Speech 0: PSR Statement
Purpose
In order to get your feet wet, take some time to put together and practice a short speech of self-introduction. Use the PSR strategy described in section 32d4 of your textbook.
Requirements
Since the success of a PSR
speech is not just preparation but also inclination, I would like each of you
to practice being open to the appropriate times for voicing your PSR. In other
words, I'd like you to start now to listen for conversational cues that would
create an moment where your PSR would be relevant to the conversation. For example,
if your PSR has something to do with "time management," then any mention
of that topic might be an occasion for you to speak about your expertise. So
to that end, I'd like each of you to email me before 11: 59 pm of the eve
of your delivery date four or five keywords or phrases that are relevant
to your speech. Then, in class, I will randomly and casually utter these words.
When I mention one of your keywords, you will be expected to jump in with your
PSR.
Speech 1: Paying Tribute
Purpose
One of the forms of public speaking that we do not do enough of is paying tribute to another human being. There are many occasions in our professional lives for giving a tribute: formal introductions, awards, inductions, retirement parties, etc. This presentation will give you an opportunity to practice such a speech. Choose a person from a corporate setting who is related in some way to your chosen field and who exemplifies some explicit value relevant to the context of your field.
An easy way to prepare this speech is to find a corporation or institution that you would like to work for and visit their web site. Locate an announcement of some ceremonial event where tribute speeches are relevant. Imagine that you are attending this event and will be giving a speech of tribute to a high-ranking member of the organization. Some examples of such occasions are: presentations of employee awards, introductions of keynoters at trade shows, introductions of commencement speakers at graduation ceremonies.
Requirements
Be prepared to give a two-minute preview of your speech which includes your specific purpose, audience analysis, main points, and at least one supporting detail.
In a short essay of at least 250 words describe the audience of your tribute speech. Start by examining simple demographics. What age range do you expect in the audience? Will the audience be gender balanced? If not, why not? Will the audience be culturally diverse? If not, identify cultural, racial, economic, or religious groups you think will dominate the audience and why.
Next, speculate on what your audience might already know about the subject of your tribute, what they might think of you the speaker, and what, if any, common history they might have.
Finally, describe the setting that you and the audience will occupy during your speech. What organization or institution is hosting the event? What is the nature of the program that your speech is a part of? Will you be following other speakers on the event's agenda? Try to explain how the subject of your tribute relates to the values of the organization.
In addressing these three areas of audience analysis try to suggest how each of them might inform your preparation for the speech.
Outline 1: Paying Tribute
Use this checklist to compose and proofread your preparation outline:
Topic
Purpose
Thesis
Main Points
Outline Format
Your speeches will be recorded on video for your class's sole viewing. I will mount this video immediately following your delivery on Drexel's Rich Media Web Interface. Take some time to view this video. Then, send me an email of at least 200 words in which you describe two things about your delivery: (1) what you think was effective, and (2) what you would like to improve.
Speech 2: Arguing in Scientific and Technical Contexts
Purpose
Scientific arguments attempt to articulate accurate accounts of the workings of nature and to transmit those accounts to others. This speech will provide an opportunity to work with the particular issues and forums relevant to such arguments. To obtain the content of this speech you will find a scientific research paper in your field and present it as though it were your own. Remember when drawing up your outline and speaker's notes for this speech to thoroughly paraphrase the content of your target paper in your own words.
Requirements
Suggestions for Preparation
If you are a communication major, use Hagerty Library's ComAbstracts to find an appropriate paper. Then familiarize yourself with a conference that would be the likely audience for this paper like the National Communication Association.
If you are a EAM major, scan the resources at this site:
http://www.drexel.edu/westphal/academics/undergraduate/eam/resources/library_resources.asp
One particularly relevant resource in EAM is the Journal of Cultural Economics.
Be prepared to give a two-minute preview of your speech which includes your specific purpose, audience analysis, main points, and at least one supporting detail.
In a short essay of at least 250 words describe the audience of your research conference presentation. First identify the organization that is sponsoring the conference. What specific research discipline does it support? Is the discipline one of pure science or applied science or both? What is the nature of the specific conference you imagine presenting the paper to. What are some typical research topics that are included at this conference?
Next, try to gauge what level of scholarship dominates the conference. Some conferences are designed for graduate students; others are restricted to seasoned researchers.
Finally, try to determine how diverse the areas of research represented by the other presenters are. Are they a homogenous group that studies a narrowly defined topic, or are they different kinds of researcher.
In addressing these three areas of audience analysis try to suggest how each of them might inform your preparation for the speech.
Outline 2: Arguing in Scientific and Technical Contexts
Use this checklist to compose and proofread your preparation outline:
Topic
Purpose
Thesis
Main Points
Outline Format
Your speeches will be recorded on video for your class's sole viewing. I will mount this video immediately following your delivery on Drexel's Rich Media Web Interface. Take some time to view this video. Then, send me an email of at least 200 words in which you describe two things about your delivery: (1) what you think was effective, and (2) what you would like to improve.
Speech 3: Arguing in Corporate Contexts
Purpose
Corporate arguments are steeped in the values of the free market: all decisions are made to raise profits and to minimize losses. The wider society, however, of which corporations are a part, are equally, if not more, concerned with what is right or wrong, good or bad, just or unjust. This speech will give you practice at supporting a corporate-oriented proposition of value. Such speeches often occur within the context of a public hearing, where the values of the free market may clash with those of a community. In this speech you will assume the identity of some corporate officer who is confronted with a public relations disaster and who needs to apologize for or rationalize his or her organization's actions that may have harmed the wider community. To familiarize yourself with such kinds of speaking situations that such hearings exemplify, view the following web sites:
Here are webcasts of examples of speeches in response to a corporate public relations disaster:
To develop your position, search the newspapers for coverage of corporate public relations disasters like the following:
Requirements
Suggestions for Preparation
Select a topic that you are already familiar, that is related to your term topic, and that you can quickly gather additional information on. Practice the speech several times but do not memorize it.
Be prepared to give a two-minute preview of your speech which includes your specific purpose, audience analysis, main points, and at least one supporting detail.
In a short essay of at least 250 words describe the audience of your public testimony. First identify the organization that is sponsoring the hearing. Is it a government agency, community activist group, non-profit organization, or other entity?
Next, identify the issue at stake at the hearing. What is the specific zoning, legislative, environmental, or social issue? Who are the interested parties attending the hearing and what are their positions on the issue?
Finally, speculate on what your audience might already know about your position and what they might think of you the speaker.
In addressing these three areas of audience analysis try to suggest how each of them might inform your preparation for the speech.
Outline 3: Arguing in Political Contexts
Use this checklist to compose and proofread your preparation outline:
Topic
Purpose
Thesis
Main Points
Outline Format
Reference list
Q&A
This speech will also give you an opportunity to be an active audience member by acting as an adversary to confront the speaker with a question that challenges his or her position. Prepare for this task as follows:
1. Take a copy of the draft of a classmate's preparation outline and familiarize yourself with its topic, issue, and position.
2. Look for an opposing position on the issue and identify one point in the outline's argument that you can contest.
3. Formulate a question that challenges the speaker on this point.
4. Develop a short impromptu speech that is a rebuttal in the guise of a question to the speaker.
5. In your speech follow this general sequence of moves: (a) acknowledge the speaker's sincerity, (b) point to common ground between you and the speaker, (c) cite some unacknowledged discrepancy in the speaker's argument, (d) pose a question that challenges the speaker on this discrepancy.
6. Speak from the questioners' podium.