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!