Communication Apprehension

“fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons.”

Physiological Symptoms of Communication Apprehension

Heart pounding

Clammy hands

Sweat

Stomach Butterflies

Nervous Pacing

Voice quiver

Dry Mouth

Shakes- hands and legs

Rapid Breathing

Dizzy and/or light headed

Myths about Communication Apprehension

1. People who suffer from speaking anxiety are neurotic
   
2. Telling a joke or two is always a good way to begin a speech.
   
3. Telling a joke or two is always a good way to begin a speech.
   
4. Any mistake means that you have “blown it.”
   
5. Avoid speaking anxiety by writing your speech out word for word and memorizing it.
   
6. Audiences are out to get you.
   
7. You will look to the audience as nervous as you feel.
   
8. A little nervousness helps you give a better speech. This is TRUE
   

Sources of Communication Apprehension

Reducing Communication Apprehension

• Speech-Related Considerations
  
• Think Positively
  
• Reducing Anxiety through Preparation
  
• Analyze Your Audience
  
• Adapt Your Language to the Oral Mode
  
• Practice in Conditions Similar to Those You Will Face When Speaking
• Watch What You Eat
  
• Reducing Nervousness during Delivery
  
• Maintain Your Sense of Humor
  
• Stress Management Techniques

General Purposes of speaking refers to the broad goal in creating and delivering a speech

Selecting a Topic

• Common Constraints of Public Speaking
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Context
  • Time Frame
• Selecting a Broad Subject Area
  • Narrowing Your Topic

Specific Purposes

A specific purpose starts with one of the three general purposes and then specifies the actual topic you have chosen and the basic objective you hope to accomplish with your speech. Basically, the specific purpose answers the who, what, when, where, and why questions for your speech.

Finding Resources

• Nonacademic Information Sources
  
• Books
  
• General-Interest Periodicals
  
• Special-Interest Periodicals
  
• Newspapers and Blogs
  
• Encyclopedias
  
• Websites
  
• Academic Information Sources
  
• Scholarly Books and/or Articles and/or Web Information
• Computerized Databases

Evaluating Resources

• Date of Publication
  
• Author
  
• Publisher
  
• Academic or Nonacademic
  
• Quality of the Bibliography/Reference Page
• Do People Cite the Work?

Avoid Plagiarism

• Do your own work, and use your own words
  
• Allow yourself enough time to research the assignment
  
• Keep careful track of your sources and take careful notes
  
• Assemble your thoughts, and make it clear who is speaking
  
• If you use an idea, quotation, paraphrase, or summary, then credit the source
• Cite sources correctly in the body and in the Works Cited (Reference Page)
  
• Quote accurately and sparingly
  
• Paraphrase carefully
  
• Do not patchwrite (patchspeak)
  
• Summarize, don’t auto-summarize
  
• Do not rework another student’s speech or buy one

Avoid Academic Fraud

• Don’t Mislead Your Audience
• Give Author Credentials
  
• Use Primary Research Ethically

The Importance of an Introduction

• Gain Audience Attention and Interest
• State the Purpose of Your Speech
  
• Establish Credibility
  
• Provide Reasons to Listen
• Preview Main Ideas
• Reference to Subject, Audience, Events, Occassion
• Quotation, Historical Reference, Anecdote ,Startling Statement
• Question (Rhetorical is the preferred type)
• Humor
• Personal Reference
• Express Your Specific Purpose

Conclusions Matter

• Signals the End
  
• Aids Audience’s Memory of Your Speech
  
• Restatement of the Thesis
  
• Review of Main Points
  
• Review of Main Points
  
• Conclude with a Quotation, Summary, Visualize Future, Inspiration
  
• Conclude with a Challenge, Advice, Appeal for Action (persuasion only)
• Conclude by Proposing a Solution (persuasion only)
  
• Conclude with a Question (usually Rhetorical)
  
• Conclude with a Reference to Audience

Four Methods of Delivery

Using Notes Effectively

• Understand the Purpose of Speaker Notes
• Include Only Key Words (no paragraphs)
• Hold Your Notes Naturally
  
• Prepare Notecards to Trigger Recall
• Write in Large Letters
• Using Notecards Effectively

Good Delivery

• Posture, Body Movement, Facial Expressions
• Dress, Self-Presentation, Variety
  
• Practice Effectively, Seek Input from Others
• Conversational Style
• Eye Contact
• Effective Use of Vocalics
  • Volume, Rate, Pitch, Pauses,
  • Vocal Variety, Pronunciation

Good Delivery Is a Habit

Informative Speaking

• Conveys knowledge
  
• Does not attempt to convince the audience that one thing is better
  than another
  
• Does not advocate a course of action
  
• Conveys accurate information
  
• Three goals—accuracy, clarity, and interest
  
• Avoid expressing opinion
  

Informative Speaking Goals

• Making Information Clear and Interesting for the Audience
• Adjust Complexity to the Audience
  
• Avoid Unnecessary Jargon
  
• Create Concrete Images
• Keep Information Limited
• Link Current Knowledge to New Knowledge
• Make It Memorable
• Make It Relevant and Useful
• Personalize Your Content

Types of Informative Speeches

Key Terms

• Communication Apprehension
• Trait Anxiety
  
• Context Anxiety
  
• Formality
• Uncertainty
  
• Novelty
  
• Audience Anxiety
  
• Situational Anxiety
  
• General Purposes of Speaking
• Common Types of Informative Topics
• Behavior
• Attitude
  
• Value
  
• Belief
  
• Specific Purposes
• Plagiarism
• Ethos
  
• Thesis Statement
• Impromptu Speaking
• Extemporaneous Speaking
• Speaking from a Manuscript
• Speaking from Memory
• Vocalics
  
• Pitch
  
• Vocal Variety
• Pronunciation
• Physical Manipulation
• Jargon
• Abstract
• Concrete

A PDF of this Rhetorical Communication Study Guide can be downloaded here.