Self Evaluation #3

I watched two of my videos, not three since the second speech of mine was not taped, due to make-ups.  I will be comparing these two, was well as evaluating the persuasive speech.  The first speech is the cultural Artifact speech, which was on the Barbie Doll, and her being an icon in America.  The second speech was the persuasive speech where I persuaded my audience to believe that home schooling was not the best option for a child’s education. 

            For my persuasive speech I think I persuaded my audience very well.  Their feedback was good, and it seemed as thought they got my message and I persuaded them.  I think I felt fairly comfortable during my final presentation.  Taking the three deep breaths right before presenting really helped.  I also felt more comfortable presenting because I felt as though I grasped the Monroe’s motivational sequence. 

            There are a few changes I would make if I had to present again.  One thing I would change in preparation would be to practice in front of an audience, more than I did.  I would also change in the delivery of my speech, to make sure I did not skip any slides, like I did during my presentation.  I would also write less on my note cards, that way I would rely less on them, and more on memorization. 

            Compared to my last speech there were differences, that was both good and bad.  One difference was that I spoke louder, and with more confidence in my persuasive speech, than I did in my cultural artifact speech.  I said “umm” a lot and sounded less sure of myself during the very first speech, compared to the last one.  The bad thing I did this time, that I didn’t do last was that I skipped slides this time around, which I didn’t on the Cultural Artifact.  I also met the minimum time requirement during the informative speech.  I did do a few distracting things during the persuasive speech.  I scratched my back, which was very noticeable, and made me have awkward body language.  This was only in the beginning of the speech however.  This was an improvement form last time.  During the cultural artifact speech my legs were crossed the entire time, and I was not standing up straight.

            If I had to rate my eye contact on a scale of 1-10 I would rate myself a 7.  I tried to think to myself to constantly make eye contact during the presentation.  But sometimes I glanced at my note cards too long.  I did try to only read off the note cards when needed, such as reading direct quotes.  On a scale of A to F I would give myself a C+ because I was short on time, and read off the cards too much.  I also skipped slides, showing a poor organization.  This speech was not better than my last.  I felt they were pretty much the same except that, they minimum time was not met on the persuasive speech, but it was on the cultural artifact speech. 

            During the course of my speech I mentioned three citations.  Based on all three speeches, I think I did my best on the first one.  I was most prepared and felt the most confident.   I also met majority of the requirements for this speech.  Although I don’t have a video for my second speech I know I didn’t do well on it.  I was too confident o the topic; therefore, I did poorly during the presentation.  On the persuasive speech, I was just a little weaker in some areas as in attention getter, and preview of main points, which is why I think I did better on the very first speech; which is the cultural artifact speech, on Barbie.

What I will take from this class

This class taught me quite a few things that I will take with me for my next classes, and future work presentations.  I will remember tips that were given for each type of speeches there are, especially for the after dinner speeches, this is because it the most relevant to me.  I will also remember to always plan out what I will say, especially with the power points, and to practice it all together.  I am sure I will have to do other presentations with PowerPoint sometime in my future career.  I will also take the different ways to do outlines, and keep in mind if I do an outline, it will be easier in the long run when it comes to completing the presentation.

most favorite speech

 Looking back at the three speeches we did in this class, I think that the first speech we did was my favorite.  This was the informative speech, where we could pretty much talk about everything.  I chose Barbie since she has a huge background, and the audience was fairly familiar with her.  Although they were familiar with her, I think I still taught them things they didn’t know.  I feel as though this speech was a favorite because I was really into it, and was the most prepared for this presentation.  I also felt the most confident during this speech, which I think showed as well.  

What helped me prepare the most

 I think that the concept from class that helped me best prepare for the speeches were the outlines.  After the first one I realized how important it is to have an outline because it really did plan your speech, you didn’t have much left to do after writing the outline, except for practicing it.  I also felt that practicing the speech in front of others and getting their feed back, after you have already presented did help me for my next speech too.  This helped because I could add in what I forgot to when I originally did it.  It also reinforces that you do need to practice in front of an audience prior to the presentation, and get their feed backs for improvement for the next speech.

persuaded conversation

 I recently had a discussion about whether or not a person should or should  not get a piercing.  They wanted their dimples pierced and I believe it is not the safest thing to do, But they are very persistent about it.  I told them to do extensive research on it.  They are uninformed audience because they do not know the risk factors of the piercing.  I basically scared them into not doing it.  That was the reasoning I used for them, basically scaring the crap out of them.  The results are that they listened to what I had to say about the negatives of it, and they decided not to do it after all.

Chapter 16 interests

I found chapter sixteen interesting, this chapter is about speaking in special occasions.  It gives different tips for each type of speeches.  Some of these speeches include; after-dinner speeches, award presentations, tributes and eulogies.  The tips for  after-dinner speeches are to be entertaining and light hearted.  These speeches usually include jokes or humor.  It also says to focus on a theme.  They should have some type of point to them.  For acceptance speeches the speaker should be thankful and humble.  Thank the people who helped you succeed.  I hate it when people on award shows go on and on about it though.. I mean sum it up!  The next tip is to be succinct; get to the point.  According to the text, in the Webby awards, accepting speakers are only allowed five words.  I think all accepting speakers should have a limit on how much they can talk for.

Chapter 15 videos

Both of the speech buddy videos were helpful to me.  It was even more helpful that one of them is on my topic.  I found this useful because I could see how he intrigued the audience, making them want to listen more although the topic may not directly affect them.  In the pro video, she had a good pitch to her voice.  She announced her authority, her positions and solutions.  She told the audience she was going to prove something to them.  Her visual was what if we went into public school and didn't know if we would come out alive.  This gave me a clear visual to what her position was on pro home schooling.  She gave quotes, and you could tell she was very knowledgeable on her topic.  In the con video, he gives a good introduction. He told the audience that all came from different backgrounds of schooling, which was a reason for them to want to listen.  He is very interested in his topic, making me want to listen even more.  He asked questions to his audience which I really liked.  I learned a lot from these videos for my persuasive speech.   And I learned many new ways to organize the speech as well.

My main points

My next speech is on the negatives of homeschooling.  My three main points are; there is not much socialization in homeschooling, the teachers can be poorly qualified, and there is little emphasis on testing or assessment of the child's knowledge.  I would say that most of my audience has some knowledge about the topic of homeschooling.  But they probably this it doesn't apply to them so they will not be interested.  I need to intrigue them so they are interested and want to listen to my speech.  I have to show the audience why they should be interested.  I need to use strong supporting evidence to show this.  I need to also show that the topic will impact them.  This makes it more relevant to them, and they are more likely be more persuaded by me.  I can also persuade them by showing enthusiasm towards the topic.  I also will take a one-sided approach to the topic of homeschooling, in order to persuade my audience to my point of view.

Sea of Persuasion

In today's society we are always being persuaded.  Even our friends and families try to persuade us to do things.  Not only do our families and friends persuade us but the media as well.  Everyday, we are surrounded by influences of media and do not realize.  We walk down the street and pass the multiple billboards persuading us to buy products.  You also are influenced by media on television.  Commercials are trying to persuade people to buy products constantly, and they are definitely very influential.  I have not had much experience when it comes to persuasive experience when it comes to public speaking.  I need to become more critical of people's persuasive messages.  I can do this by thinking do I agree with what they are saying, and does it make logical sense.

chapter 14

   In chapter fourteen it explained Monroe's motivational sequence, which is the parts to a persuasive speech.  The first part is the attention.  This is when you relate the topic to the audience in order to gain their attention.  Therefore, make it relevant to them so they want to listen in more detail.  Then you must show the need, which is the problem or harm.  Then the satisfaction, which describes the solution to the problem.  You must also give a visualization, giving somewhat of a story or visual on how the solution is beneficial, or of how if the problem is not fixed, what can happen in the long run.  This is almost like a dramatization.  Lastly is the action, this is where you tell the audience what they can do to help with the proposed problem.  Each of these steps build from each other.

13.3

I found chapter ten on using language effectively the most useful in this weeks reading.  The text reminds you that words do have multiple meanings, and that individuals interpret words differently.  Idioms are expressions that mean something other than the literal meaning of the words.  This is similar to the flicker article we had to read about sexist language.  The text tells the speaker not to use cliches in their presentations because cliches are so overused the audience might think they've already heard the presentation and tend to tune it out.  It also talks about audience centered language, which was reviewed in the speech buddy videos. 

13.2

   The article on sexist language was interesting.  It's not something I think about when developing my speech but it is a good thing to keep in mind.  I wouldn't want to offend my audience.  The example of sexist language in the article is labeling an adult women as a girl, or every man likes a sporty girl.  A good thing to keep in mind from this article is,"Words carry meanings and attitudes."  That's a good thing to think about when writing your speech, and try not to use sexist words, or words with double meaning that could be taken negatively.

13.1

In the video 10.1 it discussed engaging the audience with language, which helps make the audience feel involved.  The video gives three ways to do this, which is refer to current events, use pronouns such as we, us, you and I, which makes the audience feel like they are part of the speech, and use inclusive language.  When using non-inclusive language it can offend members of your audience.  Another tip is to use visuals such as: similes, metaphors, parallelism, rhyme, alliteration, and antithesis, also spark the audiences imagination.  In video 10.2 I learned how to make language choices.  It gives tips to; use meaningful words, balance between clarity and ambiguity, be concise, avoid offensive language, build in repetition, and don't get attached to words.  In 12.1 I learned what to keep in mind with vocal delivery.  This includes; volume, pitch, rate, variety, and articulation and pronunciation.  In 12.2 physical delivery is discussed.  I learned a lot from this.  It is a reminder of all the things to remember while delivering your speech; eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, body movements, and appearance.  I learned the most from video 12.3.  It gave ways to practice your speech prior to presentation.  First start with a presentation outline, and then go to a complete sentence outline.  During this write down words that will trigger your memory; put those on note cards.  It is OK to adjust presentation during each practice, it doesn't need to be the same every time.  Go over outline out loud, practice in sections, and practice in front of friends.  

Second Speech

I presented this speech to my roommate; Amanda, and Rosita, and my neighbors; Eric, Adam, and Chris. I thought they would be a good audience because they all have taken comm. 20 class. This time around I added more facts to my speech, to make it longer. They timed me and this time it was 5 minutes and 10 seconds. I used the same visual, although I would have wanted a Power Point as well. Yea I improved on my speech this time around, compared to when I presented in class. I think I was more comfortable presenting to them, than the class because they’re my friends. I also knew the material more since I had just presented. The things I forgot during the actual presentation, I didn’t this time, such as one of the citations I forgot the first time.
If I had to do the speech again, I would have a PowerPoint, along with the photo album visual I used. I would also memorize the entire speech and try it without any note cards. The group gave me good feedback. They said I could work on body language a bit. I do tend to cross my legs while presenting. They also suggested for me to just talk, and not sound like I am reading off of something. The group said overall I did a good job, and they learned something from my presentation. Their feedback was helpful in improving my speech. This exercise was very useful. I got to get others peoples opinion from outside the class, which is always good to do.

Self Evaluation #2

    I think I achieved the purpose of my speech very well.  My main points were clear, and I got my point across.  I felt comfortable during the speech because I know the topic off hand.  If I had to do it over again there are a few things I would.  First I would do a bit more research to add more facts because I found that my speech ended up being too short.  I also would of added another visual to make the history more clear, such as using power point.  

   One goal that I have for improving the content of my next speech is to have more facts especially since the length of the speech needs to be much longer than the last two.  One goal I have for improving the delivery of my next speech is to take some tips from chapter eleven on adding a video clip, or using a different type visual besides PowerPoint, since it is a bit over used. The things that were good compared to my last presentation was my eye contact.  I tried to look at the audience a lot more, and read less off of my note cards.  I tried to concentrate on that while giving my speech.  I also had to body language compared to last time.  The bad things I did while presenting this time compared to last was that I did not meet the minimum requirement on time.  I also feel as though I had a better visual last time than this presentation. 

   I tried not to do anything distracting while giving my speech because I know I did last time. During the last speech I was crossing my legs, and holding the note cards to close to my face, causing a distraction.  I tried to remember the tips for improvement during the duration of my speech.  I think I did improve on not being distracting.  I would give myself a 7 on a scale of one to ten on eye contact.  I say this because I really tried look at the audience, and glance around the room as much as possible.  On a scale of A to F I would give myself a C, this is because I was clear and organized, with good body language, and eye contact, but I did not meet the minimum requirement on time.  I only mentioned a source citation one time during my speech.  Now that I think I meant to mention it twice, but I forgot about the last one.  

   Comparing this speech to the last one I do not think I did better this time.  I thought I would since I knew the topic very well, and a lot off the top of my head, also because its the second speech, and had some practice.  I did do better in some areas so such as eye contact, and body language.   I think for the next speech I am going to highlight important points such as citations , so I don't forget them.  Now if I can just put it all together, eye contact, body language, and the right amount of time.  

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 gave good points and advice on how to integrate presentation media into speeches.  Advice given for using transparencies is only display them when it pertains to your point, and remove them when you have moved on with your topic.  Also practice using your transparencies before giving the speech.  I think that goes with any visual aid used during a speech.  When using a video remember to keep it short, and continue talking while the video is going.  The tip to continue talking while the video is going, is new to me, I would never have thought.  For the informative speech I used a type of handout, and in the text it state, that they can be distracting, I can see how that could be.  I found the part about the Digital Slides Do's and Don't part the most helpful in the text because that is what majority of our class including myself likes to use.  It states that many people are tired of PowerPoint presentations and I can see that, it is a bit over used.  But it is a good way to get your point across.  Using Digital slides sparingly is good advice.  I try to do that with mine, because it can take away from the speech.  Keep slides clear and well organized.  It also states that sound affects are viewed negatively, which is a good point to remember.  I found this chapter very helpful when it comes to bringing visuals to speeches.  It taught me things I didn't know, and reminded me of those things I did know.

week 9 discussion 3

I found chapter 13 the most useful from assigned reading.  This was because it was about informative speeches, and that is our upcoming speech, it had good points.  One point was to remember to keep your speech informative, try and not give personal views your opinions or don't try to persuade them.  The speech is simply facts.  And I also found the part about connecting to your audience helpful.  It tells you that an audience unfamiliar, you will have to connect it to their general life, if they are familiar with your topic you can attract them and try and maintain their attention.  I will try and remember these tips when it comes to my informative speech.

week 9 discussion 2

According to chapter 9 in the book, what is required in a introduction is an attention getter, something to make the audience want to listen to the speech, provide the purpose/thesis, establish credibility, let your audience know your an authority on the topic, and preview your main points.  In my informative speech I think I will start out with "I"m sure many of you here have had a body piercing, as for me I have eleven. "  To establish credibility I am going to say that I work in the body piercing industry and so I am around it a lot and have learned from my job, but I also did research.  The conclusion is much like the introduction, in that it needs a review of main points, reinforce the purpose, and then provide closure.  Providing closure is something I need to work on, I always have trouble ending strong.  

week 9 discussion 1

In the 9.1 video the first speaker looked around the room, making eye contact with many people in the audience.  She only glanced at her cards, she didn't read off of them.  She knew her speech and can tell she practiced it many times.  The second girl had bad body language, with hands on her hips and poor eye contact.  In the video 9.2 the speaker ran his words together and there were few pauses making it hard to understand what he was saying.  in 13.1A you could tell that the speaker was very into his speech and that he enjoyed his topic.  In the video 13.1b this speaker really knew her speech, she had no notecards, and did a very good job.  

discussion 8.3

During required reading this week I found chapter 8 the most helpful when developing a speech.  I found that the part of transitions is the most useful because this is an area that I need help.  They gave the six different types, which are ordering, reinforcing, contrasting, chonology, causality, and summarizing.  It gave the words for phrases that could be used for each of those types.  The chapter also addressed on when each transition is appropriate, and when not.  It explained what transititons are best for the first main points, and those best for between main points.  Overall I found chapter eight the most interesting, and useful. 

discussion 8.2

I find statistics to be helpful esspecially in informative speeches.  Statistics can be used as a comparison, or to show a definite problem of things.  I also find statistics to be useful to show your credibilty, and back up what you are saying.  But, sometimes statistics are not useful in speeches.  Audiences can interpret the statistic differently than that of the speaker, and what the speaker is trying to get a across may not get across.  The other problem with statistics is that you have to make sure that they are reliable, the facts may be wrong, you have to get facts from a credible source.  

discussion 8.1

In the video 7.1 it gave good tips on how to select supporting material.  It told you to use a mix support of material which makes your research more complete.  It also explained differentt types of supporting material, this included narrative, topical, which we have been doing in our speeches so far, cause effect, and problem solve, examples, and definitions.  I found video 8.2 the most interesting, this was because I need help on transitions.  It told the six types of transitios, which are; order, reinforcing, contrasting, chronology, causality, and summarizing/concluding.  It gave examples for each of the six types. I found it the most helpful for my next speech, and I will use the information for it.  

Self-Evaluation #1

I think I achieved the purpose of my speech fairly well.  There are things I wish I would have mentioned that I forgot.  I didn't feel that confident during my speech, I was very nervous.  If I had to do it over, I would practice my speech a bit more, and use less of my note cards.  My goal for improving the content of my speech have more research, and work on my transitioning.  My goal for improving the delivery is to try and remember it completely.  The first thing I noticed about my delivery was that I didn't have good body language, my legs were crossed and sometimes I was not facing forward.  

One thing that might have been distracting is that I held my note cards too close to my face, which led to me reading off of them.  One a scale of 1-10 I would say my eye contact was a four.  I mentioned my source twice during my speech.  One a scale of A to F I would give myself C+.  I say this because I had poor eye contact, and I relied on my note cards too much.  But I feel as though I gave a good visual, and my point was made.  

4.3 Videos

When watching the videos I found that the part of conducting research was helpful to me and I will use it when researching for my speechs.  It reminds you to use multiple sources, for example, dont just go online to search, go to the library. Search journals, books, government publications, esspecially in our library, we are bound to find something helpful for our speeches.  Also mentioned was when searching online use multiple databases, even blogs. 

4.2 Interesting Chapter

The part of chapter 6 that I found interesting was ways to develop interview questions.  I didnt realize how many different types of questions could be asked.  This was very helpful to me, since developing the questions are challenging for me.  Esspecially the part about how to get an extended answer from the interviewee.  

4.1 Conductiing Interviews

I have had a few experiences with conducting research interviews.  Last semester I had to interview someone for a paper on their diet and exercising. It was easy though because I chose my grandfather.  I also had to interview someone when I had an internship at Kaiser. I had to interview and Doctor, and I was pretty nervous, I felt as though he had bigger and better things to do with his time, which made me even more nervous. I found that coming up with the good enough questions was the difficult part. The easy part for me was doing the actual interview. 

Introduction

Hello Everyone! 

I'll start by telling you a little about myself. I am a sophormore here at SJSU, majoring in nursing.  I have not had much public speaking experiences, except for minor class presentations. This is my first public speaking course.  My goals for this class are to get more comfortable with speaking in front of others, this is also my public speaking fear I want to conquer.