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.