpose of my speech was to inform my audience about what dreams are, how to interpret them, and how dreams can be controlled and remembered. I believe I achieved this purpose in my speech. I could have expanded more on how exactly to interpret your dreams, rather than just using an example. I felt a lot more comfortable and confident while presenting this speech compared to the last one. I rehearsed my informative speech much more than the demonstration speech. If I could do it over again, I would have rehearsed twenty more times until it was perfected. I could improve the content of my next speech by focusing on three main points instead of four so I could have supported each one better. When delivering my next speech, I should also try to write less on my notecards so I am not tempted to look at them so much and can have better eye contact with the audience. I looked at my notecards more than I should have, but much less than my first speech. The tone of my voice was more enthusiastic than my first speech. I did not use any visual aids this time, which could have helped the audience be more interested. I went over the time limit on both of my speeches, but this time only by 30 seconds. On the last speech I went over the limit by more than 3 minutes, so this was an improvement (although I still need to work on time management).

After watching my video, I noticed I swayed from side to side a lot, which was very distracting. A few people even mentioned this in my peer evaluations, but I’m not sure what made me do this because I did not sway like that in my first speech. During the course of my speech, I mentioned all 4 source citations. However, I got most of my information from one of them, so I could improve on this next time by getting sufficient and valid information from each of the 4 sources. Although I mentioned them each once, I think I should have gave my sources more credit throughout the entire speech. On my last self evaluation, I rated my eye contact a 4 out of 10, but this time I think I improved and would rate it a 6. I prefer using my notecards to aid me instead of memorizing my entire speech- I think speeches sound more “smooth” and believable this way. Yet, I still need to work on eye contact because I know I can do better than a 6.

Overall, I thought my speech was a lot better than my first demonstration speech. I felt more comfortable, had better eye contact, and the content of my speech was very organized. The negatives included going over the time limit, not having a visual aid, and looking at my notecards more than necessary. With this being said, I would give myself a B+ because on the last speech I gave myself a B- and I believe I made several improvements. I had a good introduction, supported my four main points with valid information, and had a good conclusion. I think the infractions I made were minor and shouldn’t bring my grade down that much. Anyhow, on my next speech I will make sure to improve on the delivery and time management again and more so than I did the first time.

Presentation Media

I remember last year I attended a meeting to be one of the founding sisters of a sorority. A few girls came from Berkeley from the same sorority and did a PowerPoint presentation in hope to recruit people. The speakers used over 20 slides because there was a lot of information to get across. In the beginning they used slides with bullet points of the qualifications you need, the rules, and the steps in becoming a founding sister. This helped focus on the most important points since they were providing a lot of info. They showed many pictures of the Berkeley sorority girls, their clothing, and their hand signal. This was helpful because I got to see proof of the girls having fun and showing pride outside of their meetings. It wasn’t necessarily distracting, but the speakers had too many slides and a long speech. They could have improved on their speech and use of presentation media by narrowing it down to the most important information, showing less slides, and less pictures. But overall, the presentation media helped persuade me into wanting to join the sorority because I saw how fun it would be and how it would benefit me.

Videos 11.1 and 11.2

The interactive videos for Chapter 11 displayed some helpful tips. Most of the powerpoint presentations I have seen in the past used slides with too much writing. However, the ones used so far in this class were mostly pictures that focused on main points. The videos suggest that the presenter show on slides what they can't say verbally. They are an addition to the speech, not the speech itself. They are not supposed to distract the audience from the overall message. Presentation media should be simple and be a visual for key ideas only. They also explained how the colors you use on your slides should not be so bright or take the focus off of the pictures being shown. For my next speech, I will consider all of these tips.

Chapter 13

Towards the end of Chapter 13, the text explains how you should inform to educate. When choosing a topic for this speech, at first I wanted to do it on global warming, which is something that I think is an important issue and that most people know little about. But then, I decided that this topic might be a little boring to my audience, plus college students may already have a good understanding of what global warming is, so I changed my topic to dreams, which is much more interesting. But know I am hesitant because I should be presenting a topic to inform and educate the audience. I’m not sure how much students can benefit from knowing why they dream at night, but I remember someone telling me a history of dreams years ago and it certainly grabbed my attention. In a way I will be educating the audience, but I also have to think about the purpose of my speech and how important it is.

Intro and Conclusion

According to Chapter 9, an introduction consists of an attention getter, the purpose and thesis of your speech, a preview of the main points, and establishes credibility. The primary effect, or first impression, is very important because the audience usually remembers what is said in the beginning of your speech and decides from that impression whether or not they are going to tune in to the rest of the speech. Also, the purpose should be well worth the audience’s time and attention, so it is important to make sure your purpose will benefit and connect to the listeners.

The conclusion consists of a review of the main points, a restatement of the purpose, and should provide closure to the speech. The recency effect is the opposite of the primary effect and suggests that the audience is more likely to remember what the speaker says at the end of the speech rather than the body. The conclusion reinforces what you have talked about in case the audience dazed off during the body of your speech, so the conclusion should be strong. Transitions help the audience know that you are moving from the body to the conclusion and that the last closing sentence means that your speech is over. The primary and recency effect is new to me, so I will use these ideas in my informative speech.

Interactive Videos 9.1-13.1

In the first clip 9.1 I learned that attention getters are really important and should be well thought out, unique, and appealing to the audience. Humor is a good way to get peoples attention, but for some reason in speeches it may come across a little corny. In the second clip 9.2 I got the idea to use a concluding story that goes along with your topic, like how the girl used the tragic story about the accident that happened to someone who was talking on a cell phone and driving at the same time. The third clip 13.1A reminded me to use clear transitions and to clearly separate your 3 main points. The speech in 13.1B gave me the idea to use various visuals so the audience is not bored with the same technique. This speech as well as the last one on 13.1 had good catchy endings, like how one girl said "say cheese" and took a picture of the class. Also, using comparisons help the audience understand your topic.

Interesting Chapter 7

Most of the things in chapter 7 and 8 were refreshments of how to put together a speech. One idea that I didn't think about before was using analogies, metaphors and similes in my speech. If I have ever used these before in any speech that I have done it was accidental. I never think to intentionally uses these types of figurative speaking. However, the text is right; These may help the audience understand a new idea to them by using something familiar and comparing it to something that is unfamiliar. I don't know how I would use this in my speech though about dreams. Even so, it is a good idea for future speeches to come.

Facts and Statistics

I always like to use facts and statistics in my speeches. It is a good way to show the audience how it is currently affecting the world. However, when looking up statistics, it is important to use reliable sources with valid information. Statistics can vary with every experiment, in every survey and can have completely different results depending on location and population. You can use statistics with almost any topic or issue. For example, my teacher in my Prison Community class uses statistics almost every class period because it makes information easier to understand. Just last class, she explained that one in every 32 adults are currently incarcerated, and one in every 8 black men are incarcerated. My professor uses Powerpoint so it is easy to read and comprehend the information. If she gave too many statistics, this would be confusing and the main points will not get across to the students. So its better to state only the most essential points. It is effective to use facts when trying to explain a subject in detail. For example, for my demonstration speech, I used facts when I stated how many calories were in the foods I was using. However, I gave too many facts, so this was a problem too. You just need to manage the uses of facts and statistics throughout your speech for them to be effective.

Interactive Videos 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, and 8.2

These videos refreshed my memory of some helpful tips I learned my freshman year at USF. I always try to start my speeches with a narrative to get the audience’s attention. Personal experience is always best because it is unique and more interesting. I also like to use facts and statistics to show the audience how my topic influences the world. However, the speaker in the video was right when she mentioned that sometimes saying facts and stats may be too overwhelming for the audience, so it may be better to have a powerpoint or poster with these facts, which I will consider using for my next speech.

Something that is hard to notice is media credibility. It is so easy to believe everything you read online, in books, and in newpapers. In the future, I do have to think about how reliable the information really is because I tend to get most of my information from internet sources. A few years ago, I did not know what Wikipedia was, so I used it as a source and my information turned out to be incorrect.

I had never thought about how I am going to organize my speech, I guess it just happens as I go. However, now I know of the different types of organizational patterns that there are. I noticed that the speaker in the video mentioned the cause and effect pattern could be used for informational speeches. And I always thought transitions were sort of repetitive, but now I can see how they help the audience follow your speech better instead of bouncing from topic to topic.

Self-evaluation

The purpose of my speech was not only to teach the audience how to make a healthy smoothie, but to be aware of what they eat and why they should choose healthier foods. I think I achieved my purpose because the recipe I used was simple and easy to remember, and I went into detail about the nutritional breakdown of the foods I was using. I made it clear that drinking fat free milk is healthier than drinking whole milk and that frozen fruits are healthier than using icecream. Although I was not one hundred percent confident while presenting my speech, I feel I gave more than enough information to achieve the purpose of my speech. I was the second to last person to present and I think this worked to my advantage. I was able to observe other speeches, chat with a couple classmates during the break, and felt a lot more comfortable with my environment by the time it was my turn to present.

I did not pay attention to the time cards and accidentally went over the time limit by more than 3 minutes. I believe this was due to a combination of a few things. When I rehearsed my speech, I spoke very fast and did not literally practice my demonstration of making the smoothie. I just quickly verbally went through the steps of the recipe. When presenting, my nerves choked my speed and I spoke very slowly. If I had to do it over again, I would practice my speech exactly how I am going to present it to the class, including practicing my demonstration, and speak much faster.

The content of my speech was too detailed for such a simple demonstration. I focused too much on my main point about nutritional facts rather than my actual demonstration. After watching my video, I noticed that I did not keep eye contact with the audience, constantly looked at my notecards, and talked with an unenthusiastic tone. I was looking at my notecards so much in the beginning of my speech to remind me of the details regarding nutritional value that I didn’t even try to keep eye contact with the audience. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would probably rate my eye contact a 4. I was afraid of getting so nervous by looking at the class that I would go blank and forget everything that I needed to say. I will definitely try to know my information 100% so that my delivery will be better. By knowing it instead of memorizing it, perhaps I will be more confident, speak faster, and not need to look down at my notecards before each sentence.

On a brighter note, I did manage to give credit to all four of the sources I used. Based on what I noticed from the video tape, you could tell that my topic was well-researched with valid information, and that I was really trying to tell the audience to make healthier substitutions to what they consume for the sake of their life and body. I had a good introduction and personal experience to get the audience’s attention, I had good examples of nutritious substitutes, I spoke loud and clear, my topic related to the audience, I used good transitions, and overall my speech was organized. However, my delivery and time management could have been much better. On a letter grade scale, I would give myself a B-. Out of all the elements we were graded on (Intro, Organization, Content, Conclusion, Delivery, and Time), I did good on the majority of them. I will take the constructive criticism from the audience and my professor and make my next speech stronger in delivery and time management.

Chapter 5

A really useful tip that I found in Chapter 5 was gathering demographic information by using surveys, or questionnaires. I am a big fan of using statistics in my speeches and essays, but I have never thought about doing the research first-hand and finding out the statistics on a topic on my own. I usually research statistics on the internet, which is not the best way because there are so many surveys on the same topics with different results. Results can vary upon location, race, gender, age, and many other factors. But conducting a survey yourself might have more valid results because you know the details of your population sample so you know how bias the results could be. I will take this into consideration for my next speech.

Audience Analysis and Adaptation

Before even starting a speech and picking a topic, it is important to know who your audience is going to be. If your audience is a preschool class, you will probably prepare much differently than if your audience was a class of students pursuing their Ph.D's. Audience analysis is getting information about your audience and creating your speech based on their interests. Audience adaptation is delivering your speech to a specific group of people in a way that maintains their attention. I will use audience analysis in my speech next week by developing my outline and speech based on what I think the audience will like. For example, I will be demonstrating ab workouts. I'm sure that college students who are into health and fitness will be interested, and others who may want to begin to get in shape will also be intrigued if they know the benefits of working out and realizing it isn't as hard as it looks. After the class meets in person, I think the speeches that follow will be better prepared because we will be able to rehearse with visualization techniques.

Response to Video Clips

First of all, both videos on drinking and light pollution had interesting topics. They both got the audience's attention right away by directly relating their topic to the audience and how it affects them. It always catches people's attention when you relate it to them. They both clearly stated their theses and supporting arguments. Introducing yourself in the beginning also helps make the speech more comfortable for the speaker and the listener, which was only done in the pollution video. Giving statistics on your topic is another attention-getter. Both speakers could have kept more eye contact with the audience though, and rehearsed more. Relaxation techniques would have worked for them because you could tell they were a bit nervous.

Progress on Speech

At first I wanted to do my speech on how to make a smoothie, but after reading further into the textbook, I realized that it would be hard to research about a smoothie and have main points to my speech. I think I want to change my topic to ab workouts. I recently started working out again and am focusing more on ab workouts. I bought an 8 pound weighted ball which I can bring in for a visual. I also have another type of ball for working out that I can also bring in. I will bring in a yoga mat as well to physically demonstrate some exercises. Another visual aid that I plan on using is a poster of pictures demonstrating specific ab workouts. I haven't started researching yet, but I have been thinking of ideas for my outline and main points. I will talk about which exercises are best for targeting ab muscles. I will explain the best schedules for working out to get the best results. And I will also talk about diet and how this aids in getting in shape.

If anyone is commenting on this blog, feel free to shoot me some more ideas for my main points. Thanks!

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 had a lot of useful information on how to research. I never think too deeply about researching the right way or gathering the right information. I just jump on the internet, search on Google, and get more information than I think I need. It is way too tedious nowadays to go to the library, check out books that are over one hundred pages, and read through boring information until you find something you need. I didn’t know there was a smarter way to research online with metasearch engines, other search engines, and web directories. Chapter 6 goes into detail about the deep, hidden web where you can find useful information on blogs, newsgroups, and discussion lists. I am definitely going to take this into consideration while researching my speech topic.

Research Interviews

I enjoy doing research interviews, especially interesting topics. I do not have much experience conducting interviews; however I do recall a couple. I did a project in a past communication class and interviewed a handful of people to ask them about nonverbal cues and communication. Then I observed and compared a “ghetto” group of friends that lived in San Francisco to a preppy group of friends that lived in Woodside. I always enjoy learning and conducting this type of Sociology, as I am a Sociology major. The project went well because although I worked with one other person, most of the work was individual. I knew two types of groups and people who had very different cultures, so it was convenient to interview and study them. Performing the actual interviews was pretty easy to me because I had a list of questions in front of me, it didn’t need to be rehearsed, and I recorded the conversation, so there wasn’t much effort needed. The only improvements I can think of is asking questions that require more detailed answers. When dealing with more advanced research and more complex interviews, I’m sure complications may arise because you have to make sure you cover each gray area so your findings are not vague or incorrect.

Something useful from Ch. 2...

The relaxation techniques mentioned in Chapter 2 made me feel relaxed just reading and imagining what is being said to do. In my communication class at USF, my teacher used to make everyone get up out of their seats before a speech, make funny noises and do a few stretching exercises. This was in hope to break the ice with speech anxiety. After reading this chapter, I realized that maybe a big part of why I feel so nervous doing speeches is due to the fact that I’m a procrastinator and am always in a rush. Perhaps my tension is really stress rather than actual anxiety. And one of my favorite stress relievers is definitely mind exercises like yoga and meditation. I usually never have the time to do these exercises, but come to think about, I think this technique may actually help me out during my next speech. I will certainly try my best to complete my speeches in this class EARLY instead of the last minute so I can have time to relax by the helpful breathing exercises recommended in Chapter 2.

What makes me apprehensive about public speaking?

I was very shy when I was younger, even around my own family. So when I started school, it was especially difficult for me to feel comfortable talking in front of a bunch of strangers. My nerves take over knowing that everyone is focused on me and is probably judging every word I say. When I see everyone’s eyes on me, for some reason, my entire body freezes, my face turns red, and I completely forget what class I’m in and what in the world I was talking about. I express myself much better on paper, which is probably why I much rather write an essay than do a one-minute speech.

Much of the reason why I care about what others think is because I think I am being compared to other presentations. If my presentation is the worst, then I might be considered the “dumb” one in the class. If I know that my speech will be better than the person before me, then I would probably gain a little more confidence. It’s all about competition and comfort. That’s probably why high school wasn’t so bad. I didn’t have much competition at my public high school, and I definitely felt more comfortable talking in front of my classmates who were mostly my friends and wouldn’t judge me by my speech.

But then college came along. I was intimidated by almost all of my classmates because I thought they were all smarter than me. So, I felt extremely pressured while speaking. If I messed up, they would think poorly of me. I shouldn’t feel so self-conscious, but I do. However, after my communication class at USF, my nerves certainly loosened up. Practice really does make perfect though- which is why I just need to keep on practicing!

About Me!

Hi everyone! My name is Clarissa Holbrook and I am a junior at SJSU. I am a Sociology major with a concentration in criminology. I transferred to SJSU one year ago from the University of San Francisco. I grew up in the Bay Area, originally in Redwood City and am currently living in Newark. I was blessed with a baby girl five weeks ago, which is why this online class is convenient. I am Salvadorian and white, and love learning about new cultures. I enjoy poetry, cooking, dancing and exercising.

I took a written and oral communication class at USF my freshman year, but it did not fulfill the Public Speaking requirement at this school. I presented many speeches in that class, which extremely helped me overcome some of my public speaking fears. I feel much more confident now than I did in high school. In this class, I hope to learn new ways to ease my nerves while speaking in front of multiple people.