Self-Evaluation

Looking back at my speeches, I was amazed of the gap between my three speeches. As from what I've seen, the third speech was an improvement for me and I was able to execute the meaning of my topic because I had so many supporting ideas of facts and statistics in my speech. However, looking at the down-side of my speech, I noticed that I added more facts and less of what to say and tell the audience why the main idea is an important thing. So I extended my details while I had little explanation. As for how my speech went overall, I was confident that I would be able to present my topic but then I was still nervous as I was making my speech. Thus, I left out some minor information that I actually wanted to say and after the speech, I would be "damn, I forgot to say this". If this presentation were to be presented again, I would make my speech better by trying to have more explanation in my speech and practice more so that I would feel comfortable in my speech. Memorizing can be a helpful thing, but sometimes after memorizing and then trying to remember what it was after forgetting, we would have that silent moment.

The difference between this recent speech and my last speech was of course the format of the speech since it was a different pattern. One was persuasion while the other was informative. Somehow, it seemed as if I was more comfortable in my previous speech than this recent one. I was less nervous in my previous speech and I was able to say what I wanted to say and say it. I guess it was because the previous speech was similar to my first speech and this last speech was different because we had to use our persuasion to convince the audience. Then again, I was able to time myself in my recent speech because I sped through my second speech hoping to finish it. As a result I left out information that can give out more detail about the topic and that was what I was able to do on my last speech. However, if we think about it, there are always improvements in our next speech and bad things that we do. As for eye contact, I drastically improved on this part as I was making my last speech. This is because my first two speeches
had problems with eye contact since I look at the power point, computer, and note cards a lot. However, it was practice and I was able to pull it off and look at the audience more with the help of the first two speeches. Thus I would rate myself a 7 from a scale of 1-10. I also think that because I was able to look at the audience more in my third speech, I stuttered more and was more nervous.

From the performance of my speech, there were ups and downs as usual. Then again, improvement is a for sure every time we present. With what I've seen in my presentation, I would give myself a B-. There were still some lack of certain concepts that I needed to work on, but there were also improvements that I noticed although it was not a huge improvement but at least it was something.

Through memory from what I've remember since there were technical difficulties in my last speech through the video, I actually mentioned a lot of my sources. Compared to my previous and first speech, I used more sources and actually cited these source when using them on my third speech. From what I've remembered, I cited 4 sources when I was giving the facts to support my explanations in my main points. Based on my three performances of my speech, I thought that my second one was the best. Although it was quick and finished the fastest, I was able to give out the most information because I felt the most confidence in that speech compared to my other two. It would be more logical to say that my best one is my third, but I think it was not because it was an actuative speech where persuasion is a requirement to convince the audience.

Future...

After reading the topic that was given, I actually never thought about using or how to use what I learned in this class and apply it to my future encounter in public speaking or anything related. This is an interesting idea and as I think about it, it would really help my future experience and what I meant by it was the speech and how to prepare. Knowing that this is my first time taking a public speaking class and first time having an actual presentation that requires from start to end, it would be helpful. Before, I would just present what is there and all the ideas and concept of the topic would be scattered. However, now that things can be structured from the beginning of the speech to the ending of it, I will be more organized. So, for future presentations, I will be prepared and know what to do and actually know how to prepare and how to present my speech. Although I will be nervous, but what can you say...everyone gets nervous and the only way is keep presenting and making speeches.

Speech...

After looking at the three speeches, one through memory, I found that I've improved but not drastically. Then again, improvement is improvement. Out of these 3 speeches, I thought that my second one was my best. I felt like I had more confident in my second speech although I did more in my third because of the experience from the previous speeches. This confident is due to the first speech. Since the pattern and format of the first two speeches were similar and related, I was able to use the first speech as a reference when I made my second speech. Since the third speech had a different pattern and different format, I did not feel as comfortable as how I was on my second speech. Also, speeches that give information about a topic is harder than speeches that is trying to persuade the audience because persuasion takes more effort. Also, when persuading we need more knowledge than the audience so that their opinions will be convinced through our words. In the end, I seemed to be less nervous as I made my second speech compared to the first and last one.

Concept

Overall, I thought the videos were very useful although the book was also helpful. This is because the video shows the different types of persuasion, how to organize your outline, the types that are included in the outline, how to format your speech, and more. Although the book has it too, I think I learn better through watching the video. Besides, I think it's better for me to listen rather than reading the book. What's best is that it's short and you can always refer back to it easily. As for helping preparing my speech, these videos helped me a lot because I was actually able to apply some of it to my speech. Aside from the videos, the outline provided from the class was very helpful because I was able to organize my speech and know what to say in the speech. It also helped me have a broad outline of how the speech will work out and how it should start and end. Thus, with having this said, without the outline, I would not be able to know how to outline my speech and I would probably be unorganized.

Disc 3 Chapter 15 concept

What I found interesting from the reading in chapter 15 were the types of appeals. These types are logos, ethos, pathos, and mythos. Each type has their own concept in explaining the evidence effectively. For logos, it proves through logic by facts and statistics. For ethos, it uses speaker's credibility to reference the expertise on the topic. As for pathos, it proves by using emotional effects such as quotes or stories. Last which is mythos, it describes the cultural beliefs and values such as telling a cultural past or a well-known fable. These appeals rely on different ways to influence the audience. in order to use these, it would depend on when and how we use them because we cant just use one that would not fit on what the topic is about.

Disc 2 Persuasion

Just thinking about it, I can only remember the time I tried persuading someone in my group of friends on where to go eat because we had so many choices among the groups. The funny thing was, this always happens because we never knew where to go so then we waste a lot of hours just to decide on where to go. Of course some of those time are sidetracked subjects. Anyways, it was not that hard to persuade them because they were all hungry. However there is this one time where a few of my friends were so picky that it took us awhile just to agree on one place. Each of them wanted a different kind of food because they were hungry for it. Then as they name places to eat, two other friends and me were giving explanations to why the restaurant or fast food place is bad due to expenses and quality of food, sometimes even quantity. So the idea was that we had to give reasoning from past experiences and through online research from ratings from other people. It worked pretty well, although sometimes a few have disagreements on what me or my other friend say and the conversation would go back and forth until one of us gives up.

April 26 - May 2 Disc. 1

As I watch the pros and cons of home schooling, I found that both of these speeches had the same structure. Both followed the outline which I found interesting because it was very organized. Both also had support and details with facts and statistics to support the main points and their opinion on home schooling. Furthermore, both had a good introduction to start off with and a good conclusion to conclude their speech. They also did a lot of eye contacts and their gestures and they way they speak was unique in a way that they were trying to persuade the audience that their idea is correct. In my opinion, I would agree with the cons in public schooling although the pros of home schooling was so amazing that Dixie took the bad ideas of home schooling and turned it around. That reminds me about one of the concept that was discussed in chapter 14. The types of appeals that both were using were logos and a little bit of mythos. It was mostly logos since most of their main points were proven through facts and statistics from their research.