Chapter 1 Takeaways

In chapter 1 of A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking, the biggest takeaway is the importance of public speaking as a like skill. To achieve academic and professional success, presenting information and new ideas with others is a vital task. The ability to speak to an audience is also useful outside of the professional setting to advocate for political concerns and participate in public conversations. This chapter highlights the general skills that go into public speaking. The author discusses how public speaking is built off familiar skills, such as conversational and compositional skills, which makes it a little less daunting. I found it interesting that the author discussed methods of composing an effective speech that were invented by teachers of ancient Greece. The end of the chapter focuses on how to effectively communicate with an audience. I think it’s important to know the type of people I am communicating with, as well as the size of the audience because these factors can influence the appropriate style of my speech. Understanding the interactive communication process and utilizing feedback can help improve speeches overtime.  I think that connecting with the audience is crucial to conveying a message effectively and this is a skill that I would like to improve upon.