Description

Purpose/Topic
Length
Sources
Organization
Delivery
Audience

The purpose of this speech is to evaluate your public speaking abilities and to identify ways of improving your public speaking. Identify your strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improving your public speaking.

This speech must be 3-5 minutes long. You will lose points if your speech is less than 3 minutes or is longer than 5 minutes and 15 seconds. This speech is your assessment of your public speaking abilities. Therefore, you are not required to cite outside sources of information.

Since this speech is about your assessment of your own public speaking abilities, you are not required to cite outside sources of information.

The introduction to the self-analysis speech should gain attention, establish your credibility, and orient the audience to the body of the speech. Specifically, tell the audience your name, your major or program of study at Columbia College, and why you are in the course. Orient the audience to the body of the speech by indicating that you will be talking about your strengths and weaknesses as a public speaker and how you can improve your public speaking.

The body of the self-analysis speech must contain three main points: (1) Strengths (2) Weaknesses, and (3) Suggestions for Improvement. Each main point must be supported by two five 1st-order sub-points (what the textbook calls “subpoints”).

The conclusion of the self-analysis speech must communicate a sense of finality (verbally or nonverbally communicate that you have finished talking), focus the audience’s thinking on the topic, and leave the audience believing that they understand your public speaking abilities.

Transitions between major sections of the self-analysis speech (Introduction, Body, and Conclusion) and the main points should be provided in the outline (enclosed in parentheses) and in the speech itself. Use transitions to move the audience’s attention from one section to another section, or from one main point to another main point.

You are required to use an extemporaneous (not manuscript, not memorize, not impromptu) method of delivery. You can use 1 or 2 note cards; if you use more than two (2) note cards or a sheet or sheets of paper for delivery notes, you will lose points. You must display your notes on camera before you begin speaking.

You should be looking at the audience about 85% of the time. You will lose points if you look at your notes too frequently or for too long at one time.

*****You must have at least three adult audience members visible throughout your speech.