Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 25: Speaking in College Courses
Learning Objectives
1-1 Discuss dimensions of presenting orally in courses across the curriculum
1-2 Adapt oral presentations to specific educational contexts and audiences
1-3 Prepare and deliver a report on a professional/scholarly article, poster presentation,
position presentation or debate, and service learning or internship report
Outline
I. Oral presentations are common experiences across college curriculum.
A. Communication skills are key to most classes and disciplines.
1. Class presentations tend to be less formal than public speeches but
more formal than regular conversations.
2. Class audiences tend to be more homogenous and the presenter is not
necessarily seen as “the” class expert on a topic.
3. It is still important to verify the knowledge base of your audience.
B. Different oral assignments are present within the classroom context.
1. Always double-check your receivers’ level of understanding
II. Some assignments will require students to read articles related to a particular
research topic.
A. To successfully complete this task, students must:
1. Introduce the article by identifying the author, title, publication
date, and tile of the journal in which it appeared.
2. Describe the author’s research methods.
3. Describe the findings or conclusions as well as address the
implications of the conclusions.
4. Evaluate the article on the basis of its strengths and weaknesses.
5. Evaluate the credibility of the author on the basis of the work
completed, sources consulted, and validity of the study.
6. Describe the practical utility of the article.
7. Provide suggestions for future research.
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
B. Other assignments require a formal poster presentation.
1. Posters can be viewed as a story and may cover any topic.
2. Simplicity is key for preparing a poster.
3. The font should be visible to the audience standing at a distance of five
feet.
4. The layout for a poster should be visually creative and appealing to an
audience.
5. The objectives and main points should be clear and well organized.
6. Posters often serve as: a) a source of information, b) starting point for a
conversation, c) advertises your research, and d) summarizes your
research.
7. Other important guidelines to follow when preparing a poster
presentation:
a. Consider the message to communicate before creating the poster
b. Give the poster a short but informative title
c. Keep the message focused and simple
d. Use a logical and clear layout
e. Use headings to assist the audience and to identify the main
points
f. Editing the text is important
g. Emphasize graphics
h. Utilize color to attract the audience’s attention.
i. Prepare to discuss and address questions regarding the poster
j. When presenting a poster presentation, speakers should articulate
clearly and establish eye contact with the audience regularly.
C. Position presentations or debates are another type of speaking context that
transcends disciplines.
1. During this type of persuasive presentation, presenters on both sides of
an issue take turns presenting pro and con positions.
a. The pro or the affirmative side supports a topic that calls for a
change.
b. The con or the negative side attempts to convince the audience
that change is not needed in an effort to protect the status quo.
2. Throughout the debate, both sides will have an opportunity to refute the
ideas from the opposing side.
Student Resource
Gamble, The Public Speaking Playbook, 2nd Edition
SAGE Publishing, 2018
a. Refutation involves highlighting the flaws in the opponent’s
argument and readjusting your own arguments accordingly.
3. A successful debate requires:
a. Present an organized speech
b. Communicating your passion for the position
c. Identifying credible and convincing evidence in support of your
position
d. Indicating what the audience should decide
e. Stressing your strong points
f. Emphasizing the opponents weaknesses
g. Thinking quickly and creatively
D. Reporting on a service learning or internship experience is another type of
presentation.
1. Service learning projects involve regular interaction with a community
or public agency.
2. Speakers describe the organization, agency, or group, discuss
expectations prior to completing the experience, describe the tasks
performed, explain how these experiences were significant, and share
final thoughts regarding those expectations and future applications of the
knowledge gained.