CST 110 Chapters 14-17

IN THE BODY OF YOUR SPEECH

1) Define the PROBLEM (Informative aspect-using supporting material) a) what's it all about? b) how does it affect your audience? 2) Define the SOLUTION (your opinion- using sup mat) a) what is your plan and will it work? b) what are the advantages / benefits c) tell audience specifically what you want them to think/do You don't have to spend 50% on the problem & 50% on the solution. It depends on your topic. Perhaps everyone is aware of the problem you're presenting & you spend most of your time explaining the solution. It could be that you spend most of your time defining the problem because your solution is short & sweet.

To be successful, informative speaking has three goals.

1) Informative speaking should enhance understanding 1. Audience understanding refers to audience members accurately interpreting the meaning of a message 2. To increase understanding, it's important to use words the audience will interpret the same 2) Informative speaking should maintain interest 1. Proper audience analysis ensures speech addresses the audience's values & beliefs 2. People are often interested if a speech affects, educates, entertains/satisfies them 3) Informative speaking should be memorable 1. On average, people forget half of what they hear 2. Using strategies of repetition, examples, stories, summaries & organization increases chance that audience members will remember your message

5 TYPES of Informative Speaking (to tell, explain, teach..... usually non-controversial)

1) Objects - Anything tangible that the audience can see or touch - examples a camera, cars, collectibles, etc 2) Process / Procedural - demonstration speech a) step-by-step - how something works how something is made how something is done how something happens 3) Events - Events should have already happened something in the past. If it's in the future, we tend to look at it as an advertisement. What if something was to happen & it was cancelled? Your job as the speaker is to make the event as real as possible 4) Concepts/Ideas (intangible) - be careful with this one because it can easily become persuasive 5) People, a person, a culture, groups. The people you talk about can be familiar/historical. Your job as the speaker is to highlight key aspects of the person's life if you're speaking about an individual.

The Focus of an Informative Speech is to Create "Informational Hunger" - make it easy to listen to

1) Repetition - use repetition so your audience will know what's important. Repetition is good in a speech. Mention those 2/3 things (main points) more than once during your speech & not just in the conclusion. 2) Keep to 2/3 main points (LIMIT the amount of info you present) 3) Use simple, concise language - Don't use slang/$10 words that need explanation 4 ) Cite at least 1 source IN speech-REQUIRED FOR THE INFORMATIVE SPEECH 5) Use tons of Supporting Material 6) Audience participation (through eye contact)-DON'T use volunteers. Your speech is a "solo" event since your grade hinges on your success. no question/answer period after speech 7) Remember aud analysis-personalize your speech 8) DO NOT GIVE YOUR OPINION - "Just the facts"

EFFECTIVE DELIVERY There are 2 aspects to consider when addressing the delivery of a speech

1) The Speaker's Voice (Auditory Aspect) Vocal delivery & vocal clues are an important part of speaker image created in an audience's mind. Vocal delivery includes variables such as rate, volume, pronunciation, articulation, pauses, & general variation of voice. 1. Volume - loudness/softness 2. Rate - how fast/slow you are speaking. Select an average rate of speaking that fits your "speaking style" & the message content. Speech anxiety often causes speaker to rush. By speaking too slow, it makes it difficult to maintain attention. Speaking rate can & should vary throughout speech. 3. Pauses - take breaths and use dramatic pauses to draw the audience's attention to something you're saying. An appropriate pause can often accent your message. Silence is an effective tool to emphasize a point 4. Vocal Variety - PARALANGUAGE - "HOW" you say it, emphasis on certain words, tone of voice 5. Pronunciation & Articulation - be sure to find out how to say words & say them with confidence

Graphs present useful statistical information in an easy-to-understand format Charts summarize & present a great deal of information in a small amount of space There are many choices in selecting presentation aids for use during a speech. Use 4 criteria in making a selection.

1. Four common types of graphs are used. a. Bar graphs use flat areas to represent information b. Pie graphs are useful for category distribution c. Line graphs show relationships between 2/more items d. Picture graphs are somewhat less formal & intimidating 1. Must be uncluttered 2. Don't handwrite 3. Consider computer-generated 4. Make sure charts can easily be read 5. Make it simple 1) Consider your audience, especially size. 2) Think of your speech objective. 3) Take into account your own skill and experience. 4) Know the room in which you will speak

(Step 7) - DELIVERY METHODS (or Types) OF DELIVERY

1. Manuscript speaking - presenting the speech word-for-word from a prepared paper. Some speeches should be carefully prepared & read. Government & business leaders must often deal with sensitive & critical issues. These speeches should be carefully crafted & followed. The goal of an effective manuscript speech's to sound as if you weren't delivering from a manuscript. This can be accomplished using effective delivery cues. Use large font size-yes, it must be typed! Place the text of the speech in the upper 2/3 of the paper, so as not to look too far down. Speak with vocal variation, plus gestures & movement & make eye contact with audience. Reading to the audience is boring. (We're NOT doing this type / method in this class) 2. Memorized speaking If you're accepting an award, introducing a speaker, making announcements/ delivering other brief remarks, memorized delivery is sometimes acceptable. There are many disadvantages of most memorized speeches. These speeches sound stiff, stilted, & over-rehearsed. Speakers also run risks of forgetting parts of a speech, leading to awkward searches for words as the audience fidgets. Finally, speakers cannot adapt the speech if the situation changes. (We're NOT doing this type/method in this class) 3. Impromptu speaking - (aka "speaking off the cuff" & "thinking on your feet"). Advantages include informal delivery & direct eye contact Disadvantages may include a lack of thorough research & logical organization. Most people remember what they should have said after they sit down. It's hard to think when you're under pressure. (We're NOT doing this type / method in this class) Consider five pieces of advice for effective impromptu speaking 1. Analyze your audience. 2. Be brief. The audience expects that your remarks will be short. 3. Organize! (Try simple organizational patterns) 4. Speak honestly, but with reserve, from personal experience & knowledge. 5. Be cautious. You can never take back something already heard by the audience. 4. Extemporaneous - delivered from a written general outline, without exact wording. Every speech we do in this class is extemporaneous. You know ahead of time when you have to speak, you prepare, practice & give it with a high energy level. Advantages include a conversational style, appears spontaneous to audiences, yet well organized & vivid. An extemporaneous style may be developed in 4 stages: First, rehearse your speech using many notes/looking at your full content outline Second, continue to rehearse, relying less on notes & not trying to memorize word-for-word. Construct your NOTECARDS now & begin to practice with them (holding them in your non-dominate hand) Third, you find that you have internalized the overall speech structure, although the exact expression of your ideas isn't "fixed" Fourth, you rely less on notes, focusing on audience adaptation, & requiring only an abbreviated outline, key words, & essential facts. You've practiced so much that you know what you want to say.

Coming up with a topic

A good way to approach this speech is to brainstorm for about 10 mins listing all your pet-peeves. What sort of things really tick you off? What makes you mad? What are some injustices? For example, suppose you really get bent out of shape when you are driving & the person in front of you is talking on their cell phone. Perhaps you feel people shouldn't talk on the cell phone at the same time they're driving. This would be an excellent topic to use as a persuasive speech topic. GOOGLE - "Persuasive Speech Topics" if you still can't think of a topic. Strategy 1) Direct - not hiding your position on the issue, saying "up-front" where you stand 2) Indirect - hides the purpose until about ½ way through your speech. This is for controversial topics where you know the majority of the audience won't agree with your view. (ex) "Is the 70 mph speed limit a safe speed?" You don't know where the speaker stands on this issue. They might be for raising the speed limit/they might be for lowering the speed limit. Perhaps a crowd of state troopers wouldn't be for raising the speed limit & you, the speaker, might be in favor of raising it. The indirect approach would be the best approach. There are so many strategies in persuasion. The simplest strategy to use in a beginning speech class is the direct vs. indirect approach. Here's how you should determine which to use. 1st, it depends on your topic. Most topics will use the direct approach - where you tell the audience either in the introduction/as soon as you get in to the 1st main point - what the topic is & where you're heading with this speech. However, if you know (again, use audience analysis to determine) that most people aren't really supportive of your topic, then the indirect approach is more appropriate. You don't want to turn the audience off/have them pre-judge you before you have the chance to persuade them

Effective informative speakers use 4 strategies to enhance audience recall.

A. Build in repetition 1. Repeat key points 2. Use previews & summaries 3. Use a reinforcing visual aid B. Pace your information flow 1. Be especially sensitive to flow if your topic is new & unfamiliar to audience 2. Use supporting materials to slow pace 3. Adjust flow to audience capability, not speaker needs & desires C. Reinforce key ideas verbally through verbal cues D. Reinforce key ideas nonverbally 1. Use gestures & pauses strategically 2. Raise/lower your voice 3. Use platform movement to emphasize main ideas 4. Gestures should be natural & not distracting 5. Emphasizing the idea provides the audience with motivation to listen

Chapter 15 INFORMATIVE SPEAKING

Effective speaking isn't always as simple as a person giving information. Informative speakers need a strategy to define ideas clearly. Effective informative speakers use strategies to enhance audience interest. Establish a motive for your audience to listen. The speaker must gain the interest of the audience

Appealing to Emotions -

Emotional appeal can be very effective in persuading your audience. Putting a guilt trip on your audience/transferring your anger to your audience can help the audience to change their attitude, belief/behavior. 1. What Are Emotional Appeals - Pathos a)Fear b)Compassion c)Pride d)Anger e)Guilt f) Reverence Persuasive speakers may choose to use neg motivation: using fear appeals, subtly threatening audiences with negative consequences if they don't adopt the speaker's proposition. A strong threat to a loved one tends to be more successful than a fear appeal directed at the audience members themselves. The more competent, trustworthy/respected the speaker, the greater the likelihood that an appeal to fear will be successful. Fear appeals are more successful if audience is convinced that the threat is real & will probably occur unless they take action. Increasing the intensity of a fear appeal usually makes it more effective.

Ethical Behavior - Review Chapter 7 - A

Ethical behavior is crucial when doing a persuasive speech. It's so easy for a speaker (due to their passion) to say almost anything to get the point across. Out in the real world, there are people who make their living by persuasion. For example, there are salespeople (especially if they work on commission) & politicians who'll tell people whatever it takes to sell their goods/services/to get a vote. Sometimes they leave out pertinent information that would sway people in their actions. Desired Outcomes 1) Convincing - changing the way an audience think/reinforces their opinion 2) Actuating/Activating - you want the audience to change their behavior a) adoption/discontinuance (start to do something/stop doing something) When the Purpose Statement is written for this speech, it should be written so the instructor knows if you're doing a speech to convince/a speech to actuate/activate. If the topic of the speech is about seatbelts, the PS can be written in two ways - one being to convince & the other to actuate/active. "After listening to my speech, the audience will consider wearing their seatbelt".(convincing) "After listening to my speech, the audience will buckle up." - (actuation/activation) NOTE - Make sure the PS isn't an Informative purpose statement. Here's an example of this topic's purpose statement if it were an Informative PS. "After listening to my speech, the audience will know 3 reasons why seatbelts are important" Do you see the difference? Remember, your PS is worth 10 points & belongs on your outline.

The Speaker's Body (Visual Aspect or Nonverbal)

IT'S NOT ONLY WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU SAY IT, AND.... WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE AS YOU SAY IT. 1. Personal Appearance - Our graded speech "Dress Code" is explained further in the notes below - In the real world, there's no right/wrong way to dress but the rule of thumb is, "What is appropriate for speaking situation"? The speaker must analyze audience to determine appearance expectations. The appropriate wardrobe also depends upon climate, custom, culture, audience expectation. Your personal appearance will affect how audience responds. When in doubt, dress conservatively. Wear something (adhering to the dress code) that you feel very comfortable in. It'll mentally make you feel better and more confident.

Chapter 17 PERSUASIVE SPEAKING Definition - the act of motivating someone, through communication, to change a particular attitude, belief & values/behavior

Persuasion is the process of changing/reinforcing attitudes, beliefs (values)/behavior. Persuasion attempts to reinforce, modify/change attitudes. An attitude is a learned disposition to respond favorably/unfavorably toward people, places, events/objects. Attitudes may be simplified as our "likes" & "dislikes. A persuasive speech could also modify, change/reinforce beliefs. Beliefs are our perceptions of reality as either true/false. Beliefs are more difficult to change than attitudes, but can be changed by evidence. A persuasive speech may also attempt to modify, change/reinforce a value. A value is a person's enduring conception of what is right/wrong, good/bad. Typically, values serve as a basis for beliefs & attitudes. It's much more difficult to change a value. Persuasive messages may go beyond reinforcement, modification/change; persuasion may seek behavior change. A speaker's credibility is important when speaking to persuade. Persuasion is more likely if audience believes, trusts & likes the speaker. The speaker also needs to appeal to emotions.

Dress Code

Please don't wear anything with writing on it, drawings/pictures of any kind, and don't wear a hat. When a person wears something that conveys a nonverbal message, it may bias his/her audience even before the speaker begins the speech. Sometimes audience members put up barriers even before a speaker begins because that audience member might not like what the speaker is wearing. We don't want the audience to "pre-judge" you. The only exception to the rule is if the clothing is directly related to the speech & used as a visual effect. Failure to abide by this rule will amount to a 5 point deduction from your overall speech grade. 2. Posture/Movement - plant your feet so your movement doesn't become distractive to your audience. Planting your feet is placing your feet 1-1 ½ feet apart (whatever feels comfortable for you) & putting the weight of your body towards the middle & front of your foot. If you put the weight of your body on the heel (ball of your foot), you will be off balanced & you'll begin to shift back & forth & perhaps start dancing - which is distracting to your audience While face & voice indicate emotion, a speaker's posture communicates the intensity of the emotion portrayed. Don't sit while speaking, avoid slouched shoulders, shifting from foot-foot/drooping your head. Make movement purposeful, consistent with verbal content of your message. Use movement to reduce physical barriers between speaker & audience. Overall, make movement logical to your listeners; avoid random pacing & overly dramatic gestures. Leaning on the lectern is a no-no! 3 Gestures - natural gestures make watching your speech interesting. No one wants to watch a statue give a speech. Hold your notecards with your non-dominate hand so your hands can do natural gestures. DO NOT HOLD ONTO THE LECTERN ! DO NOT HOLD NOTECARDS WITH BOTH HANDS because it ties your hands from doing natural gestures. Gestures emphasize important points, as well as indicate places, enumerate items, & describe objects. Gesture usage, types, & patterns vary with different cultures so if you're speaking to a different culture, be sure to research nonverbal gestures from that culture so you don't offend the audience. Inappropriate gestures include keeping hands in pockets/behind your back, resting hands on your hips, clutching one arm, letting arms "hang" & grasping the lectern tightly. 4. Eye Contact - involve your audience & keep them interested by looking at them. Just think of it as carrying on a conversation with them . Eye contact with your audience opens communication, makes you more believable, & holds your audience's interest. Establish eye contact with audience even before beginning to speak. Slowly, deliberately try to maintain eye contact with entire audience, not just a portion in front. Look at individuals, establishing person-to-person contact. Don't look over audience's heads. 5. Facial Expressions - Facial expressions play a key role in expressing your thoughts, especially emotions & attitudes. Most people don't know what nonverbal messages they're sending with their facial expressions. Some people send a mixed message when they say one thing but their face and eyes say the opposite. Your face sets the emotional tone of the speech before you open your mouth. Your facial expression should be consistent with the content of the message. When speaking, our faces create blends of the 5 primary emotions (happy, sad, anger, fear, surprise). Even diverse audiences can interpret emotional expressions clearly. Rehearse in front of the mirror to monitor clear communication of emotions

presentation aids

Presentation aids fall into a number of broad categories. Actual objects add listener interest because they're tangible, real, & can be touched, smelled, & tasted as well as seen. Be sure that your object is the right size - not too small. Be sure that the object doesn't affect your credibility. If objects cannot be practicably brought to the speech, consider models. Drawings are common presentation aids & should be computerized - not handmade. Keep drawings simple & large enough for the audience to see. Photographs can be excellent presentation aids. Enlarge photographs so that all audience members can see easily. Use video clips & movie clips carefully, showing only short excerpts.

USING PRESENTATION AIDS

Rehearse using your presentational aids just as you rehearse the speech or presentation itself. Don't use dangerous/illegal aids. Substitute a model, picture, chart, to represent the object. Have eye contact with your audience, not your presentation aids. Your focus should be on the audience not the visual aid. Explain your presentation aids; audiences don't necessarily immediately grasp your visual point. Don't pass objects among your audience. The audience will not see object while you are talking (frustration), or they'll get it & stop listening while you are still talking. Use handouts effectively. (You are NOT to use handouts during your graded speeches but when you have to use them in the real world, use these tips) Don't hand them out at all during the speech, unless it is an absolute must (they'll look & read, not listen). Whenever possible, hand out after speech. If they must look/are looking when you don't want them to, at least direct them where to look in the handout. Tell the audience to keep the handouts face down until they need them. Number the pages in your handout. Again, don't distribute anything during the speech unless necessary. Time your visuals, showing when appropriate and stowing when no longer needed. Remove your presentation aid when no longer needed. Have visuals, especially overhead transparencies/PowerPoint slides already in place & ready for use. Use technology effectively. Choose the technology that best enables you to communicate your message. Remember "Murphy's Law." Have back-up supplies and plan in case of problems (PLAN B). Rehearsal, double checking equipment, extra supplies can help eliminate problems. USE YOUR VISUAL AID BEFORE YOU START YOUR CONCLUSION DON'T END SPEECH & THEN TALK ABOUT YOUR VISUAL AID!

DESIGNING PRESENTATION AIDS

There are 10 rules for preparing & using visual aids for presentations. Make visuals easy to see for everyone (AT THE SAME TIME). Use simple drawings/pictures that don't distract from the message. Too little information doesn't allow for the audience to fully understand your ideas. Too much information causes the audience to focus more on writing each word down/putting it into memory. Each element should have a clear & specific purpose Vary fonts & font sizes with care. Fonts are typefaces of a particular style & design. Font sizes are measured in points & there are four types of fonts - Serif, Sans Serif, Script, Decorative. Choose font sizes appropriately for visibility. Use color appropriately to create a mood & sustain attention. Avoid conflicting colors. The colors you choose should contrast, not conflict. Check to ensure your choice of text & background is easy read. Use black & white effectively

Speakers should take care to properly use microphones

Types of microphones: lapel, hand held, & stationary (some now have headsets) 1. If required to use a stationary "mic," remain behind it, maintaining the same mouth-to-mike distance 2. Mics amplify - be especially careful with pronunciation & enunciation 3. Speak into a mic to test it long before your presentation begins 4. Having found a proper amplification level, speak directly into the mic, maintaining your volume "level" Practice with the microphone, if possible BEFORE the day of your speech

Chapter 16 - VISUAL AIDS

VISUAL AIDS (VA) - something that enhances a portion of your speech Presentation aids are any objects that reinforce a speaker's point visually. As an audience-centered speaker, you will find presentation aids invaluable for 5 reasons: 1. Presentation aids enhance understanding 2. Presentation aids enhance memory 3. Presentation aids help listeners organize ideas a. Many times, listeners can't verbally follow a speaker's organizational pattern b. Speakers can put their main points onto a PowerPoint slide but too many words are a terrible visual for the audience to follow - don't do this since many tend to use it to read to the audience 4. Presentation aids help gain and maintain attention 5. Presentation aids help illustrate a sequence of events/procedures

2. Media (KNOW HOW TO USE THE EQUIPMENT BEFORE THE DAY OF YOUR SPEECH)

a) Chalkboard/White Boards (OFF LIMITS) - Don't use during the speech, you need to "prepare ahead of time" your visual aid rather than writing on the board. Most people don't have good writing when it comes to writing on the board. b) Flip Charts/Poster boards - Writing needs to be VERY neat & LARGE enough for audience to see it from the back of the room. When using poster board, tack it up high (on the cork strip above the white board) & tape the bottom corners so the poster doesn't curl up. DON'T SET THE POSTER ON THE CHALK TRAY and DON'T HOLD your poster - secure it up high so your audience can see it better. Bring your own scotch tape. Don't count on there being any in the room. c) Handouts - DON'T USE DURING YOUR SPEECH. Handouts will take the focus off of you-they'll read the handout rather than listen to you. You may give a handout to the audience AFTER your speech is done (after your conclusion and the speech is over). If you do this for the Persuasive Speech, it will not count towards the requirement of using a visual aid IN your speech. d) DVD/YOUTUBE/VIDEO CLIPS - "Preset" your segment & the volume setting BEFORE your speech begins. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR SPEECH to practice this! ONLY USE A 30-45 SEC CLIP-No more or points will be deducted e) Computer & Teacher Workstation - If you want to use the computer/teacher workstation, know how to use it ahead of time. Also, if something goes wrong (flashdrive doesn't work, system doesn't work, etc) what is your PLAN "B"? You need to have an alternate plan to give your speech. A malfunction isn't an excuse to delay your speech without dropping a letter grade because you are unable to give your presentation. NOTE: POWERPOINT Presentations aren't speeches. Too many times, PowerPoint presentations are people "reading" their speech from a screen. You may ONLY use 2/3 "slides" from PowerPoint but your speech WILL NOT be a PowerPoint Presentation. There is a 10 point penalty for students who use a PowerPoint presentation in their persuasive speech/has more than 5 slides. g) Visual Presenter/Elmo - This type of media is in many classrooms but usually not out there in the "real world". This is a tool for projecting a "hard copy" of a picture onto the screen. While it can project color, sometimes it isn't in "vivid" color. You may use the Visualizer/Elmo but you have to know how to use it BEFORE the day you give your speech. You must still practice with the technology beforehand. Zoom in & make the picture FILL THE SCREEN. Preset your pictures/paper BEFORE you begin your speech. Instructions are beside the visual presenter to turn it on/off.

4. RULES for "USING" VA - DURING SPEECH

a) Look at the audience & Don't block their view - Be aware of who you might be blocking. Don't stand in front of your VA & don't talk to your VA; talk to your audience! b) Explain/Refer to VA/Use VA - Don't just have an VA there without including it somewhere in your speech. c) Display VA only when discussing it - When DONE referring to the VA, REMOVE IT, If using PowerPoint slides, PUT A BLANK SLIDE IN BETWEEN SLIDES so your audience isn't looking at the screen behind you instead of listening & looking at you. Don't let anything be the focus of your audience's attention. Let the focus be on you, the speaker. d) Conceal VA if needed - (Strategy) If you need to hide the VA until an opportune moment, then think how you can keep it from the audience until the time is right. ASK THE INSTRUCTOR ABOUT ANYTHING YOU'RE UNSURE ABOUT BEFORE THE DAY OF YOUR SPEECH-YOUR VISUAL AID WILL BE GRADED & HOW YOU USE THE VISUAL AID WILL ALSO BE GRADED IN THE PERSUASIVE SPEECH. INFORMATIVE SPEECH - You may use a VA in the Informative Speech but it will not affect your grade in anyway. I may write a comment about it (good/how it should've been used) but I will not deduct points if something wasn't done right. PERSUASIVE SPEECH - You are required to use a VA IN (or during) your speech. It will be graded and it's worth 10 points of your overall persuasive speech grade. Remember, no PowerPoint presentations

1. Types

a) Objects/Models - NEVER PASS "THINGS" AROUND TO AUDIENCE The focus will be on the object rather than you & it can be a distraction to the other audience members as it is being passed around. b) Diagrams/Word Charts/Number Charts/Pie Charts/Bar Graphs - Can be NEATLY done on overheads, poster board, flip charts c) Pictures/Photographs - NEVER PASS "THESE" AROUND TO AUDIENCE. The picture/photograph MUST be LARGE enough for ALL to see it AT THE SAME TIME. You may use the Visual Presenter/Power Point slide. If you can't enlarge it so the entire audience can see it easily, DON'T USE IT. DON'T HOLD PICTURE, POSTER/PHOTOGRAPH WHILE EXPLAINING IT. SINCE YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TOO, TYPICALLY, THE SPEAKER HOLDS IT IN A WAY THAT USUALLY SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE CAN'T SEE THE VISUAL AID. MOUNT IT AS HIGH AS YOU CAN ON THE WHITE BOARD WITH TAPE (bring your own). WHEN USING IT, STEP BACK & TO THE SIDE OF YOUR VISUAL AID SO YOU DON'T BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE AUDIENCE.

3. RULES for "PREPARING" VA VA must be done BEFORE you can even start practicing your speech

a) Simplicity-keep your visual aid easy on the eyes. Don't put a bunch of words on your VA that makes it difficult to read or see. b) Size - ALL OF THE AUDIENCE MUST SEE IT AT THE SAME TIME. Here's an easy test. See if you can read/spell backwards each word on your visual from 20 feet away. (That's how far away I am when I grade you & your speech) c) Attractiveness - Be sure it looks professional & not like a 5 year old drew it. Your VA is a nonverbal reflection of you & your preparedness for the speech. d) Choose the RIGHT VA - NOT THE EASIEST. We've all seen a cigarette, so don't think that a cigarette will enhance a potion of your speech if you're persuading us not to smoke. You get the picture, find something that will be effective to show/explain as part of your topic. e) Reliability of Equipment - TEST ALL EQUIPMENT & have a backup plan in case something doesn't work right. f) PLAN TO ARRIVE EARLY - You must arrive as early as you can to get things set up and make sure everything works. A last minute arrival is a key ingredient for Murphy's Law. Something will go wrong & the audience is watching every move you make. Professionals arrive at least ½ hour early to test everything. Be sure to set things up beforehand - before audience is present