The Competent Public Speaker

Book excerpt: Based on the National Communication Association's conceptual model for teaching and evaluating undergraduate public speeches (as developed by the author and others), Sherwyn P. Morreale offers a highly accessible, easy-to-teach, easy-to-learn approach to public speaking. The approach adopted in the text includes eight public speaking competencies - four on speech preparation and four on speech delivery - which are enhanced by emphasizing the impact of technology, ethics, culture, and diversity on public speaking. A number of unique features designed to improve teaching and learning include: - Students used as examples in each chapter so that readers can follow them as they learn about public speaking; - Tables and boxed text to reinforce the most important learning points; - Checkpoint and self-assessment tools so that readers can determine their level of competence and find out whether they are ready to proceed to the next chapter; - Competence-building activities for students to apply chapter concepts and practice public speaking strategies in the classroom or as take-home assignments; - An accompanying website which is updated on a regular basis and offers a forum for students to contact the author. Designed for introductory-level public speaking courses taught at two- and four-year colleges and universities, this text offers a distinctively practical alternative for students and teachers to achieve consistency across multiple sections of the public speaking course. An instructor's manual is available on request.