journal 1

Throughout this chapter I learned a lot about the concepts behind public speaking. I never knew how much truly went into it and the different pieces that make up public speaking. In my eyes, this chapter really taught me a lot and opened my eyes up to the true importance of a proper speech. I never realized how much we truly use this skill. Within the first few pages, the chapter opened up and stated that whether we practice it or not, we are going to need to excel in public speaking because throughout our lives it is used a tremendous amount. It’s the fact that it gives you a voice that can be heard. In order to make it meaningful, you have to be knowledgeable and prepared about your topic. I never really dug deep into the true meaning behind speeches but it’s the fact that you’re relaying a message to an audience and you want your message to be loud and clear. In order to do this, key parts are essential to your overall speech. These are invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. These allow your speech to flow a lot like you want it to and be less choppy, and a lot clearer and to the point than just a paper would sound. Public speaking is a lot like normal conversation and writing but you don’t get interrupted, and with this, you need to make sure your argument is clear and grabs the audience’s attention. In order to do this, public speaking flows well by using easy to understand vocabulary, sentences that flow and are easy to comprehend, and also repetition; whether it is words to the point you are trying to make. This allows for your audience to comprehend what you’re saying and also have the material to stick with them and in the end be more powerful.  Public speaking has a lot of aspects that I never realized, but I think the biggest take away from this chapter is connecting with your audience and making sure that they are involved in your message and emotions behind it. I think this is good to know going forward with this course, and I cannot wait to learn more things about it because the more I know the more comfortable I will feel completing the task at hand.