Public speaking
Public speaking is the art of addressing groups of people with a clear intention, whether to influence, inform, inspire, or entertain. This skill is utilized across various fields, including politics, business, and entertainment, highlighting its universal relevance. Historically significant, public speaking has been valued since ancient times, with notable figures like Plato and Aristotle shaping its principles. In contemporary settings, it is taught in schools and universities, making it an essential life skill that benefits individuals in numerous professional and personal contexts.
Key elements of effective public speaking include audience connection, logical organization of content, and the use of eye contact and humor to engage listeners. Successful speakers also master vocal control, gestures, and effective use of pauses, which enhance the delivery of their message. While many find public speaking daunting, those who persevere often discover that the ability to communicate effectively in front of an audience can lead to significant personal and professional rewards. Thus, public speaking remains a valuable tool for achieving one's goals and forging connections with others.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Public speaking
Public speaking is defined as speaking to groups of people for a specific purpose. The groups can be big or small, and the speaker’s purpose may be to influence, inform, inspire, or entertain the listeners. Regardless of the purpose, the speaker’s words should be well structured and crafted to produce the desired effect. The complexities involved in making this happen have led to public speaking becoming accepted as an academic discipline.
Overview
Public speaking is a skill employed by diverse people across the world. Politicians use it to persuade citizens to vote for them, business people to inform others about their products and services, and entertainers elicit joy, humor, and a host of other emotions from their audiences for their performances. Public speaking skills can benefit people in all walks of life and help them to achieve their goals by communicating them effectively to others.
Public speaking has been considered important for thousands of years. It was highly valued in ancient Greece and Rome, with key philosophers like Plato and Aristotle developing oratory as a discipline. In the twenty-first century, it is taught in universities across the country, and an introduction to public speaking class is required for many college undergraduates in recognition of the importance of public speaking as a life skill. Many high schools also feature coursework on public speaking and allow students to explore it in extracurricular activities such as student government and debate club.
As taught in schools, public speaking incorporates several different elements. One is how to connect with the audience. This can be done by using an attention getter at the beginning of a talk or by referring to a common experience that listeners can identify with. Speakers also use humor to make connections with an audience. In fact, humor may be a major component of the speech if its primary focus is entertainment. Eye contact with audience members is another important element of public speaking; it gives listeners a sense of direct connection with the speaker and helps them to become more invested in the topic. Keeping the points of the speech focused and in a logical order is also key. By doing that, the speaker makes the listening experience easy to follow for the audience. In turn, they will be more relaxed and thus more open to letting the speaker persuade them.
Becoming a successful public speaker involves a great deal of self-control over one’s speech. Speakers must learn to control their tone, pitch, and inflections so the emotions of the words are conveyed appropriately. Speaking also necessitates gestures at appropriate moments, usually to emphasize key phrases in the speech and to engage the audience’s attention. Pauses are also a critical part of public speaking. If properly used, they allow listeners to let key points sink in and time to laugh at a joke.
Typically, the more at ease the speaker is, the more the audience will be open to what they are saying. For this reason, polished speakers will work hard to develop their own comfort level with addressing groups of all sizes. Becoming at ease with public speaking is challenging for many people, but those who accomplish it report that the rewards are worth the effort.
Bibliography
Carnegie, Dale. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. Reprint ed. Pocket, 1990.
Colvin, Janet Weston, and Nancy Tobler. “Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and the Public Speaking Classroom.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 1, 2012, pp. 33–36.
Jackson, Lisa. "7 Tips for Captivating Your Audience." CPA Canada, 4 July 2023, www.cpacanada.ca/news/AtWork/improving-public-speaking. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
Lind, Stephen J. “Teaching Digital Oratory: Public Speaking 2.0.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 3, 2012, pp. 163–69.
Malone, Marc P. “Rhetorical Analysis as Introductory Speech: Jumpstarting Student Engagement.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 4, 2012, pp. 211–15.
Mazer, Joseph P., and Scott Titsworth. “Passion and Preparation in the Basic Course: The Influence of Students’ Ego-Involvement with Speech Topics and Preparation Time on Public-Speaking Grades.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 4, 2012, pp. 236–51.
Perry, Lisa. “Using Word Clouds to Teach about Speaking Style.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 4, 2012, pp. 220–23.
Schreiber, Lisa M., et al. “The Development and Test of the Public Speaking Competence Rubric.” Communication Education, vol. 61, no. 3, 2012, pp. 205–33.
Swenson-Lepper, Tammy. “Community as a Guiding Theme for the Public Speaking Course.” Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 3, 2012, pp. 170–77.
"Top Tips and Techniques to Master Public Speaking." Speaker Agency, 30 Sept. 2024, www.speakeragency.co.uk/blog/top-tips-to-master-public-speaking. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.