472 Glossary
psychological audience analysis: Analyzing the attitudes,
beliefs, values, and other psychological information about
an audience to develop a clear and effective message
public-relations speech: A speech designed to inform the pub-
lic, to strengthen alliances with them, and in some cases to
recommend policy
public speaking: The process of presenting a message to an
audience
pun: A verbal device that uses double meanings to create
humor
race: A person’s biological heritage
reasoning: The process of drawing a conclusion from evidence
reasoning by sign: Using the existence of one or more events
to reach a specific conclusion that another event has occurred
or will occur
receiver: A listener or an audience member
recency: Arrangement of the ideas in a speech from the least to
the most important
red herring: Irrelevant facts or information used to distract
someone from the issue under discussion
reflective thinking: A method of structuring a problem-
solving discussion that involves (1) identifying and defining
the problem, (2) analyzing the problem, (3) generating pos-
sible solutions, (4) selecting the best solution, and (5) testing
and implementing the solution
regionalism: A word or phrase used uniquely by speakers in
one part of a country
relational-oriented listener: Someone who is comfortable lis-
tening to others express feelings and emotions
relationship: An ongoing connection with another person
reluctant testimony: A statement by someone who has
reversed his or her position on a given issue
remember: To recall ideas and information
repetition: Use of a key word or phrase more than once for
emphasis
respond: to react with a change in behavior to a speaker’s
message
rhetoric: The use of words and symbols to achieve a goal
rhetorical criticism: The process of using a method or standards
to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of messages
rhetorical question: A question that is intended to provoke
thought rather than to elicit an answer
rhetorical strategies: Methods and techniques used by speak-
ers to achieve their goals
secondary source: An individual, organization, or publication
that reports information or data gathered by another entity
select: To single out a message from several competing ones
self-actualization: The need to achieve one’s highest potential
sex: A person’s biological status as male or female, as reflected
in his or her anatomy and reproductive system
signposts: Cues about the relationships between a speaker’s
ideas
simile: A comparison between two things that uses the word
like or as
situational audience analysis: Analyzing the time and place
of a speech, the audience size, and the speaking occasion to
develop a clear and effective message
small group communication: Interaction among from three to
twelve people who share a common purpose, feel a sense of
belonging to the group, and influence one anotheropen-ended questions: Questions that allow for unrestricted
answers
operational definition: A definition that explains how some-
thing works or what it does or that describes procedures for
observing or measuring the concept being defined
opinion: Testimony or a quotation that expresses someone’s
attitudes, beliefs, or values
oral citation: The oral presentation of such information about a
source as the author, title, and year of publication
panel discussion: A group discussion designed to inform an
audience about issues or a problem or to make recommen-
dations
parallelism: Use of the same grammatical pattern for two or
more clauses or sentences
pathos: The term that Aristotle used to refer to appeals to
emotion
pedagogy: The art and science of teaching children
periodical index: A listing of bibliographical data for articles
published in a group of magazines and/or journals during
a given time period
personification: The attribution of human qualities to inani-
mate things or ideas
persuasion: The process of changing or reinforcing a listener’s
attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior
picture graph: A graph that uses images or pictures to symbol-
ize data
pie graph: A circular graph divided into wedges that show the
distribution of data
pitch: The highness or lowness of voice sounds
patchwriting: Using someone else’s phrases in a speech with-
out acknowledging the source
plagiarize: To present someone else’s ideas as though they
were one’s own
preliminary bibliography: A list of potential resources to be
used in the preparation of a speech
preparation outline: A detailed outline that includes main
ideas, subpoints, and supporting material and that may also
include a speech’s specific purpose, introduction, blueprint,
signposts, and conclusion
presentation aid: Any tangible object, image, or sound that
helps to communicate an idea to an audience
preview: A statement of what is to come
primacy: Arrangement of the ideas in a speech from the most
to the least important
primary source: The original collector and interpreter of infor-
mation or data
problem–solution organization: Organization that focuses on
a problem and various solutions or a solution and the prob-
lems it would solve
pronunciation: The proper use of sounds to form words
clearly and accurately
proposition: A statement with which a speaker wants an audi-
ence to agree
proposition of fact: A proposition that focuses on whether
something is true or false or whether it did or did not
happen
proposition of policy: A proposition that advocates a change
in a policy, procedure, or behavior
proposition of value: A proposition that calls for a listener to
judge the worth or importance of somethingZ04_BEEB3981_05_SE_Gloss_469-474.indd 472 11/14/14 5:48 PM