I am going to take all of them

Since taking the Public Speaking class, there are so many helpful things that I could wrap up in my future endeavor. One is the many experiences of public speaking. These experiences would help me in daily life. For example, if I have to interview with or persuade people, I would know how to prepare and how to dress, how to adjust my talking manner, and the most important- eye contact. Also, I could employ the strategy of how to organize speech outlines in writing English essays, resumes, or even work proposals. A third is effectively researching credible websites. A fourth is the audience-center knowing what your audiences, relatives, friends or clients like and talking about their favorite things. A fifth is timing, which our professor has mentioned many times. But I still didn’t control the time properly in some speeches. Even though the timing control is just a little thing, it could become a big problem if we do not take it seriously. Because the timing control could represent a personality which requests respect from others. Finally, I believe that I will take all what I have learned significant concepts from this class in my future endeavor.

My Favorite Speech

Every speech is my favorite; yet before giving these speeches, they were my nightmare. Honestly, I could not compare which one is my favorite because they all have differently characteristic content. The culture speech was a warm up of public speaking. The demonstrative speech was like teaching a class that I taught my audiences how to make Chinese rice balls. The informative speech was as an educational course, in which I informed my audiences about the various characters of volcanoes. The tribute speech was as a sharing experience with an important person to whom I met. And the final persuasive speech, which was the most challenging one, was to convince my audiences to support my idea about passing the Death with Dignity Act. If I really need to pick a favorite one, I think the demonstrative speech, how to make a rice ball, would be my favor for many reasons. First, the speech’s purpose is to teach my audiences what I know about the original history of the Chinese rice ball and how to make it. Therefore, I was passionate in giving the speech. Moreover, if my audiences like the food, they would have a new exotic food on their dining room table to satisfy their appetite, and no matter they make their own rice balls or buy them from stores. If they don’t like the rice ball, at least they know about the original source and history of the rice ball. Accordingly, I felt this speech was full of fun without stress. On the other hand, the culture, persuasive and tribute speech was a little heavy for my audiences because the core of topics was about death. Therefore, the demonstrative speech is my favorite speech.

The most helpful concept in preparing speech

In preparing for my speech, there were many steps to do, such as researching topics, finding supporting materials, organizing speech outlines, preparing visual aids, and practicing the vocal presentation. In my opinion, the most helpful concept would be practicing my speech with visual aids over 7 times, as our professor posts on the Blackboard. I wasn’t taking this tip, concept, seriously in the beginning of three speeches because I was quite confident about my speech topics and my performance. Yet as I failed in my demonstrative and informative speeches, I deeply self-considered the unexpected grades; I realized that the dissatisfied grades were result in inadequate practice with visual aids. Accordingly, before giving the tribute and persuasive speech, I have practiced with visual aids over 7 times. I demonstrated that this concept, practicing with visual aids 7 times, is the most helpful because I earned the highest grade at the persuasive speech.

Avoiding Fallaceies in Argument

What should you avoid in your speech content after writing your speech outline? In the chapter 15, there is very important section, which is talked about the fallacies in arguments has brought me a new concept about my persuasive speech. Coopman has summarized the fallacies in four sections: claim, evidence, reasoning, and responding. After demonstrating some of fallacies in the speech buddy video, the pro home schooling, I found they are very useful. When I write my persuasive speech outline, I could go back this section to avoid common fallacies happing in my argument outline. We usually assert our opinions unconsciously by personal feeling or common sense, but we ignore our audience feelings. One of the examples in responding fallacy is “ad hominem-personal attack.” For instance, when you dislike a political party, you deny all of its historic efforts or positive contributions to our country. This kind of personal prejudice will be harmed your credibility in your speech. Therefore, we should pay more attention to this section to avoid a fail in our persuasive speech.

Question 2

Actually, I don’t remember that I have tried to convince my audiences on my posts. Most of the posts are reflecting my personal opinion about the topics. If I guess right, the example of persuasive post would be on one of the chapter 14 posts, which is how to become a more critical consumer. When I wrote the post, I did not have a strong assertion trying to persuade my audiences. I just wanted to share my experience. However, after reading this chapter, I went back to analyze the post. The specific purpose of the post is to convince my audiences to become more critical consumers. I use the example type of reasoning, which is understandable and practicable from my personal experience. However, I think the example reasoning does work fine to persuade my audiences to become more critical consumers because my personal experience is as an evidence of 'real world' situations that they could easily apply to their daily life.

Responding to Home School Pro vs. Con

The video 15.1 is very useful, and I have learned how they effectively organize their persuasive speech outline. They both have clearly established their claims, and have sufficiently cited credible evidences to support their conclusions. On the pro side of the speaker uses the emotional appeal by telling an example of child abuse in public schools to get her audience attention. She then provides many effective evidences which cite from variously credible experts assertions and statistics to support her claim. On the other hand, the con 's speaker presents a logical appeal by how and what do we do to educate our children. And this appeal has effectively influenced the audiences siding with him. Moreover, he uses the deductive reasoning to firmly organize his supporting evidences by questioning about the credibility of parent status as a teacher, and their roles to their children. In addition, he uses a fact to support his claim, a useful survey which is from the home school parents, who want their children at least to take part time in a public or private school. With this in mind, instead of asserting how many advantages in your claim, the opponent side’s drawback is the most effective support to support your claim.

Speech on Question of Policy

Since I decide to use the problem-solution pattern for my final persuasive speech, it is important for me to familiar with this organizational method. Therefore, I would like to discuss about speeches on question of policy, which is relating to my topic-Physician-assisted suicide. Different from question of facts or values, the speech on question of policy is more dynamic because its final goal is to motive audiences to stand up for the special position or take the special actions. As a result, the word of “shall” must be embedded in the thesis statement to motive the audience feelings.
According to the text, the first step is to actually reveal the significance of the problem’s existence. It is important to notice that if you establish an incredible problem, it will be harmful your entire speech. And the upcoming problem’s solution won't be meaningful. Although the problem/ solution pattern seems simple to apply in the persuasive speech on question of policy, it is not easy to get a strong thesis and conclusion.

The Problem-Solution vs. the Monroe's

The problem-solution pattern of organization is establishing a one way communication by a speaker identifying the problem and then provides a solution for the problem. In other word, the speaker explains why the problem matters, and gives the audiences a meaningful and proper solution to convince the audiences. On the other hand, the Monroe's Motivated Sequence pattern is like an interacted organization when speakers organize their speech outline based on the audience center. The pattern follows the five steps: getting the audience attention, describing a problem and presenting a practical and concise solution, allow your audience to picture the results, and make a call for actions. Accordingly, there are many commerce ads are employed the Monroe's patter to reach their goals. However, I would like to use the problem-solution pattern for my final speech because the Monroe's pattern seems not fitting for my topic. Furthermore, if I could effectively employ the problem-solution pattern, I believe it will get the same outcome as the Monroe’s.

Three Ways to Become a Critical Consumer

No one can escape from massive persuasive messages which come from everywhere, such as family members, friends, commerce, and politics. Especially, the most amount of persuasive message comes from commercial ads. Therefore, in order to become a more critical consumer, there are three principles that I have practiced in my daily life to avoid trapping into their elaborately persuasive ads.
First, you must realize that there is no free lunch; everything you get, you have to pay its price. Thus, you should not trust commercial ads.
Secondly, when you go shopping, you should have a shopping list with you. For example, when I go to Costco, there are many eating sample sites. My principle of resisting these attractive foods is which I try them but not buy them. Moreover, I would walk away from someone who tries to sell me something.Finally, the most important part is to compare other brand products. When you compare two products, you should not only compare their prices but also their qualities, ingredients, and quality. Based on these three principles, you would become a critical consumer.

Sexist Language

The language use in public speaking is different from ordinary conversation. In order words, we can not just say what we want to say without caring about some particular audience feelings in public speaking. As if we, sometimes, unintentionally use sexist language, “you guys” to greet our audiences. What’s wrong with the words of ”You guys?” When I came to the U. S., I have heard many people said, “You guys,” to address more than one person. Thus, I usually greeted my audiences, “Hi, how are you guys doing?” And I have never thought about the problem for using the words, until I read an article, “Why Sexist Language Matters,” by Sherry Kleinman, a sociological professor of the University of North Carolina that the word of “You guys, represents on e of the gender inequalities, equally to “freshman,” and “chairman.”
Occasionally, we do not intentionally emphasize one’s status, but we just speak out without thinking. Thus, although I don’t know much about sexist language words, I will just use gender-neutral pronouns to avoid using sexist language in my speech.
Finally, my opinion about the topic, I do agree with Rippie’s comment, “that’s not true. the problem exists…but it’s not a problem with Flickr” when he responded to Gimli_36, who said, “To my mind, the discussion can’t find any solution…because there are no problems:)”

Audience-Centered Language

I found the concept of audience-centered language is very useful, and it is one of the most effective ways to succeed in speech. In other words, the audience-centered language is to custom your speech language focusing on your audience needs and their expectations. According to our text, there are five strategies to develop the audience-centered language in your speech: “Put your language in context, Personalize your language, use inclusive language, use visual language, and spark imagination with your language” (p.197).
First, put your language in context is to stimulate your audiences’ interested in your speech by mentioning them to your speech context.
In order to maintain your audience attention in your speech, the next step is to personalize your language by referring a specific person or group in your audiences.
The third strategy of using inclusive language is to avoid hurt particular audiences by using stereotype or discriminated words in your speech.
Using the visual languages of simile, metaphors, parallelism, rhymes, alliteration, and antithesis in your speech can enhance your ideas in your audience’s visualizations.
Finally, telling a joke and asking your audiences question to light imaginations in their minds are two technical languages to advance the audience-centered language.
These five strategies are easy to understand. Yet in order to effectively employ them in my persuasive speech, I have to work hard and make sure that I don’t make mistakes.

Learning and responding to the Videos of Chapter 10&12

The main points in the videos of chapter 10 are effectively choosing language and using audience-centered language. In the video 10-1, using audience- centered language is focusing on referring to current events, using dialogic language, using visual language, and sparking imagination with your language. Moreover, using meaningful words, balance between clarity and ambiguity, being concise, building in repetition, and don’t get attached to words are the main aspects of effectively choosing language.
The good example of using imagery and rhyme to advance speech is Stacy in her “Fallen Soldiers.” In her speech content, she repeats the words, “it’s hard for me to imagine,” to emphasis her purpose, instigating her audiences’ emotion for fallen soldiers. In addition, she employs meaningful words, such as courage, honor, pride, and patriotism to highlight her topic.

In the chapter 12, properly loud volume, low pitch, right rate, vocal variety, and articulation and pronunciation are the principal elements of vocal delivery. The strengths of Janeece’s speech are speaking loud enough and at an appropriate pitch, using conversational tone, and pronounce words correctly. The most main drawback of her speech is vocalized pause that she has too much “ah” causing her credibility.
Besides the vocal delivery, the physical delivery is another main point in the delivering your speech that are eye-contact, facial expressions, gestures, body movements, and appearance.
The good example of physical delivery in Lisa’s speech are maintaining good posture and dressing appropriately. But her weaknesses are no enough eye-contact with her audiences and no facial expression. On the other hand, David is presenting well by eye-contact and facial expressions. But he needs change his clothes to fit the occasion.

Self-Evaluation Assignment # 2

Overall, I have achieved over 85% of my purpose from this speech even though I was nervous during the speech. I have practiced the speech with PowerPoint at home for "N" time, and I was so familiar with my topic. Yet “Man proposes but God disposes,” my unexpected accidents were useless note cards and operating the keyboard instead of a mouse to change the slides.

If I could do this speech again, I would bring an infrared ray pointer with me, just like Nanny used in her informative speech. The pointer would eliminate me from having to turn around to highlight an object on the screen. Moreover, the fatal wound is my pronunciation. I was always worried that my audiences could not understand what I was saying when I delivered my speech. I think I should use simple words instead of academic words. However, I should use large words and color them on my note cards to emphasize them. distracting

According to the professor’s comment on my evaluation form, my speech content was fairly well researched, not perfect. Therefore, in order to improve the content in my next speech, I will try to access different resources to get more creditable information to convince my audiences in the persuasive speech.

The biggest difference between the last demonstrative speech and this speech is the manner in which the speech was delivered. When I was demonstrating how to make a rice ball, I was like a mother, talking in an ordinary conversation. But when I gave the informative speech, I have to present myself as a professional volcanoist, lecturing on an academic level. Therefore, the difference in delivering manner is only my perception perceived in deliverance.

I don’t know how many times I have to tell myself, "look at your audiences, and look at your audiences." According to the audiences’ feedbacks, I still made the deadly mistake during my speech. When I was practicing at home, I was talking loudly and looking at my note cards with the PowerPoint. However, after deeply analyzing myself, I deduced that I should practice with a group of assumptive audiences in front of me. Thus, I would rate myself a 7 scale.

Keying a key on the keyboard to change slides is the only thing that distracting me from my speech. However, although my extemporaneous deliver is fair, I was proud of my elaborate PowerPoint, which has cited original sources on each slide. Moreover, I have received many positive feedbacks from our classmates. Accordingly, I think I could give myself a B grade for the entire speech.

To sum up, I do believe that I have presented the informative speech better than the last speech for three reasons. First, I have properly managed the timing. Secondly, the PowerPoint covered my oral drawbacks. Lastly, I have completely delivered the three main parts of content, an introduction, three main points, and a conclusion, even though it did not meet my expectation. In fact, I did not give a conclusion in the demonstration speech due to my poor time management.

In addition, I really appreciated that I have the opportunity to present and practice public speaking. The most important thing I have learned is not only learning the speech skills from listening to our excellent speakers but also to the explicit information presented that were very useful for me to rethink what topics or issues that we really care about in our society. I have many thanks for all of your excellent effort and performances.

Digital Slides:Don'ts

Overall, Chelsey is presenting her topic about suicide very well with proper manner. But there are some drawbacks in her digital slides. The first slide, which has paused 23 seconds long, has diverted the audience attentions from her. On the second slide, if she could spotlight one or two person photos on the same picture, it might be notable its significance. Next, I think most people will agree with me about the third slide, which has shown many numbers and words in small, weird words with a dark background. What I remember the image of the slide is only “Coast to Coast.” However, I do agree with her idea of using black color background to fit her topic about death. But I still feel something lacking in the black background slides. Moreover, when she emphasizes the last slide is important, I only see a lot of tiny bees on a black wall. Finally, while I do my best to evaluate her digital slides, I have learned some good presentation skills from her as well as many principles of the digital slide design from our text book.

Experiences of Attending Public Speech

Actually, I don’t like to attend any public speaking except astronomic speech. When I was taking astronomy class in Foothill College, our classroom was like a theater where could be occupy about 200 students. Our astronomy professor, Andrew Fraknoi, who was presenting lively and brightly, has effectively used digital slides, sometimes with music, in the class. His digital slides didn’t have mush words; mostly, they were photos or videos or documental films to reinforce our memories about the content what he has just taught. I really enjoyed the environment he created as if I was watching movie while learning the astronomic knowledge. I also attended many astronomy speeches in the Foothill College campus, and most speakers were reputable astronomers. Because they might be down-to-earth scientists, their presentation media didn’t design well as my expectation. However, they were so popular among the audiences because there were a lot of questions waiting for them to answer after giving speeches. Accordingly, I think using presentation media to effectively enhance the quality of speech will depend on three factors: the speaker’s personality, the content of speech, the room, and the audience’s expectations.

A Speaker's Ethical Responsibilities

The presentation software is the public speaking development stride. We are so lucky to have the software to enhance the quality of speech. Also, we could get a lot of information through the Internet to enrich our speech content. Yet when someone copies our works through the Internet, who can protect our right? Even though we have copyright law to protect the creators of original works, there still has a gray zone that most people have unconsciously ignored. I have developed presentation media for many years, and I always carefully cite the original sources work on the Power Point. Yet I have never learned about a speaker’s ethical responsibilities when using presentation media for speech. In my opinion, when we, as speakers, represent ourselves in front of people, we have a responsibility to the public to reinforce our credibility. Therefore, accuracy, truth, objectivity, balance and fairness are a speaker’s ethical responsibilities when using someone’s work for speech. If we provide inaccurate or untruthful reports, we are not only losing respect from the audiences but also harm the creators of original works. Possibly, this bad mark may affect our future. Thus, we should comply with ethical responsibilities when developing presentation media for our speech.

Five Strategies for Delivering an Effective Informative Speech

In the chapter 13, Coopman provides five guidelines for speakers to enhance the informative speech, which are very useful, and this helps me to reconsider my speech content. First, in order to keep your speech informative, “you don’t tell the audiences what to think or do about it,” Coopman said (262). Honestly, the first point is not easy for me to distinguish between the informative and persuasive speech. I got a little confused about how to inform my audiences something, but I don’t let them think about the thing. However, after reading the example of “Rain Forests,” I decided to simplify my topic content, in which I just focus on its characteristics, instead of deeply analyzing its effects.
“Make your speech topic come alive” is the second step for an effective informative speech. To achieve this goal, you have to use lively languages to stimulate the audience’s imaginations. Next, the third aspect, “connect your topic to your audience,” is to use techniques to let your audiences familiar with your topic. Finally, the rest of two strategies, “inform to educate” and “use presentation media to inform,” are easier for me to understand how to apply in my informative speech.

Responding and Learning from Videos of Chapter 9 & 13

In the video 9-1, Evan provides an effective introduction which should include the three elements: attention getters, set up the speech’s purpose & thesis, and review main points. In order to get her audiences attention, Janine uses a Kodak camera to enter her topic. This is very direct and creative way for her audiences to get interested in her speech.
On the other hand, the speaker of the persuasive speech, uses another method, asking questions, in her introduction. Both examples are effectively applying the methods of attention getters to establish their purpose.
In the conclusion section of the example videos, the persuasive speech speaker provides a real story to reinforce her purpose, which has highlighted the importance of her idea, as a memorable message.
Overall, Evan has presented well in his informative speech- “The Universal Language of Techno Music.” Yet after watching the video, I seem not getting his specific purpose, which is to have his audiences understand how techno music has brought different nations together. I do agree that every kind of music could bring different culture nations together. Through his entire speech, he only provides the Techno music is popular in Australia, and he doesn’t mention other nations. Therefore, I wonder whether the Techno music is a universal language or just a particular group’s universal language.

Question 2

The elements of the introduction are getting the audiences attention, reviewing the main points, and establishing the presentation's purpose and thesis. In order to get my audiences attention, I will present an interesting topic to start my informative speech; then, I will give a fact, which is cited from a trustworthy institute, to enter my purpose and thesis.‏ For example, my topic for this speech is volcanoes, and some people believe that the cataclysmic eruptions will lead to end of the world on December 21, 2012.

According to our text book, the main components of a conclusion are review of main points, reinforce of your purpose, and providing closure. After reading this part about the conclusion, I perceive that not only the conclusion’s content but also the presenting manner is equally important. As Coopman has pointed that to present a memorable message, “you say must be brief, clear, strong, and striking” to reinforce your specific purpose (180). Indeed, these strategies are really handful, and I believe I have gotten many key points to develop my informative speech.

Self-Evaluation

Before starting my evaluation, I must apologize to everyone for not giving my feedbacks to you guys, and I promise that I will seriously write feedbacks to you next time. In fact, because my mind was concentrating on my presentation, I mistook these white papers’ purpose, and I thought there were notes for myself. However, I really appreciated for those who gave their feedbacks to me, and I will earnestly regard for these advices to improve my speech’s skills.

Overall, I believe that I have achieved about eight percent of my speech purpose for four reasons: an interesting history of rice balls, an efficiently delivery (enough loud voice volume with a little accent,) a well-organized content, and effective visual aids. On the other hand, there were two main drawbacks: over time and missing one main point. If I could do this speech again, I would set up the apparatus properly, and cut out the extra information to complete the speech requirements.

I, as an ESL student, always feel a little nervous in public speaking, because of my pronunciation. I was comfortable this time if comparing to the first presentation. Because I got the same audiences and the same classroom, I felt I just talked to my friends at home- a little exaggeration. However, I believe I could be more comfortable if I present my speech early because more waiting time, my nervous cells are growing more.

I didn’t watch the video but I could recall and image that my smile was the first thing in my delivery. Smile is the basic communication technic and the human common body language in the world. If we want to be closer to other people, giving a smile could effectively communicate to them. Moreover, I would like to my eye contact on the 9 scale because I really care for my audiences who were like my customers. The most respect way to our audiences is the eye contact even though some Asian cultures have no regard for it.

I might use one or two citation for the history of rice balls, and I think this was the only section I should use citations. The rest of the sections, which are demonstration and personal experience, are not necessary for me to find from other sources. However, I will cite some credible facts and statistics to enhance the material’s credibility in my next speech content. Because I have presbyopia, I couldn't use notes during speech. Fortunately, we will use power point for the next speech, so it will be easy for me to focus on my audience reaction.

The timing was the only thing that distracting my attention. When I saw the time of five and thirty seconds, I was totally mess-up. Consequently, I was hurry up to close my speech without conclusion. This was the fatal mistake that I have made.

To sum up, if I have to grade myself, I would give a B for myself because I made two fatal mistakes. First, I did not accurately control my time because I didn’t completely prepare the demonstration apparatus, according to some classmates’ feedbacks. Another factor that I over used the time was giving extra information about the rice ball’s history. It was mess why I did not notice these two problems at home while I was practicing. After carefully recalling these two mistakes, I realized that I had already opened these containers covers before I was practicing at home, and I was holding the visual aid on my both hands while I spoke fast and low my voice without a pause. According to the environmental effect, I think I should practice my speech at home as I am in the classroom. Or, I should reduce one minute for facing an uncontrollable situation happening.

Finding and Evaluating Facts and Statistics

The previous post is about how to cite facts and statistics to enhance the material’s credibility in speech. Yet how do we know that these facts and statistics are reliable? In our text book, Coopman suggests that some government (@ gov) and organization (@ org) websites are more trustable in the particular fields (136). I remember when I prepared my research paper, whose topic was “Minimum Wage: Survival in Santa Carla County California with Welfare?” for the ESL class. In order to persuade my readers, I did visit many different government departments’ websites as well as researched some of academic institutions’ website (@ edu) to get credible information to support my viewpoint. Even though most commerce websites (@com) are less credible, due to the company’s profit upon anything else, I did cite some facts from media outlets, such as The New York Time. However, I don’t think all over world’s government websites are reliable. Especially, the facts are relating to political views in some communistic countries. Finally, we, as college students, should have a critical thought to be able to evalate an article’s credibility.

Effectively Citing Facts and Statistics in Speech

After watching speech buddies from the Interactive Videos of chapter 7 and 8, I found the most effective way to use facts and statistics is in the persuasive speech. When we need to convince our audiences our ideas, we must have strong evidences to support our viewpoints. Thus, facts and statistics, which are from reputable institutions, are helpful for us to strengthen our points, which are not coming from self-bias or “quantify” the extent problem. For example, the “Drinking and Driving” speech, Pete selects the credible statistics from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to persuade his audiences his main point that the drinking problem causes the most fatal accidents on highways.
Conversely, I would not use facts or statistics for my supporting materials in my informative speech. Because an informative speech is meaningful to my own personal experience, it is not necessary to cite a fact or statistics to firm my point. For example, my topic of the demonstration speech is rice balls. My responsibility for this topic is to teach my audiences how to make a rice ball and to introduce the history of rice balls. I believe if I cite a statistic about how many rice balls consume a year in Chinese society, this would not persuade my American audiences to eat rice balls, due to the diet cultural differences. For this reason, I believe the most effectively using facts and statistics is in the persuasive speech, not effective in the informative speech.

Responding and Learning from Speech Buddies: Chapter 7 & 8

In the video 7-1, Erin explains five types of the supporting materials: drawing narratives, making examples, explaining definitions, using testimony, and citing facts or statistics. Learning from this video, I would properly mix different types of supporting materials, such as narrative, example, definition, and fact, to reinforce my information source’s credibility. However, there is an example of mixing supporting materials in Katherine’s speech. First, she talks about a cultural story to relate her topic-Kosher, and then she gives a specific example of Jewish culture about the “Kosher.” Third, she defines the term of “Kosher” from the Bible. Finally, the most effective supporting material is the visual aids which are simply and clearly presenting on the slides.
In the video of chapter 8, I have learned how to break down the topic elements into subordinate to support the main point. Moreover, I should properly use the transition’s words to help my audiences easily understanding the topic. The example of using transitions has shown on Ganiel’s speech that he uses the ordering transition to organize his supporting materials.

Sociability

To be a successful speaker, not only the preparation of audience analysis and adaptation but also the presenting credibility with audiences is equally important. The part of chapter 5, “Developing Credibility with Your Audience,” has a significant point that audiences evaluate speakers’ credibility by the speaker’s competence, trustworthiness, dynamism, and sociability (p 92).
Particularly, the concept of the sociability with audiences is the first step that audiences decide to proceed listening the presentation. As the effective example of Queen Noor’s opening remark, “California has played a seminal role in my journey to the Middle East,” (93) is right away connecting with her Californian audiences. I recall having attending many lectures where most speakers gave their opening by talking about their images, experiences, or relationships with the places where they stood. For example, I once attended an astronomy lecture in Foothill College. The speaker, who was an astronomical doctor of NASA, said he was my astronomy professor’s friend, and he has been the campus many time. Despite his prestigious status, I immediately felt he was friendly and respectful, as one of my school folks. Finally, the lecture was successful because he had to respond a lot…of questions from the audiences.

Applying Audience Analysis in Speech

According to Coopman (2012), “Successful public speaking begins and ends with the audience” (p.79). Before reading the chapter 5, “Adapting to Your Audience,” I have never considered about my audience opinions about my presentations and care of their feeling. Most of my speech content was based on my personal interest or my assumption that my audiences would like them. This chapter really provides an important point of view about public speaking.
The audience analysis is one of the most important processes in the speech development because knowing your target audiences’ background and character, it could efficiently deliver your message to them and enhance your connection with them. For example, my next speech’s topic is a traditional Chinese food-Rice Balls, which can be made of a great diversity of materials. Therefore, in order to adapt my audience diet of habit and interest, I would adjust some of materials for them to have a healthy appetite.

Responding to the Drinking and Light Pollution Videos

After watching these two video, I have learned both advantages and drawbacks of speech from them.
Overall, the speaker of the light pollution seems lacking confidence in her speech because she hurriedly read her note without her eyes connecting to her audience. Even though she surprised her audiences that the light pollution is one of most important pollutions affecting our environment and economy, she did not establish a credibility of the light pollution and reliable resources to support her ideas for convincing her audiences.On the other hand, the speaker of the drinking speech is more persuasive than the light pollution’s for three reasons: effective attention getter, the credibility of academic research, and reliable statistic information.First, he well plays as a drunk person to get his audiences attention and to immediately get into his topic-Drinking.Second, he points out of a significant message, “33 percent of all college students now drink primarily to get drunk.That is one out of three of you," from Columbia University to get connection with his audiences. Accordingly, he is doing well in analyzing and adapting his audiences- college students.
Finally, he presents many statistics information from variously reliable institutes to support his ideas.

When to Start Evaluating Your Research Materials?

The chapter 6, “Researching Your Topic,” talks about the processes of researching topic. It lists all the details for efficiently researching topics: gathering research materials from maximizing our search of library and Internet resources, conducting research interviews, evaluating our research materials, and so on. However, I was wondering why the process of evaluating research materials is not before the process of the maximizing research. For example, I followed the processes to maximize my research topic, and I got a lot of information from various search engines. Unfortunately, I got stuck on the process of the evaluating research materials because I could not answer to the critical questions, which is based on the principle of “three evaluation criteria: reliability, validity, and currency.”(Coopman 116) Especially, some of the author’s background and purpose are not clearly revealing in these resources. Therefore, I don’t know whether I could use these materials from uncertain of author’s information for my research topic. Accordingly, when should I start to evaluate my research resources? gathering materials first or after?

Responding and Learing from Shaura's Video

After watching the Shaura’s video, I really like her introduction in which she talks about her nightmare, “surrounding by a huge terrestrial pulmonate gastropod,” to naturally introduce to her topic-slugs of speech to get audiences attention. Moreover, she selects the topic, which she is familiar and has known about. Overall, the content of speech is well organized in every detail about the slugs. Accordingly, I believe that she has done many researches to prepare the presentation.
In my opinion, there are two drawbacks in her speech that the power-point is insipid, and she doesn’t use any oral citation or references on the power-point to firm the valid information about the slug.
However, in the preparation process for my speech, I would like to access Internet resources because it is the fastest way to acquire a lot of information. To gather my speech material, first, I will select reliable websites, and then evaluate these materials by asking myself using critical questions, which are on page 117 in our text book.

My Experience with Research Interview

Actually, I do not have any experience with conducting research interview. But I did have interviewed with my clients applying the customer’s satisfactory survey from my company, which is a security company, sixteen years ago.
Therefore, before interviewing my clients, I, as a security supervisor, didn’t have to do many preparations, such as determining the interview’s purpose, selecting interviewees, and developing questions.
To accomplish this work, collecting customer satisfactory survey once three months, I would inform my security guards, which was the most important part of preparation for the interview, about the interviewee background, habits, and their available time to schedule.
During the interviews, I would ease interviewee by creating a friendly atmosphere; so, they would honestly answer my questions and tell me what our services should improve while I wrote down exactly their suggestions to show that I was seriously regarding their opinions.
Finally, to complete a perfect interview, I would send a thanks card to them after the interview. This was my experience with satisfactory survey interviews.

Learing from Jessica

I have learned many significant concepts about how to give a successful presentation from Jessica's self-introduction video.
In this video, Jessica has well organized the content of her speech structures. Particularly, she uses her own experience, having an unexpected Down's syndrome brother, to deliver her main point in her thesis statement-"When one door of happiness closes, another one opens." She gives Helen Keller’s experience and Emily Kingsley’s metaphorical example to support her thesis statement.
Also, her note card is an excellent method that I have never thought about presentation note card should be well organized in this way. I think this method will reduce my anxiety about looking notes to find next subjects during speech.
Besides the remarkable thesis statement and content, Jessica has performed decently in her body languages, such as her eyes contacting with audiences, her arms movement with purpose, and her voice controlling in a proper level. From what I have learned from this video, I would do better in next presentation.

Two Useful Concepts

Personally, the whole chapter two is very useful for me to overcome speech anxiety, especially using the strategies of visualization, relabeling, and relaxation, to increase my confidence (Coopman 28-30).
As a senior college student, I have been given many class assignment presentations. Diaphragmatic breathing was the only way that I have learned how to reduce the high level of speech anxiety during a presentation. Even though I have many times done breathing exercises, I still couldn’t overcome why my face was still red as a lobster and my voice was quavering, and my heart was trying to jump through my throat.
Visualization is one of the handy strategies that Coopman details how to visualize your-self having a successful speech from preparing speech to after giving a successful speech. Also, his suggestion of relabeling has given me another point of view to avoid the increasing rate of anxiety. I recall having saying some negative words, such as “I am sorry about my poor English, or I am so nervous,” before starting my presentation. And during the presentation, I was still nervous. Therefore, I think I should change my attitude toward a positive view.
Finally, the most significant concept in this chapter is “Speaking of Can-do Language” (29), and I firmly believe that we could do everything better when we are willing to do it with “enthusiasm.”

My apprehension about public speaking

My apprehension about public speaking could be divided by three stages: pre-speech, during the speech, and post-speech.
First, the pre-speech, which is also spending most of my time, is the initial stage of my fear about public speaking because I have always spent a lot of time to selective a proper topic, to widely research the content, and to make the speech content interesting to attract audiences attention; these preparations are really consuming numerous cells from my brain.
Second, it is natural that I have extremely obvious physical symptoms during a presentation, such as shaking, a pounding heart, blushing, and quivering voice. I think this is due to my ability of forgetfulness. Even though I could always bring notes with me, I feel it is not a polite way to look at my note, instead of the audiences. Moreover, I get more nervous when I’m trying to find the next point words.
Finally, the uncertainty about the audience’s questions is my last stage of fear about public speaking. As I mentioned in my blog that English is my major obstacle of communication. I always worry about misunderstanding audience’s questions or giving unclear explanations.
The above factors are all a result of my apprehension about public speaking.

Introductory Post

I am from Taiwan, and I have been in the U.S. for six years. Before enrolling in Sierra College, I have already attended four colleges, Evergreen, San Jose City, De Anza, and Foothill College since 2008. The frequent movement is result in losing my old friends; therefore, I don’t have any intimate friend in Sacramento area. Because English is my second language, I’m really shy to communicate with people in English. Fortunately, I have two wonderful cats, Mini and Sher, who listen to me and never complain about my poor English. However, instead of “meow,” Mini, actually, does talk in her own language-“what” when I call her.

My major is natural science, especially Earth Science. I love volcano, and I have been to see Hawaiian volcanoes, Lassen, Yellowstone, and Long Valley Caldera. These astonishingly natural landscapes are really impressive. Finally, I am so excited about being in this special class, and I am looking forward to improving the communicating skills with all of wonderful you guys.