Informative Speech Self-Evaluation

For most individuals, speeches come as no easy task. I wouldn't say I have speech anxiety, rather a normal, healthy level of nervousness before I go up in front of an audience. However I may have been perceived by the public is one thing, but the way I grade myself is what I focus on more. For this speech on mitosis, I did alright overall.

I believe I provided enough information for the audience to obtain enough on mitotic cell division, I achieved the purpose of my goal. I don't think the information was terribly difficult to take in, but I'll never really know if it went over many people's heads. Throughout the speech I felt fairly confident; nervous, yet confident. However, I felt more assured of myself in the beginning and less as the speech progressed. Perhaps that was due to rehearsing the beginning far too much and not enough time allotted for the closing parts. So, if I had to do it all over again, I would make sure I practiced the latter end of the body and the conclusion just as much as the introduction. As far as changes to delivery, I would try to slow down because I felt like I was rushing a little bit. I hope my lisp didn't come across. I work very hard to minimize my lisp, which is pretty well controlled, but it slips sometimes. Or I just stumble on words. 

For the upcoming speech, my goal for improving the content would be to get more of a variety from my sources. I felt as though my sources were too scientific. But, given it was a scientific topic, I couldn't have done too much about this previous speech. Although I could have used some type of simile. Quoting an author on what he or she would compare mitosis to outside the scientific world would have been interesting. A goal for improving the delivery would be to be more prepared in speaking in an extemporaneous style because I paused a few times.

Everyone's speaking engagements will differ as one does more and more. In my case, my previous speech was the cultural one. The time difference is definitely different, but besides facts about the speech requirements, one main positive difference was the use of citing sources. I incorporated a few good ones, as my cultural speech didn't (but, it didn't call for any anyway). A negative difference from my last speech compared to this one was that my previous one was a little more prepared. I suppose it was a little more prepared because it was easier to put together. In delivering this speech I don't think I did anything distracting. I wasn't playing with my hands or anything like that. I did pause one too many times, so that probably counts as a distraction. Considering I didn't pause much on my previous speech, this is not an improvement. 

My eye contact was alright; of course it could have been better. Not that I should be comparing myself with others, but I'm pretty sure some individuals were reading their speech off of their note cards which made their eye contact pretty bad. Anyway, back to me. I would give my eye contact an eight on a one through ten scale. As far as my grade for the performance, probably a B. I give this grade because I was pretty well prepared with my presentation and had done my research. I included digital slides which were easy to follow and were not excessive in information, as well as following the slides accordingly and not forgetting to switch them. 

Citing sources was probably my biggest downfall. Out of my four sources, I cited two during the presentation. I would have cited the others, but my mind kept blanking out and I was trying to focus on what organelles do what, what phase of the mitotic phase follows, etc. Detailed presentations can get a little overwhelming, but we continue on, living and learning for next time. I think this speech was and was not better than my previous one. A few reasons why it was not better than my previous one are because I blanked out a bit during this one and forgot to cite two of my sources. On the other hand, some reasons I think I performed this one better are because I was able to manage both delivering a speech and incorporating PowerPoint throughout. I also followed my outline fairly well and stayed within the time limit of the speech requirement. Having said that now though, I would say that this speech was more of a challenge than my previous one and I completed that challenge above the average so, this speech was better than my last one.  

Week 9: Discussion Question 3

Like we have studied this week, using visuals such as multimedia slides can boost the effectiveness of one's presentation and help the audience follow along with the speech. A few key things to keep in mind are to use simple slides with good organization and with emphasis on the main points only. Large lettering and good color schemes are necessary for the audience to be able to perceive the displayed information too. 

Besides tools such as PowerPoint and Keynote, there are many other types of supplemental visuals which can enhance one's speech. These include whiteboards, models, flip charts and handouts. These can be very effective when used appropriately. I can recall a time when I went to hear a speaker and he was using a flip chart. He would draw or write some key words on the large sheets and then flip it over and continue. I thought it was very effective because the audience couldn't see what he had previously written: it made the audience keep up with him on the next ideas he was putting on the flip chart. 

Using visual aids can help make the audience react in a more positive way, as well as possibly have the audience understand the presentation better. 

Week 9: Discussion Question 2

One of my professors uses PowerPoint presentations for every lecture of theirs. Yes, it does help sometimes to get a view of what they are saying, but most of the time the slides have way too much text. This professor's slides have bullet points, but then continue to expound in far too much detail.

It would be more effective, I feel, for my professor to continue using the main points/bullets, along with the few pictures they interspersed but not continue with elaborate wording explaining each bullet point. I'm sure I'm not the only student in their class that finds it overwhelming to try to read, listen, and write down all that they are presenting. I have found myself a few times in that class trying to write down what I think is important from the slides and end up not remembering what the professor said because I was too focused on reading and writing down what the slide presented.

Too much on a slide is excessive, but too little is inadequate. One must find the proper balance.

Week 9: Discussion Question 1

When giving a presentation that includes audio or visual files it can be easily to distort and alter original documents. It is a speaker's moral obligation to not tamper with original photographs, audio files, etc. and use them in a presentation because that would be unethical and dishonest. Of course though, some people have different ethics, or no ethics, and may just do so.

As we have read before in chapter three, speakers must speak and listen ethically, but incorporating media is then tied with speaking because it is part of the presentation. It is necessary to use accurate, original photographs and recordings because doing otherwise would be untruthful. In our case as students, using dishonest documents could possibly lead to disciplinary action and nobody wants that, right? One must be careful when working with media files and avoid it being unoriginal.

Thankfully, I have absolutely no idea how to use Photoshop or any other audio or visual file modifier. I never have had to, so yeah. However, it would be fun to sometimes post something original on Tumblr rather than just reblogging someone else's work.

Week 8: Discussion Question 3

Informative speaking on a topic. Pretty self explanatory and simple, isn't it? Not to everyone. This is when the speaker speaks about a specific subject and tries to give a deeper meaning or raise awareness, or just educate and talk about a subject they feel knowledgeable about, or not. Getting down and dirty with one's topic is necessary for making the speech meaningful. One should become as much as an expert about the topic as possible, just don't over do it and have an anxiety attack over it. For many, choosing a topic can be difficult, myself included. Brainstorming helps, but in the end, you still have to choose. There are many things that can be presented as far as informative speeches go. The limit does not exist. Speeches on objects and places can be done, or people, processes, events or ideas and concepts. Often time these types of speeches will overlap and crossover, for example, Martin Luther King Jr. and the monumental event, the Civil Rights March on Washington. Knowing what one's goal is and what type of organizational pattern often do not happen until the research is underway. More thoughts formulate as more mental processes happen. Students should not fear choosing a topic and knowing their exact purpose and thesis right off the bat; time must be given during research and readings to try to come up with a meaningful, powerful idea.

Week 8: Discussion Question 2

The most difficult parts of a speech, or paper, for me are the introductions and the conclusions. It takes me forever to start regurgitating my ideas onto paper and then later its another challenge to stop my mental processes and conclude with a complete, organized thought.

The parts that are necessary for an introduction include an attention getter, a purpose and thesis and a preview of the main points. The attention getter is what is used to attract attention, obviously. It mustn't be long and should pertain directly to the topic. There are many types of attention getters such as questions, facts and statistics, a small story, etc. The purpose and thesis are pretty much the key to the introduction and are normally lengthy enough if they are just a few sentences in length. The thesis is what you are trying to prove or state in your entire speech. Everything one says should link back to the thesis and purpose. The preview of the main points are the main points of what is going to be stated in the body of the speech and a presentation of the subpoints.

A conclusion is the review of the main points and a reinforcing of the purpose of the speech. It can also be said that the conclusion should bring closure to the audience (sounds morbid). In the conclusion it is necessary to review the main points (lots of that in speeches) because after all, you do want the audience to remember what you said, especially if it was an important subject. The purpose and thesis should be restated because that was the goal, to prove or inform that one line. Conclusions are the last chance to connect with the audience so it is ideal to finish soundly, make a good impression and bring closure to everything stated. If all this is done correctly, chances are that the speech will be effective and memorable.  

Week 8: Discussion Question 1

The videos that were assigned to watch were helpful and informative. The videos for chapter nine informed on what aspects need to go into an introduction and a conclusion. I won't go into detail as to what they are comprised of though because that would be taking from this week's second discussion question. The videos pertaining to chapter thirteen were informative speeches on techno music, camera technology and what the word "kosher" means. Evans speech on techno was precise, short and quite informative. I liked how he mentioned the history of techno; it's a good supplement to include historical facts. However, it can't exactly always be done so smoothly. For example, my informative speech is on cell division. The history for that would be a bit awkward because not everyone agrees with evolution or creation. Some things can get complicated and confusing with history. Anyway, the speeches on the camera revolution and the specificity of kosher were...nice? Alright, they were boring, yet informative. It's impossible for everyone to be interested in one topic so I suppose those just happened to be dull ones for me. They presented their information well though. What I learned that could be applied to my upcoming speech is to try to make my topic as appealing, interesting and exciting for the whole class. That will be easy because everyone just loves science at the cellular level!