When speakers share information with audiences, they also share their points of view. It is virtually impossible to cover everything there is to know about any important subject in a short message. Therefore, speakers are always selective with regard to what information they communicate, highlighting the ideas and material that they believe best represent the [...]
I knew she was lying the minute she said it. There was guilt written all over her face!
He sure is shifty! Did you see how his eyes darted back and forth? He never did look us straight in the eye! Most of us believe we can judge people’s character, determine their true feelings, and tell [...]
Ceremonial speeches serve important social functions. They reinforce the values that hold people together in a community and give listeners a sense of order and purpose in their lives. They build the major premises for later arguments and put the spotlight on leadership.
Major Techniques of Ceremonial Speaking. Two major techniques of ceremonial speaking are identification [...]
Most actors learn—often the hard way—that if you want to steal a scene from someone, all you have to do is move around, develop a twitch, or swing a leg. Before long, all eyes will be focused on that movement. This theatrical trick shows that physical movement sometimes can attract more attention than words. All [...]
While the systematic process described above works well in many situations, there are times when a different approach may be needed. When a group consists of people from different areas of the public and private sectors, collaborative problem solving may work best. For example, in many urban areas, coalitions of business executives and educators have [...]
An informative speech also can reveal and clarify options for action. Information expands our awareness, opens new horizons, and suggests fresh possibilities. Information can also help us discard unworkable options. The better we understand a subject, the more intelligent the choices we can make on issues that surround it. For example, what should we know [...]