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Effective Communication . Prepared by Siti Rokiah Siwok for UHS 2052 students at UTM, Skudai , Malaysia. srsiwok@gmail.com . Public Communication. Speech Preparation. Selecting a topic Connecting with the audience Gathering and Using Information Organizing and Outlining the speech.
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Effective Communication Prepared by SitiRokiahSiwok for UHS 2052 students at UTM, Skudai, Malaysia. srsiwok@gmail.com
Speech Preparation • Selecting a topic • Connecting with the audience • Gathering and Using Information • Organizing and Outlining the speech
Overview of a speech • Topic • Scope • Objectives • Contents • Presentation aids • Supporting Materials
Connecting with the audience • To connect with the audiences, need to learn about them. • By learning about the audience , the speaker can make the topic relevant to the audiences.
Audience Analysis • Understanding the audience’s point of view. • Captive versus voluntary audience • Key audience information such as: • Demography • Values related to the topic and to the situation. • Attitudes • Beliefs • Knowledge Level
Supporting and clarifying ideas • Audiences generally accept information because of the credibility of the speaker or because of the information itself. • Thus a statement by a well-known person will be more likely to be accepted by an “ordinary” person. • However, most audiences will want to hear proofs before they accept the statements made.
Supporting and clarifying ideas Points to support a point or to clarify an idea can be presented in the form of : • Definitions • Testimonies • Statistic • Examples • Illustrations • Story and narrative • Analogies • Cause and effect • Symptoms • Restatements *(The above methods may overlap)
Supporting and clarifying ideas • Here are elaborations of a number of methods to support and clarify ideas: • TESTIMONIES • These are the opinions or conclusions of witnesses or recognised authorities. The value of the testimony is both related to the audiences’ opinions and to the speaker presenting it. • Testimonies add trustworthiness to what the speaker says, especially if the speaker is not established yet. • Speaker’s own experience can be a source for testimonies. • Testimonies can either support or clarify ideas, or both.
Supporting and clarifying ideas • EXAMPLES • Examples are simple incidents or models to clarify points; useful when the topics are complex or unfamiliar to the audience. There are three (3) kinds of examples, namely: • Illustrations • Analogies • Restatements
EXAMPLES (continuation) • Illustrations. • These are extended examples in the forms of incidents or anecdotes or narratives; and making them striking and memorable. • Gives the information for meaning • Can be factual or hypothetical • Hypothetical illustration can be very effective is listeners are involved.
EXAMPLES (continuation) 2. Analogies • Giving an analogy is giving a comparison between two things that are similar in some basic characteristics . • Can be used to clarify the unknown using the known. • There are two types of analogy, namely figurative analogy and literal analogy. • Most presentations allow the use of analogies
EXAMPLES (continuation) 3. Restatements • These are repetition to reinforce ideas, using different words, or the same words in different ways. • May be in the forms of summary, synonym or rephrasing. • Add clarity, enhance meaning and increase the impact of previous statements. • May be used in rhythmic form too.
Types of Speeches • Informative • Persuasive
Presenting your speech • Use of appropriate language. • Use appropriate intonation. • Appropriate non-verbal behaviour. • Manage emotion and anxiety. • Observe ethics. • Keep up your credibility.
Language Effective and appropriate use of language includes: • Using your own style. • Congruence between the language and the style used. • Use active sentences. • Use simple language.
Persuasive Speeches • Persuasion is a communication process, involving verbal and non-verbal messages, that attempts to reinforce or change listeners’ attitudes, beliefs, values or behaviors( Seiler and Beal, 2008 page 320). • The effect of persuasion occurs over time, that is not immediately. • The effect of persuasion can be manifested in adoption, continuance, discontinuance or deterrence of actions.
Credibility • Credibility is the most valuable tool for a persuasive speaker. • Credibility is the “believability” that the audience holds towards you. • The audience is the judge to credibility, but there is a lot that the speaker can do to influence the audience opinion. • Credibility includes competence, character and charisma. • The key is to establish yourself from the very beginning of the speech as a person worth listening to.
Credibility: competence • Competence will be judged by the amount of knowledge, the degree of involvement and the extent of experience. • The more expertise shown in your area, the more likely the audience will accept what is being said. • Ways to demonstrate expertise: • Demonstrate involvement • Relate experience • Cite research
Credibility: character • Audience judge the speaker’s character based on their perceptions of: • Trustworthiness Trustworthiness is reliability and dependability. Past experience play a role too. • Ethics. Can be achieved by citing sources and citing accurately, not distorting or alter information or facts and show respect for the audience.
Credibility: ethics • Respect your audience. • Some jokes but not too much. • Avoid conflict with the audience. • Moderate in all things • Don’t call names or talk bad about anybody. • If sensitive issues have to be said, say them in the best manner, such as using analogy.
Credibility: charisma • Charisma is the appeal that the audience perceives. • Some characteristics of charismatic speakers are: genuinely interested in the audience, energetic and enthusiastic, attractive and likeable. • Charismatic speakers are able to engage the audience.
Q & A • Questions can be asked by the audience during the speech or after the speech. • It is also possible that the speaker asks questions. S/he can answer them or let the audience answer-depends on the purpose of the question. • Unless they are meant to be provocative, it is ethical to answer all questions asked by the audience.
Responses to questions • Questions and answer sessions can be opportunities for the speaker to reinforce important points. • Answers to the questions can increase the speaker’s credibility, to add information or to highlight some points which have been missed during the presentation • Watch out, and be ready for ‘killer questions”.
Responses to questions • Let not questions control the whole presentation. • Avoid irrelevant issues or issues which are too technical, which quite likely to bore the audience. • Keep to your time given.
Caution • There are lots more. • Please go on reading and learning.
Main Reference • Seiler, W. J and Beall, M. L ( 2008). Communication. Making Connections ( 7thed). Boston: Pearson