Public Speaking Handbook

ChAPTer 13 STuDY guiDe 285

Study guide: review and Apply

Meet Your Objectives

13.1 Identify three reasons delivery is important to a public speaker.

Nonverbal communication conveys the majority of the meaning of your speech
and nearly all of your emotions to an audience. Nonverbal expectancy theory
suggests that your credibility as a speaker depends on meeting your audience’s
expectations about nonverbal communications. Audiences will believe what
they see in your nonverbal communication more readily than what they hear in
your words.

key terms
Nonverbal
communication

Nonverbal expectancy

theory

Emotional contagion

theory

13.2 Identify and describe four methods of delivery.

Of the four methods of delivery—manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and ex-
temporaneous—the extemporaneous method is the most desirable in most situ-
ations. Speak from an outline without memorizing the exact words.

key terms
Manuscript speaking
Memorized speaking
Impromptu speaking
Extemporaneous speaking

13.3 Identify and illustrate the characteristics of effective delivery.

Eye contact is the single most important delivery variable. Make eye contact with
the whole audience before and throughout your speech. Your gestures and move-
ments should appear natural and relaxed, definite, consistent with your message,
varied, unobtrusive, and coordinated with what you say, as well as appropriate
to your audience and situation. Adapt gestures to the cultural diversity of your
audience. Use your posture, facial expressions, and vocal cues—including pitch,
rate of speaking, and use of pauses—to communicate your emotions. Be sure
to speak loudly enough and to articulate clearly. If English is not your native
language, you may have to spend extra time working on your pronunciation and
articulation.

key terms
Immediacy
Immediacy behaviors
Volume
Articulation

Dialect

Pronunciation

Pitch

Inflection

Lavaliere microphone

Boom microphone

Stationary microphone