CHAPTER 11
DELIVERY
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Chapter 11 describes the characteristics of effective delivery. It explains the elements of
effective delivery, and discusses the three types of speech delivery and the settings in
speech is also included.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction (p. 187): Delivery is important because how well the ideas are spoken can
have a major impact on the audience’s interest, understanding, and memory.
I. Characteristics of an effective delivery. Delivery is how a message is
communicated nonverbally through your use of voice and body. Nonverbal
communication includes all speech elements other than the words themselves
(p. 187).
A. Conversational: Use a conversational tone so your audience feels you are
II. Use of voice and body. Achieving effective conservational and dynamic delivery
is the goal (p. 188).
A. Use of voice: Characteristics of voice—the sound produced by vocal
organs—include the following: pitch is the highness or lowness of the
sounds produced; volume is how loudly or softly you speak; rate is the
speed at which you talk; and quality is the tone or timbre of your voice and
what distinguishes it from the voices of others.
1.
Intelligibility: To speak intelligibly means to be understandable.
a.
Appropriate volume is the key to intelligibility.
2.
Vocal expression: Use vocal expression by changing your pitch,
volume and rate, stressing certain words, and using pauses
strategically.
a.
Actual or near monotone, a voice in which the pitch, volume, and
meaning, can also mark important ideas.
B. Use of body: Effective use of the body contributes to how conversational
and animated your audience perceives you to be.
1.
Appearance, the way you look to others, matters; studies show that a
neatly groomed and professional appearance sends important
messages about a speaker’s commitment to the topic and occasion, as
well as the speaker’s credibility.
2.
Posture refers to the position or bearing with which you hold your
body.
3.
Poise is a graceful and controlled use of the body that gives the
5.
Facial expressions, the eye and mouth movements that convey
emotions can help animate your speech.
6.
Gestures, the movements of your hands, arms, and fingers, can
III. Delivery methods (p. 195).
A. Impromptu speeches: delivered with only seconds or minutes of advance
notice for preparation and usually presented without referring to notes.
IV. Rehearsals: rehearsing is the iterative process of practicing your speech aloud.
(p. 196).
A. Speaking notes: a key word outline of your speech includes hard-to–
remember information and delivery cues.
2.
To develop notes begin by reducing your speech outline to an
abbreviated outline of key phrases and words.
4.
During practice sessions, use the notes as you would in the speech.
B. Presentational aids.
2.
Consider the audience’s needs carefully.
4.
Share a presentational aid only when talking about it.
5.
Display presentational aids so that everyone in the audience can see
C. Practice rounds.
1.
Practice aloud.
a.
Record (audio and video) at your practice session.
b.
Read through your complete sentence outline once or twice to
2.
Analyze and make adjustments.
3.
Practice aloud again.
V. Adapting while delivering your speech (p. 200).
A. Be aware of and respond to audience feedback.
B. Be prepared to use alternative developmental material.
VI. Adapting your speech for virtual audiences (p. 202).
A. To reach multiple audiences successfully, we must consider not just those
who are informed about the topic, but also those who may not be informed,
may be apathetic, and may even be hostile toward it.
B. As speakers, we need to consider how to adapt our delivery for virtual
audiences. When adapting speeches for virtual audiences:
1.
Adapt your speech to address multiple audiences.
LECTURE IDEAS
1.
Direct students to the article “The Unspoken Language of Motivation” by Michael
2.
For many students it is helpful to videotape one of their rehearsals so that they may
discover their strengths and weaknesses when blending the verbal and nonverbal
3.
Ask students to examine the outlines for their last speech assignment. Have them
4.
Some students may have problems in their vocal delivery that require specific
evaluation and correction, such as a problem with nasality in vocal quality. This
problem may be corrected with a particular speech exercise. For example, meet
individually with this student and go through the following exercise:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.
When would reading a speech be appropriate? What should the speaker do in these
situations to keep from sounding monotone? Why should most speakers NOT read
their speeches?
4.
Extemporaneous speaking has been described as the “best of both worlds.” Why do
you think this is so?
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Activity 11.1: Articulation
In order to emphasize the importance of speaking clearly for an audience, give each
student one note card with a tongue twister on it. The students will most likely say the
tongue twister quickly at first, only to find that the words run together and are more
Activity 11.2: Vocal Variety/Inflection
In order to stress the importance of emphasis and inflection demonstrate how altering
these concepts can alter the actual meaning of a word or sentence. Write the following
sentence on the board and ask one student to read each sentence, emphasizing the
underlined word each time.
Activity 11.3: Pronunciation Game
For this activity, each student should be provided with a copy of a pronunciation key. A
pronunciation key may be found at the front of any dictionary and will include the
symbols of the phonetic alphabet. Divide students into groups of 3–4. You may use a
Activity 11.4: Model Note Card
One of the most common problems with speaker note cards is that students write too
much on a card. They try to write a manuscript for the whole speech. For each speaking
Blank Note Card Samples
Introduction:
Opener:
II.
Completed Sample Note Cards
Introduction:
Opener: story of radio announcer mentioning next Wed. is first day of autumn
and thinking about how I always say “fall.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Body:
I. Astronomical Definition—“from the descending equinox to the winter solstice.”
(On map show position of sun and date for equinox and winter solstice.)
Summary and Conclusion: Next Wed. remember it is the first day of autumn because of
the location of the sun, but in Great Britain and France, autumn started last
month and won’t start in the Southern Hemisphere for six months. Here in North
America it will start for me when the weather, clothes, food, and feeling tell me it
is “autumn.”
Activity 11.5: InfoTrac Activity
As a homework assignment, have students search the InfoTrac database for the subject
Activity 11.6: Practicing Delivery
Distribute a copy to each student, but do not let them look at it until one student has
agreed to read it out loud. “The boys’ arrows were nearly gone so they sat down on the
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
accent: inflection, tone, and speech habits typical of native speakers of a language
animated: lively and dynamic
conversational: sounding spontaneous, as though talking with an audience
delivery: communicating through the use of voice and body
extemporaneous speech: a speech researched and planned ahead of time, although
the exact wording is not scripted
eye contact: looking at the people to whom you are speaking
facial expression: eye and mouth movements that convey emotions
movement: changing the position or location of the entire body
nonverbal communication: all speech elements other than the words themselves
nonverbal immediacy: a perception of being personable and likeable
speaking notes: a key-word outline of the speech, plus hard-to-remember information
and delivery cues
spontaneity: sounding natural, no matter how many times a presentation was practiced
stress: emphasis placed on certain words by speaking them more loudly than the rest
of the sentence
TEST QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 11
Multiple Choice
1.
The timbre that distinguishes your voice from others is .
a. pitch
b. volume
c. rate
d. quality
2.
Which of the following is NOT an aspect of nonverbal communication?
a. facial expressions
b. eye contact
c. movement
d. content of the speech
3.
All of the following are characteristics of voice EXCEPT:
a. pitch
b. rate
c. resonance
d. volume
4.
A voice in which the pitch, volume, and rate remain constant is called a(n)
.
a. pause
b. gesture
c. monotone
d. transposition
5.
Common articulation and pronunciation problems include
.
a. speaking too fast
b. adding a sound where none appears
c. transposition, repetition, and execution
d. pauses
6.
What is achieved by changing your pitch, volume, and rate, stressing certain words
and using pause strategically?
a. emission
b. articulation
c. vivid language
d. vocal expression
ANS: d SEE PAGE 190
7.
A person is said to have a(n) when they have speech habits typical of a
certain geographic area.
a.accent
b.dialect
c. timbre
d.impediment
ANS: a SEE PAGE 189
8.
What is the key to intelligibility?
a.pitch
b.rate
c. appropriate volume
d.voice
9.
Besides avoiding monotone, another reason to fluctuate your pitch during your
speech is to .
a. reach audience members in the back so they can hear you but you’re not shouting
to those in the front
b. make sure audience members in the back can hear you
c. give time for your audience to process your ideas
d. clarify the emotional intent of your message
ANS: d SEE PAGE 190
10.
Robert practiced taking a few steps to one side of the stage each time he started a
new point of his speech. He is engaging in .
a. movement
b. motivated movement
c. gesture
d. audience contact
ANS: b SEE PAGE 195
11. A voice in which the pitch, volume, and rate remain constant, with no word, idea, or
sentence differing significantly in sound from any other is .
a. poor articulation
b. impromptu
c. monotone
d. conversationally
12. A speech researched and planned ahead of time but the exact wording is not
scripted and will vary somewhat from the presentation is .
a. extemporaneous
b. impromptu
c. scripted
d. memorized
ANS: a SEE PAGE 196
13. A moment of silence strategically placed in order to enhance meaning is called a(n)
.
a. stress
b. pause
c. gesture
d. articulation
14.
Which of the following is NOT a reason related to the importance of eye contact?
a. maintaining eye contact helps audiences concentrate on the speech
b. maintaining eye contact increases the audience’s confidence in you, the speaker
c. maintaining eye contact helps you gain insight into the audience’s reaction to the
speech
d. all of these are related to the importance of eye contact
15.
Generally, you should look at your audience at least of the time.
a.100 percent
b. 90 percent
c. 80 percent
d. 70 percent
16.
If your boss prompts you unexpectedly to give a quick report on the project that you
have been working on at a meeting, you will be giving what type of delivery?
a. extemporaneous
b. scripted
c. impromptu
d. informative
17.
Which of the following facial expressions should be used throughout your speech?
a. deadpan expression
b. smile
c. scowl
d. natural facial expression
18.
All of the following should be included in your speaking notes EXCEPT:
a. hard-to-remember statistics
b. delivery cues to help trigger memory
c. introduction and conclusion
d. long quotations
19.
When preparing to adapt a speech for a virtual audience, what should a speaker
consider?
a. adapt your speech to address multiple audiences
b. become proficient with technology in advance
c. employ the fundamentals of effective public speaking
d. all of these
20.
All of the following are guidelines to help you decide how to dress for a speech
EXCEPT:
a. consider the topic and purpose
b. consider your posture
c. consider the audience and occasion
d. avoid extremes
True-False
21.
T F A monotone speech lulls the audience to sleep and diminishes the chances of
audience understanding your message.
ANS: T SEE PAGE 190
22.
T F Articulation is the form and accent of various syllables of a word.
23.
T F You should not practice movements or gestures so they can appear natural
when you present your speech.
24.
T F Facial expressions can supplement and reflect the thoughts of the
speaker.
25.
T F An upright stance and squared shoulders communicate a lack of confidence.
ANS: F SEE PAGE 192
26.
T F Speakers can avoid problems using presentational aids if they carefully plan
when to use them.
27.
T F Your goal in public speaking is to vary your pitch, volume, rate, and quality to
achieve a conversational and animated style that is intelligible and
expressive.
28.
T F Cramming all the practice rounds into a long rehearsal session is beneficial to
your speech delivery.
29.
T F Pay attention to your audience’s feedback as you speak and adjust
your delivery accordingly.
30.
T F Internet accessibility makes it possible to speak publicly to multiple
audiences across the country and around the world.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Deutsch, C. H. (2003, September 7). It’s not what you say, but how it sounds.
The New York Times, p. BU10, col. 02.
Drucker, D. (2000). How not to mumble. Training and Development, 54(2), 71.
Gallo, C. (2014). Talk like TED: The 9 public-speaking secrets of the world’s top