Public Speaking

Lecture 06: Relevance of Public Speaking

Prof. Binod Mishra
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

1
 Relevance Theory

➢ Relevance theory, as proposed by Sperber and Wilson (Relevance: Communication and

Cognition) claims that the search for relevance is a fundamental feature of human
communication.

➢ According to this principle of relevance in communication, an input (a sight, a sound, an

utterance, a memory) holds relevance to an individual only when its processing delivers
positive cognitive effects – i.e. adds to his knowledge on a topic, clarifies a doubt,
strengthens, revises or discards his pre-suppositions, and helps him arrive at a true and
worthwhile conclusion about the topic.
 Contd. …
➢ Relevance is a function of cognitive effect and processing effort of the
hearer.
➢ The degree of relevance is inversely proportional to the processing effort
required by the hearer to handle the information in order to arrive at
purposeful conclusions.
➢ Simultaneously, greater the positive cognitive effects an input has on the
receiver, greater will be its relevance.
➢ Thus, owing to the significance of relevance in human communication,
the speaker is required to produce stimuli that seems to the audience
worthy enough to be processed and yields profitable outcomes.
 Contd…
• “to be understood, and to make his
audience think or act according to what is
to be understood” (Sperber et al., 2010,
p.364).

A speaker who intends an utterance to be interpreted

in a particular way must also expect the hearer to be
able to supply a context which allows that
interpretation to be recovered. A mismatch between
the context envisaged by the speaker and the one
actually used by the hearer may result in a
misunderstanding. (Sperber & Wilson, 1995, p.16)
 Eloquence: A Survival Skill
➢ Eloquence has sustained its significance as a highly prized skill globally as well as
perennially.
➢ Humans revel in their higher pedestal among all other life forms owing to their
rationale and sophisticated system of communication.
➢ Surveys establish the fact that we spend approximately 75 % of our conscious
time in some form of communicative activity - i.e. LSRW, out of which oral
communication or speaking in public forms a major chunk.
➢ The art of responsible speech communication - either as rhetoric, art, or
behavioural science - plays a crucial role as an agent of social recognition in the
modern pluralistic society.
➢ There has been a perpetual rise in the Bb
establishment of communication
departments offering courses and
training in public speaking in colleges,
universities and professional
organizations across the world.
➢ Elwood Murray sums up the
significance of eloquence defining,
speech as “a tool of social adjustment
which reflects the efficient
personality.”
 An Imperative Need
➢ Public Speaking as a skill has popularly been
associated with people of renown and civic
or political import - for example, leaders,
social activists, preachers, politicians and
media personnels.
➢ Nevertheless, we are faced with numerous
situations of public speaking in our everyday
life, and we hear the phrase echoing in our
ears “Now, it’s your turn to speak”.
➢ This skill therefore becomes an
indispensable art to be harnessed for
growth and success in all the realms -
personal, professional, civic and the digital.
 Public Speaking Adds Perks to the Personality
➢ Boosts Confidence - Public Speaking helps to significantly boost one’s
confidence by overcoming the fears that are associated with it. It also adds
to the self-worth to the speaker as it provides recognition and acceptance
of his/her ideas by the audience.

➢ Critical Thinking - Preparing and conducting public speeches calls for an

exercise to the critical thinking faculty of the brain. Curating the speech for
the audience, adding relevance to the message, organizing the thought in
a coherent manner - all of it requires careful critical thinking.
➢ Improves Communication Skills – One’s oratory performance
hones both verbal as well as non-verbal communication skills of
the speaker. It expands the vocabulary, improvises the manner
of articulation, and thus moulds one into a fluent and
immaculate speaker. It develops the temperament of becoming
a better listener, to be able to calmly tolerate opposing views
and defend one’s own.
➢ Personal Development - Mastering the art of public speaking
adds a remarkable flair to the personality of the speaker.

❑ “Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate

effectively.”(U.S. President, Gerald Ford)
 Public Speaking as a Professional Need
❑ Public speaking is a vital skill that bears an enormous impact on success in the
professional sphere.
➢ Carve a Niche - Being a good speaker enables one to stand out at the workspace
with confidence and to showcase the skills when others avoid such opportunities
out of fear of public speaking.
➢ Expand Professional Network - Public speaking offers an array of opportunities
to build up advantageous social connections and business contacts via
conferences, meetings and other such forums.
➢ Career Advancement - The expertise of eloquence in the workspace is directly
proportional to one’s professional growth. Public Speaking skills helps to
outshine others while exhibiting creativity, leadership, critical thinking and
expertise.
➢ Leadership Skills - Speaking in public gives the power to persuade an
audience towards an idea or a cause, thereby, promoting leadership
qualities.

GOOD SPEAKER GOOD LEADER

BETTER
CAREER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Public Speaking has been ranked first among the personal qualities of college
graduates sought by employers across various public and private institutions.
 A Tool for Social Change

❖ Credibility - The speaker arouses the passion of the audience by buying

credibility for himself through his powerful speech delivery.

❖ Speedy Broadcast - In comparison to other tools of social media or print

media, public speaking enables a faster communication of ideas and a
more emphatic delivery of message.

❖ Persuasive Appeal - Of all the communicative avenues, speaking happens

to be the most convincing and compelling force in order to drive a
serious change. The message appears livelier when one campaigns for
the cause to a live audience via public speaking.
 Public Speaking: A Media Tool
In the contemporary digital world, mass media emerges as the giant of public
communication. Public Speaking is being constructively used as a media tool
in the digital world.
Informative Tool Persuasive Tool Entertainment Tool

Public Speaking is Public Speaking is Public Speaking is often

instrumental in remarkable in generating used as a tool for
disseminating knowledge - and influencing public entertainment of the
both academic and opinion. audience.
professional.
Examples: Formal Speeches,
Examples: Lectures, Talk- Political Debates, BBC Examples: Stand-up
Shows, Ted Talks. Interviews. Comedies, Poetry Recitation .
 The Credo of Responsible Oration

➢ In the wake of the enormous significance accorded to the skill

of Public Speaking in personal, social and professional
spheres, one needs to cultivate an attitude of being a
responsible speaker.
➢ The fundamental Right to Speech (Article 19_Constitution of
India) implicitly entails the fundamental duty of being an
enlightened practitioner of the art of rhetoric in a democratic
society:
➢ To accept the role of well-informed, unprejudiced, judicious
articulators
➢ To express tolerance, respect for feedback, caution with
language, precision, and ethics in public speaking
➢ To defend the speech rights of the opponents in case of a
disagreement/debate
➢ To enjoy the liberty of speech with an acute sense of
responsibility
“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right
argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has
always been greater than the power of sense.”
Joseph Conrad

Thank You
 Works Consulted
❖ Carnegie, Dale. The Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking. New York:
The Dale Carnegie and Associates, 2010. Print.
❖ Lucas, Stephen, Lazaros Simeon, and Juanita Wattam. The Art of Public
Speaking. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2008. Print.
❖ Ross, Raymond S. Speech Communication Fundamentals and Practice. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1977. Print.
❖ Sperber, D., & Wilson, D. Relevance: Communication and Cognition (p.
168). Blackwell Publishers. 1995
❖ Zarefsky, David. Public Speaking: Strategies for Success. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon, 2011. Print.
 Public Speaking
Lecture 07: Audience Awareness and Creating Credibility
Prof. Binod Mishra
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

1
 Awareness as a Speaker
➢ The aim of any speaker is to gain a desired response from the audience
➢ Questions that should be asked by the speaker to himself/herself before any
communication is established-

❏ To whom is s/he speaking?

❏ What is the purpose?

❏ What is the desired outcome of the speaker’s delivery?
❏ What can be the most effective manner of presenting the speech in order to
accomplish the decided aim?

2
Audience Analysis
A good public speaker knows the
difference between “over-adapting” and
“under-adapting” while taking audience
preferences into consideration.

“There is a general agreement that a person

who is a full member of a crowd… is likely to
behave differently from the way he would
behave if he were by himself.”(W.J. H. Sprott,
Human Groups)

3
 Awareness- A Conscious Space for Choice
➢ A speaker who is aware of the choices being made, takes into
consideration all the following intricacies-

❏ Selecting a topic
❏ Determining a specific purpose
❏ Settling on main points and supporting materials
❏ Organizing message
❏ Delivering the speech

4
Types of Audience

5
 Classification of Audience
H.L. Hollingworth in his book, The Psychology of Audience :
❖ Pedestrian
❖ Discussion-passive Demographics of Audience
❖ Selective Age.
Gender,
❖ Concerted Education
❖ Organized Language,
Ethnicity
Culture
Attitudes & Values

6
 Some Facts about Behavior in Group

• “Heightening of emotionality”
• “People in group have a reduced sense of responsibility.”
(W.J.H Sprott, Human Groups)
• ‘Group Size increases, member satisfaction decreases’ (A.P.
Hare)
• Groups are collections of heterogeneous individuals.

7
 Controlling Factors

➢ Variety
➢ Length of time concentration
➢ Time of the day
➢ Arousal and motivation

8
 Content Creation with Audience Awareness
Step 1 - Prepare basic outline for the concerned talk/event.
Step 2 - Research on the type of audience.
Step 3 - Make the prepared outline focused with respect to the needs
and interest of the audience.
Step 4 - Consider following to modify and strengthen yourself:
❖ Knowledge of the audience.
❖ Emotional state of the audience.
❖ Novelty/ Familiarity of the topic to the audience.
❖ Interpersonal relationship with the audience.

9
 Stylistic Effect on Audience
▪ Irrespective of the novel content and solid argument, the style of a public
speaker determines the captivating impact s/he has on the audience.
▪ A responsible orator would take care of following elements to appropriate
their style with respect to the audience.
▪ Message: with respect to audience’s interests and needs
▪ Argument: with respect to the need of strong evidence and narrative.
▪ Language: with respect to the expected formality.
▪ Utterance (Length and type): with respect to the time duration.
▪ Tone: with respect to the interpersonal relationship.

10
 Psychology of Audience
➢ It is essential for the speaker to make the audience
choose to listen.
➢ Keeping the interest of the audience intact
throughout is challenging.
➢ Response to any communication is not based Patterns
Polarization
entirely on what is spoken but especially on the Interstimulation
understanding of the audience.
➢
Bipolar
The basis of judgement for the audience is what
they already know and believe.
➢ The message should always be related to the
audience- they should find it as relevant as the
speaker does.
“ Without an audience women relapse and men become
unkempt.”(Hollingsworth)

11
 Classmates as Audience
➢ Classroom is often considered as
artificial speaking situation
➢ One can develop speaking skills within
the classroom and can use it in the
outside world
➢ Classroom can provide opportunity to
inform and persuade same age group as
well as elder people
➢ No immediate impact can mostly be
registered but it can nourish one’s
speaking ability profusely

12
Client as Audience

➢ “Because it is what I like”- this is not

a competent strategy
➢ Being Demonstrative is essential
when dealing with client
➢ Know the difference between
Prospect and Client

13
 Addressing the Diversity

1. The talent of the speaker essentially relies in presenting the curated

content in a polite and socially acceptable manner.
a. Recognize cultural filter of the audience.
b. Be aware of cultural gestures.
c. Use people-first language.
Example: Instead of saying “the deaf man”, say “the man who is
deaf.” Focus is on the person rather than disability.
a. Use euphemistic expressions.
b. Gender neutral language.
c. Practise politeness.

14
 “Know yourself
and
Know your Audience.”
-Tennessee Ernie Ford

Thank You!

15
 Works Consulted
❏ Davidson, Jeff. The Complete Guide to Public Speaking. Breathing Space Institute,
2003.
❏ Holtz, Shel. Corporate Conversations. New Delhi: PHI, 2007.
❏ King, Dale. Effective Communication Skills: The Nine-Keys Guidebook for Developing
the Art of Persuasion through Public Speaking, Social Intelligence, Verbal Dexterity,
Charisma, and Eloquence. Hamatea Publishing Studio, 2020.
❏ Kumar, Sanjay and Pushp Lata. Communication Skills. New Delhi: OUP, 2011.
❏ Maggio, Rosalie. Talking About People: A Guide to Fair and Accurate Language, Oryx
Press, 1997.
❏ Mohan, Krishna and Meera Banerji. Developing Communication Skills. New Delhi:
Trinity Press, 2016.
❏ Sharma, Sangeeta and Binod Mishra. Communication Skills for Engineers and
Scientists. New Delhi: PHI Learning, 2009, 6th Reprint 2015.
16
 Public Speaking
Lecture 08: Content Creation and Organization
Prof. Binod Mishra
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

1
 Sources for Content Creation
Library Research- With the flux caused by
Internet, the value of library has been belittled
because everything is just one click away.
However, people fail to realize that libraries are
indispensable and extremely resourceful. Some
of the features are listed below:

❏ Librarians- People usually refrain from

troubling a person in a silent library
but librarians are taught to cater to
our requirements when it comes to
books and locating sources.

2
❏ Periodical Database- This
allows to locate magazine
and journal articles. After
obtaining the citations of
the desired articles, one can
request and download the
full article if the library has
access to it. In some cases,
however, only abstracts are
available and one should
never cite an article on the
basis of the abstract alone.

3
❏ The Catalogue- Lists all the
books in a library along with
their availability status. One can
find books using limited
information like name of the
book or author or publisher or
year of publication.

4
❏ Newspapers- They are invaluable for research on diverse topics-
historical, contemporary, opinionated, debatable. Every significant
information about trivial incidents finds a dedicated column in
newspaper.

5
 Capitalizing on Personal Knowledge

❑ In order to bring any speech/talk/presentation to life, one must add

personal touch to the knowledge. For example, a cancer survivor can
explain what it is to live with a disease growing inside.
❑ Any speech is required to have colour and emotion where experience
plays an exemplary role.
❑ It does not necessarily have to be dramatic or heart-wrenching; personal
angle can act as an efficient support for the intended message.

6
Biographical Encyclopedias
Aids

Reference
Works

Year Books Quotation Books

7
 SPECIALISED RESEARCH RESOURCES
Government Multicultural
Virtual
Libraries
28%
Resources Resources
Lorem ipsum porta dolor sit
amet nec
Search engines Access to Internet allows access to
enable us to find Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet adipiscing.
Government
Donec risus dolor, porta venenatis neque diverse and multicultural
what’s on the documents
felis volutpat amet molestieand
pharetra luctus felis. Proin vel tellus nec in
cum sociis.
dimensions
Internet publications

Specialists segregate Besides confidential There are multiple sites

authentic information as information, one can find catering to the multicultural
everything is not true on almost every document on diversity cohabiting this
Internet. Internet. world.

8
 Evaluation of Internet Documents
Internet is a good slave but a bad master. As the documents on Internet exist
electronically, one may find difficulty in distinguishing jewels from junk on
internet. One should verify the following:

❑ Authorship
❑ Sponsorship
❑ Recency

9
 Create an Outline

▪ Unlike a formal written outline, speaking outline is solely developed

through keyword and phrases which highlights the main ideas.
▪ A formal written outline of the whole speech/talk is fairly condensed
again when it is made as a speaking outline.
▪ The condensed outline for speaking is later laid out in small cards for
access while presentation.
▪ Speaking cards helps to make a fluent and timely presentation.

10
 Preparing Notes
❖ Prepare a speech/talk outline using separate headings and subheadings
for ease of access and memory.
❖ The prepared outline should contain brief notes straight to the point.
❖ Add cues on the outline for remembering the intended pauses, silences,
loud portions, and even the usage of visual aids while public speaking.
❖ Make sure that the prepared outline notes are legible for later reference.
❖ Most importantly, Practice repetitively with the prepared speaking
notes.

11
 Cue-cards for Memory (Signposting)

1. Breakdown your content into parts/

ideas.
2. Identify keywords.
3. Highlight each card (4x6 inch) with the
main idea as the title.
4. Number the cards as per the order of the
larger content.
5. Print/ write in clear, larger and legible
font.
6. Color-codes comes handy to spot
necessary cues.

12
 Supporting the Content

The content prepared should be loaded with ample evidential support for
the speaker to be able to persuade audience successfully.
Such a supportive speech can be provided through :
❖ Examples
❖ Explanations
❖ Statistics
❖ Analogies
❖ Testimony

13
Continued…

Apart from the supportive elements discussed, a

public speaker can also avail technical and
external support to fulfill his/her speech.
The external aids are as follows:
1. Objects
2. Posters and Handouts
3. Visual Aids
4. Pictures, Diagrams, Ideograms
5. Graphs, Charts and Tables
6. Video
7. Powerpoint Presentation

14
 Organization the Content
✓ The whole content could be
deconstructed into a collection of
main points.
✓ The task of a public speaker lies in
organizing the procured content
from various sources into a
curated collection.
✓ There are many organizing
patterns suggested for organizing
content for public speaking.

15
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence for Persuasive
Presentations

16
Every speech ought to be put
together like a living creature
- Plato

Thank You

17
 Works Consulted
❖ Monroe, Alan H. "The Motivated Sequence." Principles of Speech
Communication, 1975, pp. 241-257.
❖ Swatridge, Colin. Oxford Guide to Effective Argument and Critical Thinking.
Oxford University Press, 2014.
❖ Sharma, Sangeeta and Binod Mishra. Communication Skills for Engineers and
Scientists. New Delhi: PHI Learning. 2009, 6th Reprint 2015.
❖ Thorpe, Edgar and Showick Thorpe. Winning at Interviews. Pearson Education.
2004.
❖ Turk, Christopher. Effective Speaking. South Asia Division: Taylor & Francis. 1985
❖ Zarefsky, David. Public speaking: Strategies for success. Allyn & Bacon, 2016

18
 Public Speaking
Lecture 09: Role of Personality in Public Speaking
Prof. Binod Mishra
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

1
Personality may be defined as the
most characteristic integration of
an individual’s structures, modes of
interests, attitude, behaviour,
capacities, abilities and aptitudes.
(NL Munn)

“ A healthy personality is a process,

not a state of being; a direction, not
a destination.”
 What is Personality?

❑ ‘Personality’: Etymology – Derived from the Latin word persona,

which means mask.
❑ It comprises a comprehensive set of attributes:
➢ Physique
➢ Dress
➢ Communication Skills
➢ Attitude
➢ Values
➢ Emotions
 Psychic Attributes of Personality
❑ According to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the human
personality is governed by three distinct interacting agents of the
psychic apparatus: Id, Ego and the Superego.
 Id Ego Superego
• The primitive and • Mediates between • Inhibits the impulses
instinctual part of the desires of Id and of Id and persuades
the mind. the Superego. the Ego to strive for
• Contains aggressive • Operates through moralistic ideals.
drives, desires and Reality Principle. • Operates as a moral
memories. conscience.
• Operates through
Pleasure Principle.
 Personality and Public Speaking

➢ Speech is perceived as a form of self-expression.

SPEECH SELF EXPRESSION

➢ When a speaker communicates his ideas, he unintentionally reveals his

personality, emotions and attitude.
➢ “Speech and personality grow, develop, differentiate and become refined
together. Speech is a phase of personality.” - Elwood Murray
Personality and Speech Proficiency: A Correlational Study
➢ Empirical evidences suggest that personality variables influence the speech
proficiency of an individual.
➢ An instance can be cited -
○ Premise: Oration requires both short-term as well as long-term memory.
○ Hypothesis: Extroverts possess short-term memory whereas introverts are
do well at long-term recall.
○ Conclusion: Extroverts excel at speech production which stems from their
superior verbal processing capacity induced from their ability to short-term
recall.
➢ Certain distinguishing traits, for instance; self-confidence, extraversion,
intelligence, verbal fluency and composure go into the personality make-up of a
competent speaker.
➢ Speech, therefore, reflects the personality of the speaker.
 The Five-Factor Model
McCrae and Costa have forwarded an all-inclusive Five-Factor
Model (FFM) for the categorisation of the global personality traits.
EXTRAVERSION CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Sociability or Interaction with 05 Being Trustworthy and well-
Others Organized
Friendliness
Gregariousness
Aseertiveness
Activity Level 01 04 EMOTIONAL STABILITY
Excitement Seeking Calm, Even-Tempered,
Cheerfulness Absence of Nervousness
AGREEABLENESS
Pleasantness and Friendliness
. INTELLECT
02 03 Sophistication, Openness to
New Experience
 Does Personality impact Public Speaking?

❏ The personality of the speaker in toto - intrinsic traits, appearance, voice,

movements, diction - go into the modelling of a proficient speaker.
❏ Sarett and Foster, in their book Basic Principles of Speech, outline the
vital impact of the following personality traits on the skill of oration:
❏ Extraversion: A public speaker is required to be extrovert, sociable
and objective in order to cast an influence on the audience.
❏ Agreeableness: A pleasant and friendly attitude of the speaker helps
to win over the audience.
❏ Conscientiousness: Being trustworthy and well-organized
procures credibility to the speaker.
❏ Emotional Stability: An impactful speaker ought to manifest
emotional maturity and keep up a composed bearing while
delivering a speech.
❏ Intellect: As the thumb rule goes, intellectuals possessing the
faculty of critical thinking and knowledgeable ideas emerge as
better speakers.
❏ Self-Confidence: Like in all other avenues, in Public Speaking
too, self-confidence is the key to success.
❏ Fluency: Verbal fluency and adept communicative skill is
fundamental to convey speaker’s ideas and emotions without any
confusion.
❏ Vocals: The appropriate use of voice, volume, tone, and pauses helps
to communicate nuances of speaker’s emotion and thoughts, adding
weight to the ideas presented.
❏ Presentability: Attractive personality of the speaker - groomed up
appearance, well-donned clothes, kempt hair and a confident smile -
aids in captivating the attention of the audience towards a greater
acceptability of the speaker and his/her message.
❏ Integrity: Personal integrity of the speaker and a positive attitude
towards life and society plays an important role in audience
stimulation and thereby adds to the acclaim of the speaker.
PUBLIC SPEAKER: PUBLIC SPEAKER:
SPEECH ATTITUDE PERSONALITY
1 I am
amillillat at
speakingwith
speaking
ease when
ease when
witha group
Are you talkative at social gatherings?

2 I enjoy meeting and

talking with famous
Do you feel self-conscious in the presence
people. of superiors?

3 I enjoy making a speech

in a large auditorium.
Do you find it difficult to speak in public?

4 I find it easy to solicit

money for a cause which
Are you troubled with shyness?
interests me.

I hesitate to protest even

5 though I feel I have been
Do you try to get your own way even if
wronged. you have to fight for it?
Categories of Public Speakers and their Personality
Traits
CATEGORY OF PUBLIC PERSONALITY TRAITS
SPEAKER

AVOIDER Does everything possible to escape from facing an

audience.
Is generally an introvert.

RESISTOR Has fear of speaking in public.

Is a reluctant individual.

ACCEPTOR Gives presentations occasionally as part of the job.

Doesn’t seek those opportunities.

SEEKER Looks for opportunities to speak in public

Is usually a confident extrovert who can effectively
overcome anxiety and the fear of speaking in public.
 Do’s and Don’ts of Personal Appearance

Do Don’t
❖ Stay close, stay direct, stay ❖ Keep hands in your pocket
involved with your ❖ Keep your arms crossed
audience. ❖ Wring your hands
❖ Use your facial nervously
❖ Have too soft voice - Lack
expressions. of confidence
❖ Vary your pitch, volume ❖ Make too loud voice -
and tone in your voice. Excessively dominant
 Do Don’t

❖ Keep your posture erect. ❖ Posture should not be stiff or

❖ Maintain good eye contact unnatural.
with different parts of the ❖ Eye contact should not be too
audience. long to make the person feel
❖ Watch your conversational uncomfortable (3 to 5
pace. seconds per person).
❖ Allow pauses during the ❖ Avoid too tight or too loose
presentation. clothing, sparkling jewelry,
❖ Encourage your audience heavy make-up, tinted lenses.
to ask questions.
Public Speaking and Personality: An Inter-Relational
Continuum

PERSONALITY OF THE
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SPEAKER
➢ Personality of the speaker and the skill of Public Speaking are
complementary to each other - proficiency at speech possesses a strong
correlation with the speaker’s personality traits.
➢ These two flourish simultaneously and mutually, interacting aspects of
the individual’s holistic development.
➢ Speech, as per scholar Eisenson, is a reflection of speaker’s experiences
in entirety - innate as well as environmental.
➢ The efficiency of Public Speaking is directly proportional to the
development of personality of the speaker. Hence, they are integral to
and constitutive of each other.
 Personality Traits developed by Public Speaking

✓ Better Thinkers
✓ Confident Individuals
✓ Proficient Communicators
✓ Reliable Beings
✓ Assertive Leaders
✓ High Emotional Quotient
 Works Consulted
❑ Kumar, Sanjay and Pushp Lata. Communication Skills. New Delhi: OUP, 2011.
❑ Lucas, Stephen, Lazaros Simeon, and Juanita Wattam. The Art of Public Speaking.
Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2008. Print.
❑ Maggio, Rosalie. Talking About People: A Guide to Fair and Accurate Language,
Oryx Press, 1997.
❑ Mohan, Krishna and Meera Banerji. Developing Communication Skills. New Delhi:
Trinity Press, 2016.
❑ Ross, Raymond S. Speech Communication Fundamentals and Practice. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1977. Print.
❑ Sharma, Sangeeta and Binod Mishra. Communication Skills for Engineers and
Scientists. New Delhi: PHI Learning, 2009, 6th Reprint 2015.
❑ Zarefsky, David. Public Speaking: Strategies for Success. Boston: Allyn & Bacon,
2011. Print.
“What you are speaks so loud, I cannot hear
what you say.”
W. T. Foster

Thank You
 Public Speaking
Lecture 10: Use of Technology in Public Speaking
Prof. Binod Mishra
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

1
 Advent of Technology in Public Speaking

➢ Print Age - The advent of printing press in Europe around mid 1400’s led
to a revolution in the world of intellectuals - generating larger amount of
data for thought, speech and action.

➢ Audio-visual age - In the late nineteenth century, wireless means of

transmission came into effect. Telegraphs, telephones, radios and later
television broadcast enabled for massive transmission of message.

➢ Internet and Digital Age: Live broadcast of message through Internet

stream provides seamless connection for students, staff members and
almost every other person leading to a “new-normal”.
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 Technology in Public Speaking

➢ In public speaking, one’s own voice is the preliminary tool which can be supplemented by

other tools for enhancement of the message’s effect.

➢ However, the strength of the message is more important than the strength of the channel.

➢ Heavy reliance on technological aid might lead to distraction and even distortion of cause &

effect.

➢ A good public speaker must know to keep the right balance on when to use technology and

when to keep it otherwise.

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 Technological Tools for Public Speaking
➢ In public speaking, a variety of
tools are employed by a speaker
to channelize and communicate.

❖ Microphone
❖ Speakers
❖ Teleprompter
❖ Presentation Timer
❖ Projector
❖ Projector Screen

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 Technological Apps for Public Speaking
Apart from the hardware support, there are countless apps available for
enhancing, checking and correcting the delivery and nuances of your speech.
1. Video-conferencing apps
a. Zoom
b. Google Meet
c. Webex
d. MS Teams
2. Teleprompter apps
3. Timer apps
4. Public Speaking Practise apps.
Eg. Orai
1. Grammar-check apps

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 Bringing Technology into Classroom
➢ It enhances student-learning experience
➢ Use of technology fosters student
engagement for auditory and visual learning.
➢ Integration of simple and effective
technologies like Power Point Presentations,
filmed demonstrations, Internet homework
assignments can mark great difference in the
student’s growth in the classroom.
➢ It incorporates diverse learning styles
➢ Improves Collaboration
➢ Prepares everyone for the future

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 Bringing Technology into Meeting
➢ Video conferencing systems is an efficient tool that can establish
communication from far off places.
➢ Screen Sharing allows to share one’s content on multiple screen at the same
time.
➢ Interactive white boards are handy in the brainstorming sessions during
presentations.
➢ Audience participation tools are helpful in live polling, meaningful
conversations.
➢ Social Media engagement includes large screen LED displays for marketing,
live streaming.

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Role of Technology at Events
➢ Having a responsive website
➢ Apps can be built to cater to the
queries and ease of the intended
audience
➢ Social Media has a great reach so
it could be used for publicity
➢ Virtual experiences have been
trending and gain a lot of
engagement from the audience
➢ Proper use of light can really set
the desired mood for the event
➢ Polls and surveys for feedback

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 Technological Distractions

Technology can hamper the speech output of the public speaker.

▪ The channel can become a barrier for effective listening.
▪ Old malfunctioning hardware can steal time and even falter your speech
into a blurred noise.
▪ Wireless communication can get unstable at times due to lower
bandwidth etc. Preparing backup support is integral.
▪ Excessive usage of audio-visual aids should be checked. The speaker
should talk for the larger part and not the material.

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 Tips to Overcome Technological Distractions

• Test run: The public speaker must arrive early for the presentation and
make sure of the proper functioning of the technological tools given at
hand.
• Sound check: To make sure that voice is channelized loud and clear.
• Noise cancellation: Any source of noise or distractions such as
cellphones, unruly audience etc should be checked and regulated.
• Setting up the room: The speaker shall request audience to comply and
provide a distraction-free environment.
• Balanced AV stimulation: A speaker should provide a balance to
audience on what they see and hear.

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 Public Speaking at Online Platforms

➢ Digressing from the face-to-face, digital oratory or online public speaking

is a “thesis-driven, vocal, embodied public address that is housed within
(online) new media platforms” (Lind, 2012, p. 164).
➢ It should be well-organized, reasoned and rehearsed.

The key roles in digital oratory are played by-

a. Purpose
b. Synchronicity
c. Audience

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 ❏ One should be comfortable and responsive.
❏ Passion is essential for engaging sessions at
Virtual Meetings the time of delivery, questions and
observations.
❏ Voice modulation plays a pivotal role- it
can either kill or gain attention.

❏ Setting up equipments properly is

essential.
❏ Choose your platform (YouTube,
Live Streaming
Facebook, etc.)
❏ Test Run is essential
❏ Go Live!

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 What is Webinar?
According to Merriam-Webster, a webinar (or web seminar) is “a live online
educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit
questions and comments.”
Webinar is essential because it -
● Educates the audience about business.

● Builds authority in one’s industry or niche.

● Demonstrates one’s product to customers.

● Generates leads for one’s business.

● It is used for academic purposes as well.

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 Importance and Challenges of
Online Public Speaking
Importance of Online Public Speaking:
❏ Career Advancements
❏ Boosts Confidence
❏ Improves Communication Skills

Challenges of Online Public Speaking:

❏ Technical Limitations
❏ Loss of Interpersonal interactions
❏ Opportunity for Distractions

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“Let thy speech be better than silence, or
be silent.”
-Dionysius Of Halicarnassus

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 Works Consulted

• Lucas, Stephen E. The Art of Public Speaking. McGraw-Hill Book Co.,

2014.
• Lind, Stephen J. “Teaching digital oratory: Public speaking 2.0.”
Communication Teacher, vol. 26, no. 3, 2012, pp. 163-169.
• Sharma, Sangeeta and Binod Mishra. Communication Skills for Engineers
and Scientists. New Delhi: PHI Learning. 2009, 6th Reprint 2015.
• Clark, Ruth Anne, and David Jones. “A comparison of traditional and
online formats in a public speaking course.” Communication Education,
vol. 50, no. 2, 2001, pp. 109-124.
• German, Kathleen M. Principles of public speaking. Routledge, 2017.
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