{"id":118,"date":"2017-09-04T06:29:11","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T06:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/?page_id=118"},"modified":"2017-09-26T14:01:17","modified_gmt":"2017-09-26T14:01:17","slug":"analyzing-speeches-oral-presentations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/analyzing-speeches-oral-presentations\/","title":{"rendered":"Analyzing Speeches &#038; Oral Presentations"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twelve columns\" style=\"margin-top: 10%;\">\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/understanding-speeches-oral-presentations\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/speech\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/arguments-communication-in-the-classroom\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- CONTENT BEGINS HERE --><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"title\">Analyzing Speeches &amp; Oral Presentations<\/h1>\n<h4>Objective<\/h4>\n<p>In this lesson, you will learn how to identify a speech\u2019s purpose, assess the effectiveness of a speaker\u2019s word choice and delivery, and evaluate the credibility of a speaker.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<h4>Previously Covered:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Point of view<\/strong> is a speaker\u2019s attitude or position toward the subject matter of his or her speech.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Tone<\/strong> is the emotional quality and manner of expression of a speech or piece of writing.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Indicator words<\/strong> can be used to narrow in on a specific description of a speech\u2019s tone and point of view. Emotionally charged words and phrases and rich, detailed descriptions are the most useful indicators of tone and point of view.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<section>\n<h3>How Do You Identify a Speech\u2019s Purpose?<\/h3>\n<p>The previous lesson discussed techniques for identifying and labeling a speaker\u2019s point of view. Doing so will help you, as a listener, get a better handle on a speech\u2019s purpose.<\/p>\n<p>Broadly speaking, speeches and oral presentations have one of two purposes. A speaker who adopts a positive or negative point of view toward her subject matter is usually <a>advocating <\/a>a position, actively supporting and arguing in favor of it in an effort to encourage the listener to adopt the same view.<\/p>\n<p>If a speaker\u2019s point of view is neutral, she is likely to be <a>summarizing <\/a>a position, presenting evidence for and against it without stating an opinion on what the listener should conclude from that evidence.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>Here\u2019s a question for practice. Which of the following excerpts summarizes a position instead of advocating one?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>This highway construction plan would be a drain our county\u2019s coffers. The cost estimates that have been submitted are hopelessly optimistic. Assumption of additional debt is inevitable if this bill is ratified.<\/li>\n<li>Choosing between a Roth IRA and a 401(k) can be difficult. Most employers make a matching contribution to a 401(k), but there are penalties for early withdrawal. There is no penalty for taking money out of a Roth IRA, but it is a private account, so there is no employer match.<\/li>\n<li>This bond is vital to the future of our school district. The funds it would provide would enable us to update the high school library, create four new computer labs and expand the teaching assistant program.<\/li>\n<li>There is no easy solution to our company\u2019s need for more labor. Hiring full-time employees is very costly, but hiring temporary workers results in a high turnover rate. Ultimately, I think we need more full-time employees. They\u2019re more likely to be loyal and motivated, which justifies the additional cost.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<p><span class=\"lesson_text\">The answer is B. It summarizes the pluses and minuses of two competing alternatives in relatively dry language. Choices A and C both advocate strongly for a particular position, as evidenced by the use of emotionally charged phrases like \u201chopelessly optimistic\u201d and \u201cvital to the future.\u201d Choice D is a more tempered advocacy, with its conclusion highlighted by the indicator phrase, \u201cUltimately, I think.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How Do Word Choice and Delivery Affect a Speech\u2019s Effectiveness?<\/h3>\n<p>Delivery and content are equally important to the success of an oral presentation. When you are listening to or evaluating a speech, pay careful attention not only to what the speaker is saying, but also to how the speaker is saying it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\">Word Choice and Phrasing<\/p>\n<p>Any given idea or position can be expressed in a wide variety of a ways. A good speaker will select the words and phrases that express his or her point of view in a way that is likely to resonate with the particular audience she or he is addressing.<\/p>\n<p>Consider the following, one of the most oft-quoted orations in American history:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"6\" bgcolor=\"#ffffcc\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"540\"><span class=\"notebox_text\">\u201cIs life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"notebox_text\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <i>-Patrick Henry, speech to\u00a0<\/i><\/span>Virginia\u2019s House of Burgesses, 23 Mar. 1775<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Contrast Henry\u2019s famous turn-of-phrase with the following mouthful:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"6\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" bgcolor=\"#ffffcc\" width=\"540\"><span class=\"notebox_text\">Are we so attached to our mode of existence as presently constituted and so averse to the prospect of armed combat as to waive our right to oppose legislation that functions to restrict substantially our legal and social standing? I hope not. Far be it from me to presume to dictate a course of action to anyone else, but the only legal and political structure I can countenance is one of unfettered self-governance.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Though the literal meaning of both passages is virtually identical, Henry\u2019s version is obviously more effective. Why?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He is economical in his wording.<\/li>\n<li>He frames the position he opposes in emotionally loaded terms (\u201cas tantamount to embracing slavery\u201d).<\/li>\n<li>His parting line encapsulates his argument with a pithy, memorable slogan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Awareness of word choice is crucial to formulating an informed and insightful evaluation of a speech or oral presentation. As you listen to a speech that you need to criticize or assess, you should ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is the speaker\u2019s diction and vocabulary appropriate to the audience?<\/li>\n<li>Is the speaker presenting the material in a factually accurate manner?<\/li>\n<li>Is the speaker efficient and word-economical, getting quickly to the point and avoiding rambling and digressions?<\/li>\n<li>In a persuasive speech, has the speaker selected emotional and descriptive words and phrases that will resonate with the audience and leave a lasting impression?<\/li>\n<li>In an informative speech, has the speaker presented the material using understandable vocabulary and a logical, easy-to-follow order?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>The Right Words at the Right Times<\/h3>\n<p>The rules of language and grammar tend to be more relaxed in speeches than in writing. Very few forms of writing smile on the use of first and second person, sentence fragments, contractions, or colloquialisms, but such usages are relatively common in a wide array of speech types.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that casual language is appropriate in every speech. The rules and customs that determine what content is appropriate in oral work vary based on three main factors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>context<\/li>\n<li>audience<\/li>\n<li>purpose<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong>Context and Audience<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Certain <b><i>principles of decorum<\/i><\/b>, standards that dictate propriety and appropriateness of behavior and language, apply in every speaking environment.<\/p>\n<p>A halftime locker room speech by a football coach, for example, could be entirely appropriate to its context and audience, but a similar speech would be wildly out of step with principles of decorum if presented by a pet store manager to his or her employees.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes principles of decorum are codified in a manual or document; other times they are implicit and taken for granted.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, a good speaker must be aware of and adapt to these standards. Most principles of decorum relate to the composition of an audience and the appropriateness of material and usage to that audience.<\/p>\n<p>Would it be acceptable for a stand-up comic to swear during a routine at an eighteen-years-old-and-up comedy club? Sure. But a priest who used the same language during a religious service would be censured because of the context and audience-specific principles of decorum he was ignoring.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Purpose<\/h3>\n<p>A speech\u2019s purpose is the goal that drives and structures it. Just as different audiences and contexts carry with them different rules of language, different purposes necessitate different approaches and usage conventions:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"619\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#003366\" width=\"176\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b><span style=\"color: white;\">Purpose<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#003366\" width=\"431\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b><span style=\"color: white;\">Usage guidelines<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"176\"><b>Persuasive, argumentative, narrative<\/b><\/td>\n<td width=\"431\">Informal usage is okay for effect, audience-adaptation, topic-appropriateness, etc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"176\"><b>Summary, professional presentation<\/b><\/td>\n<td width=\"431\">Adhere to the rules of Standard English, avoid slang, personal information and sensitive topics<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"176\"><b>Instructive, educational<\/b><\/td>\n<td width=\"431\">Standard English as much as possible, but some informal usage is okay. Use technical, specific terms for clarity when introducing new ideas.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Successful public speakers adapt their speeches and presentations to meet the conventions and needs of their audience and topic.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"lesson_subhead\"><strong>Delivery<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Polished delivery is equally crucial to making an effective speech. For a well-written speech to be effective, the speaker must deliver it in a way that encourages the audience to engage and agree with the topic.<\/p>\n<p>The most famous speeches\u2014from Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s \u201cI Have A Dream\u201d speech to John F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s inaugural address\u2014are remembered primarily for their signature lines, but those lines stick out in our memories because they were delivered effectively: at the right speed, in the right voice, and at the right time.<\/p>\n<p>Components of effective delivery include:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"619\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#cae1fd\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Word choice:<\/i><\/b> use of appropriate vocabulary and tone<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Appropriate cadence and pacing:<\/i><\/b> &#8220;Goldilocks speed&#8221; that is neither too fast nor too slow<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#cae1fd\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Effective voice projection<\/i><\/b> so that the speech is easily audible<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Varying voice volume:<\/i><\/b> speaking louder when making key points<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#cae1fd\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Varying delivery speed:<\/i><\/b> slowing down or speeding up (as appropriate) to emphasize key points<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Effective use of timing<\/i><\/b>, including manipulation of brief silences<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#cae1fd\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Use of light repetition<\/i><\/b> for emphasis of key points<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Eye contact<\/i><\/b> and non-verbal interaction with the audience<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" bgcolor=\"#cae1fd\" width=\"648\">\n<div align=\"left\">\n<p><b><i>Involving the audience mentally<\/i><\/b> with rhetorical questions and similar devices<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>There is no single \u201ccorrect\u201d way to approach each of these elements of delivery. Rather, a speaker must select the delivery that is most suitable to the content of a speech and the forum in which he or she is presenting it.<\/p>\n<p>A keynote speaker at a political convention, for example, should talk louder and faster than a eulogist at a funeral. A kindergarten teacher introducing students to letters of the alphabet should make heavier use of repetition than a college professor who is summarizing a grading rubric.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How Do You Evaluate a Speaker\u2019s Credibility?<\/h3>\n<p>Identifying and understanding the arguments and logic of an oral argument is not enough to assess it accurately. You also need to know whether the person presenting the argument is credible.<\/p>\n<p>A credible speaker will demonstrate the following characteristics:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"493\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"6\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"165\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Qualified<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"328\">Knowledge or expertise on the speech&#8217;s subject matter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"165\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Neutral<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"328\">A disengagement from the outcome of a particular intellectual inquiry; no hidden agendas or platforms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"165\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Well-evidenced<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"328\">Conclusion supported by credible evidence drawn from a diversity of sources<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"165\">\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Well-reasoned<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"bottom\" width=\"328\">Arguments avoid fallacies, stay focused on relevant points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>If a speech does not demonstrate these qualities, you have less reason to believe its conclusions. The belief that a speaker has a secret agenda, lacks knowledge of the subject, or is relying on one-sided evidence is not enough to disprove the speaker\u2019s conclusions. However, such a belief does significantly undercut the force of the speaker\u2019s arguments. The more you doubt the truth of an argument\u2019s premises, the less support they offer its conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<section class=\"question\">\n<h4>Question<\/h4>\n<div>\n<p>For example, in which of the instances would you have a good reason to doubt the credibility of the speaker?<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>An un-elected employee from the county clerk\u2019s office urges citizens at a town hall meeting to register to vote in the upcoming elections.<\/li>\n<li>An engineer in the private sector cites a study in a peer-reviewed journal as the rationale for including additional buttresses in a bridge\u2019s design.<\/li>\n<li>A scientist employed by a coal mining company argues against emissions restrictions by extolling the health benefits of increased carbon dioxide levels.<\/li>\n<li>A day-care worker offers his assessment of a child\u2019s emotional and social maturity to a concerned parent.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"button button-primary q-answer\"> Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"q-reveal\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<p><span class=\"lesson_text\">The answer is C. Since burning coal releases carbon dioxide, a coal mining company has a strong incentive to argue against emissions restrictions. Without additional information, it\u2019s not reasonable to believe that the representative is an objective, reliable source. In each of the other three cases, the speaker has no stake in the outcome of his or her argument. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Review<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>A speech whose purpose is <strong>advocacy <\/strong>will actively support and argue in favor of a position in an effort to encourage the listener to adopt the same view.<\/li>\n<li>A speech whose purpose is <strong>summary <\/strong>presents arguments and evidence for and against a position without stating an opinion on what position the listener should adopt.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Principles of decorum<\/strong> are standards that dictate propriety and appropriateness of behavior and language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- CONTENT ENDS HERE --><\/p>\n<div class=\"advance\"><a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/understanding-speeches-oral-presentations\">\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/speech\">Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button button-primary\" href=\"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/arguments-communication-in-the-classroom\">Next Lesson \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"backtotop\" href=\"#title\">Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2b05 Previous Lesson\u00a0Workshop Index\u00a0Next Lesson \u27a1 Analyzing Speeches &amp; Oral Presentations Objective In this lesson, you will learn how to identify a speech\u2019s purpose, assess the effectiveness of a speaker\u2019s word choice and delivery, and evaluate the credibility of a speaker. Previously Covered: Point of view is a speaker\u2019s attitude or position toward the subject [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-118","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":482,"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118\/revisions\/482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}