Communication Resources-Univ. Iowa

Governor's State Communication Central

CHAPTER 1

1.1 YOU AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

Throughout US history, speeches have changed the course of history.

http://library.advanced.org/12587/av.html

We started this on-line course with about 150 Internet and additional sites are continually added. We have no control over the content or location of these secondary sites and while some may be moved or become out of date, but most will provide information that supports your instruction. You can download free software (RealPlayer) to see and hear sound and video segments of speeches and other instructional links in this on-line course. This process will take about 15 minutes. You will need to provide certain information about your computer's specifications to install the software. You can select the free software available at:

http://www.real.com/index.html

1.2 YOU AND PUBLIC LISTENING

Not only do you listen in person, but receive information via technology. We hear speeches on television and radio, especially on channels such as CNN.

http://europe.cnn.com/CNN/

The US American culture, in general, does not perceive leadership strength in listening. Leaders are measured by the forcefulness of their presented messages.

Center for Presidential Studies

1.3 THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

Gateway to Presidential Libraries.

http://www.nara.gov/nara/president/address.html

Other USAmerican speakers took their place in the history of influential public communication. Northwestern University has a web site entitled Douglass, which is an electronic archive of American oratory and related documents.

http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu/index.html#go

Public spokespersons Gloria Steinhem and Bella Abzug are credited with stimulating the women's movement.

Northwestern University's anthology of speech texts.

http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu/

University of Kansas provides speeches.

Northwestern University provides speeches from history outloud.

http://oyez.at.nwu.edu/history-out-loud/

Biographies of former U.S. Senators, featuring the "Famous Five," the orators Webster, Calhoun, Clay, LaFollette, and Robert Taft.

Northwestern University has a web site entitled Douglass, which is an electronic archive of American oratory and related documents.

http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu/index.html#go

Historical Speeches Archive since 1930's on a variety of topics.

http://www.webcorp.com/sounds

Saturday Radio Addresses presented by President Clinton. A search engine will enable you to that you to find a speech by date or topic.

http://library.whitehouse.gov/?request=audio

Republican responses to President Clinton's weekly radio addresses.

1.4 CULTURAL INFLUENCES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

Consider, for example, the findings in The Edge, an electronic journal of intercultural relations

Internationals who are learning English often put words in the wrong order. The usual sequence of a grammatically correct English sentence is subject-verb-object: "I give him the book." But other languages--Spanish, for example--do not follow this pattern. In Spanish the same sentence would be "Le doy el libro," or literally "To him I give the book." Thus it is clear that someone who is learning a new language must master not only the vocabulary but an entirely different system of syntax as well. Until the speaker becomes more fluent, the language may be quite difficult both to encode and to decode. How would you do looking at today's news in Spanish?

http://cnnenespanol.com/

As you embark on your study of public speaking, remember that communicators throughout history have recognized that public speaking competency can be developed through careful attention to the details of speaking and listening. It is worth the effort to acquire the skills of an effective speaker--they can improve your academic work and aid you in social and job-related encounters.

1.5 THE COMPONENTS OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

The Source and the Code

Perceptions and Attitudes

The Message

The Channel

The Receiver

Feedback

Noise

The Environment

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After reading this chapter you should be able to:

Define public speaking.

Understand the need for public speaking.

Understand the need for you to be an effective public speaker.

Appreciate the historical roots of public speaking.

Recognize the role of nationality and culture on public speaking and public listening.

Understand the process of public communication.

Define and understand the role of the source, the code, perceptions and attitudes, the message, the channel, the receiver, feedback, noise, and the environment as they relate to public speaking.

This chapter investigated the historical roots and the basic components of public speaking. The major concepts discussed were

Public speaking is the act of communication that takes place between one person and an audience.

Skill in public speaking is important.

No matter your career choice, most college graduates enter occupations that require some form of speaking before groups.

The study of public speaking has a rich tradition in the study of rhetoric, or persuasive discourse.

The history of public communication is the history of ideas and their expression by competent speakers living in the midst of important human events.

Culture affects the way people use, present, and regard public speaking.

The basic components of the public communication process are the source, the code, perceptions and attitudes, the message, the channel, the receiver, feedback, noise, and the environment.

public speaking

rhetoric

speechmaking

Sophists

eloquence

canons of rhetoric

nationality

culture

source

code

perceptions

attitudes

message

symbolic

feedback

noise

environmental noise

physiological impairment

semantic problems

syntactical problems

channel

receiver

organizational confusion

cultural noise

psychological noise

environment

occasion

dynamic

communication transaction

public speaking competency

1. Research a historical era of public speaking or the history of public speaking in a non-Western society (e.g., China, Japan) and prepare a report on the rhetoric of that country.

2. Research a specific type of rhetoric, such as the rhetoric of the women's movement, the rhetoric of the gay rights movement, or the rhetoric of sermons. Prepare a report on your findings.

3. Identify which type of noise is present in each of these public speaking situations:

a. The people sitting behind you are talking so loudly that it is difficult for you to hear the speaker.

b. The speaker uses numerous curses. You have been taught that intelligent people don't use profane language. You become angrier and angrier with the speaker and finally stop actively listening.

c. In a lecture your theater instructor uses terms such as "fly space," "wings," and "scrim," which you have never heard before. You cannot comprehend the major points of what she is saying.

d. The speaker is supposed to be informing the audience about international trade restrictions. His native language is Japanese and he has difficulty forming grammatical sentences in English. You are having trouble interpreting his ideas.

e. The speaker is explaining how to operate a new computer system. She describes the first operation, then the second, and then the third. She then says, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, between the first and second operation you should not turn off the machine." She begins to describe the fourth operation but then says, "Oh, also, before you start, be sure to use a new computer disk." She then jumps back to the fourth operation. By now, you are lost.

4. Look at the following web sites.

The White House

http://www.whitehouse.gov

Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee

http://www.state.ar.us/governor/

Republican Tennessee Senator Bill Frist

http://www.senate.gov/~frist

Using information from one or more of these sites, give examples of each of the following:

1. Source
2. Code
3. Perceptions and Attitudes
4. The Message
5. The Channel
6. The Receiver
7. Feedback
8. Noise
9. The Environment

http://www.uta.fi/FAST/AV3F/hints.html

http://www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/toast/tips.html

6. Below are some sites relating to business organizations. See what communication skills they advocate as necessary for the workplace. Prepare a speech on some aspect of communication in the workplace and how your skills measure up.

American Society Training and Development

admin@dc.astd.org

Business and Technical Communication

http://www.cohums.ohio-state.edu/english/areas/bizcom.htm

Job hunting and interviews

Teamwork

Telecommuting/Telework and Alternative Officing