Write a five- to eight-page typed (double-spaced) paper that addresses the following topics. Cite specific examples wherever possible.
What are your three strongest points as a public communicator? (bullet point — no specific detail needed here)
What are three areas for improvement? (bullet point — no specific detail needed here)
Specifically, address the following on how, and how well, did you:
- Introduce your speeches?
- Clearly define and call out your central idea (thesis) statement for the audience?
- Preview your speeches with a quick summary of the main points?
- Organize your speeches? (methods, clarity)
- Use transitions and signposts?
- Establish and maintain eye contact with the audience?
- Appear confident immediately before, during, and after speeches?
- Use gestures effectively?
- Avoid distracting mannerisms?
- Use vocal variety?
- Utilize PowerPoint and other AV?
- Summarize your speeches at the end?
- End speeches?
- Adapt to the audience before and during the speeches?
- Stick to the established time limits?
- React as an audience member (listening to others’ speeches)?
- Utilize library resources (including Galileo) while researching your speeches?
What did you learn about public speaking from your peers in this class? Make mention of at least three peers (by name) in your response. (Your peers will not see your responses, so you can feel free to use both positive and negative aspects of their speaking styles.)
Finally, include at least one well-developed paragraph on how you will take the skills you gained in this class and apply them to other college classes.
Include your outlines and speaking notes for each of your speeches this term. (Simply copy and paste them at the end of your paper.)
Want to listen to a Learning Journal from one of my students last spring?
Develop a list of 10 Things We Should Know About _____ (your Fortune 500 company of choice)
- The list can include anything that you found to be particularly interesting about your company.
- At least one item on your list should revolve around career opportunities in corporate PR with the company.
- Feel free to be creative with your title.
Create a PowerPoint presentation.
- For the title slide, include the company logo and your name.
- Rather than making bullet points of your things we should know, instead use photos to represent the ideas. (Please use some key words as titles on your slides, to help provide some context.)
- One of the best places to find photos is in Flickr.
- If you use photos that are not your own, include a photo credit at the bottom of the slide (like I did on this slide).
- On the final slide, provide your contact information (name, blog URL, and perhaps your LinkedIn profile URL – please don’t show your phone number or e-mail address)
Embed your PowerPoint presentation in your blog (for 10 pts extra credit)
- Save your presentation in PowerPoint 2003. (SlideShare does not yet support the newest release of PowerPoint.)
- Go to SlideShare; join SlideShare if you haven’t already done so.
- Upload your presentation to SlideShare.
- Find the embed code at SlideShare, and embed your SlideShare into a blog post.
- Publish your blog post.
- NOTE: You should add this blog post to your “table of contents” page for your final project.
Prepare and deliver your 4-6 minute presentation, using these tips.
- Never let your audience see you navigate to your file. Have the projector’s picture muted until you are ready to show your slides.
- Speak to your audience, never to the screen or monitor.
- When you’re not using your presentation, press B to blacken (or W to whiten) the screen. This helps the audience to focus on you, not the screen.
- Additionally, here are some general tips I share in my public speaking classes.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jameseverett/2533124025/
