Barronforcongress

Memorized text presentations, are written out, committed to memory, and delivered word for word. In general, you should avoid trying to memorize entire speeches because this method of presentation poses many problems. However, because the introduction and conclusion of a speech are important, the introduction for gaining audience attention and the conclusion for leaving a lasting impression, their wording should be carefully planned, and you may want to memorize them. You might also want to memorize short congratulatory remarks, a toast, or a brief award acceptance speech.
Beginning speakers who try to memorize their speeches usually get so caught up with remembering that they forget about communicating. The result often sounds stilted or “sing-songy.” Speaking from memory also inhibits adapting to feedback. It can keep you from clarifying points that the audience doesn’t understand or from following up on ideas that seem especially effective.
Another problem with memorized speeches is that they must be written out in advance. Most people do not write in an effective oral style. The major differences between oral and written language, covered in Chapter 10, bear repeating. Good oral style uses short, direct, conversational patterns. Even sentence fragments can be acceptable. Repetition, rephrasing, and amplification are more necessary in speaking than in writing. The sense of rhythm and saving the most forceful idea for the end of the sentence are more important in oral style. Imagery can be especially useful to help the audience visualize what you are talking about.
If you must memorize a speech, commit the speecp so thoroughly to memory that you can concentrate on communicating with your audience. If you experience a ‘menta1 block,” keep talking. Restate or rephrase your last point to get your mind back on track. If this doesn’t work, you may find yourself forced into an extemporaneous style and discover that you can actually express your ideas better without the constraints of exact wording!

The word communication stems from the Latin word for common. An effective presentation allows a speaker and audience to hold ideas and feelings in common, even when they come from different cultural backgrounds. Such a presentation makes use of a verbal and nonverbal system of symbols that should work together to create meaning.
An effective presentation begins with your attitude. You must be committed to your topic and want to share this commitment. The way you speak should bring your ideas to life. In brief, you should want to communicate. This may seem obvious, but we remember another student in whom this desire to communicate seemed oddly missing. She had done well in high school speaking contests, and in her first speech she told her listeners that she thought of herself as a good speaker. And in a technical sense, she was correct. Her voice was pleasant and expressive, her manner direct and competent. But there was a false note, an overtone of artificiality. In consequence, her listeners gave her a rather chilly reception. It was clear that for her, speaking was an exhibition. She was more important than her ideas. Her listeners sensed that she had her J priorities wrong.
Beyond the right attitude, any good presentation has certain requirements. Your presentation must be loud enough to be heard easily in the back of the room where you are speaking. It should not call attention to itself or distract from your message. Consequently, you should avoid pompous pronunciations, artificial vocal patterns, and overly dramatic gestures. An effective presentation sounds natural and conversational—as though you v. talking with listeners, not at them. This helps reduce the psychological distance between you and your audience.