Speech, and I Believe That This Effort

¶ … speech, and I believe that this effort largely paid off. I began by thoroughly researching my topic on the internet. After going to a few search engines to get some ideas, I then got some reputable scholarly articles to reinforce what I had learned. After I had done the bulk of my research, I then prepared a formal outline for the speech -- this way I was able to ensure that I discussed all of the topics that I intended to. The outline was extremely useful for the actual writing of the speech, which consisted of my talking about the various points outlined by using the information I researched. Lastly, I performed the speech in the mirror several times and even before family members. The execution of my speech was fairly decent. I was extremely nervous and experienced "stage fright" (Grassi 21), yet tried not to show it. I believe that I was well prepared and that the content of my speech was good.

The peer evaluations I received were certainly acceptable, and some of them were better than I thought that they would be. One of the things that truly stood out about the feedback I received was that people were for the most part honest -- some were a little more honest than I would have preferred, but it is good that I still got the truth. Another noticeable aspect about the feedback I received was that people generally framed their constructive criticism in a way that was non-offensive and useful. Although this was just a school assignment, I can be sensitive about things that I put effort into. I certainly put effort in this speech, and was glad that no one outright derided my presentation. Most of my classmates seemed to get some valuable information from it, or at least learned a few things of which they were not previously aware.

3. There were numerous things that I saw my classmates do well in their speeches. There were more than a few of them who were able to maintain eye contact with the audience for a substantial amount of time. I think that doing so is a way to maintain the engagement (Kingsley and Baker 23) that the speaker is attempting to cultivate with his or her audience. Additionally, there were also a few speakers who only glanced at their notecards or their papers in front of them occasionally. Again, the effect of this technique is that it enabled the audience to stay engaged with the speaker and focus on what he or she was saying. Some speakers were also able to gesture quite effectively. Body language can play a crucial component in conveying one's meaning; some of the speakers did so while not overly dramatizing their speeches. There is a correlation between effective public speaking and leadership (Prud'homme and Hensley 19). Conversely, there were a couple people who had the misfortune to stutter while they were peaking, which makes the audience's attention wane or lessens the speaker's credibility. Others lost their train of thought (though they were able to regain it readily).

4. One of the strengths in my speech that I made that I hope to continue to build on is the knowledge that I had of my topic. I believe that I was well prepared and fairly knowledgeable about the subject, which had a calming influence on me. Another thing that I think I did well was incorporate some subtle humor into my speech. Doing so was a way to break the proverbial ice, as well as to add to the engagement of my audience.