Objectives:
 To strengthen your ability to analyze the effects of different speaking styles on different audiences.

Steps:

1. Observe a speaker outside of class.  Select a speaker and setting unlike those to which are you most accustomed.

2. Seek advance permission to attend if it is not a public event.  You need to observe the rules of the occasion as well.

3. Write the “speaker observation” paper.  Read the paper assignment thoroughly before the speech, so you will know to what to play close attention.  You should take notes at the speech; you may wish to tape it, if you have permission to do so.

4. This paper should be typed, double-spaced, at least 2 papers in length, using 12 or 14 font with normal margins.

Speaker Observation Paper:

1. Give the following information at the top of your paper:
     Your name, name of speaker, and specific occasion
     Date, time and location of speech
 Title or main purpose of speech

2. Analyze the speech according to the following seven speech categories.  Use the subtopic continuums to assist your writing, discussing those that apply.  Where along the continuum would you place the speaker, compared to other speakers you have seen?

3. Discuss other subtopics appropriate to what you observed.

Speaker Attitudes
 Emotional to detached
 Proud to indifferent
 Using humor and wit to not using humor and wit
 Personal flair and flamboyance to restrained formal style

Voice and Articulation
 Fluent to choppy
 Loud to soft
 Rhythmic to nonrhythmic
 Dynamic to restrained

Bodily Postures and Action
 Broad movements to limited movements
 Many gestures to too few gestures
 Much eye contact to limited eye contact

Language
 Flowery to unadorned language
 Highly verbal to concise language
 Aggressive to deferential language
 Rhythmic to nonrhythmic language
 Descriptions that are direct and explicit to descriptions that are indirect and implicit

Content
 Many examples and stories to few examples and stories
 Many facts to few facts
 Much use of Western logic to limited use of Western logic
 Objective description of the topic to subjective description of the topic
 Talking about self to not talking about self
 Aggressively persuasive to accommodating

Organization
 Linear to nonlinear organization (identify organizational structure – historical, spatial, topical, etc.)

Audience
 What was the reaction of the audience to the speaker
 What was the demographic make-up of the audience