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CHAPTER 11 Speech Delivery

Jan 02, 2020

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CHAPTER 11 Speech Delivery. 11.1 Effective Speech Delivery 11.2 Delivery, Rehearsal, and Audience Adaptation. Lesson 11.1 Effective Speech Delivery. GOALS Explain the characteristics of an effective delivery style. Describe how to use your voice effectively when delivering speeches.

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CHAPTER 11Speech Delivery 11.1 Effective Speech Delivery 11.2 Delivery, Rehearsal, and Audience Adaptation

Lesson 11.1Effective Speech Delivery CHAPTER11 GOALS • Explain the characteristics of an effective delivery style. • Describe how to use your voice effectively when delivering speeches. • Define nonverbal communication and discuss different types.

An Effective Delivery Style CHAPTER11 • Speech delivery • Nonverbal language

Conversational Tone CHAPTER11 • Sounds relaxed and informal • Allows you to talk with, not at, the audience • Sounds as if you are thinking about the ideas and the audience

Developing a Conversational Tone CHAPTER11 • Learn the ideas • Don’t memorize • Rehearse

Be Animated CHAPTER11 • Animated delivery • Lively • Energetic • Enthusiastic • Dynamic • Level of animation

Use Your Voice Effectively CHAPTER11 • Speak clearly • Use vocal expressiveness

Speak Clearly CHAPTER11 • Vocal characteristics • Pitch • Volume • Rate • Quality • Articulation and accent • Articulation • Accent

Use Vocal Expressiveness CHAPTER11 • Changing pitch, volume, and rate • Expressing of certain words • Using pauses

Effective Nonverbal Language CHAPTER11 • Facial expressions • Gestures • Movement • Eye contact • Posture • Appearance

Lesson 11.2Delivery, Rehearsal, and Audience Adaptation CHAPTER11 GOALS • Explain three speech delivery methods. • Discuss how to rehearse your speech. • Identify guidelines for adapting to the audience while giving your speech.

Speech Delivery Methods CHAPTER11 • Impromptu speeches • Scripted speeches • Extemporaneous speeches

Rehearsal CHAPTER11 • Schedule and conduct rehearsal sessions • Prepare speech notes • Rehearse your speech

Rehearse Your Speech CHAPTER11 1. Practice wording your ideas 2. Practice working with your voice and movements 3. Practice using your presentation aids and speech notes

First Rehearsal CHAPTER11 1. Audiotape or videotape your practice session 2. Read through your complete outline two times to refresh your memory 3. Make the practice as similar to the speech situation as possible 4. Write down the time you begin 5. Begin speaking, and present your entire speech 6. Write down the time you finish

Analysis CHAPTER11 • Did you leave out any key ideas? • Did you talk too long on one point? • Did you devote too little time to one point? • Were your speech notes effective? • How well did you do with your presentation aids?

Second Rehearsal CHAPTER11 • Complete second rehearsal immediately after the first • Repeat the six steps listed for the first rehearsal

Additional Rehearsals CHAPTER11 • Wait several hours or until the next day • Rehearse at least one more time • Practice until you are comfortable

Adapt to Your Audience CHAPTER11 1. Be aware of and respond to the audience’s feedback 2. Be prepared to use alternative material you have developed 3. Correct yourself when you make a mistake 4. Adapt to unexpected events 5. Adapt to unexpected audience reactions 6. Handle questions with respect

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Methods of speech delivery, learning objectives.

Identify the four types of speech delivery methods and when to use them.

There are four basic methods of speech delivery: manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous. We’ll look at each method and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

A manuscript page from President George W. Bush’s address to the nation on the day of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

A manuscript speech is when the speaker writes down every word they will speak during the speech. When they deliver the speech, they have each word planned and in front of them on the page, much like a newscaster who reads from a teleprompter.

The advantage of using a manuscript is that the speaker has access to every word they’ve prepared in advance. There is no guesswork or memorization needed. This method comforts some speakers’ nerves as they don’t have to worry about that moment where they might freeze and forget what they’ve planned to say. They also are able to make exact quotes from their source material.

When the exact wording of an idea is crucial, speakers often read from a manuscript, for instance in communicating public statements from a company.

However, the disadvantage with a manuscript is that the speakers have MANY words in front of them on the page. This prohibits one of the most important aspects of delivery, eye contact. When many words are on the page, the speakers will find themselves looking down at those words more frequently because they will need the help. If they do look up at the audience, they often cannot find their place when the eye returns to the page. Also, when nerves come into play, speakers with manuscripts often default to reading from the page and forget that they are not making eye contact or engaging their audience. Therefore, manuscript is a very difficult delivery method and not ideal.  Above all, the speakers should remember to rehearse with the script so that they practice looking up often.

Public Speaking in History

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, owed in large part to a momentary error made by an East German government spokesperson. At a live press conference, Günter Schabowski tried to explain new rules relaxing East Germany’s severe travel restrictions. A reporter asked, “when do these new rules go into effect?” Visibly flustered, Schabowski said, “As far as I know, it takes effect immediately, without delay.” In fact, the new visa application procedure was supposed to begin the following day, and with a lot of bureaucracy and red tape. Instead, thousands of East Berliners arrived within minutes at the border crossings, demanding to pass through immediately. The rest is history.

The outcome of this particular public-relations blunder was welcomed by the vast majority of East and West German citizens, and hastened the collapse of communism in Eastern and Central Europe. It’s probably good, then, that Schabowski ran this particular press conference extemporaneously, rather than reading from a manuscript.

You can view the transcript for “The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall” here (opens in new window) .

A memorized speech is also fully prepared in advance and one in which the speaker does not use any notes. In the case of an occasion speech like a quick toast, a brief dedication, or a short eulogy, word-for-word memorization might make sense. Usually, though, it doesn’t involve committing each and every word to memory, Memorizing a speech isn’t like memorizing a poem where you need to remember every word exactly as written. Don’t memorize a manuscript! Work with your outline instead. Practice with the outline until you can recall the content and order of your main points without effort. Then it’s just a matter of practicing until you’re able to elaborate on your key points in a natural and seamless manner. Ideally, a memorized speech will sound like an off-the-cuff statement by someone who is a really eloquent speaker and an exceptionally organized thinker!

The advantage of a memorized speech is that the speaker can fully face their audience and make lots of eye contact. The problem with a memorized speech is that speakers may get nervous and forget the parts they’ve memorized. Without any notes to lean on, the speaker may hesitate and leave lots of dead air in the room while trying to recall what was planned. Sometimes, the speaker can’t remember or find his or her place in the speech and are forced to go get the notes or go back to the PowerPoint in some capacity to try to trigger his or her memory. This can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable moment for the speaker and the audience, and is a moment which could be easily avoided by using a different speaking method.

How to: memorize a speech

There are lots of tips out there about how to memorize speeches. Here’s one that loosely follows an ancient memorization strategy called the method of loci or “memory palace,” which uses visualizations of familiar spatial environments in order to enhance the recall of information.

You can view the transcript for “How to Memorize a Speech” here (opens in new window) .

An impromptu speech is one for which there is little to no preparation. There is often not a warning even that the person may be asked to speak. For example, your speech teacher may ask you to deliver a speech on your worst pet peeve. You may or may not be given a few minutes to organize your thoughts. What should you do? DO NOT PANIC. Even under pressure, you can create a basic speech that follows the formula of an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you have a few minutes, jot down some notes that fit into each part of the speech. (In fact, the phrase “speaking off the cuff,” which means speaking without preparation, probably refers to the idea that one would jot a few notes on one’s shirt cuff before speaking impromptu.) [1] ) An introduction should include an attention getter, introduction of the topic, speaker credibility, and forecasting of main points. The body should have two or three main points. The conclusion should have a summary, call to action, and final thought. If you can organize your thoughts into those three parts, you will sound like a polished speaker. Even if you only hit two of them, it will still help you to think about the speech in those parts. For example, if a speech is being given on a pet peeve of chewed gum being left under desks in classrooms, it might be organized like this.

• Introduction : Speaker chews gum loudly and then puts it under a desk (attention getter, demonstration). Speaker introduces themselves and the topic and why they’re qualified to speak on it (topic introduction and credibility). “I’m Katie Smith and I’ve been a student at this school for three years and witnessed this gum problem the entire time.”
• Body : Speaker states three main points of why we shouldn’t leave gum on desks: it’s rude, it makes custodians have to work harder, it affects the next student who gets nastiness on their seat (forecast of order). Speaker then discusses those three points
• Conclusion : Speaker summarizes those three points (summary, part 1 of conclusion), calls on the audience to pledge to never do this again (call to action), and gives a quote from Michael Jordan about respecting property (final thought).

While an impromptu speech can be challenging, the advantage is that it can also be thrilling as the speaker thinks off the cuff and says what they’re most passionate about in the moment. A speaker should not be afraid to use notes during an impromptu speech if they were given any time to organize their thoughts.

The disadvantage is that there is no time for preparation, so finding research to support claims such as quotes or facts cannot be included. The lack of preparation makes some speakers more nervous and they may struggle to engage the audience due to their nerves.

Extemporaneous

The last method of delivery we’ll look at is extemporaneous. When speaking extemporaneously, speakers prepare some notes in advance that help trigger their memory of what they planned to say. These notes are often placed on notecards. A 4”x6” notecard or 5”x7” size card works well. This size of notecards can be purchased at any office supply store. Speakers should determine what needs to go on each card by reading through their speech notes and giving themselves phrases to say out loud. These notes are not full sentences, but help the speakers, who turn them into a full sentence when spoken aloud. Note that if a quote is being used, listing that quote verbatim is fine.

The advantage of extemporaneous speaking is that the speakers are able to speak in a more conversational tone by letting the cards guide them, but not dictate every word they say. This method allows for the speakers to make more eye contact with the audience. The shorter note forms also prevent speakers from getting lost in their words. Numbering these cards also helps if one gets out of order. Also, these notes are not ones the teacher sees or collects. While you may be required to turn in your speech outline, your extemporaneous notecards are not seen by anyone but you. Therefore, you can also write yourself notes to speak up, slow down, emphasize a point, go to the next slide, etc.

The disadvantage to extemporaneous is the speakers may forget what else was planned to say or find a card to be out of order. This problem can be avoided through rehearsal and double-checking the note order before speaking.

Many speakers consider the extemporaneous method to be the ideal speaking method because it allows them to be prepared, keeps the audience engaged, and makes the speakers more natural in their delivery. In your public speaking class, most of your speeches will probably be delivered extemporaneously.

• As per the Oxford English Dictionary' s entry for "Off the Cuff." See an extensive discussion at Mark Liberman's Language Log here: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4130 ↵
• Method of loci definition. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall. Provided by : Vox. Located at : https://youtu.be/Mn4VDwaV-oo . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• How to Memorize a Speech. Authored by : Memorize Academy. Located at : https://youtu.be/rvBw__VNrsc . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Address to the Nation. Provided by : U.S. National Archives. Located at : https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2011/09/06/911-an-address-to-the-nation/ . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
• Methods of Speech Delivery. Authored by : Misti Wills with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

Speak Like a Pro: The Ultimate Guide to Flawless Speech Delivery Techniques Revealed!

Eloquence Everly

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Implementing  effective speech delivery  techniques is essential to captivate and engage your audience. By following these techniques, you can improve your public speaking skills and deliver persuasive and engaging presentations.

Key Takeaways:

• Thoroughly prepare and practice your speech before delivering it.
• Create a distraction-free  presentation environment  with proper lighting and visibility.
• Pay attention to your  personal appearance  and maintain good  body language  during the speech.
• Focus on  vocal delivery  strategies such as clear  enunciation , appropriate  loudness and speed , and  variations in speed and force .
• Utilize effective  body language  by maintaining  eye contact , using  gestures and movement  naturally, and avoiding distracting mannerisms.

Preparation for Speech Delivery

Before delivering a speech, thorough preparation is essential. By taking the time to prepare, you can ensure a smooth and confident delivery that captivates your audience . Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Create a Well-Organized Set of Notes: To guide you during your presentation, create a clear and concise set of notes. This will help you stay on track and ensure you cover all your key points. Structure your notes in a logical manner, using headings and bullet points for easy reference.
• Engage in Ample Practice: Practice makes perfect, so dedicate time to rehearse your speech. Familiarize yourself with the content, flow, and timing of your presentation. Practice in front of a mirror, friends, or colleagues to receive feedback and make necessary improvements.
• Prepare the  Presentation Environment : The environment in which you deliver your speech can greatly impact its effectiveness. Consider factors such as lighting, visibility, and distractions. Ensure that the room is well-lit and that your audience can see and hear you clearly. Eliminate any distractions or potential interruptions.
• Test and Have a Backup Plan for  Audiovisual Equipment : If you will be using  audiovisual equipment , such as a microphone or projector, it is crucial to test them beforehand. Check for any technical issues and have a backup plan in case of equipment failure. This will help you avoid any disruptions and allow for a seamless delivery.

By adequately preparing your speech, notes, and the  presentation environment , you can set yourself up for success and deliver a confident and impactful presentation to your audience.

Personal Appearance and Body Language

When delivering a speech, your  personal appearance  and  body language  significantly impact the impression you make on your audience. Here are some key tips to ensure you project confidence and professionalism:

Dress Appropriately

Choose attire that is suitable for the occasion and reflects your respect for the audience and the topic. Ensure your outfit is clean, well-fitted, and comfortable. Avoid wearing hats or caps that can obstruct your face and hinder your nonverbal communication.

Maintain Good Posture

Stand or sit up straight, with your shoulders back and chin parallel to the ground. This posture exudes confidence and engages your audience . Remember to distribute your weight evenly and avoid excessive shifting or fidgeting.

Eye Contact

Maintaining  eye contact  is crucial for establishing connection and credibility with your audience. Look directly at individuals while speaking, making an effort to engage different parts of the room. Avoid constantly referring to notes or reading from a script, as this can diminish the impact of your message.

Avoid Distracting Mannerisms

Be mindful of your body language throughout your speech. Minimize excessive hand movements, pacing, or other distracting mannerisms that can detract from your message. Focus on conveying confidence and clarity through calm and composed  gestures .

By paying attention to your  personal appearance  and body language, you can enhance your speech delivery and effectively engage your audience .

Vocal Delivery Strategies

Your  vocal delivery  plays a crucial role in how your speech is received by the audience. By implementing effective vocal techniques, you can enhance the impact of your message and maintain audience attention. Let’s explore some strategies to improve your  vocal delivery :

Enunciation and Clarity

Clear  enunciation  is vital for effective communication. Ensure that you pronounce your words distinctly and avoid mumbling or garbling. By articulating each word clearly, you enhance the audience’s understanding and engagement with your speech.

Appropriate Loudness and Speed

Adjusting your volume and speed based on the audience, venue, and topic is crucial for effective vocal delivery. Speak loudly enough to be heard, but avoid being overly loud or shouting. Similarly, vary your speed to maintain audience interest and emphasize key points, but avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly.

Variations in Speed, Inflections, and Force

Utilizing variations in speed, inflections, and force adds depth and meaning to your speech. By emphasizing certain words or phrases, you can convey the significance and emotion behind them. Adjusting the pace of your speech can create anticipation or highlight important information. Use this technique strategically to enhance your message and keep your audience engaged.

Minimize Filler Words

Filler words such as “um,” “uh,” and “like” can detract from the impact and clarity of your delivery. Minimize their use to ensure a smooth and impactful presentation. Pausing briefly instead of using filler words can also add emphasis and facilitate better understanding.

“Clear and confident vocal delivery is essential for engaging your audience. Enunciate your words with clarity, speak at an appropriate  loudness and speed , utilize  variations in speed and force , and minimize the use of filler words. These strategies will help you captivate your audience and effectively convey your message.”

Now that you have learned about effective vocal delivery strategies, let’s move on to exploring the importance of body language in speech delivery.

Effective Use of Body Language

When delivering a speech, your body language can greatly impact how your message is received by the audience. By mastering the art of body language , you can effectively communicate your ideas and captivate your listeners.

Maintaining Eye Contact

One of the most important aspects of body language is maintaining eye contact with your audience. This establishes a connection between you and your listeners, making them feel engaged and involved in your speech. Avoid excessively reading from notes, as this can hinder eye contact and create a barrier between you and your audience. Instead, glance at your notes discreetly when necessary and focus on making eye contact with individuals throughout the room.

Using Gestures and Movement

“Gestures, in my opinion, are the most powerful tool we have in becoming an effective communicator.” – Andrea Foy

Gestures and movement  can add depth and emphasis to your speech. Use them naturally to illustrate concepts, reinforce transitions between ideas, and highlight key points. However, it’s important to be mindful of using  gestures  in a controlled and purposeful manner. Avoid excessive or distracting movements that can draw attention away from your message. Instead, use  gestures and movement  to enhance your delivery and engage your audience.

Show Enthusiasm and Commitment

When delivering a speech, it’s vital to demonstrate interest and passion in your topic. Show enthusiasm through your body language, such as by smiling, using facial expressions that reflect your emotions, and maintaining an open and confident posture. This not only captures the audience’s attention but also conveys your commitment to the subject matter, making your speech more compelling and memorable.

Avoiding Distracting Mannerisms

While  gestures  and  movement  are important, it’s crucial to avoid distracting or aimless mannerisms that can detract from your message. Be aware of any nervous habits, such as fidgeting, excessive hand movements, or aimless shifting of weight. These mannerisms can undermine your credibility and divert the audience’s attention from your speech. Practice self-awareness and aim for body language that is purposeful, controlled, and complementary to your message.

Improving Verbal Delivery

When delivering a speech, your verbal delivery plays a crucial role in engaging your audience. To ensure your message reaches every corner of the room, focus on the following aspects:

• Projection :  Speak with enough volume to reach people in the back of the room. This will ensure clear communication and prevent your words from getting lost in the space.
• Comfortable Rate :  Speak at a pace that allows your audience to comprehend and absorb your message. Pausing occasionally not only helps you catch your breath but also gives the listeners time to process the information.
• Clear Articulation :  Enunciate your words clearly to facilitate understanding. Avoid mumbling or rushing through your sentences, as this can make it difficult for your audience to follow along.
• Vocal Habits :  Pay attention to any vocal habits that may distract your listeners. Eliminate vocalized pauses like “um” or “uh” and work on maintaining a steady volume throughout your speech. Avoid speaking more softly at the end of sentences, as it can diminish the impact of your message.

Sample Table: Comparing Verbal Delivery Techniques

By focusing on  projection ,  comfortable rate ,  clear articulation , and eliminating distracting  vocal habits , you can deliver a speech that captivates your audience and ensures effective communication.

Enhancing Nonverbal Delivery

Nonverbal delivery plays a crucial role in enhancing your overall speech delivery and making a lasting impact on your audience. By utilizing effective eye contact,  movement , gestures, and an  unobtrusive use of notes , you can captivate and engage your listeners. These nonverbal elements add depth and authenticity to your speech, helping to convey your message effectively.

Eye Contact:  Making eye contact with individuals in your audience establishes a connection and shows that you are genuinely interested in their presence. Avoid excessive reading from notes, as it can break the eye contact and lessen your impact. Instead, actively engage with your audience, scanning the room and making meaningful eye contact with different individuals throughout your speech.

Movement:  Movement on stage or in front of your audience can help you control nervousness and create visual interest. Utilize the space around you, taking purposeful steps and making slight changes in position to capture the attention of your listeners. Movement should be natural and deliberate, enhancing your message rather than distracting from it.

Gestures:  Gestures and arm movements can add emphasis and clarify your spoken words. Use them to reinforce key points, illustrate concepts, and enhance the overall impact of your speech. Effective gestures appear natural and are synchronized with the rhythm and flow of your speech, engaging your audience on a visual level and reinforcing the meaning of your words.

Unobtrusive Use of Notes:  While it is common to use notes during a speech to stay on track and remember important points, it is essential to use them unobtrusively. Ensure that your notes are legible and well-organized, allowing you to find the information you need without causing distractions. Place your notes discreetly or use a small podium or lectern to hold them, allowing for seamless transitions and maintaining the focus on your delivery.

Avoid any distracting mannerisms or gestures that detract from your communication. Practice incorporating these nonverbal elements into your delivery to create a powerful and engaging speech that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

Managing Nervousness and Overcoming Challenges

Nervousness is a common experience when delivering a speech. However, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in feeling this way. Chances are, many members of your audience are also experiencing nerves. The good news is that most signs of nervousness are invisible to the audience, so you can stay calm and composed even if you’re feeling a bit jittery.

Embrace nervousness  as it can actually be a valuable tool in enhancing your speech delivery. It can make you more alert, animated, and enthusiastic about your topic. Instead of trying to suppress it, harness that nervous energy and channel it into your presentation. When you embrace your nerves, you can turn them into a positive force that adds authenticity and passion to your speech.

Handling mistakes  is another important aspect of  managing nervousness . It’s natural to feel flustered if you make a mistake or lose your place during your speech. However, it’s crucial to remember that these slip-ups happen to everyone at some point. Instead of panicking, take a moment to collect yourself, take a deep breath, and calmly continue from where you left off. Most importantly, don’t dwell on the mistake or draw attention to it. Keep your focus on delivering your message effectively.

By embracing and  managing nervousness , you can transform it from a potential obstacle into a catalyst for a powerful and engaging presentation. Embrace the nerves, handle mistakes gracefully, and let your genuine enthusiasm shine through.

Mastering  effective speech delivery  techniques is essential for becoming a confident and persuasive speaker. By implementing these techniques, such as thorough preparation, proper personal appearance, and effective vocal and nonverbal delivery strategies, you can captivate your audience and deliver impactful presentations.

Preparing well before your speech, organizing your notes, and creating a suitable environment are all crucial steps in ensuring an effective delivery. Your personal appearance and body language contribute greatly to the overall impression you make on your audience. Maintaining eye contact, using gestures and movement, and speaking with clear articulation and appropriate  variations in speed and force  all enhance your communication.

While it is natural to feel nervous before delivering a speech, embracing this nervousness can actually help enhance your delivery. Remember, you are not alone in experiencing nerves, and most signs of nervousness are invisible to the audience. Embrace the energy that nerves bring and use it to your advantage, channeling it into a more animated and enthusiastic performance.

By following these  effective speech delivery  techniques, you can confidently communicate your ideas and engage your audience in a persuasive and impactful manner. Remember to always strive for clear and effective communication, and never hesitate to seek further opportunities for growth and improvement in your public speaking skills .

What are some effective speech delivery techniques?

Implementing effective  speech delivery techniques  involves thorough preparation, proper personal appearance, vocal and nonverbal delivery strategies, and  managing nervousness .

How important is speech preparation for effective delivery?

Speech preparation  is crucial for effective delivery. Creating well-organized notes, practicing, and preparing the presentation environment and  audiovisual equipment  are essential steps.

How does personal appearance and body language impact speech delivery?

Personal appearance, such as appropriate dressing and tidy hair, and positive body language help to engage the audience. Standing or sitting up straight, making eye contact, and avoiding distracting mannerisms are key aspects.

What are some vocal delivery strategies for effective speech delivery?

Enunciating clearly, speaking with appropriate loudness and speed, using variations in speed and inflections, and minimizing filler words are important strategies for vocal delivery.

How can body language enhance speech delivery?

Maintaining eye contact, using gestures and movement naturally, and displaying enthusiasm through body language can enhance the impact of your speech.

What are some tips for improving verbal delivery in a speech?

Projecting your voice, speaking at a comfortable rate, articulating words clearly, and eliminating vocal habits are key tips to improve verbal delivery.

How can nonverbal delivery support speech delivery?

Making eye contact with the audience, using movement and gestures, and using notes unobtrusively can make your speech more engaging and effective.

How can one manage nervousness during speech delivery?

Managing nervousness  can be achieved by realizing that it’s common, remaining calm and composed, using nervous energy to enhance your delivery, and embracing mistakes as learning opportunities.

What are the key takeaways for effective speech delivery?

By implementing effective  speech delivery techniques , one can become a confident and persuasive speaker. Thorough preparation, proper personal appearance, vocal and nonverbal delivery strategies, and managing nervousness are key components.

Written By Eloquence Everly

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Chapter 5: Presenting Your Speech Module

Techniques for Effective Delivery

Use of your body.

As you stand before an audience, be confident and be yourself.  Remember, you planned for this speech, you prepared well, and you practiced so that you know the material you will present. You are probably the expert in the room on this subject. If not, why are you the one making the presentation?

You need to consider not only what you say, but also how your body will support you and your words. When your actions are wedded to your words, the impact of your speech will be strengthened. If your platform behavior includes mannerisms unrelated to your spoken message, those actions will call attention to themselves and away from your speech.

Here are five areas on which to focus as you plan, practice, and present:

• Gripping or leaning on the lectern
• Finger tapping
• Lip biting or licking
• Toying with a pen or jewelry
• Adjusting hair or clothing
• Chewing gum
• Head wagging

These all have two things in common:  They are physical manifestations of simple nervousness and they are performed unconsciously.  When you make a verbal mistake, you can easily correct it, because you can hear your own words. However, you cannot see yourself, so most distracting mannerisms go uncorrected. You cannot eliminate distractions unless you know they exist.

The first step in self-improvement is to learn what you want to change. In speech preparation, nothing is as revealing as a video of your self. The first step in eliminating any superfluous behavior is to obtain an accurate picture of your body’s image while speaking. This should include:

• Body movement
• Facial expressions
• Eye contact
• 2. Build Self-Confidence by Being Yourself:  The most important rule for making your body communicate effectively is to be yourself. The emphasis should be on the sharing of ideas, not on the performance. Strive to be as genuine and natural as you are when you speak to family members and friends.Many people say, “I’m okay in a small group, but when I get in front of a larger group I freeze. ” The only difference between speaking to a small informal group and to a sizable audience is the number of listeners. To compensate for this, you need only to amplify your natural behavior. Be authentically yourself, but amplify your movements and expressions just enough so that the audience can see them.
• 4. Build Self-confidence through Preparation:  Nothing influences a speaker’s mental attitude more than the knowledge that s/he is thoroughly prepared. This knowledge leads to self- confidence, which is a vital ingredient of effective public speaking.How many of us have ever experienced a situation in which we had not prepared well for a presentation? How did we come across? On the other hand, think of those presentations that did go well. These are the ones for which we were properly prepared.

Facial Expressions

Leave that deadpan expression to poker players. A speaker realizes that appropriate facial expressions are an important part of effective communication. In fact, facial expressions are often the key determinant of the meaning behind the message. People watch a speaker’s face during a presentation. When you speak, your face -more clearly than any other part of your body -communicates to others your attitudes, feelings, and emotions.

Remove expressions that do not belong on your face. Inappropriate expressions include distracting mannerisms or unconscious expressions not rooted in your feelings, attitudes, and emotions. In much the same way that some speakers perform random, distracting gestures and body movements, nervous speakers often release excess energy and tension by unconsciously moving their facial muscles (e.g., licking lips, tightening the jaw).

One type of unconscious facial movement which is less apt to be read clearly by an audience is involuntary frowning. This type of frowning occurs when a speaker attempts to deliver a memorized speech. There are no rules governing the use of specific expressions. If you relax your inhibitions and allow yourself to respond naturally to your thoughts, attitudes, and emotions, your facial expressions will be appropriate and will project sincerity, conviction, and credibility.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is the cement that binds together speakers and their audiences. When you speak, your eyes involve your listeners in your presentation. Jan Costagnaro says, “When you maintain eye contact, you present an air of confidence in yourself and what you are communicating. People who are listening to what you are saying will take you more seriously, and will take what you say as important. If you lose eye contact or focus on everything else but the person(s) you are speaking to, you may not be taken seriously and the truth in your points may be lost. ” There is no surer way to break a communication bond between you and the audience than by failing to look at your listeners. No matter how large your audience may be, each listener wants to feel that you are speaking directly to him/her.

The adage, “The eyes are the mirror of the soul, ” underlines the need for you to convince people with your eyes, as well as your words. Only by looking at your listeners as individuals can you convince them that you are sincere and are interested in them and that you care whether they accept your message. When you speak, your eyes also function as a control device you can use to ensure the audience’s attentiveness and concentration.

Eye contact can also help to overcome nervousness by making your audience a known quantity. Effective eye contact is an important feedback device that makes the speaking situation a two-way communication process. By looking at your audience, you can determine how they are reacting.

When you develop the ability to gauge the audience’s reactions and adjust your presentation accordingly, you will be a much more effective speaker. The following supporting tips will help you be more confident and improve your ability to make eye contact:

Know your material.  Know the material so well that you do not have to devote your mental energy to the task of remembering the sequence of ideas and words.

Prepare well and rehearse enough so that you do not have to depend too heavily on notes. Many speakers, no matter how well prepared, need at least a few notes to deliver their message. If you can speak effectively without notes, by all means do so. But if you choose to use notes, they should be only a delivery outline, using key words. Notes are not a substitute for preparation and practice.

Establish a personal bond with listeners.  Begin by selecting one person and talking to him/ her personally. Maintain eye contact with that person long enough to establish a visual bond (about five to ten seconds). This is usually the equivalent of a sentence or a thought. Then shift your gaze to another person. In a small group, this is relatively easy to do. But, if you are addressing hundreds or thousands of people, it is impossible. What you can do is pick out one or two individuals in each section of the room and establish personal bonds. Then, each listener will get the impression you are talking directly to him/her.

Monitor visual feedback.  While you are talking, your listeners are responding with their own nonverbal messages. Use your eyes to actively seek out this valuable feedback. If individuals aren’t looking at you, they may not be listening either. Make sure they can hear you. Then work to actively engage them.

Your Appearance Matters

Multiple studies have has shown that appearance influences everything from employment to social status. Whether we like to admit it or not, ours is a culture obsessed with appearance. Attractive people are more likely to get the job, get the promotion, and get the girl (or guy). Bonnie Berry’s 2008 research on physical appearance also shows that communicator attractiveness influences how an audience perceives the credibility of the speaker. Overall, more attractive speakers were thought to be more credible (51).

So what does that mean for you as you prepare for a speech? Bottom line: Make an effort. If your listeners will have on suits and dresses, wear your best suit or dress -the outfit that brings you the most compliments. Make sure that every item of clothing is clean and well tailored. Certainly a speaker who appears unkempt gives the impression to the audience that s/he doesn’t really care, and that’s not the first impression that you want to send to your listeners.

Fundamentals of Public Speaking Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Complete Guide for Effective Presentations, with Examples

July 9, 2018 - Dom Barnard

During a presentation you aim to look confident, enthusiastic and natural. You’ll need more than good words and content to achieve this – your delivery plays a significant part. In this article, we discuss various techniques that can be used to deliver an effective presentation.

Effective presentations

Think about if you were in the audience, what would:

• Get you to focus and listen
• Make you understand
• Activate your imagination
• Persuade you

Providing the audience with interesting information is not enough to achieve these aims – you need to ensure that the way you present is stimulating and engaging. If it’s not, you’ll lose the audience’s interest and they’ll stop listening.

Tips for an Effective Presentation

Professional public speakers spend hours creating and practicing presentations. These are the delivery techniques they consider:

Keep it simple

You shouldn’t overwhelm your audience with information – ensure that you’re clear, concise and that you get to the point so they can understand your message.

Have a maximum of  three main points  and state them at the beginning, before you explain them in more depth, and then state them at the end so the audience will at least remember these points.

If some of your content doesn’t contribute to your key message then cut it out. Also avoid using too many statistics and technical terminology.

Connect with your audience

One of the greatest difficulties when delivering a presentation is connecting with the audience. If you don’t  connect with them  it will seem as though you’re talking to an empty room.

Trying to make contact with the audience makes them feel like they’re part of the presentation which encourages them to listen and it shows that you want to speak to them.

Eye contact and smile

Avoiding eye contact is uncomfortable because it make you look insecure. When you  maintain eye contact  the audience feels like you’re speaking to them personally. If this is something you struggle with, try looking at people’s foreheads as it gives the impression of making eye contact.

Try to cover all sections of the audience and don’t move on to the next person too quickly as you will look nervous.

Smiling also helps with rapport and it reduces your nerves because you’ll feel less like you’re talking to group of faceless people. Make sure you don’t turn the lights down too much before your presentation so you can all clearly see each other.

Body language

Be aware of your body language and use it to connect:

• Keep your arms uncrossed so your  body language is more open .
• Match your facial expressions with what you’re saying.
• Avoid fidgeting and displaying nervous habits, such as, rocking on your feet.
• You may need to glance at the computer slide or a visual aid but make sure you predominantly face the audience.
• Emphasise points by using hand gestures but use them sparingly – too little and they’ll awkwardly sit at your side, too much and you’ll be distracting and look nervous.
• Vary your gestures so you don’t look robotic.
• Maintain a straight posture.
• Be aware of  cultural differences .

Move around

Avoid standing behind the lectern or computer because you need to reduce the distance and barriers between yourself and the audience.  Use movement  to increase the audience’s interest and make it easier to follow your presentation.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Watch 3 examples of good and bad movement while presenting

Example: Movement while presenting

Your movement at the front of the class and amongst the listeners can help with engagement. Think about which of these three speakers maintains the attention of their audience for longer, and what they are doing differently to each other.

Speak with the audience

You can conduct polls using your audience or ask questions to make them think and feel invested in your presentation. There are three different types of questions:

Direct questions require an answer: “What would you do in this situation?” These are mentally stimulating for the audience. You can pass a microphone around and let the audience come to your desired solution.

Rhetorical questions  do not require answers, they are often used to emphasises an idea or point: “Is the Pope catholic?

Loaded questions contain an unjustified assumption made to prompt the audience into providing a particular answer which you can then correct to support your point: You may ask “Why does your wonderful company have such a low incidence of mental health problems?” The audience will generally answer that they’re happy.

After receiving the answers you could then say “Actually it’s because people are still unwilling and too embarrassed to seek help for mental health issues at work etc.”

Be specific with your language

Make the audience feel as though you are speaking to each member individually by using “you” and “your.”

For example: asking “Do you want to lose weight without feeling hungry?” would be more effective than asking “Does anyone here want to lost weight without feeling hungry?” when delivering your presentation. You can also increase solidarity by using “we”, “us” etc – it makes the audience think “we’re in this together”.

Be flexible

Be prepared to adapt to the situation at the time, for example, if the audience seems bored you can omit details and go through the material faster, if they are confused then you will need to come up with more examples on the spot for clarification. This doesn’t mean that you weren’t prepared because you can’t predict everything.

Vocal variety

How you say something is just as is important as the content of your speech – arguably, more so.

For example, if an individual presented on a topic very enthusiastically the audience would probably enjoy this compared to someone who covered more points but mumbled into their notes.

• Adapt your voice  depending on what are you’re saying – if you want to highlight something then raise your voice or lower it for intensity. Communicate emotion by using your voice.
• Avoid speaking in monotone as you will look uninterested and the audience will lose interest.
• Take time to pronounce every word carefully.
• Raise your pitch when asking questions and lower it when you want to sound severe.
• Sound enthusiastic – the more you sound like you care about the topic, the more the audience will listen. Smiling and pace can help with this.
• Speak loudly and clearly – think about projecting your voice to the back of the room.
• Speak at a  pace that’s easy to follow . If you’re too fast or too slow it will be difficult for the audience to understand what you’re saying and it’s also frustrating. Subtly fasten the pace to show enthusiasm and slow down for emphasis, thoughtfulness or caution.

Prior to the presentation, ensure that you  prepare your vocal chords :

• You could read aloud a book that requires vocal variety, such as, a children’s book.
• Avoid dairy and eating or drinking anything too sugary beforehand as mucus can build-up leading to frequent throat clearing.
• Don’t drink anything too cold before you present as this can constrict your throat which affects vocal quality.
• Some people suggest a warm cup of tea beforehand to relax the throat.

Practice Presentation Skills

Improve your public speaking and presentation skills by practicing them in realistic environments, with automated feedback on performance. Learn More

Pause to breathe

When you’re anxious your breathing will become quick and shallow which will affect the control you have on your voice. This can consequently make you feel more nervous. You want to breathe steadily and deeply so before you start speaking take some deep breaths or implement controlled breathing.

Controlled breathing is a common technique that helps slow down your breathing to normal thus reducing your anxiety. If you think this may be useful practice with these steps:

• Sit down in an upright position as it easier for your lungs to fill with air
• Breathe in through your nose and into your abdomen for four seconds
• Hold this breathe for two seconds
• Breathe out through your nose for six seconds
• Wait a few seconds before inhaling and repeating the cycle

It takes practice to master this technique but once you get used to it you may want to implement it directly before your presentation.

Completely filling your lungs during a pause will ensure you reach a greater vocal range.

During the presentation delivery, if you notice that you’re speaking too quickly then pause and breathe. This won’t look strange – it will appear as though you’re giving thought to what you’re saying. You can also strategically plan some of your pauses, such as after questions and at the end of sections, because this will give you a chance to calm down and it will also give the audience an opportunity to think and reflect.

Pausing will also help you  avoid filler words , such as, “um” as well which can make you sound unsure.

• 10 Effective Ways to use Pauses in your Speech

Strong opening

The first five minutes are  vital to engage the audience  and get them listening to you. You could start with a story to highlight why your topic is significant.

For example, if the topic is on the benefits of pets on physical and psychological health, you could present a story or a study about an individual whose quality of life significantly improved after being given a dog. The audience is more likely to respond better to this and remember this story than a list of facts.

Example: Which presentation intro keeps you engaged?

Watch 5 different presentation introductions, from both virtual and in-person events. Notice how it can only take a few seconds to decide if you want to keep listening or switch off. For the good introductions, what about them keeps you engaged?

More experienced and confident public speakers use humour in their presentations. The audience will be incredibly engaged if you make them laugh but caution must be exercised when using humour because a joke can be misinterpreted and even offend the audience.

Only use jokes if you’re confident with this technique, it has been successful in the past and it’s suitable for the situation.

Stories and anecdotes

Use stories whenever you can and judge whether you can tell a story about yourself because the audience are even more interested in seeing the human side of you.

Consider telling a story about a mistake you made, for example, perhaps you froze up during an important presentation when you were 25, or maybe life wasn’t going well for you in the past – if relevant to your presentation’s aim. People will relate to this as we have all experienced mistakes and failures. The more the audience relates to you, the more likely they will remain engaged.

These stories can also be  told in a humorous way  if it makes you feel more comfortable and because you’re disclosing a personal story there is less chance of misinterpretation compared to telling a joke.

Anecdotes are especially valuable for your introduction and between different sections of the presentation because they engage the audience. Ensure that you plan the stories thoroughly beforehand and that they are not too long.

Focus on the audience’s needs

Even though your aim is to persuade the audience, they must also get something helpful from the presentation. Provide the audience with value by giving them useful information, tactics, tips etc. They’re more likely to warm to you and trust you if you’re sharing valuable information with them.

You could also highlight their pain point. For example, you might ask “Have you found it difficult to stick to a healthy diet?” The audience will now want to remain engaged because they want to know the solution and the opportunities that you’re offering.

Use visual aids

Visual aids are items of a visual manner, such as graphs, photographs, video clips etc used in addition to spoken information. Visual aids are chosen depending on their purpose, for example, you may want to:

• Summarise information.
• Reduce the amount of spoken words, for example, you may show a graph of your results rather than reading them out.
• Clarify and show examples.
• Create more of an impact. You must consider what type of impact you want to make beforehand – do you want the audience to be sad, happy, angry etc?
• Emphasise what you’re saying.
• Make a point memorable.
• Enhance your credibility.
• Engage the audience and maintain their interest.
• Make something easier for the audience to understand.

Some general tips for  using visual aids :

• Think about how can a visual aid can support your message. What do you want the audience to do?
• Ensure that your visual aid follows what you’re saying or this will confuse the audience.
• Avoid cluttering the image as it may look messy and unclear.
• Visual aids must be clear, concise and of a high quality.
• Keep the style consistent, such as, the same font, colours, positions etc
• Use graphs and charts to present data.
• The audience should not be trying to read and listen at the same time – use visual aids to highlight your points.
• One message per visual aid, for example, on a slide there should only be one key point.
• Use visual aids in moderation – they are additions meant to emphasise and support main points.
• Ensure that your presentation still works without your visual aids in case of technical problems.

10-20-30 slideshow rule

Slideshows are widely used for presentations because it’s easy to create attractive and professional presentations using them. Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should  follow a 10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

If you want to give the audience more information you can provide them with partially completed handouts or give them the handouts after you’ve delivered the presentation.

Keep a drink nearby

Have something to drink when you’re on stage, preferably water at room temperature. This will help maintain your vocal quality and having a sip is a subtle way of introducing pauses.

Practice, practice, practice

If you are very familiar with the content of your presentation, your audience will perceive you as confident and you’ll be more persuasive.

• Don’t just read the presentation through – practice everything,  including your transitions  and using your visual aids.
• Stand up and speak it aloud, in an engaging manner, as though you were presenting to an audience.
• Ensure that you practice your body language and gesturing.
• Use VR to  practice in a realistic environment .
• Practice in front of others and get their feedback.
• Freely improvise so you’ll sound more natural on the day. Don’t learn your presentation verbatim because you will sound uninterested and if you lose focus then you may forget everything.
• Create cards to use as cues – one card should be used for one key idea. Write down brief notes or key words and ensure that the cards are physically connected so the order cannot be lost. Visual prompts can also be used as cues.

This video shows how you can practice presentations in virtual reality. See our  VR training courses .

Two courses where you can practice your presentations in interactive exercises:

• Essential Public Speaking
• How to Present over Video

Try these different presentation delivery methods to see which ones you prefer and which need to be improved. The most important factor is to feel comfortable during the presentation as the delivery is likely to be better.

Remember that the audience are generally on your side – they want you to do well so present with confidence.

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14.4 Practicing for Successful Speech Delivery

Learning objectives.

• Explain why having a strong conversational quality is important for effective public speaking.
• Explain the importance of eye contact in public speaking.
• Define vocalics and differentiate among the different factors of vocalics.
• Explain effective physical manipulation during a speech.
• Understand how to practice effectively for good speech delivery.

Christian Pierret – Speech – CC BY 2.0.

There is no foolproof recipe for good delivery. Each of us is unique, and we each embody different experiences and interests. This means each person has an approach, or a style, that is effective for her or him. This further means that anxiety can accompany even the most carefully researched and interesting message. Even when we know our messages are strong and well-articulated on paper, it is difficult to know for sure that our presentation will also be good.

We are still obligated to do our best out of respect for the audience and their needs. Fortunately, there are some tools that can be helpful to you even the very first time you present a speech. You will continue developing your skills each time you put them to use and can experiment to find out which combination of delivery elements is most effective for you.

What Is Good Delivery?

The more you care about your topic, the greater your motivation to present it well. Good delivery is a process of presenting a clear, coherent message in an interesting way. Communication scholar Stephen E. Lucas tells us:

Good delivery…conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, interestingly, and without distracting the audience. Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a certain degree of formality with the best attributes of good conversation—directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness, and a lively sense of communication (Lucas, 2009).

Many writers on the nonverbal aspects of delivery have cited the findings of psychologist Albert Mehrabian, asserting that the bulk of an audience’s understanding of your message is based on nonverbal communication. Specifically, Mehrabian is often credited with finding that when audiences decoded a speaker’s meaning, the speaker’s face conveyed 55 percent of the information, the vocalics conveyed 38 percent, and the words conveyed just 7 percent (Mehrabian, 1972). Although numerous scholars, including Mehrabian himself, have stated that his findings are often misinterpreted (Mitchell), scholars and speech instructors do agree that nonverbal communication and speech delivery are extremely important to effective public speaking.

In this section of the chapter, we will explain six elements of good delivery: conversational style, conversational quality, eye contact, vocalics, physical manipulation, and variety. And since delivery is only as good as the practice that goes into it, we conclude with some tips for effective use of your practice time.

Conversational Style

Conversational style is a speaker’s ability to sound expressive and to be perceived by the audience as natural. It’s a style that approaches the way you normally express yourself in a much smaller group than your classroom audience. This means that you want to avoid having your presentation come across as didactic or overly exaggerated. You might not feel natural while you’re using a conversational style, but for the sake of audience preference and receptiveness, you should do your best to appear natural. It might be helpful to remember that the two most important elements of the speech are the message and the audience. You are the conduit with the important role of putting the two together in an effective way. Your audience should be thinking about the message, not the delivery.

Stephen E. Lucas defines conversational quality as the idea that “no matter how many times a speech has been rehearsed, it still sounds spontaneous” [emphasis in original] (Lucas, 2009). No one wants to hear a speech that is so well rehearsed that it sounds fake or robotic. One of the hardest parts of public speaking is rehearsing to the point where it can appear to your audience that the thoughts are magically coming to you while you’re speaking, but in reality you’ve spent a great deal of time thinking through each idea. When you can sound conversational, people pay attention.

Eye Contact

Eye contact is a speaker’s ability to have visual contact with everyone in the audience. Your audience should feel that you’re speaking to them, not simply uttering main and supporting points. If you are new to public speaking, you may find it intimidating to look audience members in the eye, but if you think about speakers you have seen who did not maintain eye contact, you’ll realize why this aspect of speech delivery is important. Without eye contact, the audience begins to feel invisible and unimportant, as if the speaker is just speaking to hear her or his own voice. Eye contact lets your audience feel that your attention is on them, not solely on the cards in front of you.

Sustained eye contact with your audience is one of the most important tools toward effective delivery. O’Hair, Stewart, and Rubenstein note that eye contact is mandatory for speakers to establish a good relationship with an audience (O’Hair, Stewart, & Rubenstein, 2001). Whether a speaker is speaking before a group of five or five hundred, the appearance of eye contact is an important way to bring an audience into your speech.

Eye contact can be a powerful tool. It is not simply a sign of sincerity, a sign of being well prepared and knowledgeable, or a sign of confidence; it also has the power to convey meanings. Arthur Koch tells us that all facial expressions “can communicate a wide range of emotions, including sadness, compassion, concern, anger, annoyance, fear, joy, and happiness” (Koch, 2010).

If you find the gaze of your audience too intimidating, you might feel tempted to resort to “faking” eye contact with them by looking at the wall just above their heads or by sweeping your gaze around the room instead of making actual eye contact with individuals in your audience until it becomes easier to provide real contact. The problem with fake eye contact is that it tends to look mechanical. Another problem with fake attention is that you lose the opportunity to assess the audience’s understanding of your message. Still, fake eye contact is somewhat better than gripping your cards and staring at them and only occasionally glancing quickly and shallowly at the audience.

This is not to say that you may never look at your notecards. On the contrary, one of the skills in extemporaneous speaking is the ability to alternate one’s gaze between the audience and one’s notes. Rehearsing your presentation in front of a few friends should help you develop the ability to maintain eye contact with your audience while referring to your notes. When you are giving a speech that is well prepared and well rehearsed, you will only need to look at your notes occasionally. This is an ability that will develop even further with practice. Your public speaking course is your best chance to get that practice.

Effective Use of Vocalics

Vocalics , also known as paralanguage, is the subfield of nonverbal communication that examines how we use our voices to communicate orally. This means that you speak loudly enough for all audience members (even those in the back of the room) to hear you clearly, and that you enunciate clearly enough to be understood by all audience members (even those who may have a hearing impairment or who may be English-language learners). If you tend to be soft-spoken, you will need to practice using a louder volume level that may feel unnatural to you at first. For all speakers, good vocalic technique is best achieved by facing the audience with your chin up and your eyes away from your notecards and by setting your voice at a moderate speed. Effective use of vocalics also means that you make use of appropriate pitch, pauses, vocal variety, and correct pronunciation.

If you are an English-language learner and feel apprehensive about giving a speech in English, there are two things to remember: first, you can meet with a reference librarian to learn the correct pronunciations of any English words you are unsure of; and second, the fact that you have an accent means you speak more languages than most Americans, which is an accomplishment to be proud of.

If you are one of the many people with a stutter or other speech challenge, you undoubtedly already know that there are numerous techniques for reducing stuttering and improving speech fluency and that there is no one agreed-upon “cure.” The Academy Award–winning movie The King’s Speech did much to increase public awareness of what a person with a stutter goes through when it comes to public speaking. It also prompted some well-known individuals who stutter, such as television news reporter John Stossel, to go public about their stuttering (Stossel, 2011). If you have decided to study public speaking in spite of a speech challenge, we commend you for your efforts and encourage you to work with your speech instructor to make whatever adaptations work best for you.

Volume refers to the loudness or softness of a speaker’s voice. As mentioned, public speakers need to speak loudly enough to be heard by everyone in the audience. In addition, volume is often needed to overcome ambient noise, such as the hum of an air conditioner or the dull roar of traffic passing by. In addition, you can use volume strategically to emphasize the most important points in your speech. Select these points carefully; if you emphasize everything, nothing will seem important. You also want to be sure to adjust your volume to the physical setting of the presentation. If you are in a large auditorium and your audience is several yards away, you will need to speak louder. If you are in a smaller space, with the audience a few feet away, you want to avoid overwhelming your audience with shouting or speaking too loudly.

Rate is the speed at which a person speaks. To keep your speech delivery interesting, your rate should vary. If you are speaking extemporaneously, your rate will naturally fluctuate. If you’re reading, your delivery is less likely to vary. Because rate is an important tool in enhancing the meanings in your speech, you do not want to give a monotone drone or a rapid “machine-gun” style delivery. Your rate should be appropriate for your topic and your points. A rapid, lively rate can communicate such meanings as enthusiasm, urgency, or humor. A slower, moderated rate can convey respect, seriousness, or careful reasoning. By varying rapid and slower rates within a single speech, you can emphasize your main points and keep your audience interested.

Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a speaker’s voice. Some speakers have deep voices and others have high voices. As with one’s singing voice range, the pitch of one’s speaking voice is determined to a large extent by physiology (specifically, the length of one’s vocal folds, or cords, and the size of one’s vocal tract). We all have a normal speaking pitch where our voice is naturally settled, the pitch where we are most comfortable speaking, and most teachers advise speaking at the pitch that feels natural to you.

While our voices may be generally comfortable at a specific pitch level, we all have the ability to modulate, or move, our pitch up or down. In fact, we do this all the time. When we change the pitch of our voices, we are using inflections . Just as you can use volume strategically, you can also use pitch inflections to make your delivery more interesting and emphatic. If you ordinarily speak with a soprano voice, you may want to drop your voice to a slightly lower range to call attention to a particular point. How we use inflections can even change the entire meaning of what we are saying. For example, try saying the sentence “I love public speaking” with a higher pitch on one of the words—first raise the pitch on “I,” then say it again with the pitch raised on “love,” and so on. “ I love public speaking” conveys a different meaning from “I love public speaking,” doesn’t it?

There are some speakers who don’t change their pitch at all while speaking, which is called monotone . While very few people are completely monotone, some speakers slip into monotone patterns because of nerves. One way to ascertain whether you sound monotone is to record your voice and see how you sound. If you notice that your voice doesn’t fluctuate very much, you will need to be intentional in altering your pitch to ensure that the emphasis of your speech isn’t completely lost on your audience.

Finally, resist the habit of pitching your voice “up” at the ends of sentences. It makes them sound like questions instead of statements. This habit can be disorienting and distracting, interfering with the audience’s ability to focus entirely on the message. The speaker sounds uncertain or sounds as though he or she is seeking the understanding or approval of the listener. It hurts the speaker’s credibility and it needs to be avoided.

The effective use of pitch is one of the keys to an interesting delivery that will hold your audience’s attention.

Pauses are brief breaks in a speaker’s delivery that can show emphasis and enhance the clarity of a message. In terms of timing, the effective use of pauses is one of the most important skills to develop. Some speakers become uncomfortable very quickly with the “dead air” that the pause causes. And if the speaker is uncomfortable, the discomfort can transmit itself to the audience. That doesn’t mean you should avoid using pauses; your ability to use them confidently will increase with practice. Some of the best comedians use the well-timed pause to powerful and hilarious effect. Although your speech will not be a comedy routine, pauses are still useful for emphasis, especially when combined with a lowered pitch and rate to emphasize the important point you do not want your audience to miss.

Vocal Variety

Vocal variety has to do with changes in the vocalics we have just discussed: volume, pitch, rate, and pauses. No one wants to hear the same volume, pitch, rate, or use of pauses over and over again in a speech. Your audience should never be able to detect that you’re about to slow down or your voice is going to get deeper because you’re making an important point. When you think about how you sound in a normal conversation, your use of volume, pitch, rate, and pauses are all done spontaneously. If you try to overrehearse your vocalics, your speech will end up sounding artificial. Vocal variety should flow naturally from your wish to speak with expression. In that way, it will animate your speech and invite your listeners to understand your topic the way you do.

Pronunciation

The last major category related to vocalics is pronunciation , or the conventional patterns of speech used to form a word. Word pronunciation is important for two reasons: first, mispronouncing a word your audience is familiar with will harm your credibility as a speaker; and second, mispronouncing a word they are unfamiliar with can confuse and even misinform them. If there is any possibility at all that you don’t know the correct pronunciation of a word, find out. Many online dictionaries, such as the Wiktionary ( http://wiktionary.org ), provide free sound files illustrating the pronunciation of words.

Many have commented on the mispronunciation of words such as “nuclear” and “cavalry” by highly educated public speakers, including US presidents. There have been classroom examples as well. For instance, a student giving a speech on the Greek philosopher Socrates mispronounced his name at least eight times during her speech. This mispronunciation created a situation of great awkwardness and anxiety for the audience. Everyone felt embarrassed and the teacher, opting not to humiliate the student in front of the class, could not say anything out loud, instead providing a private written comment at the end of class.

One important aspect of pronunciation is articulation , or the ability to clearly pronounce each of a succession of syllables used to make up a word. Some people have difficulty articulating because of physiological problems that can be treated by trained speech therapists, but other people have articulation problems because they come from a cultural milieu where a dialect other than standard American English is the norm. Speech therapists, who generally guide their clients toward standard American English, use the acronym SODA when helping people learn how to more effectively articulate: substitutions , omissions , distortions , and additions .

• Substitutions occur when a speaker replaces one consonant or vowel with another consonant ( water becomes wudda ; ask becomes ax ; mouth becomes mouf ).
• Omissions occur when a speaker drops a consonant or vowel within a word ( Internet becomes Innet ; mesmerized becomes memerized ; probably becomes prolly ).
• Distortions occur when a speaker articulates a word with nasal or slurring sounds ( pencil sounds like mencil ; precipitation sounds like persination ; second sounds like slecond ).
• Additions occur when a speaker adds consonants or vowels to words that are not there ( anyway becomes anyways ; athletic becomes athaletic ; black becomes buhlack ; interpret becomes interpretate ).

Another aspect of pronunciation in public speaking is avoiding the use of verbal surrogates or “filler” words used as placeholders for actual words (like er , um , uh , etc.). You might be able to get away with saying “um” as many as two or three times in your speech before it becomes distracting, but the same cannot be said of “like.” We know of a student who trained herself to avoid saying “like.” As soon as the first speech was assigned, she began wearing a rubber band on her left wrist. Each time she caught herself saying “like,” she snapped herself with the rubber band. It hurt. Very quickly, she found that she could stop inflicting the snap on herself, and she had successfully confronted an unprofessional verbal habit.

Effective Physical Manipulation

In addition to using our voices effectively, a key to effective public speaking is physical manipulation , or the use of the body to emphasize meanings or convey meanings during a speech. While we will not attempt to give an entire discourse on nonverbal communication, we will discuss a few basic aspects of physical manipulation: posture, body movement, facial expressions, and dress. These aspects add up to the overall physical dimension of your speech, which we call self-presentation.

“Stand up tall!” I’m sure we’ve all heard this statement from a parent or a teacher at some point in our lives. The fact is, posture is actually quite important. When you stand up straight, you communicate to your audience, without saying a word, that you hold a position of power and take your position seriously. If however, you are slouching, hunched over, or leaning on something, you could be perceived as ill prepared, anxious, lacking in credibility, or not serious about your responsibilities as a speaker. While speakers often assume more casual posture as a presentation continues (especially if it is a long one, such as a ninety-minute class lecture), it is always wise to start by standing up straight and putting your best foot forward. Remember, you only get one shot at making a first impression, and your body’s orientation is one of the first pieces of information audiences use to make that impression.

Body Movement

Unless you are stuck behind a podium because of the need to use a nonmovable microphone, you should never stand in one place during a speech. However, movement during a speech should also not resemble pacing. One of our authors once saw a speaker who would walk around a small table where her speaking notes were located. She would walk around the table once, toss her chalk twice, and then repeat the process. Instead of listening to what the speaker was saying, everyone became transfixed by her walk-and-chalk-toss pattern. As speakers, we must be mindful of how we go about moving while speaking. One common method for easily integrating some movement into your speech is to take a few steps any time you transition from one idea to the next. By only moving at transition points, not only do you help focus your audience’s attention on the transition from one idea to the next, but you also are able to increase your nonverbal immediacy by getting closer to different segments of your audience.

Body movement also includes gestures. These should be neither overdramatic nor subdued. At one extreme, arm-waving and fist-pounding will distract from your message and reduce your credibility. At the other extreme, refraining from the use of gestures is the waste of an opportunity to suggest emphasis, enthusiasm, or other personal connection with your topic.

There are many ways to use gestures. The most obvious are hand gestures, which should be used in moderation at carefully selected times in the speech. If you overuse gestures, they lose meaning. Many late-night comedy parodies of political leaders include patterned, overused gestures or other delivery habits associated with a particular speaker. However, the well-placed use of simple, natural gestures to indicate emphasis, direction, size is usually effective. Normally, a gesture with one hand is enough. Rather than trying to have a gesture for every sentence, use just a few well-planned gestures. It is often more effective to make a gesture and hold it for a few moments than to begin waving your hands and arms around in a series of gestures.

Finally, just as you should avoid pacing, you will also want to avoid other distracting movements when you are speaking. Many speakers have unconscious mannerisms such as twirling their hair, putting their hands in and out of their pockets, jingling their keys, licking their lips, or clicking a pen while speaking. As with other aspects of speech delivery, practicing in front of others will help you become conscious of such distractions and plan ways to avoid doing them.

Facial Expressions

Faces are amazing things and convey so much information. As speakers, we must be acutely aware of what our face looks like while speaking. While many of us do not look forward to seeing ourselves on videotape, often the only way you can critically evaluate what your face is doing while you are speaking is to watch a recording of your speech. If video is not available, you can practice speaking in front of a mirror.

There are two extremes you want to avoid: no facial expression and overanimated facial expressions. First, you do not want to have a completely blank face while speaking. Some people just do not show much emotion with their faces naturally, but this blankness is often increased when the speaker is nervous. Audiences will react negatively to the message of such a speaker because they will sense that something is amiss. If a speaker is talking about the joys of Disney World and his face doesn’t show any excitement, the audience is going to be turned off to the speaker and his message. On the other extreme end is the speaker whose face looks like that of an exaggerated cartoon character. Instead, your goal is to show a variety of appropriate facial expressions while speaking.

Like vocalics and gestures, facial expression can be used strategically to enhance meaning. A smile or pleasant facial expression is generally appropriate at the beginning of a speech to indicate your wish for a good transaction with your audience. However, you should not smile throughout a speech on drug addiction, poverty, or the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. An inappropriate smile creates confusion about your meaning and may make your audience feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, a serious scowl might look hostile or threatening to audience members and become a distraction from the message. If you keep the meaning of your speech foremost in your mind, you will more readily find the balance in facial expression.

Another common problem some new speakers have is showing only one expression. One of our coauthors competed in speech in college. After one of his speeches (about how people die on amusement park rides), one of his judges pulled him aside and informed him that his speech was “creepy.” Apparently, while speaking about death, our coauthor smiled the entire time. The incongruity between the speech on death and dying and the coauthor’s smile just left the judge a little creeped out. If you are excited in a part of your speech, you should show excitement on your face. On the other hand, if you are at a serious part of your speech, your facial expressions should be serious.

While there are no clear-cut guidelines for how you should dress for every speech you’ll give, dress is still a very important part of how others will perceive you (again, it’s all about the first impression). If you want to be taken seriously, you must present yourself seriously. While we do not advocate dressing up in a suit every time you give a speech, there are definitely times when wearing a suit is appropriate.

One general rule you can use for determining dress is the “step-above rule,” which states that you should dress one step above your audience. If your audience is going to be dressed casually in shorts and jeans, then wear nice casual clothing such as a pair of neatly pressed slacks and a collared shirt or blouse. If, however, your audience is going to be wearing “business casual” attire, then you should probably wear a sport coat, a dress, or a suit. The goal of the step-above rule is to establish yourself as someone to be taken seriously. On the other hand, if you dress two steps above your audience, you may put too much distance between yourself and your audience, coming across as overly formal or even arrogant.

Another general rule for dressing is to avoid distractions in your appearance. Overly tight or revealing garments, over-the-top hairstyles or makeup, jangling jewelry, or a display of tattoos and piercings can serve to draw your audience’s attention away from your speech. Remembering that your message is the most important aspect of your speech, keep that message in mind when you choose your clothing and accessories.

Self-Presentation

When you present your speech, you are also presenting yourself. Self-presentation, sometimes also referred to as poise or stage presence, is determined by how you look, how you stand, how you walk to the lectern, and how you use your voice and gestures. Your self-presentation can either enhance your message or detract from it. Worse, a poor self-presentation can turn a good, well-prepared speech into a forgettable waste of time. You want your self-presentation to support your credibility and improve the likelihood that the audience will listen with interest.

Your personal appearance should reflect the careful preparation of your speech. Your personal appearance is the first thing your audience will see, and from it, they will make inferences about the speech you’re about to present.

One of the biggest mistakes novice public speakers make is to use the same gesture over and over again during a speech. While you don’t want your gestures to look fake, you should be careful to include a variety of different nonverbal components while speaking. You should make sure that your face, body, and words are all working in conjunction with each other to support your message.

Practice Effectively

You might get away with presenting a hastily practiced speech, but the speech will not be as good as it could be. In order to develop your best speech delivery, you need to practice—and use your practice time effectively. Practicing does not mean reading over your notes, mentally running through your speech, or even speaking your speech aloud over and over. Instead, you need to practice with the goal of identifying the weaknesses in your delivery, improving upon them, and building good speech delivery habits.

When you practice your speech, place both your feet in full, firm contact with the floor to keep your body from swaying side to side. Some new public speakers find that they don’t know what to do with their hands during the speech. Your practice sessions should help you get comfortable. When you’re not gesturing, you can rest your free hand lightly on a lectern or simply allow it to hang at your side. Since this is not a familiar posture for most people, it might feel awkward, but in your practice sessions, you can begin getting used to it.

Seek Input from Others

Because we can’t see ourselves as others see us, one of the best ways to improve your delivery is to seek constructive criticism from others. This, of course, is an aspect of your public speaking course, as you will receive evaluations from your instructor and possibly from your fellow students. However, by practicing in front of others before it is time to present your speech, you can anticipate and correct problems so that you can receive a better evaluation when you give the speech “for real.”

Ask your practice observers to be honest about the aspects of your delivery that could be better. Sometimes students create study groups just for this purpose. When you create a study group of classroom peers, everyone has an understanding of the entire creative process, and their feedback will thus be more useful to you than the feedback you might get from someone who has never taken the course or given a speech.

If your practice observers seem reluctant to offer useful criticisms, ask questions. How was your eye contact? Could they hear you? Was your voice well modulated? Did you mispronounce any words? How was your posture? Were your gestures effective? Did you have any mannerisms that you should learn to avoid? Because peers are sometimes reluctant to say things that could sound critical, direct questions are often a useful way to help them speak up.

If you learn from these practice sessions that your voice tends to drop at the ends of sentences, make a conscious effort to support your voice as you conclude each main point. If you learn that you have a habit of clicking a pen, make sure you don’t have a pen with you when you speak or that you keep it in your pocket. If your practice observers mention that you tend to hide your hands in the sleeves of your shirt or jacket, next time wear short sleeves or roll your sleeves up before beginning your speech. If you learn through practice that you tend to sway or rock while you speak, you can consciously practice and build the habit of not swaying.

When it is your turn to give feedback to others in your group, assume that they are as interested in doing well as you are. Give feedback in the spirit of helping their speeches be as good as possible.

Use Audio and/or Video to Record Yourself

Technology has made it easier than ever to record yourself and others using the proliferation of electronic devices people are likely to own. Video, of course, allows you the advantage of being able to see yourself as others see you, while audio allows you to concentrate on the audible aspects of your delivery. As we mentioned earlier in the chapter, if neither video nor audio is available, you can always observe yourself by practicing your delivery in front of a mirror.

After you have recorded yourself, it may seem obvious that you should watch and listen to the recording. This can be intimidating, as you may fear that your performance anxiety will be so obvious that everyone will notice it in the recording. But students are often pleasantly surprised when they watch and listen to their recordings, as even students with very high anxiety may find out that they “come across” in a speech much better than they expected.

A recording can also be a very effective diagnostic device. Sometimes students believe they are making strong contact with their audiences, but their cards contain so many notes that they succumb to the temptation of reading. By finding out from the video that you misjudged your eye contact, you can be motivated to rewrite your notecards in a way that doesn’t provide the opportunity to do so much reading.

It is most likely that in viewing your recording, you will benefit from discovering your strengths and finding weak areas you can strengthen.

Good Delivery Is a Habit

Luckily, public speaking is an activity that, when done conscientiously, strengthens with practice. As you become aware of the areas where your delivery has room for improvement, you will begin developing a keen sense of what “works” and what audiences respond to.

It is advisable to practice out loud in front of other people several times, spreading your rehearsals out over several days. To do this kind of practice, of course, you need to have your speech be finalized well ahead of the date when you are going to give it. During these practice sessions, you can time your speech to make sure it lasts the appropriate length of time. A friend of ours was the second student on the program in an event where each student’s presentation was to last thirty to forty-five minutes. After the first student had been speaking for seventy-five minutes, the professor in charge asked, “Can we speed this up?” The student said yes, and proceeded to continue speaking for another seventy-five minutes before finally concluding his portion of the program. Although we might fault the professor for not “pulling the plug,” clearly the student had not timed his speech in advance.

Your practice sessions will also enable you to make adjustments to your notecards to make them more effective in supporting your contact with your audience. This kind of practice is not just a strategy for beginners; it is practiced by many highly placed public figures with extensive experience in public speaking.

Your public speaking course is one of the best opportunities you will have to manage your performance anxiety, build your confidence in speaking extemporaneously, develop your vocal skills, and become adept at self-presentation. The habits you can develop through targeted practice are to build continuously on your strengths and to challenge yourself to find new areas for improving your delivery. By taking advantage of these opportunities, you will gain the ability to present a speech effectively whenever you may be called upon to speak publicly.

Key Takeaways

• Conversational style is a speaker’s ability to sound expressive while being perceived by the audience as natural. Conversational quality is a speaker’s ability to prepare a speech and rehearse a speech but still sound spontaneous when delivering it.
• Eye contact helps capture and maintain an audience’s interest while contributing to the speaker’s credibility.
• Vocalics are the nonverbal components of the verbal message. There are six important vocalic components for a speaker to be aware of: volume (loudness or softness), pitch (highness or lowness), rate (fastness or slowness), pauses (use of breaks to add emphasis), vocal variety (use of a range of vocalic strategies), and pronunciation (using conventional patterns of speech formation).
• Physical manipulation is the use of one’s body to add meaning and emphasis to a speech. As such, excessive or nonexistent physical manipulation can detract from a speaker’s speech.
• Good delivery is a habit that is built through effective practice.
• Find a speech online and examine the speaker’s overall presentation. How good was the speaker’s delivery? Make a list of the aspects of delivery in this chapter and evaluate the speaker according to the list. In what areas might the speaker improve?
• Record a practice session of your speech. Write a self-critique, answering the following questions: What surprised you the most? What is an area of strength upon which you can build? What is one area for improvement?

Koch, A. (2010). Speaking with a purpose (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 233.

Lucas, S. E. (2009). The art of public speaking (9th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, p. 244.

Mehrabian, A. (1972). Nonverbal communication . Chicago, IL: Aldine-Atherton.

Mitchell, O. (n.d.). Mehrabian and nonverbal communication [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.speakingaboutpresenting.com/presentation-myths/mehrabian-nonverbal-communication-research

O’Hair, D., Stewart, R., & Rubenstein, H. (2001). A speaker’s guidebook: Text and reference. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Stossel, J. (2011, March 2). An Academy Award–winning movie, stuttering and me [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=42081

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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6 Techniques for A Good Speech Delivery

Only a few people have natural skills in delivering speeches. And only some people enjoy delivering a great speech. Many people believe that good speech delivery is a boring, bothersome, and uncomfortable process. There are so many tips that are going to help.

You can be better at speaking in public with some help. The tips below are going to help you learn how to deliver a great speech without spending years learning the techniques. The techniques you are about to see below will help you be a better speaker in a shorter time.

Getting Ready for A Good Speech Delivery

Good preparation will help you be ready to deliver a great speech. But there are some techniques you should learn to help you deliver the subject successfully. Make sure that you learn the techniques below while preparing the presentation. Keep practicing so you can be successful in delivering a presentation.

1. Speak about things that interest you

Don’t compromise for the audience. The first technique of how to deliver a good speech is you need to make a presentation about something that attracts you. Play to your strengths and you are going to make it much easier for yourself.

In so many cases, audiences will love a speech more if the speakers are speaking about something they enjoy than something the speakers think audiences may enjoy. By doing this, speakers can avoid trying so hard to impress audiences.

2. Use appropriate body language and hand gestures

Most human communication is not by spoken words but through body language. That’s why it is crucial to train your body language and make it more expressive. Consider purposely moving around the stage and not standing still in a spot.

Many people are using the same hand gestures when presenting something, over and over. You shouldn’t use the same hand gestures like that since it will confuse your audience. Train your body language and gestures in the mirror and make sure they look natural.

3. Get audience engagement

Another effective technique in a good speech delivery is by involving audiences. The faster you can do it the more interested audiences will be. Get your audience to invest in your speech. When there is an opportunity for you to say a fun thing, go for it.

The things you can say in a moment can be funnier than when you read the scripted material. There are some other ways to get audience engagement. For example, you can tell audiences to raise their hands or vote if they agree with something you say.

Some other options are playing a quick game with the audience, asking questions to some individuals in the audience, and passing around a prop.

4. Get Focused

It is crucial for you to get into the ideal state of mind before you start delivering the speech. You will deliver a good speech when you get to know your audience. To reach the ideal state, you need to have a mental focus.

There are some ways that will help you prepare yourself and reach your mental focus. The first one if go running or work out. This is the best way to help you focus. Or you can meditate to help your body relax. Or you can also drink a cup of tea or coffee or take anything that can help you focus.

5. Get to know your audience

The next technique that will help with good speech delivery is to speak to many people and introduce yourself before the presentation starts. The audience will be more friendly to the speaker after you do that. Likeability and familiarity play huge roles in public sales and speaking.

Another way you can get likeability and familiarity is the social warm-up. If you want to deliver an important speech, you need to put yourself in the peak state. How to do it? Simply by deliberately speaking to many people and generating social momentum way before the speech starts.

This is going to dramatically boost your comfort. Besides, you will be more likable and relaxed during good speech delivery.

6. Get an inside man

Ask a member of your audience to do something and to ask you any questions if you ask for questions of volunteers. You can also set up several canned questions. This technique will make you look smarter. Professional speakers and researchers do this many times.

You can also ask the person to do some other things. Possibly, you can ask her or him to laugh a lot at some specific points of the speech you deliver. This is going to make the other audiences curious about the speech you convey or get their focus back on the stage.

The six techniques above are going to help with a good speech delivery. You need to practice those skills way before the presentation day. This way, you’ll be able to be a better speaker and deliver your presentation in a more likable way.

10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

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2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

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About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

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Effective Speech Delivery - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• Effective Speech Delivery

impromptu. memorized. extemporaneous. Just remember MIME! The manuscript method ... The impromptu method means that you present spontaneously with little rehearsal ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

• Delivery refers to the manner in which you transmit your message to your audience.
• In public speaking, it means how you give your speech.
• In this chapter, we will discuss delivery methods and how to use your voice, body and face during a speech.
• There are four methods of delivery.
• extemporaneous
• Just remember MIME!
• When using the manuscript method, you will write your speech out word for word, like you write an essay.
• When you give your speech, you read it from your papers.
• This method is often used by politicians.
• The impromptu method means that you present spontaneously with little rehearsal or preparation time.
• When using this method, you are speaking off the cuff, meaning you make your speech up as you go.
• When using the memorized method, the first step is to write it out like you do when using the manuscript method.
• Then you memorize your speech word for word.
• When presenting, you do not use any papers or note cards.
• This method requires a lot of work to make sure that you are comfortable with what you are saying and dont sound robotic.
• The extemporaneous method requires you to use outline format.
• You do not write it word for word, nor do you memorize your speech.
• When delivering your speech, you will use note cards to present.
• We will mostly use this method in class.
• You can combine the different methods.
• For example, you can memorize your introduction and present the remainder of your speech from note cards.
• When presenting a speech, your voice is your most powerful tool.
• In this section we will discuss
• Tone/Attitude
• Articulation
• Pronunciation
• Rate refers to the speed at which we speak.
• The average rate of speaking is 120-180 words per minute, though most people speak very quickly when they are nervous, such as when giving a speech.
• If you speak too fast, you will lose your audience they dont have time to understand what you are saying.
• If you speak too slowly, your audience will get bored and start to think about other things.
• Pitch refers to the highs and lows of your voice like the musical notes on a piano.
• Monotone speaking means delivering your speech in the same pitch, which is boring, dull and lifeless DONT do this!
• Altering your pitch is called inflection.
• Lets look at the six different ways to say this sentence
• I think that you are the best.
• The is the loudness or softness of your voice.
• Vary your voice for different situations, if the audience can not hear you they will tune you out.
• Practice taking deep breaths and using the power source . Breathe from your diaphragm.
• Open your mouth and drop your jaw.
• Social Register
• Consultative
• Articulation refers to the crispness, the distinctness, with which we say the syllables in a word.
• Example probably
• Pronunciation refers to saying a word correctly. When in doubt, ask someone to help you with a word you are not sure how to say.
• One of the most important things to remember when giving a speech is to use your body.
• The two main aspects are platform movement and gesturing.
• This simply means walking or stepping in a purposeful manner while speaking.
• Logical movement takes place when you are going from one section to another during your speech or when you are changing your emotional appeal.
• Dont pace back and forth.
• Dont wander without a purpose.
• Dont avoid movement because you are afraid it will look silly.
• Your best bet is to plan your movements while rehearsing your speech and write them on your note cards.
• Next to your voice, your hands are one of your best tools when public speaking.
• Gestures should take place within the gesture zone.( an imaginary box in front of you )
• Lets practice!
• Your facial expressions can communicate a lot.
• Effective delivery depends on your ability to maintain meaningful eye contact with your audience this means look at them!
• Vary your eye contact throughout your speech, being sure not to stare at any one person.
• Also use your eyes to judge your audience. Look for signs of boredom or confusion.

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Effective Delivery of Informative Speeches

• July 8, 2024 July 8, 2024

Delivering an informative speech effectively is an essential skill for any speaker. The ability to convey information clearly and engagingly can significantly impact the audience’s understanding and retention of the presented material. This chapter explores the key components of structuring an informative speech, engaging the audience, establishing credibility, and employing effective delivery techniques, all while maintaining objectivity.

Structuring the Speech

Introduction.

The introduction of an informative speech is crucial as it sets the tone and prepares the audience for the content to follow. A strong opening grabs the audience’s attention and establishes the speaker’s credibility. Key elements of an effective introduction include:

• Attention Getters : Start with a compelling hook, such as a surprising fact, a rhetorical question, a relevant anecdote, or a powerful quotation. The goal is to pique the audience’s interest and motivate them to listen attentively​.
• Thesis Statement : Clearly state the main idea or purpose of the speech. This helps the audience understand what to expect and provides a focal point for the entire presentation​​.
• Preview of Main Points : Briefly outline the main points covered in the speech. This roadmap will guide the audience and help them follow the logical progression of ideas.

The body of an informative speech should be well-organized and logically structured to enhance clarity and retention. Common organizational patterns include:

• Chronological Order : Presenting information in the order it occurred. This is particularly effective for historical topics or processes that unfold over time​.
• Spatial Order : Organizing content based on the physical or geographical arrangement of the subject. This method is useful for topics that involve different locations or parts of an object​.
• Topical Order : Dividing the subject into subtopics, each addressing a different aspect of the main topic. This flexible structure can be adapted to a wide range of subjects​.

The conclusion of an informative speech should summarize the key points and reinforce the speech’s purpose. It is the final opportunity to ensure the audience retains the information presented. Key elements of an effective conclusion include:

• Summary of Main Points : Recap the main points covered in the speech to reinforce the audience’s understanding​​.
• Reinforcement of Purpose : Restate the purpose of the speech to remind the audience why the information is important​​.
• Closing Remarks : End with a memorable closing statement, such as a call to action, a thought-provoking question, or a poignant quotation.

Audience Engagement

Avoiding information overload.

One of the primary challenges in delivering an informative speech is presenting information in a manageable and comprehensible way for the audience. To avoid overwhelming the audience:

• Focus on Critical Points : Identify and emphasize the most important information. Avoid including every detail, as this can lead to information overload​.
• Use Clear and Simple Language : Simplify complex concepts by avoiding jargon and using straightforward language. This makes the information more accessible and easy to understand​​.

Using Clear and Simple Language

Clear and simple language is essential for effective communication. To ensure the speech is accessible:

• Avoid Jargon : Use terminology that is familiar to the audience. If specialized terms are necessary, provide clear definitions​​.
• Simplify Vocabulary : Choose words that are easy to understand and pronounce. This reduces the risk of miscommunication and keeps the audience engaged​​.

Credibility and Sources

Citing sources.

Properly attributing information to credible sources enhances the reliability of the speech and avoids plagiarism. To effectively cite sources:

• Reference Authoritative Sources : Use reputable and authoritative sources to support your information. This includes academic journals, books, and credible websites​.
• Provide Clear Citations : Cite sources within the speech, including the author’s name, publication date, and the context of the information. This gives credit and strengthens the speaker’s credibility​.

Building Credibility

Establishing credibility involves demonstrating expertise and trustworthiness. To build credibility:

• Thorough Research : Conduct comprehensive research to gather accurate and reliable information. Presenting well-researched facts enhances the speaker’s authority​.
• Objective Presentation : Maintain an objective tone and avoid biased language. Presenting information impartially helps to establish trust with the audience​​.

Effective Delivery Techniques

Non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal cues play a significant role in reinforcing the spoken message and engaging the audience. Key aspects of non-verbal communication include:

• Body Language : Use gestures, facial expressions, and posture to emphasize points and convey confidence​.
• Eye Contact : Maintain eye contact with the audience to create a connection and demonstrate sincerity​​.

Vocal Variety

Vocal variety involves pitch, tone, and pace changes to keep the audience interested and emphasize key points. Effective use of vocal variety includes:

• Pitch and Tone : Vary the pitch and tone of your voice to convey different emotions and highlight important information​​.
• Pace : Adjust the pace of your speech to maintain interest and ensure clarity. Slow down for important points and speed up for less critical information​.

Avoiding Persuasion

Maintaining objectivity.

Maintaining objectivity in an informative speech is essential to ensure the information is perceived as factual and unbiased. To avoid persuasion:

• Focus on Facts : Present information objectively, without advocating for a particular viewpoint. This helps build audience trust and credibility​​.
• Avoid Emotional Appeals : Avoid emotional language or persuasive techniques that could undermine the informative nature of the speech​.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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15 Essential Presentation Techniques for Winning Over Any Audience

• The Speaker Lab
• April 13, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever found yourself standing before an audience, your heart racing? That’s the moment when knowing effective presentation techniques can prove to be your unwavering ally. But what are presentation techniques? And what makes them so powerful? In this article, we’re going to answer those questions.

Before we can talk about presentation techniques, though, we first have to talk about good communication. The power of effective communication isn’t just in what you say. It’s how you say it; it’s in those deep breaths that steady nerves, and in maintaining eye contact. It’s about turning a room full of strangers into an engaged audience hanging onto your every word. When it comes to public speaking, real success comes from mastering non-verbal cues to punctuate our words and using visual aids not as crutches but as tools for engagement.

As you hone your communication skills, you will begin to form effective presentation techniques. Expect rough patches as you get the hang of things, but view them as mere footholds propelling you towards your ultimate triumph. Keep pushing forward.

Mastering Presentation Techniques for Impactful Delivery

Presentation techniques are more than just standing in front of a crowd and talking. They’re about making connections, telling stories that resonate, and leaving your audience with something to remember you by.

Elements of an Effective Presentation

For your presentation to resonate, ensure the visuals are straightforward and supportive, rather than distracting. Your message should be concise yet powerful enough to stick. And let’s not forget engagement; keeping your audience on their toes is key.

• Visuals: Keep them simple but impactful.
• Message: Make every word count.
• Engagement: Interact with your audience, ask questions, make them think.

We’ve all seen those slides crammed with text or charts. When you make your slides, don’t cram information, because nobody wants to squint at tiny fonts or decipher complex graphs while trying to listen to you speak. This resource suggests focusing on clarity and simplicity when designing slides—advice worth taking.

Strategies for Delivering a Successful Presentation

To deliver a knockout presentation, start strong. Grab attention from the get-go with an intriguing fact or story related directly back into the topic at hand. Maintain eye contact across the room so everyone feels included in the conversation. Finally, end on a memorable note, either with a call to action or insight gained during the time together. Leave them wanting more information and eager to learn about the subject matter discussed today.

• The opener: Hook your audience with a relevant fact or anecdote.
• Maintain connection: Eyes up, engage everyone around.
• Closing remarks : Last chance for impact–what’s your mic drop?

As author Lilly Walters once said, “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” This quote reminds us that the true goal of any speech is the understanding achieved between the speaker and the listeners.

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Engaging Your Audience with Nonverbal Communication

As the name implies, nonverbal communication denotes all of the ways you communicate without using words. This includes eye contact, body language, and facial expressions. Although nonverbal communication might not be the first presentation technique that comes to mind, it’s nevertheless a very powerful tool to have in your arsenal. Let’s take a look.

The Power of Eye Contact, Body Language, and Facial Expressions

Making eye contact isn’t just about looking someone in the eye; it’s about forging a connection. Aim for brief moments of eye contact across different sections of your audience throughout your presentation. Establishing fleeting eye connections across diverse audience segments fosters a sense of trust and keeps them hooked, all while ensuring no one feels on edge.

Body language is similarly important. Stand tall with good posture; it exudes confidence even when you feel nervous. As you grow more confident, mix up standing still with moving around subtly. This dynamic shift holds attention better than being rooted to one spot or nervous pacing. Use your hands to gesture naturally as you speak—it adds emphasis and keeps things lively.

If there’s one thing people can spot from miles away, it’s insincerity. So let those facial expressions match your words. Smile when you share something amusing, and furrow your brow when diving into serious stuff. After all, it’s not just what you say but how visually engaged and passionate you appear while saying it that counts.

Tying these elements together helps you deliver impactful, memorable talks. When done right, folks will leave feeling more connected, understood, and fired up by your presentation, all thanks to your techniques.

Designing Compelling Presentation Materials

Knowing how to design engaging presentation materials is one technique you can’t do without. Far from mere embellishments, these implements are crafted to hammer your message home. Hence, it’s vital to select these aids with great care and discernment.

Tips for Creating Effective Slides

When it comes to crafting slides, think of each as a billboard advertisement for your idea. You want it clear, impactful, and memorable.

• Keep it simple : One idea per slide keeps confusion at bay and attention locked in.
• Use bullet points : Break down your points so your audience can track.
• Pick a font size : Generally speaking, bigger is better.
• Use color : Harness colors that pop without blinding anyone; contrast is key.
• Use images with purpose : A good picture or chart can help illustrate your point, but keep it relevant and don’t overdo it.

With a few helpful visuals, your presentation can go from good to great. For more on creating slides, check out this link here .

Handling Questions and Interactions Professionally

For some speakers, it’s not the presentation itself that makes them nervous—it’s the Q&A session that follows. This is the moment where you get to shine or stumble based on how well you handle those curveballs from your audience. If you want to round off your presentation well, you’re going to want to learn a few techniques for fielding these questions. Let’s look at a few ways of doing this.

Preparing for Audience Questions and How to Address Them Effectively

Below are six techniques that will help you address audience questions effectively.

• Listen Up : The first rule of thumb is to listen like it’s a superpower. When someone throws a question at you, don’t just hear them out—really listen. Demonstrating this level of attentiveness not only conveys your respect but also affords you a brief moment to collect your ideas.
• Stay Calm : You’ve got this. Even if a question catches you off guard, take a deep breath before diving into your answer. No one expects perfection, but showing confidence matters.
• Practice Beforehand : Before presentation day arrives, think about potential questions folks might ask and prep some responses in advance. Practice makes perfect, after all.
• Vary Your Techniques : Not every question needs an essay as an answer; sometimes short and sweet does the trick. Mix up how detailed or brief your answers are depending on what’s asked.
• Show You Care : If you ever get a question that leaves you stumped, say so honestly—but add that magical line: “Let me find out more and I’ll get back to you.” Then actually do it.
• Appreciate Audience Curiosity : Remember that the reason you audience is asking questions is because they’re interested. So no matter what questions you get, keep engaging with enthusiasm.

Go forth with confidence, knowing not only can these moments boost credibility—they make connections too. So next time when facing down those queries remember to listen hard, stay calm & always engage warmly. With these techniques under your belt, answering audience questions after your presentation will feel much less daunting.

Techniques for a Memorable and Effective Presentation

No matter what topic you cover in your presentation, you can easily add in a story, and more likely than not you can add a little humor too. Together, these two presentation techniques are perfect for making your speech memorable.

Incorporating Storytelling into Your Presentation

One great technique for making your presentation stick is telling stories. Stories have the power to touch people profoundly, especially when they depict relatable experiences. So, when you’re up there presenting, kick things off with a story that ties into your main message. It could be personal, something from history, or even an anecdote that gets your point across. Stories are not just fluff; they’re the glue of your presentation. They make complex ideas digestible and memorable.

Using Humor to Connect with the Audience

Another great way of engaging your audience is by using humor. But here’s the deal—use humor wisely. Keep it tasteful and tied closely to the content at hand so it enhances rather than detracts from your message.

• Pick universal themes everyone can relate to.
• Avoid anything potentially offensive.
• Tie jokes back to your key points to make them relevant.

If humor isn’t your thing, or you’re worried about your comedic timing, it’s perfectly okay to skip the jokes. Especially if you’re new to public speaking, humor can be hard to nail immediately. But as you grow and hone your presentation techniques, consider stretching yourself a bit. By starting small, you can practice using humor to connect with your audience. That is your goal, after all—to leave a positive, memorable impression on your audience.

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Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

For some speakers, stepping in front of a crowd to speak causes immediate anxiety. But fear not! Conquering public speaking anxiety is entirely within your grasp.

Techniques to Manage Stage Fright and Boost Confidence

First off, feeling nervous before taking the stage is completely normal. Even Mark Twain admitted, “There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” So take that flutter in your stomach as a sign you care deeply about delivering value to your audience. In addition, consider the following tips as you prepare to hit the stage.

• Breathe Deep: Before stepping up, take some deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Feel every muscle relax with each exhale.
• Mind Over Matter: Visualization is key. Picture yourself nailing that presentation, because if you can see it, you can achieve it.
• Keep It Simple: Stick to what you know best; this isn’t the time for surprises or untested waters.
• Pace Yourself: Speak slowly but surely—there’s no rush here.

Believe it or not, acting relaxed often leads to actually being relaxed. Remember when we said mind over matter? Well, it applies here big time. The power pose backstage might just be what turns those nerves into excitement.

So next time you feel stage fright coming on, fight back with these techniques. With these tricks up your sleeve, you’re more than ready. So go ahead, breathe deep, and step onto that stage. You’ve got this.

Using Different Presentation Methods to Engage Your Audience

While learning styles is “ little more than urban myth ,” presenting your material in a variety of ways is a great technique for engaging your audience. By switching it up, you increase your chances of explaining something in a way that clicks with individual audience members. This is especially helpful for more complex topics that might be hard to grasp.

There are three main ways of presenting your material to your audience: through visuals, audio, and hands-on activities.

• Visuals: Use slides packed with images, graphs, and bullet points.
• Audio: Tell stories, play audio clips or engage in discussions.
• Hands-on Activities: Include activities or demonstrations that allow audience members to participate physically.

Making sure everyone gets something from your presentation means considering these techniques when planning content. Not only can incorporating various methods increase audience engagement, but it can also elevate your presentation from decent to memorable.

Essential Tips for First-Time Presenters

Stepping onto the stage or logging into that webinar platform as a first-time presenter can feel nerve-wracking. But fear not! With these tips on how to dress appropriately, arrive early, and make your presentation shine, you’ll be ready to confidently nail that presentation.

Dress Appropriately

Your outfit is your armor. Choose something professional yet comfortable. Whether it’s in-person or online, dressing one notch above what you expect your audience to wear usually hits the sweet spot. Aim for solid colors that won’t distract your audience.

Arriving Early

If possible, arrive at the venue before your audience does. This gives you time to settle in, test any tech gear like microphones or projectors, and take those deep breaths. This extra time also lets you chat with early birds. By connecting with people before taking center stage, you can ease nerves significantly.

Making Presentation Time Count

You only have the audience’s attention for so long. Keep an eye on the clock as you present, but avoid rushing through content. It especially helps to pause after key points, letting information sink in. Your end goal? Leave you’re audience wanting more. You’ll know if you succeeded based on the number of questions you get during the Q&A.

So there you have it—the techniques you need to deliver an engaging presentation. By honing nonverbal communication, like eye contact and posture, you can captivate your audience with your energy. And visual aids? They’re not just ornamental; they help bolster your point and drive it home.

We also learned that tackling audience questions is not an art reserved for the eloquent few but a skill sharpened by preparation and presence. While it takes a little work to nail good storytelling and well-timed humor, the ultimate outcome is worth it.

So while standing before an audience may set your heart racing, know that arming yourself with knowledge and technique can transform not just your presentation, but you yourself. So don’t be afraid to try your hand at these skills; in doing so, you build your own confidence and become a better speaker in the process.

• Last Updated: April 11, 2024

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How to Memorize a Presentation: Guide + Templates

Memorizing a presentation is the process of internalizing a speech’s concepts, key points, and structure so it can be delivered confidently and smoothly without relying heavily on presentation notes or a script. As a skill, it implies understanding the material as a whole, committing it to memory, and recalling and articulating it effectively in front of an audience. And we mean articulating, as the end goal is not to repeat the content verbatim without emotion or feeling out of the element if questions are asked. 

In this article, we will talk about the advantages of memorizing a presentation, the different techniques for accomplishing it, and some examples of how to put these tools into practice.

Table of Contents

Benefits of Memorizing a Presentation

Technique #1: create an outline, technique #2: the 20-20-20 rule of rehearsal, technique #3: the method of loci, technique #4: using acronyms, technique #5: rhyming, technique #6: visualization linking, technique #7: chunking, technique #8: pqrst, technique #9: write it down, recommended templates for visual aids in memorization.

Although some may think of memorizing a presentation as a sort of counterproductive practice, “ knowing the speech cold ” – as HBR labels this practice – gives us room to be more confident about our understanding of the topic to present, reducing public speaking anxiety , and obtain a better performance outcome. Let’s go through some of the benefits of memorizing a presentation.

Audience Engagement

A well-memorized presentation allows for better eye contact and interaction with the audience, making the delivery more engaging and dynamic. The presentation feels less robotic, allowing you to connect with the public through genuine levels of audience engagement .

Flexibility

Understanding the material thoroughly enables the presenter to adapt to questions, comments, or technical issues without losing track of the presentation. A typical scenario is when the talk drifts off its original intention, such as when an attendee has genuine concerns about some of the presentation’s points or application. Rather than abruptly returning to where you left off, you can resume the presentation by connecting a fact to what you just discussed.

Memorizing helps maintain a logical flow and structure, ensuring that key points are covered effectively and smooth transitions between sections. This is extremely practical if we deliver video presentations , where we need to do a before and after part of the presentation from where the video starts.

A confident and well-delivered presentation is more persuasive and can have a greater impact on the audience, whether the goal is to inform, inspire, or convince. Think of how much of a difference it can make in short-format presentations like elevator pitches , as all your mental and physical efforts are focused on your body language and how you connect with the audience rather than remembering facts.

Reduced Dependence on Visual Aids

With memorized material, the presenter can use visual aids more effectively as supplements rather than crutches. Visual aids for presentations can become more artistic, enhancing the aesthetic of your presentation rather than needing specific word cues to help you remember parts of your speech. 

Enhanced Credibility

Memorizing a presentation can significantly enhance your credibility as a presenter by ensuring a smooth and confident delivery, which audiences often interpret as a sign of expertise and reliability. This phenomenon is supported by the “Halo Effect,” a cognitive bias where the perception of one positive trait (such as confidence and fluency in delivering a presentation) leads to the assumption of other positive traits (such as competence and trustworthiness). When a presenter speaks without hesitation or errors, the audience is more likely to view them as knowledgeable and credible, thus reinforcing their overall message. You can learn more about this in our article about how different cognitive bias impact your presentation .

An outline organizes your thoughts and provides a clear presentation structure . Start with a broad framework, then fill in the details. For instance, an outline for a presentation on a project management course might look like this:

• Definition of project management
• Importance of effective project management
• Defining project scope
• Setting objectives and milestones
• Resource allocation
• Team management
• Tracking progress
• Adjusting plans as needed
• Evaluating project success
• Lessons learned
• Summary of key points
• Final thoughts and call to action

This outline serves as a roadmap, helping you remember the sequence and relationships between points. You can quickly create outlines with AI tools like ChatGPT for Presentations .

The 20-20-20 rule is a structured rehearsal technique designed to enhance presentation memorization and delivery. This rule breaks down practice sessions into manageable segments, focusing on different presentation aspects and ensuring a comprehensive preparation process. The rule involves three 20-minute phases: content rehearsal, delivery practice, and review/adjustment.

Content Rehearsal

The focus should be on memorizing and understanding the concepts of your presentation. Go through the outline or main points of your presentation. Ensure you know the flow and structure.

Cover each key point, argument, and supporting evidence. You can use mnemonic devices, such as acronyms or rhymes, to aid the memory fixation process. Recite the content without worrying about your delivery style. Concentrate on getting the information right, and repeat each challenging section until you feel confident to recall it. 

A good practice is to pair this content rehearsal process with the Feynman Technique , which helps you acknowledge whether you truly understand what you’re talking about.

Delivery Practice

Practice delivering the presentation, concentrating on your speaking style, body language, and engagement with the audience. It is best if you practice standing up and speaking aloud, mentally recreating the conditions of your future presentation to reduce potential anxiety. 

Pay attention to your tone, pitch, and pace. Ensure your speech is dynamic and engaging, and make eye contact with the imaginary audience. Incorporate appropriate gestures and movements to emphasize points and keep the audience engaged.

Review and Adjustment

Review your performance, make necessary adjustments, and refine your presentation. If possible, get feedback from a peer, mentor, or record your practice session and review it.

Simplify complex points and add clarifications where needed. Look at how much jargon you’re using, your vocal variety, pacing, and body language.

The Method of Loci involves choosing a familiar location, such as your home or a route you often take, and mentally placing pieces of information at specific locations within this setting. When you need to recall the information, you mentally “walk” through the location, retrieving the information associated with each specific place.

Spatial memory is powerful, making it easier to remember and recall information. The physical layout of the location helps create a logical sequence for the presentation.

Steps to Implement the Method of Loci

Choose a familiar location, identify specific locations or landmarks, associate information with each location, visualize and rehearse, mentally walk through the location, practice regularly, adapt and expand as needed.

Select a familiar place, such as your home, office, or frequently taken route. Familiarity with the location is crucial because it allows you to visualize and navigate the space in your mind easily.

Your home, including rooms such as the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and garden.

Within your chosen location, identify distinct spots or landmarks where you will “place” information. These should be areas that are easy to visualize and distinct from one another.

• The couch in the living room
• Dining table in the kitchen
• Bed in the bedroom
• Flowerbed in the garden

Assign a piece of information from your presentation to each specific location. Create vivid, memorable images or associations for each piece of information.

For a presentation on the benefits of renewable energy:

• Front door: A bright sun symbolizes solar energy.
• Couch: A spinning wind turbine representing wind energy.
• Dining table: A flowing river representing hydroelectric power.
• Bed: A peaceful forest symbolizing biomass energy.
• Flowerbed: A vibrant array of flowers representing the benefits of renewable energy for the environment.

Spend time visualizing each piece of information in its designated location. Walk through the location in your mind, seeing each piece of information clearly.

Mentally walk to your front door and vividly imagine the bright sun. Move to the living room and picture the wind turbine on the couch. Continue this process for each location and associated image.

When it’s time to recall the information, mentally walk through the chosen location in the same order. As you visualize each spot, recall the information associated with it.

During your presentation, mentally start at the front door (solar energy) and proceed to the living room (wind energy), kitchen (hydroelectric power), bedroom (biomass energy), and garden (environmental benefits).

Regular practice helps reinforce the associations and improves recall. Periodically walk through your memory palace to ensure the information remains fresh and accessible.

Practice your mental walk-through daily leading up to your presentation. Spend a few minutes each day reinforcing the associations.

The Method of Loci is versatile and can be adapted for different types of information and expanded as needed. Add more locations or create new memory palaces for additional topics.

If your presentation has multiple sections, create a new memory palace for each section or expand your existing one by adding more rooms or landmarks.

Acronyms are powerful mnemonic devices that can simplify the process of memorizing a presentation by condensing complex information into easily remembered letters and words. Each letter in an acronym stands for a key point or concept, helping you recall the sequence and details of your presentation more effectively.

Begin by identifying the main points or concepts of your presentation. These could be steps in a process, important themes, or critical details that must be remembered.

For a presentation on effective communication, the key points might be:

• Conciseness
• Consistency

Using the key points above, create the acronym “5Cs” for effective communication:

• C onciseness
• C onsistency

Enhance the acronym with mnemonic devices, such as creating a sentence or phrase where each word starts with the same letter as your key points. This helps reinforce memory.

“ C ats C atch C lever C reatures C arefully”

Rhyming is a highly effective mnemonic tool that greatly improves presentation memorization. Crafting rhymes can result in engaging presentations as an ice-breaker and makes content easier to remember. By utilizing the natural rhythm and sound patterns of language, rhyming helps information stay in your memory.

Identify the key points or concepts you want to memorize in your presentation. These could be main ideas, lists, steps in a process, or important details. Once you have a clear list of these points, you can begin to create rhymes around them.

Create simple, catchy rhymes for each key point. Aim for short and memorable phrases that encapsulate the essence of the information. For example, if you’re presenting on the benefits of exercise, you might create a rhyme like:

“Exercise each day, keeps fatigue away.”

Combine rhymes into couplets (two-line verses) or longer verses if needed. This helps create a narrative or flow that is easy to follow. For instance, for a presentation on healthy eating, you could use:

“Fruits and veggies every day, keep the doctor far away.

Whole grains and lean meats too, give your body fuel to renew.”

Use visual aids that complement your rhymes. Say you have a slide listing the benefits of a product; use a rhyme to introduce or summarize the points on the slide. The combination of visual and auditory cues strengthens memory retention.

Visualization linking involves using vivid, imaginative images to represent key points or pieces of information in a presentation. By creating a mental picture for each point and linking these pictures together logically, you create a memorable and coherent mental map of your presentation. This technique leverages the brain’s natural ability to remember visual and spatial information more effectively than abstract concepts or words.

Unlike the Method of Loci, it focuses on creating a chain of connected images that follow a narrative or logical sequence rather than working with a familiar physical location. Therefore, there’s no need for a physical or spatial structure to help memory recall, and it is a more flexible method.

Let’s say we are wondering how to remember a presentation about the use of chemicals in food preparation. We can retrieve the mental process a consumer makes before buying a product by linking the image of the product—say, a detergent—to the store where you purchase it. Then, we can think of the potential usage by picturing the bubbles this product creates when combined with water when cleaning vegetables. 

You need to mentally go through the sequence until it feels natural. Each image triggers a memory corresponding to a key point in your presentation.

Chunking is the process of dividing large amounts of information into smaller, more manageable pieces, or chunks. Each chunk represents a unit of information that is easier to process and remember. This technique helps reduce cognitive load, making understanding, memorizing, and recalling complex concepts easier.

Once you have identified the main concepts in your presentation, you need to organize them into chunks. 

Group the time management key points:

• Importance of goals
• Types of goals (short-term, long-term)
• Urgent vs. important
• Task prioritization techniques (Eisenhower Matrix)
• Daily planning
• Weekly and monthly planning
• Identifying distractions
• Techniques to stay focused
• Regular review sessions
• Adjusting plans based on progress

Label each chunk with clear headings or section titles. This helps organize the presentation and provides a clear structure for the presenter and the audience. Incorporate visual aids such as slides, charts, or diagrams to represent each chunk. Visual aids help reinforce the information and make it more memorable. Although this technique is a good answer to how to memorize a speech faster, its most common application of chunking is related to data presentations , when we need to recall lengthy numbers critical for discussing our findings.

The PQRST method is a study and memory technique that stands for Preview, Question, Read, Self-Recite, and Test. Originally developed for academic study, this method can be effectively adapted to help presenters memorize their material by breaking down the content into manageable steps and reinforcing understanding and recall.

This method involves five steps: Previewing the material to get an overview, generating questions about the content, reading to find answers to those questions, self-reciting the key points, and testing oneself to ensure the information is retained. This structured approach aids in comprehending, memorizing, and recalling information for a presentation.

Writing things down involves manually recording information on paper. This can include writing out the full text of your presentation, key points, summaries, or notes. Writing engages your brain in different ways compared to simply reading or typing, making it an effective mnemonic device. As we take notes manually, we can implement complementary techniques to further enhance our memory recall process, like storytelling in presentations . 

Suppose your presentation contains words or paragraphs in another language. In that case, this is the best method to implement, as the manual writing process triggers your brain’s reticular activating system (RAS).

There are multiple approaches to writing down a presentation. You can write an outline, but that wouldn’t be enough. Summarizing each section of the presentation in your own words rather than repeating the lengthy speech is a great practice, as you test your comprehension simultaneously. Flashcards, which can be manual or digital, are another alternative to test your memory about the contents of the presentation.

We want to conclude this article with a series of selected PowerPoint templates that can help us work with effective visual aids for memorization. Keep in mind these PPT/PPTX files can be accessed as Google Slides templates as well.

1. Corporate Process Map Template for PowerPoint

Suppose you’re wondering how to memorize a presentation about your company’s processes, either in the change management stages or to coach personnel. In that case, you need to get this PPT template.

Detailed icons help us recall each stage of employee onboarding, sales chain, or customer fulfillment processes, to name a few.

Use This Template

2. 6-Milestone Hanging Platforms Timeline PowerPoint Template

Another template with visual aids for how to memorize speeches, this time intended for team meetings briefing in the implementation phases of specific business operations. Presenters can pair the icons to each stage or associate them with a mnemonic.

3. Data Science Shapes PowerPoint Template

This PPT template is intended for any kind of data science presentation. Its use of a broad selection of icons and contrasting colors makes it easy to remember the contents of a presentation.

4. Statistical Bias PowerPoint Templates

Say you need to deliver an academic presentation about cognitive bias; this template comes with tips to remember a speech in the form of vector art illustrations. Adapt the contents of the slides to your presentation’s needs and let the images help you retrieve concepts.

5. Action Plan PowerPoint Diagram

Share your process for launching a product or service, creating a training program, or setting new action plans for your organization with a highly visual presentation template for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Creative icons allow you to visually link the different stages your team has to complete.

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• Review Article
• Published: 02 July 2024

Integrating organoids and organ-on-a-chip devices

• Yimu Zhao   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8265-8647 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Shira Landau   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3514-3656 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Sargol Okhovatian   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2565-7397 1 , 2 ,
• Chuan Liu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7309-1095 1 , 2 ,
• Rick Xing Ze Lu 1 ,
• Benjamin Fook Lun Lai 1 ,
• Qinghua Wu 1 , 2 ,
• Jennifer Kieda   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-3460 1 ,
• Krisco Cheung 3 ,
• Shravanthi Rajasekar 4 ,
• Kimia Jozani 5 ,
• Boyang Zhang 4 , 5 &
• Milica Radisic   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1249-4135 1 , 2 , 3 , 6  

Nature Reviews Bioengineering volume  2 ,  pages 588–608 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Induced pluripotent stem cells
• Tissue engineering

Organoids and organs-on-chips are two rapidly emerging 3D cell culture techniques that aim to bridge the gap between in vitro 2D cultures and animal models to enable clinically relevant drug discovery and model human diseases. Despite their similar goals, they use different approaches and exhibit varying requirements for implementation. Integrative approaches promise to provide improved cellular fidelity in the format of a device that can control the geometry of the organoid and provide flow, mechanical and electrical stimuli. In this Review, we discuss recent integrative approaches in the areas of intestine, kidney, lung, liver, pancreas, brain, retina, heart and tumour. We start by defining the two fields and describe how they emerged from the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and stem cells. We compare the scales at which the two methods operate and briefly describe their achievements, followed by studies integrating organoids and organ-on-a-chip devices. Finally, we define implementation limitations and requirements for translation of the integrated devices, including determining the differentiation stage at which an organoid should be placed into an organ-on-a-chip device, providing perfusable vasculature within the organoid and overcoming limitations of cell line and batch-to-batch variability.

Organoids and organs-on-chips (OoCs) aim to improve drug testing and disease modelling, but integration examples are still scarce.

The benefits of integration include organ-specific cellular hierarchy and structural fidelity; microscopic features from OoCs guiding tissue morphological formation; better reproducibility and scale-up capacities; and biocompatible built-in sensors for in situ functional readouts and industrially compatible culture formats.

A key challenge is vascularizing organoids with tissue-specific endothelial cells and aligning different cell types in organoids with appropriate flow in scalable, integrated devices.

In parallel, advances in computer vision and deep learning will be needed to enhance data processing and analysis. Addressing cell line variability and establishing validation criteria for OoC–organoid integrated devices is critical for commercial and translational success.

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A guide to the organ-on-a-chip

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Acknowledgements

Our work is funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation grant FDN-167274, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery grant (RGPIN 326982-10), NSERC-CIHR Collaborative Health Research grant (CHRP 493737-16), US National Institutes of Health grant 2R01 HL076485 and a Stem Cell Network Impact Award (IMP-C4R1-3). M.R. was supported by the Killam Fellowship and Canada Research Chair. Y.Z. was supported by a CIHR postdoctoral award. S.L. was supported by a Rothschild, Zuckerman, and EMBO (ALTF 530-2022) fellowship.

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These authors contributed equally: Yimu Zhao, Shira Landau.

Authors and Affiliations

Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Yimu Zhao, Shira Landau, Sargol Okhovatian, Chuan Liu, Rick Xing Ze Lu, Benjamin Fook Lun Lai, Qinghua Wu, Jennifer Kieda & Milica Radisic

Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Yimu Zhao, Shira Landau, Sargol Okhovatian, Chuan Liu, Qinghua Wu & Milica Radisic

Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Krisco Cheung & Milica Radisic

Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Shravanthi Rajasekar & Boyang Zhang

School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Kimia Jozani & Boyang Zhang

Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Milica Radisic

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Conceptualization: M.R., Y.Z., S.L. and S.O. Writing – original draft: Y.Z., S.L., S.O., C.L., R.X.Z.L., B.F.L.L., Q.W., J.K., K.C., S.R., K.J., B.Z. and M.R. Writing – review and editing: M.R., Y.Z., S.L. and S.O. Visualization: Y.Z., S.L., S.O. and K.C. Supervision: M.R. and B.Z. Project administration: M.R. Funding acquisition: M.R. and B.Z.

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Correspondence to Milica Radisic .

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Competing interests.

M.R., Y.Z. and B.Z. are inventors on an issued US patent for Biowire technology that is licensed to Valo Health; they receive royalties for this invention. B.Z. and S.R. are co-founders and hold equity in OrganoBiotech. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.

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Bioconvergence hub: https://bico.com/what-we-do/

Comprehensive In Vitro Pro-arrhythmia Assay (CIPA): https://cipaproject.org/

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United Network for Organ Sharing: https://unos.org/

Valo Health, an AI company, acquiring the heart-on-a-chip company TARA Biosystems: https://www.valohealth.com/press/valo-health-acquires-tara-biosystems-creating-first-of-its-kind-vertically-integrated-cardiovascular-platform

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Zhao, Y., Landau, S., Okhovatian, S. et al. Integrating organoids and organ-on-a-chip devices. Nat Rev Bioeng 2 , 588–608 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-024-00207-z

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-024-00207-z

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