Chapter 15
Delivering Your Speech
C
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
• Learn the pros and cons of the main modes of delivery.
• Understand how to use both vocal delivery skills and nonverbal delivery skills to deliver a speech
effectively.
• Consider how presentation aids might enhance your speech.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
• The chapter opens with a scenario in which a student named Helen has finished presenting a
thoughtful and organized speech. Because her delivery was less than excellent, however, she was
awarded a grade of a B. Helen’s experience reveals a major lesson for all public speakers: how you
say something can be as important as what you say. Delivery is the combination of vocal and nonverbal
communication skills that a person uses to present a speech.
SELECTING THE RIGHT MODE OF DELIVERY
• Reading from a Manuscript
In this delivery mode, you give your speech by reading directly from a script—a typed or
handwritten document containing the entire text of your speech.
Delivery from a script is appropriate in circumstances in which speakers (or speechwriters) need
to choose their words carefully.
The word-for-word manuscript delivery ensures that listeners hear exactly what you want them to
hear.
Reading from a script has its disadvantages:
• Memorizing from a Manuscript
To recite a speech memorized from a script, you learn your script word-for-word and deliver it
without looking at any text, notes, or outline.
You behave like an actor on the stage or the screen who memorizes dialogue and recites the
words as part of a performance.
This delivery mode offers some advantages over reading from a script:
• There’s no physical barrier between you and your audience, so you can maintain eye
contact with listeners throughout your speech, allowing you to be more natural with your
gestures and in your use of visual aids.
• Extemporaneous: Speaking from an Outline
In this mode of delivery—the preferred mode in most speech situations—you deliver your
speech by referring to a brief outline that you prepared in advance.
Speaking from an outline offers the best aspects of reading from a script and memorizing your
speech while avoiding their disadvantages.
When you speak from an outline, your delivery becomes more conversational.
Because you choose your words flexibly, you can adapt your message as needed to the audience
at hand.
• Impromptu: Speaking without Preparation
Impromptu delivery means that you are generating your speech content in the moment, without
time to prepare in advance.
Even in a spontaneous speaking situation, you can speak from a mental outline that you draft
quickly and keep in your mind, just as you would with a physical outline in an extemporaneous
situation.
You can pull together a mental outline by quickly asking yourself the following questions:
• What is the question or topic?
USING VOCAL DELIVERY SKILLS
• To deliver a high-impact speech, you need to use appropriate vocal delivery skills—the effective use of
your voice when delivering a speech.
• Volume
Volume refers to how loud or soft your voice is as you deliver a speech.
Be loud enough that everyone in your audience can hear you but not so loud that you drive away
the listeners positioned closest to you.
• Tone
The tone of your speaking voice derives from pitch—the highs and lows in your voice.
• Rate of Delivery
Your rate of delivery refers to how quickly or slowly you speak during a presentation.
Speak fast enough to keep your presentation lively and interesting but not so fast that you
become inarticulate.
• Projection
Projection is “booming” your voice across the speaking forum to reach all audience members.
To project, use the air that you exhale from your lungs to carry the sound of your voice across
the room or auditorium.
• Pronunciation
Pronunciation refers to correctness in the way you say words.
Taking the time to find out how to pronounce an unfamiliar name (whether that of a person or a
place) will strengthen your credibility.
If you’re not certain how to pronounce a word that you want to use in your speech, find out
how to say it before you deliver your presentation.
• You can ask your instructor or consult a dictionary.
• Pausing
Used skillfully, pausing—leaving gaps between words or sentences in a speech—affords you
some significant advantages:
• Besides enabling you to collect your thoughts, it reinforces the seriousness of your
subject because it shows that you’re choosing your words carefully.
USING NONVERBAL DELIVERY SKILLS
• Nonverbal delivery skills involve the use of physical behaviors to deliver a speech.
• Eye Contact
With true eye contact, you look directly into the eyes of your audience members, and they look
directly into yours.
Maintaining eye contact with your audience has several advantages:
• It enables you to gauge the audience’s interest in your speech.
• It helps you to interact with your audience.
How you use eye contact depends on the size of your audience.
• With small audiences, try to establish and sustain direct eye contact with each listener at
various points in your speech.
• With large audiences, this isn’t practical, and you’ll need to use a technique called
panning.
• Gestures
Gestures—using hand, head, or face movements to emphasize a point, pantomime,
demonstrate, or call attention to something—can add flair to your speech delivery, especially
when your gestures seem natural rather than overly practiced.
In addition to ensuring that your gestures reinforce your spoken message, avoid using distracting
gestures born of nervousness.
To get the most from gestures, follow these guidelines:
• Physical Movement
Physical movement describes how much or how little you move around while delivering a
speech.
Skillful use of physical movement injects energy into your delivery and signals transitions
between parts of your speech.
Unless you must be at the lectern because of a microphone, it is recommended that you come
out from behind it for at least part of the time in order to interact more fully with your audience.
• Proxemics
Proxemics is the use of the space and distance between yourself and your audience.
Moving toward your audience can help you communicate intimacy.
• Research indicates that there is a strong association between closeness and attraction.
Culture also can influence a person’s response to a speaker’s proximity.
• Depending on a person’s culture, closeness may be considered offensive or essential to
positive relationships.
Personal appearance in a public speech matters for two reasons:
• First, many people in your audience will form their initial impression of you before you
even say anything—just by looking at you.
PRESENTATION AIDS
• A presentation aid (also known as an audiovisual aid) is anything beyond your spoken words that you
employ to help your audience members understand and remember your message.
• Advantages of Presentation Aids
Presentation aids can make your speech more interesting.
Presentation aids can simplify a complex topic.
Presentation aids can help your audience remember your speech.
Guidelines for Developing Presentation Aids
• Consider the forum.
o It’s important to discuss the location, or forum, as you’re mulling over which
presentation aids to use.
• Consider your audience
• Use technology wisely.
o Digital presentations, which may include presentation software (which enables
users to create, edit, and present information, usually in a slide-show format)
have become extremely widespread.
o Use technology to unify a mixed-media presentation.
o Remember, content is king.
o Don’t let the software steal the show.
• Rehearse with your presentation aids.
• Place printed graphs, charts, or pictures on the wall or flip chart so that your entire
audience can view them.
Control Audience Interaction with Your Aids.
• To avoid distracting your audience unnecessarily, do not show or play an aid until you
LIST OF KEY TERMS
delivery
script
prop
impromptu delivery
vocal delivery skills
volume
tone
monotone
inflection
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are the four delivery modes, and where have you experienced or witnessed each type? Which
delivery mode will you be using for your formal speeches in class?
• Reading from a manuscript: In this delivery mode, you give your speech by reading directly from a
script.
• Memorizing from a manuscript: To recite a speech memorized from a script, you learn your script
2. Why is eye contact a critical component in speech delivery? In addition, what is panning, and how is this an
effective way to engage your audience in your message?
• Eye contact with audience members is critical in delivering an effective message. Audience members
need that connection to feel a part of the communication experience. Many students believe that
looking at the back wall or looking at peoples’ foreheads will help them get through a speech
3. How can you use physical movement to enhance your message? Conversely, what distracting behaviors
should be avoided?
• Physical movement is an important part of delivering a message. The audience wants to feel
engaged. Skillful use of physical movement injects energy into your delivery and signals transitions
between parts of your speech. Unless you must be at the lectern because of a microphone, you
4. How can personal appearance affect a speaker’s credibility? Provide examples of appropriate attire, and
then provide examples of inappropriate attire. How does personal appearance factor into the context of the
speaking assignment?
• Students learned about perception in an earlier chapter, and personal appearance relates to that
concept. Speakers are influencing an audience’s perception of them as they step on stage (or in front
of a classroom).
5. What are some tips for effectively incorporating supplemental aids in your presentation?
Conversely, what are some things to avoid when incorporating supplemental aids in your
presentation?
• Students usually require help with the supplemental aid component of their speech, which is
why I’ve included this question. Have students come up with their list of tips and
avoidances, and then provide them with your own ideas to complement theirs.
• Remind them that supplemental aids should be incorporated within the body of their speech
APPLY YOUR SKILLS
APPLY YOUR SKILLS FROM CHAPTER 15
1. Look at the “Apply Your Skills” activity on page 487 of the text. After students complete the
activity, have them answer the following questions, either in a small group, in a class discussion, or
in writing:
• What are the consequences for not practicing how to pronounce unfamiliar words before
you deliver the speech?
• How can you ensure that your pronunciation is accurate, and how can mispronunciation
affect your credibility as a speaker?
• What can you do if you need to know how to pronounce a name that cannot be found in the
dictionary?
MORE “APPLY YOUR SKILLS” IDEAS
1. Review the illustration “Reading from a Manuscript …” (modes of delivery) on page 457 in the
text. What are the differences in the styles of delivery shown? Provide an example of each delivery
mode. What delivery mode will be used in class?
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PERSONAL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Have students think of the previous experiences they’ve had with public speaking (if any). Were
they good experiences, or did they feel a sense of nervousness? If they have a fear of public
speaking, from what do they think this fear stems? What are some methods you can use to combat
those fears?
2. Have students critique a public speaking event of your choosing or of their choosing. Have them
respond to the following prompts:
• Audience analysis: Analyze the audience and atmosphere of the room. Do the demographics
vary?
• Presentation analysis: What did the speaker discuss, and was the topic audience-appropriate?
Did the speaker have an introduction that seemed to be a memorable “attention-getter”?
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Instructors will need several children’s books for this exercise. Have students form groups of four
or five, and give them 10 minutes to complete this activity. Provide each student with a book that is
2. Have students practice using walking transitions with signposts. This activity will take between
five and 10 minutes. Select five students who are willing to deliver an impromptu speech to the
class. They should select one of the following topics and think of three main points that they could
3. Have students form groups of four or five, and give them 10 minutes to do this activity. Ask
students to use an impromptu-style format to tell the group what they did over the weekend.
Instruct them to take a nervous habit that they believe they have (such as playing with their hair,
4. Have students practice their organizational skills with an impromptu speech activity that should
last about 10 minutes. Find a list of potential impromptu speech topics online (or provide your
5. Give students five minutes to research the professional speaking club called Toastmasters
International to find out their purpose. Ask them to find out where the nearest Toastmasters events
are in case they would like to join the organization in the future. Next, have students form groups of
four or five and pretend they are Toastmasters members who are teaching a group of new members
about different facets of public speaking. Direct them to visit the Toastmasters International website
A
ADDITIONAL MEDIA RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES
1. If some of your students are struggling with the pronunciation of certain words, refer them to the
2. Have students watch the movie The King’s Speech (The Weinstein Company, Momentum Pictures,
2010). How did the speech impediment of the United Kingdom’s Prince Albert (soon to become the
king, George VI) affect his own perception of his ability to be a good leader? At what poignant
moment in the story did Albert realize that his voice mattered? What lesson can you take away from
that moment and apply to your own life?
3. Search for and watch the four-minute video by National Elevator Pitch Champion Chris Westfall
titled “Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking.” Have your students take a sheet of paper and list the
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HANDOUTS AND READY–TO–PRINT ACTIVITIES
Grading Delivery
Delivery is just one facet of an informative speech, and this activity focuses on that
aspect. Your instructor will find a four- to six-minute informative speech online for
you to listen to. Use the following grading rubric to grade the speaker. (You should
keep these categories in mind when it comes time to deliver your own presentations.)
Circle what you believe to be the appropriate score for each category, and then add up
the points and place the score at the top of the page.
Speaker: _____________________________________________________________________
Speech topic: _________________________________________________________________
Delivery grade (maximum 40 points): _____________________________________________
Vocal Variety
5 Natural, conversational tone; vocal variation; shows involvement with topic
4 Evident variety; pleasant rate; good volume
5 Comfortable transition between notes; eye contact with the entire audience
4 Direct eye contact with much of the audience
3 Focuses eye contact on one student or section of the audience; has problem going between
notes and audience
2 Infrequent, indirect eye contact with audience
(pronunciation and articulation); uses proper grammar
4 Smooth speech flow; familiar with the words used (pronunciation and articulation); uses proper
grammar
3 Frequent use of vocalized pauses; no mispronunciations
2 Frequent stumbling; awkward expression; few mispronunciations
Appearance and Attire
5 Appropriate business casual attire (equivalent to buttoned business shirt, khakis, knee-length
skirts or dresses)
4 Appropriate business casual attire (could use fewer wrinkles)
3 Equivalent of jeans and tee-shirt