self-evaluation Assignment 1

It is really hard to self-evaluate myself, but I will try to be unprejudiced. I have been prepared very well but it was really hard to tell everything what I prepared in 4-5 minutes, so I have to work on speech with time limitation. I think that I achieved the purpose of my speech pretty well because I fold the main idea of my topic (second degree burn) but I really didn't like my demonstration part of my speech, because I was limited by time and I couldn't show how to treat the burn, but that was demonstrative speech, so I didn't achieved the purpose of the main idea of the demonstrative speech. I know I was so nervous and at the same time I felt very comfortable and confident, I like my audience and I trust them, it's like a little family. If I would have the chance to tell my speech again I would change my delivery, I would change the order of my main points and definitely I wanted to show what I prepared without limitation of the time. For improving of the next speech I would like to add more facts and opinions of scientists but I have very difficult topic and I need to think how to do it. Also I want to attract the attention in my speech and it should be something captivating. My next goal for improving the delivery will be accuracy, calmness and thoroughness. After watching my speech I noticed that I thought about the time, how many I have told and how much time left and sometimes I was distracted by the cards with the minutes on it and I have asked myself: "does anybody understand what I am telling?"
I don't like when somebody substitute the words with fillers, "um", "uh" and I did same thing. I never do this when I have speech in Russian language but I don't have any excuses because I have to work on it. I had vocal fillers like "um", "uh" because I try to translate something and in my brain pops up a lot of words and I try to find precise word to express what I really want to say. If rate my eye contact on a scale from 1-10 I would say it is 8 or 9. I like to see in the eyes of my audience because I can see their reaction on my speech and I can read their face, it helps me to be calm. I know that I didn't mention any of source citations during the course of my speech because I didn't know that I have to do it but in my next speech I will do this. I know that my demonstration speech was built on the credible sources and I have written all of them in my outline, but it was a good lesson for me that I have to have a reliable source for my audience. As I said it hard to evaluate myself but I think that my grade would be B+ of A- because I worked really hard on my preparation but I understand that for grade A my English language should be excellent and understandable, also I have to avoid vocal fillers  and I have to put my speech in the time frame and absolutely I have to show my demonstration not only tell it. In short word I agree with my grade and I have a good motivation to work more and take into consideration all comments in my evaluation form to improve my grade in my informative speech. 

Post 3 Chapter 7, 8

Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.
Every time when I prepare my speech I think how to connect one part with the other. And transition between main points in the book was very helpful to read it up and practice on it. I understand that transitions play an important role in creating coherence. The most convincing ideas in the world, expressed in the most beautiful sentences, will move no one unless those ideas are properly connected. Providing transitions between ideas is largely a matter of attitude. You must never assume that your readers know what you know. In fact, it's a good idea to assume not only that your readers need all the information that you have and need to know how you arrived at the point you're at, but also that they are not quite as quick as you are. Your readers need some stepping stones and be sure to place them in readily accessible and visible spots.

There are four basic mechanical considerations in providing transitions between ideas: using transitional expressions, repeating key words and phrases, using pronoun reference, and using parallel form.

1.Transitional tags run the gamut from the most simple — the little conjunctions: and, but, nor, for, yet, or, (and sometimes) so — to more complex signals that ideas are somehow connected — the conjunctive adverbs and transitional expressions such as however, moreover, nevertheless, on the other hand.

The ability to connect ideas by means of repetition of key words and phrases sometimes meets a natural resistance based on the fear of being repetitive. We've been trained to loathe redundancy. Now we must learn that catching a word or phrase that's important to a reader's comprehension of a piece and replaying that word or phrase creates a musical motif in that reader's head. Unless it is overworked and obtrusive, repetition lends itself to a sense of coherence. 

We can reach self with different types of transitions which was described in the table 8.4. on the page 158 of our textbook: ordering, reinforcing, contrasting, chronology/time, causality, summarizing/concluding.  

Post 2 Chapter 7, 8

When do you find that giving facts and statistics are most effective in a speech? When are giving facts and statistics not as effective?
                I think that facts and statistics are most effective in persuasive and informative speeches. Speakers typically rely on facts and statistics when making a logical appeal. Your facts, observations you make based on your experiences. Statistics are numeral data or information. Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data.It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments. If you know how to use statistic and facts it will make the speech very interesting and persuasive. Statistic and facts are showing us why should we believe to speaker and this type of supportive materials make us more credible in the face of the audience. Using facts and statistics in speeches is a great way to support your opinion. Facts and statistics clearly appeal to an audience's logical thinking processes. These supportive materials show listeners the scope of problem and can demonstrate a topic's importance. But giving too many facts and statistics are not as effective, especially without using presentation media to show all numbers and figures, can overwhelm the audience. In addition, facts and statistics may be interpreted - an misinterpreted - in many ways. 

Post 1 Chapter 7, 8

In regards to the following Speech Buddy videos, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1 and 8.2:  What did you learn that could be helpful in your speech? 

           I think that for my speech to bolster my position could be helpful a reliable supportive materials. What is that? We can watch about it more in the video 7.1. These are narratives, examples, definitions, testimony, facts, and statistics. We can use all supportive materials when we do a research of our topic to inform, persuade, and entertain our audience. Supportive materials provide evidence for our ideas. 
The textbook and video made clarification about difference of all these supportive materials and I can try to include it in my speech bolster my position. I understood that sometimes supportive materials have weaknesses and strengths and I will be very careful to implement testimony or examples because it can be distracted from the main idea of the topic. And even for myself hard to comprehend statistics and facts and much better to prepare slideshow, something visual to help people not only hear but also to see the information for better memorization. 
           In the video 7.2. was  good reminder that media doesn't have a good credibility today and there is a necessity to check all information especially if it's the articles in the newspaper or in the magazines, or in the Internet. 
          In the video 8.1. we found different patterns of organizations which are structures for ordering the main points of your speech that help audience members understand the relationships among our ideas. We know chronological, spatial, topical, narrative, cause-and-effect, problem-solution, Monroe's Motivated Sequence. Before watching this video I didn't know all these types patterns, but I used in practice only chronological and problem-solution, especially if my speech was about restoration of relationship between God and people I can talk about the sin as a problem which destroyed this relationship and Jesus Christ as a solution, because He is a bridge between people and God an this solution as a way to restore relationship with God. That was only example how I used this pattern in my speech to the audience.
       And transition in video 8.2. play an important role in creating coherence. For me as a speaker is a big problem to connect different parts of my speech. In the video we can learn on the examples how to use transitions in our speech. Transitions help direct our audience from one idea or part of our speech to the next. Transition help us to exit from the body of the speech to the conclusion. And what we really need to practice is to use different types of transition in our speeches such as: ordering (first, second, next, finally), reinforcing (also, in addition, moreover), contrasting (however, in contrast, whereas, instead), chronology/time (when, now, before), causality (therefore, so, since, for this reason), summarizing/concluding (in summary, finally, let's review).
         So I have enjoyed with all these video, because I have a raw material for practicing my skills and you my dear friends will estimate my attempts and I will be growing with you guys in public speaking class.  

Chapter 5 Post 3

Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.

I have chosen the last concept of the Chapter 5 "Developing Credibility with your audience". If we want to have an effective speech appearing credible is critical to our success. Can the audience trust you when you speak to them? An effective speaker has a high level of trustworthiness which the politicians call credibility and Aristotle called ethos.  To earn credibility, the speaker has to build a speech with excellent sources that is tailored to meet the specific needs of the audience, and then deliver that speech with confidence and excellent presentation skills.  Contemporary speakers must work harder to establish
their ethos.  Credibility in contemporary times is any combination of impressions or perceptual factors with the audience invests the speaker.  In other words, the speaker cannot insist that the audience find them credible.  Members of the audience are going to make up their own minds about whether they believe the speaker to be truthful.  The speaker has to create an image as a person worthy of trust by doing solid research, developing a presentation that clearly meets audience expectations, and is emotionally engaging.  If all goes well, the audience will endow the speaker with positive ethos. .
Some elements of credibility that were important from Aristotle’s time and continue to be important today include goodwill, intelligence, competence, dynamism, and honesty.
       Goodwill is how the audience perceives the speaker’s concern for their well-being. Politicians running for office promising to lower obviously care about their constituents’ financial problems, right?  The point is to make the audience understand that the speech is not about the speaker; that it is about the audience, regardless of the topic. A speaker without dynamism may appear to be bored with their own
speech.  The audience must believe that the speaker is not lying to them.  Perceived honesty is a measure of how truthful the speaker seems to be about their sources of information and their use of testimony, the conclusions they reach and their concern for the audience. 
A speaker who looks confident, is stunningly dressed, wears an open, friendly expression, and strides with mastery to the podium will already have a positive ethos before saying a word.  If that same speaker then says to the audience, “I’m so nervous”, all of that positive credibility could be wiped out.

Competence, trustworthiness, dynamism, and sociability work together to form a speaker's credibility.

My sources:
1. How to establish credibility as a public speaker http://www.fountainheadpress.com/contentresources/ethos_credibility.pdf)
2. Public Speaking 2nd edition, Stephanie J. Coopman and James Lull

Chapter 5 Post 2

 Discuss the importance of audience analysis and audience adaptation in the speech development process.  Also discuss how you plan on using audience analysis in your speech.

       Audience analysis and audience adaptation in the speech development process is very important. We understand that analyzing the audience won't guarantee a successful speech, but it's critical step  toward creating a favorable speech. Audience analysis is a task that is often performed by technical writers in a project's early stages. It consists of assessing the audience to make sure the information provided to them is at the appropriate level. The audience is often referred to as the end-user, and all communications need to be targeted towards the defined audience. Defining an audience requires the consideration of many factors, such as age, culture and knowledge of the subject (Wikipedia).Audience analysis involves gathering and interpreting information about the recipients of oral, written, or visual communication.

Almost unconsciously we make decisions about audience daily. We might, for example, notice that we talk to very young children differently than to adults. Or, we might talk to our coworkers in very different ways than to our managers. Despite, or perhaps because of, the unconscious manner of these audience adaptation strategies, we rarely consider either how or why we make such decisions.

       But, we do make them.  All aspects of that process, from dress to speech to text to supporting information (visuals, models, etc.) change as we confront different audiences. Similarly, we know that marketers and politicians tailor their messages for specific segments of their "audience."

Analyzing your audience means anticipating their needs and interests and designing a strategy to respond to them. Adapting to your audience requires thorough analysis. The audience members represent many different backgrounds, knowledge levels, and interests. Being considerate of everyone in the audience is a key qualityof successful public public speaker.

In the speech development process we have to Ask yourself some key questions:•      Is your audience captive or voluntary?
•      Demographically speaking, who is your audience?•      How interested is your audience likely to be in your topic?•      How much do they already know about your topic?•      What are your audience’s attitudes, beliefs, and values?
Good Audience Analysis consists of three general issues:
•     audience-centered
•     egocentricity
•     adaptation
 
Audience-centered:
•      The primary purpose of public speaking is to gain a desired response from your listeners. 
•      Try to determine who your listeners are.
•      Try to determine how they might react toward your topic.
People are “egocentric”
•      They pay closest attention to messages that affect their own values, beliefs, and well-being. 
•      No one can FORCE an audience to pay attention to a speech. 
•      But, they will generally pay closer attention to a speech that seems to relate to them or may possibly solve their own problems.
 
 Audience Adaptation
•      The process of customizing your message to fit a specific audience. 
•      Audience adaptation is not merely saying what you think your listeners want to hear; rather, it is saying what your listeners need to hear in order to pay attention to you.
 Audience Demographics
1. Age
2. Gender
3. Educational Level
4. Racial, ethnic, or cultural background
5. Religion
6. Group Affiliations
 
Situational Audience Analysis
•      1. Size
•      2. Physical Setting
•      3. Disposition (toward the topic, the speaker, and toward the occasion)
Trying to determine the motivations, attitudes, beliefs, and values that influence the behavior of the listeners.
Motivation
•      “the force that impels us to action” and makes us want to achieve our goals.
•      Making people aware of a need and then how to satisfy it
Attitudes = “our feelings about 
•      beliefs and values.
Beliefs = things we know or that we think we know to be true at a particular point in time a speaker can alter a listener’s beliefs.
Values = how we think we should behave or what we regard as an ideal state of being--rarely can a speaker alter a listener’s value structure

               

Chapter 5 Post 1

Speech Buddy:  Review Drinking and Light Pollution Videos on the Speech Buddy website in accordance with Chapter 5.  Respond to each video.  What did the speaker to well?  What can you learn from watching these videos?

        After reviewing drinking and light pollution videos on the Speech Buddy website in accordance Chapter 5   I found some commonality in the purpose of these speeches and the purposes of these speeches are persuade the audience about something and to show the way how to reduce the risk for the environment.

       In the light pollution video is a very good introduction where Courtney Stillman described the problem of pollution and urged the audience to immediate action. This video was duration only 38 seconds and in this video I could analyze only introduction. In the drinking video  the topic was well-prepared and there was the introduction which attracted my attention because the speaker used a statistics to show me that drinking can cause a fatal automobile accidents and I'm a driver and I have to know and estimate the situation on the road and probably predict what can happen if somebody will be drunk, but my father couldn't do anything when he was as a passenger in the car and the driver of the other car who was drunk crashed into the front of the car where my father was sitting. I agree with the speaker that we have to think about people who are around us. He showed a good statistics and he used a credible source such as the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. I liked the speaker's research about variety of problems with our body. 

       From watching these videos I can learn how to make transition between different parts of the speech, how to connect introduction with the body and to lend to the conclusion of the topic. Also I think is very important to show the goal of our speech in the introduction and to catch the attention of the audience through the story or statistics and we have to show the main problem, why do they have to listen to me and we is this topic so important for the audience.

What did I learn that was helpful? What information from videos will I use in the preparation process for my speeches in this course?

      Everybody can agree with me that the fast way and easiest way to get some information is Internet. Yes, this is a very good source for our preparation but not the most reliable. After watching all videos in chapter six I realized that if I want to prepare a good speech or public topic I have to use different sources such as print and non-print, organizations, interviews, academic journals, magazines, newspaper, gornment publications. What I like in the video is the methods of gathetring materials and impementing in practice how to evaluate your information through the criteria such as realibility, validity, and currency. In the video speech "terrestrial pulmonate gastropod" I found very intresting how the speaker involved me in her speech, how she attracted my attention. In the first I found a slews of new words for myself, second, she depicted intriguing introduction in her topic and I ask myself, what is she talking about? I wanted listen to her speech to the very end. She had very seductive voice and different tone. What was interesting for myself that this speaker was spoken her speech with a passion, she wanted to tell me something about the slugs and she provided a very extended information about them. She did a huge research to prepare her topic and her speech was very cognitive. I found a lot of intresting facts about the slugs and after her speech I wasnted to read about the slugs and to get more information or just to check her facts how true they are. Also the speaker had a very good eyes contact with audience what is very important, she was very persuasive.
      In the preparation process for my speeches I will do a deep research, geather information, and evaluate all information.I will determine what I know and what I don't know about the topic and I will evaluate all info for realibility, validity, and currency. 

Evaluating research Materials

In the process of gathering research materials for our papers or projects, it is very possible that we will encounter numourous resources presented in various formats including books, articles, and Web sites. However, not everything we find on ourtopic will be suitable or trustworthy. We will need to evaluate our sources by taking factors such as scope, audience, timeliness, authority, reference sources, etc. into consideration. The following guides are aimed to help us develop these essential skills to make good judgments.

1.     The author

·  Who is the author?

·  What is the author's occupation, position, titles, education, experience, etc.?

·  Is the author qualified (or not) to write on the subject?

2.     What is the purpose of writing the article or doing the research?

3.     The audience

·  To what audience is the author writing?

4.     The research

·  What method of obtaining data or conducting research was employed by the - author?

·  Is the article(or book) based on personal opinion or experience, interviews, library research, questionnaires, laboratory experiments, case studies, standardized personality test, etc.?

5.     At what conclusions does the author arrive?

6.     Does the author satisfactorily justify the conclusions from the research or experience? Why or why not?

7.     Are there significant attachments, or appendixes such as charts, maps, bibliographies, photos, documents, tests, or questionnaires? if not, should there be?

We have to apply three evaluation criteria: reliability, validity, and currency. Asking the questions summarized above will help us determine the reliability, validity, and currency of information.

If we want to be successful in our speech we are suppose to check all information during preparion any of the topic, and we have to feel very confidence and comfortable about the sources.

Conducting research interviews

What experience do you have with conducting research interviews?  What went well?  What needed improvement?  Share your advice with your class members.

       I have no experience with conducting research interviews and it's hard to give advice my class members. But I agree that research interview with experts on our topic can help us obtain valuable information. In my life I was as an interviewee only one time I remember how the interviewer conducted this process. 
      At the beginning questioner determined the interview's purpose. And her purpose in the interview was to find out based on my experience does it make any sense to go to the court if somebody broke the law against you and how local court system works. She wanted to write an article about it in the magazine.  
     We have to have interview guide where you can hold list of the questions, it serves us as a road map. All questions can be categorized in three ways: primary questions, secondary question. After we have developed all questions, you need to put them in order and decide how to begin and end the interview.
      During your speech you can use note cards to trigger your memory. It only from     us depends where are we directing, and which goal do we want to get in the end of interview, 

One concept that I found useful or interesting from chapter 4

         Good public speakers always consider the needs and interests of their audience! Have you ever heard the speech which haven't touched your heart, mind and soul? Is this speech was boring and unnatural, not compatible with your life's needs?
Yes, I heard and was disappointed and my negative opinion about speaker was formed at once.
         Before the speaker finally select a topic, he must think about his own interests and knowledge, the availability of resources, and the time and setting for speech. At the beginning we have to ask yourself these questions:
- how interested am I in this topic?
- what do I know about this topic?
- how relevant is this topic to my audience?
- Why do audience members need to know about this topic?
        As a speaker, we have to consider our potential topic in terms of time limit and the topic's timeliness in light of current event.
        We know the common problem of the majority speakers and this problem can happen to us. The common problem is not the ability to phrase the thesis. The thesis summarizes the plan for achieving the specific purpose. And specific purpose addresses how you want your speech to affect your audience. A thesis is presented in a single sentence that captures the essence of your speech, it's like the central idea. It's a good question to check yourself, "What is the central idea I want my audience to get from my speech?" That is our thesis and our success in the speech, because it is clear and everyone will able to understand what you want to tell the audience.