What is Public Speaking?

The definition of Public Speaking provided by Webster's New World Dictionary of the word public is: "of, belonging to, or concerning the people as a whole; For the benefit of all". So, giving a speech in front of people is public speaking — public speaking is sharing information with several people at the same time.

Addressing a group of people requires organization, enthusiasm, spontaneity, imagination, good humor, knowledge of your subject, analytical capacities and listening abilities. If you are in the public sector, you are constantly talking to people face to face or over the telephone. This means you are talking and listening. This conveying of messages is also used in public speaking. You should, therefore, be capable and able to deliver an interesting speech in public.

Some of the biggest fears include: forgetting your lines, not knowing what to do with your arms, what to do if there's a mistake, what if someone knows more than you do, what to do if you cannot answer a question ...

These apprehensions are partly solved with a thorough knowledge of your subject. As advisors we're lucky because the admission procedure to US universities is basically the same. An application form is essentially composed of essays, a bank statement, recommendation forms and tests. These items rarely change, and so the structure of your speech remains the same — all that changes is the delivery of your presentation. This means that the information you give advisees in person or over the phone is suitable for your talk!

Do you panic before answering the phone? Most probably not! I'm sure you rapidly pick up the receiver and automatically respond to the caller's question. In public speaking you are in front of many people instead of simply one person.

For me, the first few seconds are the most shaky. My trick is to welcome the crowd, introduce myself briefly, state what I will talk about and smile constantly. This serves as an overture and help me to begin the information session. When I think of public speaking, I think of acting — although you do not need to be an actor to rely on good humor and imagination.

There are several steps to public speaking:

(1) Before you begin, ask yourself these basic questions:

1. What is your topic?
2. What do you know about the subject: do you need to do more research?
3. Whom will you be addressing: Age? Interest? What do they know about your topic?

(2) Preparation

1. How long are you going to speak?
2. Prepare an outline of your speech with an introduction, a body and a conclusion
3. Write key words on a sheet of paper.

(3) Rehearsal

1. Practice in front of a mirror
2. Tape your speech and listen to the recording to test your smoothness, clearness and the structure of your talk.
3. Rehearse in front of friends, family, neighbors, or in front of your dog, cat, bird, or plants.
4. Begin from different sections of your presentation to familiarize yourself with the various points of your speech, and to practice picking up after an eventual disturbance.
5. Invent different ways for saying the same thing.
6. Close your eyes and imagine the conference room and your audience.

(4) The Performance

1. Introduce yourself, say thank you and that you're happy to address the audience today.
2. Wear comfortable shoes and nice clothes.
3. Remember that it is normal to be nervous — rely on your knowledge of the subject to give yourself confidence and reassurance. Even the most known actors suffer from stage fright! The first few seconds might be the most difficult so be sure to prepare an opening sentence.
4. Pronounce every word clearly and loudly.
5. Speak SLOWLY and articulate in an exaggerated manner.
6. Smile and look at your audience as though you were talking to them directly.
7. Incorporate examples, and add jokes, anecdotes or stories. Encourage participation and questions!
8. End with your conclusion, ask if there are any questions, and thank your audience for their attention.
9. Always make each speech sound as if it were your first talk.

(5) What NOT to do ...

1. DO NOT READ your entire speech; refer to your key notes and try to maintain continuous eye contact with the audience
2. Do not rush — you'll most likely stumble over your words.
3. Try not to say "humm" or "uhhh" or "you know".
4. Keep your hand out of your pockets — and use gestures!

(6) What to do if/when...

• Members of the audience are talking while you are speaking.
  Simply state that it is bothersome and ask them to be quiet.
• You forget your lines or draw a blank:
  Take a look at your outline and your key words. People are understanding and flexible; they will not make any remarks, some may not have noticed that you lost your place.
• You cannot answer a question.
  Say so, be honest and promise to follow up later. After the speech, take down the person's name, address, and question.
• You have nothing else to say.
  Restate the important points of your speech, encourage participation, ask the audience some questions and see if there are any other questions that you can answer.

(7) How I Do It ...

• After my introduction, I add stories, examples, and sentences such as "I am not here to sell...", "I realize that this is a long process" and " If you don't have the grades, don't give up..."
  Personally, I did poorly on the SAT and had average to decent grades in high school. I was accepted to Wheaton College thanks to my personality and extracurricular activities and was able to get through the four years of undergraduate work.

• I ask what fields of study are represented so I can give specific details. Also, I invite questions. If noone speaks up I will reassure them "that there are no stupid questions" (we've all heard that one before!) and I tell them a TRUE story of a young man that called to say that he just received his TOEFL admission ticket which requires a photo. His questions was "of whom must the photo be?"!!! This anecdotes always makes everyone laugh and loosens the tension.

• Because I tremendously enjoy speaking in public, my speech lacks structure. My secret to stay on track is to use a blackboard or large pieces of paper and to write down my key points.

The role of the lecturer is to take the crowd on an intellectual trip. I see it as taking the public in my world and talking them through a procedure (in this case). By coloring the talk and adding stories, I create a relaxed atmosphere and interaction is facilitated. This enables both the crown and lecturer to have fun.

A Few Presentation Tips For Your Speech Delivery

Using Gestures While Speaking

Be sure to gesture when presenting. Gesturing can relax you, reinforce your message and make your presentation more interesting to watch. Here are a few tips on gesturing:

• OPEN UP your arms to embrace your audience. Keep your arms between your waist and shoulders.
• AVOID quick and jerky gestures; they make you appear nervous. Hold gestures longer than you would in normal conversation.
• VARY your gestures. Switch from hand to hand, and sometimes use either both or no hands.
• Caution: Don't overuse gestures
  Source: Marjorie Brody, Brody Communications, 1200 Melrose Ave., Melrose Park, PA 19126

What Audiences Like About Presenters

A study by a professor of marketing at Northern Illinois University shows that people who attend conference sessions like presenters who:

• ARE AVAILABLE before and after sessions to answer questions and talk about an important point.
• USE EFFECTIVE visuals properly. They like people who use visuals effectively better than people who don't use visuals at all.
• ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION — and call on the participants' experience. Audiences appreciate presenters who don't use just a straight lecture approach.
• HAVE MASTERED their subject, yet communicate it at a level appropriate to the participants' experience.

  Source: Dr. John Wagle, cited in "Creative Training Techniques", 50 S. 9th Street., Minneapolis, MN 55402