COM 115 Missouri State University Final Study Guide

What steps are involved in a research strategy?

(1) Analyze the audience; (2) Assess your knowledge/skill; (3) Search print and online resources; (4) Interview, if appropriate

Under what circumstances is humor effective?

The story is genuinely funny or the humor is tied directly to the subject of the speech (appropriate for the topic and the occasion); it can also work if it's self-deprecating

What do "signal" phrases look like?

"This cannot be overemphasized" "Let me get to the heart of the matter" "I want to summarize" "My three biggest concerns are"

If given information about a source, could you analyze it using PARTS?

A way of confirming your information literacy

How much of your research needs to be cited in your speech?

ANY and ALL

What's the difference between active and passive voice?

Active: the subject is identified first and it performs the action implied by the verb; Passive: used when we want the importance of the subject to be deemphasized or omitted.

What are the 3 C's of language for public speaking?

Clear, Concise, and Colorful

What's the difference between connotative and denotative definitions of words?

Connotative: the meaning we ascribe to words as framed by our personal experience; Denotative: literal, objective definition provided by a dictionary

What is the difference between dialogic and monologic communication?

Dialogic: the speaker demonstrates an honest concern for the welfare of the listeners; Monologic: the speaker views the audience as an object to be manipulated and, in the process, the speaker displays such qualities as deception, superiority, exploitation, dogmatism, domination, insincerity, pretense, coercion, distrust, and defensiveness

What are analogies?

Establishes common links between similar and not-so-similar concepts.

What are euphemism, jargon and slang?

Euphemism: a word or phrase substituted for more direct language; Jargon: technical terminology unique to a special activity or group; Slang: use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language.

What are exaggeration and clichès?

Exaggeration: statements made to impress at the expense of accuracy; Clichès: suggest that both your vocabulary and imagination are limited.

Why are examples helpful to use in a speech?

Examples enliven speeches in a way that no other form of supporting material can; it brings the speech to life.

Which is required in COM 115?

Extemporaneous

What is the difference between illustrations, examples, and anecdotes?

Illustrations: "In the short time I will be talking with you, 150 violent crimes will have been committed in our nation"; Examples: "Lisa was a young woman from our community whose life was forever altered on January 18th"; Anecdotes: "Once, while traveling on the subway, I noticed a shifty looking man carefully watching each passenger enter and leave the car"

What is the difference between impromptu, extemporaneous, and manuscript speaking?

Impromptu: speaking with little or no preparation time; using no notes or just a few; Extemporaneous: method of delivery that involves using carefully prepared notes to guide the presentation; Manuscript: writing your speech out word for word and then reading it.

How can humor be used effectively in a speech?

It shows the audience your human side and also brings you closer to your audience

What are listener's responsibilities, and what is meant by ethical listening attitudes and behaviors?

It's a listeners job to decide when to tune in or dismiss a message that is being presented to them. Listener's job is to be aware of distractions, check their emotions, and think critically about the message.

What does it mean to be an ethical listener?

Listeners should be aware of distractions, check our emotions, and think critically about the message.

What are metaphors, similes, figures of speech?

Metaphors: state that something is something else; Simile: Create images as the characteristics of two different things using words "like" and "as"; Figures of speech: alliteration: repetition of the initial consonant or initial sounds in a series of words, antithesis: the use of contrast, within a parallel grammatical structure, to make a rhetorical point, asyndeton: the deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses, personification: investing human qualities in abstractions or inanimate objects either through metaphor, simile, or analogy.

What is the difference between mood and tone?

Mood: the overall feeling you hope to engender in your audience; Tone: the emotional disposition of the speaker as the speech is being delivered.

Is all speech protected by the First Amendment?

NO; Slander (speech) and Libel (written)

What does each letter of the acronym PARTS stand for?

P: Point of view; A: Authority; R: Reliability; T: Timeliness; S: Scope

What are the various ways a speaker can capture an audience's attention?

Personalized greeting, humor, personal story

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

Primary sources: firsthand accounts such as diaries, journals, and letters, as well as statistics, speeches, and interviews. They are records of events as they are FIRST described. Secondary sources: Generally provide an analysis, an explanation, or a restatement of a primary source.

Can you give an example of a database in the MSU library?

ProQuest or EBSCO

What does the "supporting materials" mean?

The information used in a particular way to make your case.

What is "rate" in public speaking?

The pace at which you speak

Define epistrophe

The repetition of a word or expression at the END of phrases, clauses, or sentences.

What does it mean to be information literate?

Understanding that when collecting supporting material for a speech, you want to determine whether you are reviewing materials from a credible professional or someone who is simply writing a story, creating a web-based commerce site, or ranting in a blog.

Why is audience analysis important in the research strategy?

Understanding your audience helps you develop specific questions that can be answered as you follow your search strategy.

What is plagiarism?

Using another person's work, words, or deeds without adequate acknowledgement

What is innuendo?

Veiled lies, hints, or remarks that something is what it is not; example: frequently surfaces in the heat of a strongly contested political race

What is a call to action?

What the speaker asks the audience to do in the conclusion of a persuasive speech

What is incremental plagiarism?

When a student selects passages or paragraphs from different print sources and various web sites and assembles them into one paper or speech, but fails to credit the sources of the information used.

When must you cite a source?

When you are quoting directly or paraphrasing. You DO NOT need to cite when you are reporting your own original ideas or discussing ideas that are commonly held.

Why is important to cite the sources of information in your speech?

You need to give due credit to your sources. It's the way you tell your audience that certain material in your work came from another source.

Why is it important to prepare the introduction after the body of the speech?

Your introduction will take form more easily after you have created an outline of the body of your speech.

What should your rate be?

Your rate should be consistent with the ideas being expressed, whether English is your audience's first language, and for the cultural context.

What is ethos and why is it important?

ethical; credibility; want audience to believe you/listen

What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic ethos?

intrinsic ethos: the ethical appeal found in the actual speech, including such aspects as supporting material, argument flow, and source citation. extrinsic ethos: a speaker's image in the mind of the audience (how knowledgeable, trustworthy, and dynamic the speaker is perceived to be)

What kinds of phrases communicate uncertainty?

"sometimes I think..." "Likely..." "It seems to me..." "Somewhat..." "Probably..." "In my estimation..."

What criteria should be used to evaluate web sites in general?

(1) Authority: an individual cited or considered to be an expert; power to influence or command thought; credible. (2) Accuracy: reliable, current, and error-free. (3) Objectivity: information that is fair and unbiased. (4) Coverage: the depth and breadth of the material. (5) Currency: the timeliness of the material.

What guidelines does the book offer for language and style?

(1) Be concrete; (2) Use the active voice; (3) Use language to create a theme; (4) Use varying language techniques to engage listeners; (5) Use humor with care.

What guidelines does the book offer for using statistics in a speech?

(1) Be precise; (2) Avoid using too many statistics; (3) Cite your sources; (4) Use visual aids to express statistics

What are common pitfalls of introductions?

(1) Beginning with an apology; (2) Being too brief or too long; (3) Giving too much away; (4) Reading; (5) Relying on shock tactics; (6) Promising too much; (7) Using unnecessary prefatory remarks; (8) Using long-winded poems, quotations, and prose; (9) Becoming someone else; (10) Overusing some techniques.

What guidelines does the book offer for using facts in a speech?

(1) Carefully determine how many facts to use; (2) Define terms when they are introduced; (3) Make sure your meanings are clear.

If you are interviewing someone, what guidelines should you follow?

(1) Contact the person well in advance; (2) Prepare questions well in advance; (3) Develop questions in a logical order; (4) Stay within the agreed time frame.

What are common pitfalls of conclusions?

(1) Don't use your conclusion to introduce a new topic; (2) Don't apologize; (3) Don't end abruptly; (4) Don't change the mood or tone; (5) Don't use the phrases "in summary" or "in conclusion" except when you are actually at the end of your speech; (6) Don't ask for questions; (7) Don't ignore the applause; (8) Don't forget to thank your audience and host; (9) Don't run away; (10) Don't read it.

What are the types of testimony (experience, opinion, and short quotations)?

(1) Experience as testimony: using your own experience when you are an expert; (2) Opinion as testimony: the opinion of a recognized authority may provide the credibility needed to strengthen your argument or prove a point; (3) Short quotations: used to set the tone of a speech, to provide humor, or to make important points more memorable.

What purposes do facts serve?

(1) Facts clarify your main point; (2) Facts indicate your knowledge of the subject; (3) Facts define.

What language pitfalls does the text identify?

(1) Long and unnecessary words; (2) Using euphemisms: language that masks or muddles; (3) Jargon, slang and profanity; (4) Exaggeration and Clichés; (5) Phrases that communicate uncertainty

What are the different types of fallacies?

(1) Name Calling: linking a person or group with a negative symbol; (2) Glittering Generalities: rely on the audience's emotional responses to values such as home, country, and freedom; (3) Testimonials: statements testifying to benefits received; can be both helpful and destructive; (4) Plain Folks: an effort to create false identification with the audience; (5) Bandwagoning: unethical speakers may convince listeners to support their point of view by telling them that "everyone else" is already involved.

What guidelines and suggestions does the book offer for introductions?

(1) Prepare after the body of the speech; (2) Make it creative and easy to follow; (3) Communicate high energy by being well practiced; (4) Engage audience nonverbally before you start; (5) Consider time constraints and mood.

What guidelines does the book offer for extemporaneous speaking?

(1) Prepare carefully; (2) Craft full content and key-word outlines; (3) Capture and cite detailed information on note cards; (4) Write legibly; (5) Your notes are prompts, not a script.

What advice does the book have for the volume of speaking?

(1) Projection; (2) Look up; (3) Use volume to add variety; (4) Adapt.

What guidelines does the book have for speaking ethically?

(1) Protect you credibility: ETHOS; (2) Engage in dialogue, not monologue; (3) Stand by 4 principles of ethical speech: Search, Justice, Public Motivation, and Respect for Dissent; (4) Protect the Common Good; (5) Speak Truthfully

What are the various ethical pitfalls raised by the text?

(1) Purposeful Ambiguity: leaving out a specific detail to paint a misleading picture (commonly stems from inadequate research); (2) Rumors and Innuendos: (rumors: unproven charges) (innuendos: veiled lies, hints, or remarks that something is what it is not); (3) Herd Mentality: speaking in support of the public good implies a willingness to air a diversity of opinions, even when these opinions are unpopular; (4) Hidden Agendas: a speaker who is NOT transparent while offering the strongest possible legitimate arguments, allowing each listener to evaluate the argument on its merits; (5) Excessive and Inappropriate Emotional Appeals: some speakers prey on fears or ignorance of the audience and rely heavily on the use of excessive and inappropriate appeals to emotion. 4 examples of this are (a) deception: when a speech creates a need in the audience and requires an action that will primarily benefit you; (b) manipulation: aimed at taking advantage of those particularly susceptible to manipulation; (c) confusion: a sustained plan to confuse an audience and make them feel insecure and helpless; (d) fallacies: focuses on disguising messages and deceives the audience to achieve his/her goal instead of relying on facts

How can a speaker motivate an audience in the conclusion?

(1) Relate your topic to listeners; (2) Communicate a feeling; (3) Broaden the message

What 4 principles of ethical speech does the textbook offer?

(1) Search: putting forth an effort to learn enough about your topic to speak knowledgeably; (2) Justice: select and present facts and opinions openly and fairly; (3) Public Motivation: illuminating a public problem vs. a hidden agenda - using fear appeals and biased, one-sided arguments to convince the audience to do something; (4) Respect for Dissent: allows for and encourages diversity of argument and opinion (seeing a different point of view as a challenge rather than a threat; being open to accepting different viewpoints)

What kind of technique does the book suggest for developing effective introductions?

(1) Startling facts/intriguing statements; (2) dramatic story/build suspense; (3) quotation and/or literature reference; (4) humor; (5) rhetorical question; (6) illustrations, examples and anecdotes; (7) physically involve the audience; (8) relate a personal experience; (9) use a visual or media aid; (10) refer to the situation.

What are the 5 functions of support?

(1) Support is specific; (2) Support helps to clarify ideas; (3) Support adds weight; (4) Support is appropriate to your audience; (5) Support creates interest.

How can a speaker develop a memorable conclusion?

(1) Thanking as transition; (2) Call to action; (3) Use a dramatic illustration; (4) Conclude with a quotation; (5) Conclude with a metaphor that broadens the meaning of your speech; (6) Conclude with humor

What guidelines does the book suggest for using analogies?

(1) Use analogies to build the power of your argument; (2) Be certain the analogy is clear; (3) Avoid using too many analogies.

What guidelines does the book suggest for using examples?

(1) Use examples frequently; (2) Use only the amount of detail necessary; (3) Use examples to explain new concepts.

What guidelines does the book suggest for using testimony?

(1) Use only recognizable or credible testimony and quotations; (2) Choose unbiased experts; (3) Identify the source; (4) Develop techniques to signal the beginning and ending of each quotation.

What are the characteristics of spoken language?

(1) Word order; (2) Rhythm; (3) Signals

What are fallacies?

Appealing to audience emotions to disguise the deficit of the speaker's logic not holding up under scrutiny

What is the difference between articulation and pronunciation?

Articulation: the verbalization of distinct sounds and how precisely words are formed; Pronunciation: knowing how to say a word and saying it correctly.

What kinds of specific library resources are available?

Books, reference materials (general encyclopedias and specialized encyclopedias), biographical sources, statistical sources, newspapers, magazines, journals, and government documents.

What is the difference between brief and extended examples?

Brief examples: short illustrations that clarify a general statement. Extended examples: longer and richer in detail than brief examples

Why should you vary your rate?

By changing your rate of speech, you can express different thoughts and feelings; variety in rate is easier on the ears.

How can they be improved?

If you have a position, state it directly without crutch words that signal your timidity to the audience.

How does imagery engage listeners?

Creates a vivid description through the use of one or more of our 5 senses; can create a great impact and lasting memory.

What is an example of a proper preview statement?

If your audience knows the main points you intend to develop in your speech, they are less likely to be confused and distracted. "Today, I intend to..."

In online searches, what is the difference between databases and other websites?

Databases provide access to cross-disciplinary, reliable, full-length articles. You have to be careful using other websites because you have to evaluate the credibility of online resources like the authority, legitimacy, etc.

What's the difference between a figurative and literal analogy?

Figurative analogy: drawing comparisons between things that are distinctly different in an attempt to clarify a concept or persuade; Literal analogy: compares like things from similar classes, such as a game of professional football with a game of college football.

How might testimony be used unethically?

If it's not used in its proper context; purposefully distorting testimony to suit the needs to be used in its proper context.

What is a narrative, and how does it relate to examples?

Narratives are stories within a speech' anecdotes that create visual images in listeners' minds. They take extended examples a step further by involving listeners in a tale that captures attention and makes a point.

Should everyone try to use humor in their introductions?

No, not if the speaker CANNOT do humor. If the speaker can't and tries to force it, it can be awkward.

Can you explain/recognize the difference between fact and opinion?

Opinions are not supported in fact. There is no evidence backing up opinions.

What is the difference between real and hypothetical examples?

Real examples: examples that come from your personal experiences. Hypothetical examples: a fictional example; the circumstances a hypothetical example describes are often realistic and thus effective.

Potential sources of ethics are...

Religious principles, democratic values, codes of conduct, and bases of value derived from a variety of sources

What is parallel structure?

Repeating phrases of similar structure, within or between sentences.

What is the role of research in a speech?

Research provides the foundation for your speech. It enhances knowledge you may already have by giving you the tools to expand your thesis statement into a full-length presentation.

What kinds of questions can speakers ask themselves in order to avoid unethical research and delivery practices?

Research: Have I used false, fabricated, misrepresented, distorted, or irrelevant evidence to support my arguments or claims? Have I intentionally used unsupported, misleading, or illogical reasoning? Have I oversimplified complex situations into simplistic either-or, bipolar views or choices? Delivery: Will I represent myself as informed or as being an "expert" on a subject when I am not? Will I deceive my audience by concealing my real purpose, self interest, the group I represent, or my position as an advocate of a viewpoint? Will I distort, hide, or misrepresent the number, scope, intensity, or undesirable aspects, consequences, or effects? Will I use emotional appeals that lack a supporting basis of evidence or reasoning or that would not be accepted if the audience had time to examine the subject themselves? Will I pretend certainty where tentativeness and degrees of probability would be more accurate? Will I advocate something in which I do not believe myself?

What are ethics?

Rules we use to determine good and evil, right and wrong. These rules may be grounded in religious principles, democratic values, codes of conduct, and bases of value derived from a variety of sources.

What is the role of "3" in parallel structure?

Saying things 3 times gets your point across in a way that saying it once cannot - not simply because of repetition, but because of the rhythmic effect of the repetition.

In what ways can statistics be misleading?

Statistics can be misleading because they can select data and there are also people who analyze the data.

Why is support material important in a speech?

Supporting material gives substance to assertions.

What are the functions of an introduction?

Supports the body of your speech and should capture your audience's attention and indicate your intent; Capture attention and focus, provide a motive for the audience to listen, enhances the credibility of the speaker, preview the message and organization

What are the functions of conclusions?

Supports the body of your speech, reinforces your message and brings your speech to a close.

What is "testimony" in a public speaking context?

Testimony has nothing to do with the law, but it has everything to do with credibility. When you cite the words of others, either directly or through paraphrasing, you are attempting, in effect, to strengthen your position by telling your audience that people with special knowledge support your position or take your side.

Who ultimately decides issues of Free Speech?

The Supreme Court

Why is a research strategy important?

The best-delivered speech will fall short if it is too long, poorly developed, and insufficiently supported.

What are statistics?

The collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of information in numerical form.

What is credibility?

The extent to which a speaker is perceived as a competent spokesperson.

What roles do values play in ethics?

They are socially shared ideas about what is good, right, and desirable; deep-seated abstract judgements about what is important to us. These come out in our speaking as we express our opinions.

What is fact?

Verifiable and irrefutable pieces of information.

What is your voice's pitch?

Vocal range or key, the highness or lowness of your voice produced by the tightening and loosening of your vocal folds.