Topic 5: Presenting

Activity 8: Reading – Delivering Your Speech

^{This activity is adapted from Chapter 12: Public Speaking by Terri Johnson (2024) which is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license. In this revised version, we have added and removed content, and reworded information to suit this course.}

Presenting

The four most common delivery styles for public speaking are speaking from memory, impromptu speaking, manuscript speaking, and extemporaneous speaking. Each style has unique characteristics and is suited to specific occasions.

Speaking from memory involves delivering a speech without notes or a script. Historically, before writing became widespread, orators would memorize their speeches, sometimes for months, before presenting to an audience. In contemporary contexts, this style is primarily used for ceremonial speeches, such as introductions, wedding toasts, or eulogies. Memorized delivery can add a polished and formal touch to an event, but it requires significant preparation and practice to avoid sounding robotic or forgetting key points. To succeed, rehearse extensively and integrate natural gestures and vocal variety to engage your audience.

Impromptu speaking requires delivering a speech with little or no preparation. This style is common in professional settings, such as when responding to questions in meetings or participating in discussions. To navigate impromptu speaking, you can follow a simple framework: begin by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to speak, restate the question or topic in your own words, provide your response, and conclude by connecting your answer to the larger context. If you are unable to answer the question, it is acceptable to acknowledge this and promise to follow up later. This approach demonstrates professionalism and integrity.

Manuscript speaking involves reading directly from a pre-written text. This style is appropriate when accuracy and eloquence are critical, such as in political speeches, academic presentations, or newscasts. Canadian politicians, for instance, often deliver speeches from manuscripts to ensure their messages are clear and precise. If you choose this style, format your manuscript for readability by using large fonts, double-spacing, and bold or italicized text for emphasis. Rehearse thoroughly to maintain eye contact and engage with your audience, ensuring your delivery does not feel overly reliant on the text.

Extemporaneous speaking is considered the most effective and dynamic style of public speaking. It strikes a balance between preparation and spontaneity. Speakers create an outline of their key points and practice extensively but rely on minimal notes during delivery. This style allows for adaptability to audience reactions while maintaining a structured and coherent message. For example, if you are delivering a speech on climate change policies in Canada, you would research your topic, outline your main points and supporting arguments, and use keyword notes to guide your delivery. This approach enhances engagement by allowing a conversational tone and a sense of immediacy.

Activity 9: Interactive – Extemporaneous Speech Recording

Step 1: Have you ever made an Instagram reel or TikTok video in which you’re speaking directly into the camera? This is an example of extemporaneous speaking. You may have thought about what you want to say, but you didn’t memorize a script.

Step 2: Think about something that you could talk to your audience on social media about. What could you talk about for one minute straight without memorizing? You can plan your speech, but don’t memorize it. Your topic could be as simple as your dog, a recent shopping haul, a brief story, etc.

Step 3: Record your speech all in one take.

Step 4: Re-record your speech. Is the second try longer or shorter than your first?

Step 5: Re-record one final time. Did you hit your main points, but not ramble? This is what you’re after!

Activity 10: Personal Reflection Journal – Reflection Question 3

Please answer the following reflection questions in any format you like (such as in writing, a video, note form, or a drawing). Save your reflection responses in one large file so you can refer to them later in the course if needed. Please read the text after you have completed the reflection question activity.

Activity 11: Reading – What is Good Delivery?

^{This activity is adapted from Chapter 12: Public Speaking by Terri Johnson (2024) which is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license. In this revised version, we have added and removed content, inserted images, and reworded information to suit this course.}
Good delivery combines clarity, coherence, and engagement while minimizing distractions. Communication scholar Stephen E. Lucas describes effective delivery as presenting ideas in a way that is clear, interesting, and free from elements that might detract from the speaker’s message. Audiences tend to prefer a delivery style that feels like a polished conversation—direct, spontaneous, animated, and expressive.

Nonverbal communication plays a significant role in effective delivery. Research by psychologist Albert Mehrabian, while sometimes oversimplified, underscores the importance of facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language in how audiences perceive a speaker’s message. Although words are vital, nonverbal elements often carry greater weight in determining audience understanding and engagement.

Conversational Style

Conversational style refers to a speaker’s ability to sound natural and expressive while maintaining the audience’s attention. This style mirrors how you might speak in a smaller, more personal setting, rather than adopting a didactic or overly formal tone. The goal is to make your delivery feel accessible and engaging, even if you are addressing a larger group.

A key component of conversational style is what Lucas terms “conversational quality.” This means that even if you have rehearsed your speech multiple times, it should sound spontaneous and fresh. Achieving this balance requires extensive preparation and practice, as the goal is to make your delivery feel as though your ideas are occurring naturally in the moment. When done effectively, this approach captures your audience’s attention and keeps them engaged.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is essential for building a connection with your audience. It conveys sincerity, confidence, and attentiveness. When a speaker avoids eye contact, the audience may feel ignored or disconnected, as though the speaker is not genuinely engaging with them.

Maintaining eye contact can be challenging, especially for new speakers, but it is a skill that improves with practice.

One strategy is to alternate your gaze between your notes and different sections of the audience, ensuring everyone feels included. Avoid “faking” eye contact by staring at a spot above the audience’s heads or scanning the room mechanically, as this can appear disingenuous. Instead, focus on making genuine connections with individual audience members, even if only briefly.

Effective Use of Vocalics

Vocalics, or paralanguage, refers to how you use your voice to convey meaning. This includes elements such as volume, pitch, rate, pauses, and pronunciation. An effective speaker ensures their voice is loud enough to be heard by all audience members, even those at the back of the room, and clear enough to be understood by everyone, including English-language learners or those with hearing impairments.

Vocal variety—changing volume, pitch, and rate—adds interest and helps emphasize key points. Strategic pauses can underscore important ideas and give the audience time to absorb your message. If you are unsure of the correct pronunciation of a word, take the time to research it. Mispronunciations can harm your credibility or confuse your audience.

Physical Manipulation

Nonverbal communication, including posture, movement, gestures, and facial expressions, is a critical component of effective delivery. Posture communicates confidence and authority. Standing tall and avoiding slouching signals that you are prepared and professional.

Body movement should be purposeful, not random or repetitive. For instance, you might take a few steps when transitioning between main points to emphasize the shift in ideas. Gestures, such as hand movements, should be natural and used to highlight specific points, but avoid overusing them as this can distract your audience.

Facial expressions convey emotion and can reinforce the tone of your message. A smile at the beginning of your speech can establish rapport, while more serious expressions may be appropriate for heavier topics. Practice in front of a mirror or record yourself to ensure your facial expressions align with your message.

Activity 12: Reading – Presentation Aids and Technology

^{This activity is adapted from Chapter 12: Public Speaking by Terri Johnson (2024) which is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license. In this revised version, we have added and removed content, inserted images, and reworded information to suit this course.}

Functions of Presentation Aids

Presentation aids, such as visual or audio elements, support your speech by enhancing understanding, retention, and interest. While a good speech can stand on its own, strategic use of presentation aids can make it even more impactful. These aids can clarify complex information, emphasize key points, boost audience engagement, and enhance your credibility as a speaker.

Improve Audience Understanding

Presentation aids simplify complex ideas, making them more accessible to the audience. Human communication is inherently subjective, and misunderstandings can easily occur. Visual aids like diagrams, charts, and graphs provide an additional layer of clarity. For instance, explaining the Coriolis effect during a speech about weather patterns would be more effective with a diagram illustrating the interaction between wind patterns. This allows the audience to process the information visually and verbally, improving comprehension.

Clarify Key Points

Clarifying your message is crucial, especially when discussing intricate or abstract concepts. Presentation aids help make these ideas concrete and understandable. For example, in a speech on water scarcity, a conceptual diagram showing how only a fraction of the world’s water is potable can vividly emphasize the critical nature of the issue.

Enhance Retention and Recall

Research shows that most human learning occurs visually, with 83% of information retained through visual input. Presentation aids can reinforce your message and help your audience remember key points long after the speech ends. Sequential aids, such as a slide deck organized by your main points, also help the audience follow the structure of your speech, making it easier to recall the information later.

Using aids during your rehearsal process can also enhance your delivery. By associating specific visual elements with parts of your speech, you create natural cues to remind yourself of what to say next. For instance, a slide showing various diamond cuts—brilliant, marquise, emerald—can help you remember the sequence of points you intend to discuss. However, visual aids do not have to be digital—you could show an object or series of objects to help your audience understand your purpose.

Add Variety and Interest

Presentation aids make your speech more dynamic by breaking up the monotony of spoken words. For example, a presentation on new rose varieties might be enhanced by including vibrant images of the flowers. Similarly, a speech on Indian spices could incorporate samples for the audience to see, smell, or even taste, creating a multisensory experience.

Enhance Speaker Credibility

Well-designed presentation aids contribute to a professional image. Conversely, poorly executed aids, such as cluttered slides or misspelled text, can damage your credibility. A polished, organized aid demonstrates preparation and attention to detail. Always ensure your presentation aids are visually clean, easy to interpret, and properly credited if sourced from external materials. In an online environment, digital objects are most helpful. In a face-to-face environment, you may use physical objects so that your audience can see, smell, or taste them!

Basic Design Principles for Presentation Technology

If you use technology-based presentation tools like PowerPoint or Prezi, following basic design principles can ensure your aids are effective and enhance your speech.

Images

Prioritize high-quality, high-resolution images that are clear and visually appealing. Use images sparingly, ensuring they directly relate to your speech’s content. Videos can also be effective, but should be edited and seamlessly embedded into your presentation.

Text

Text on slides should be concise. Avoid full sentences; instead, use brief phrases or keywords to complement your spoken words. Choose fonts that are easy to read and avoid decorative or overly stylized fonts. Use a consistent font style and size throughout your presentation, with titles in at least 36-point font and body text no smaller than 24-point.

Colour

Select a colour scheme that ensures readability. If your background is dark, use light-coloured text, and vice versa. Maintain a consistent colour palette across all slides to create a cohesive visual experience.

Consistency

Your entire presentation should have a unified look. This includes consistent use of fonts, colours, and layouts. A disjointed design can distract your audience and detract from your message. Note that the image used above and the one below are similar and consistent in colour and purpose.

Using Presentation Aids Effectively

When incorporating presentation aids into your speech, always prioritize your audience and the purpose of your speech. The aid should support your message, not overshadow it. Practice using your aids during rehearsal to ensure smooth transitions and effective integration into your delivery. By keeping your presentation aids simple, relevant, and professional, you enhance both the quality of your speech and your connection with the audience.

Practicing Effectively

Practice is essential for developing strong delivery skills. Effective practice goes beyond simply reading through your notes; it involves rehearsing your speech as you intend to deliver it. Stand as you would during the actual presentation, practice gestures, and simulate eye contact with your audience. Recording yourself can help identify areas for improvement, such as pacing, vocal variety, or distracting habits like swaying or fidgeting.

Seeking feedback from peers, instructors, or friends can also provide valuable insights. Specific questions, such as, “Was my rate of speech clear?” or “Did my gestures feel natural?”, can encourage constructive criticism. Incorporating this feedback into your practice sessions allows you to refine your delivery further.

Media Attributions

Davisuko. (2017, May 8). Teal and orange pinapple décor [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/teal-and-orange-pineapple-decor-rhUU1pemhQ0

Lyke, K. (2022, June 22). A person wearing headphones [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-person-wearing-headphones-0eUjGng7JsM

Stankiewicz, A. (2018, July 23). Bowl of food lot [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/bowl-of-food-lot-obMdrL5pFWI

Walls.io. (2023, July 24). A group of people sitting around a wooden table [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-sitting-around-a-wooden-table-0gyQFo0qAKE

References

Baker, C. (1970). Persuasion and speaker credibility. Public Speaking Quarterly.

Thompson, J. (1965). Speech clarity and audience memory. Canadian Journal of Communication Studies.