Public Speaking

52 CHAPTER^4 Effective Listening

“What suggestions do you have for recycling old cell phones?” “What is your

personal plan for paying off your student loans?”

•   Loaded questions put a speaker on the defensive because of what they imply. Try to

avoid them. For example, “When will you begin to look at both sides of the issue?”

implies that the speaker was one-sided, and when is not really asking for a time. In

other words, you wouldn’t expect to hear, “I am going to research the other side

tomorrow afternoon at 3:00.”

•   To get a speaker to expand on an idea, make a request for elaboration: “You said

the Electoral College was modeled on the system used in the Roman Republic; could

you elaborate?” “Can you provide more details about the university’s plan to expand

its online offerings?”

•   Instead of questions, you can add comments or information from your own

experience and research. For instance, after a speech on bullying, Tiffany shared

statistics she had heard on a television show, and Jon told a story about a coach who

bullied his team. If you know that data in the speech are incorrect (for example, the

statistics are outdated), you could provide supplementary information.

Although question-and-answer periods are common in the United States, not all

cultures participate equally in a co-creation of meaning process, as Diversity in Practice:

Saving Face explains.

loaded questions questions
containing implications
intended to put the speaker
on the defensive

request for elaboration
question asking for more
information

comments information
from personal experience
or research

Diversity

in praCtiCe

saving Face

Question-and-answer periods are rare in some cultures. For instance, in

traditional Chinese or Japanese public speaking contexts, listeners are supposed

to understand the speaker. Asking a question is an admission that they lack the

intelligence to unravel the speaker’s shades of meaning. Furthermore, a question

reflects on the speaker’s communication abilities; in other words, if listeners are

confused, the speaker has failed to communicate. Finally, to preserve the speaker’s

“face,” it’s considered inappropriate to publicly question a speaker’s information

and, thus, his or her character.^37

Give Written Feedback

You may be asked to write a response to a classmate’s speech. Just writing “I liked your

speech” is too vague to be helpful. More effective comments focus on specific elements,

using the D-R-E method: Describe-Respond-Evaluate.^38 Describe what you heard;

respond with your personal interpretations and reactions; and evaluate by critiquing what

you found effective and what could be improved. Phrase your comments objectively and

positively. Here are some examples:

•   Description: “You used quotations from experts on both sides of this controversial

issue” (content); “Your signposts and transition statements clarified your main points”

(organization); “You touched your hair several times as you spoke” (delivery).

•   Response: “I really connected emotionally with the story about the grandfather and

the little boy” (content); “Because you alliterated your main points, I will be able to

remember your ideas better” (style).

D-r-e method Describe-
Respond-Evaluate; a feed-
back method that describes
content, shares personal
responses, and gives
evaluation

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