Speech Buddies Chapter 5

From watching the speech buddy video’s I noticed that in the first one, Light Pollution, that she would catch herself from talking too fast. Also, she would relate her audience to her topic whenever possible. For example, she knew that her whole class could identify with learning about water and air pollutants, since they learned about it in class. Therefore, she tried to expand their knowledge to a topic related to something they already learned about. In the second speech buddy video on drinking, the speaker draws in his audience right from the beginning, by making a gesture that many college students have seen or have even experienced. He also draws in his audience by relating statistics to his peers. They are the statistics, college students.

Audience adaptation, Audience Analysis

Question: Discuss the importance of audience analysis and audience adaptation in the speech development process. Also, discuss how YOU plan on using audience analysis in your speech.


From learning about audience analysis and audience adaptation, I figured out that individuals in my audience can come from different cultures, back rounds, and all together walks of life. From audience analysis, I realize that I need to pay closer attention to my peers when they are writing in their blogs. I need to try and find out all the information about each individual as possible. Some of my strategies that I have already thought of to connect my audience to my speech is by not just trying to tie in my sports fans to my speech, but also the individuals who just value hard work. At some point in someone’s life a person has accomplished something that was a difficult process. I’m trying to connect common values through out my audience.

Speech Progress

So, the topic of my speech is “how to set a volleyball”. I figured that this would be something easy for me to be passionate about, since I have been playing for more then four years. I have been looking up specifics online on how to set a volleyball, and even talking to my old varsity coach in high school. As for visual aid, the only thing I can imagine bringing is a real volleyball.

For my main points, I think I will cover..


1. What a “set” is in volleyball.
2. How to properly do a “set”.
3. What are the different kinds of sets.
4. Demonstrating how to do a proper set.

My hopes are that I can successfully deliver this speech, but from the looks at just the topic, I am in a good position to do well on this speech.

research interviews

As far as research interviews my experience is at its minimum, I would say. When I was younger my research interviews consisted of me asking my parents about their culture from homework assignments, I would need to write about my family history in elementary school. At that point, I never saw pro’s or con’s about the situation, since they were my parents. Recently, I had to conduct a research interview with Asian American’s about their past for my Asian American studies class. This was, what I would say, my only real experience with research interviews. When interviewing these people I would stutter a lot with my words, I had a fear of wording questions in wrong ways that could possibly offend them. (the interviews were about their past heritage concerning their acceptance here in the USA) Eventually, I had found a comfort level with interviewing these individuals, and left with a rewarding experience. Interviewing each person turned into somewhat of a fun game for me. I found out information from every person, and I was attracted to the fact that each one was unique.


Some Advice I would consider giving someone while conducting research interviews is…


- Make sure your clear with your questions so the person could respond with the best answer possible.
- Make the person your interviewing feel comfortable, allow them to finish every sentence, and don’t interrupt them.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on an answer. Every person can interpret an answer differently.
- Have fun!

One concept from the assigned reading

From the reading, as simple as it is, I kept thinking about the fact on how passionate I should be on he subject I am discussing in order to give a well developed speech. Out of the speeches I have given in the past, I could distinctively tell which ones I was more comfortable with delivering over the others. They were all about subjects that I was very passionate about. I felt like I had so much information I could talk about to the audience that I wouldn’t even think about having spots of awkward silence or stumbling upon words. For this class, I hope to pick topics that I am passionate about, so I can have an easier time controlling my feelings before I go up on stage to present my speech.

Speech Buddies 2.1, 2.2, Intro Jessica

After watching the three speech buddy video’s I can see the different practices that individuals do in order to deliver a speech as best as they possibly can. From the first video, 2.1, I loved the breathing exercises. Honestly, I tried some out since I had to say a speech at work today in front of many parents of my students, and they helped! I realized that I had tension in my shoulders right before I say a speech, and just by focusing more on my breathing and putting my hands on my rib cage it eased my shoulders out. I even had many parents telling me I did a good job. For the other two videos I noticed how each person had different ways to tackle their speech. For example, walking around during a speech to calm your senses is something I can relate to because any movement can ease my nervousness at times. In addition, with Jessica’s introduction speech, I noticed she laughed at what she was talking about at times. Just laughing at yourself can be a little reminder that everything is just fine, and that you will eventually be done with your speech soon.

Participation Week 2, #1

Question: What makes you apprehensive about public speaking?


Judgment and incompetence are my two largest things that make me apprehensive about public speaking. Although, I have had a background with speaking in front of large crowds, the feeling of being judged and showing a lack of competence in the subject I am discussing is in the back of my mind at all times. As Author Stephanie J. Coopman writes about in chapter one of her textbook Public Speaking: The Evolving Art how it is very easy in this day in age to deliver information and have the audience judge you based on whether or not you are correct. Simply because, our resources are so large and broad that audiences can search a topic online, through DVD’s, a pod cast, or even television and get a different answer. The technological boom works with us and against us at a bittersweet pace, providing us with vital information that can be used against us or for us. This provides me with a large burden on my shoulders, always making me think I missed something important in my speech. In addition, this burden brings with it the feelings that I will be judged by my audience because I am possibly delivering a speech that lacks knowledge.