SPC 2608 Reflection - Anahid Santisteban

Presentation Reflection

Anahid Santisteban

    

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    Public speaking is a skill that I believe everyone should practice. In this class we are learning how to become better communicators. For our first assignment we had to present a review of some of the chapters in the book. Not only did I learn from all the detailed presentations my classmates created but I also learned from creating my own. These presentations made what would be reading chapters and memorizing the information into a much more interactive and a fun activity. We all had the chance to speak and share what we learned with our classmates. By doing presentations I felt much more engaged and excited to learn. This assignment helped me understand the base of what public speaking is.

    The chapters were split into four groups accompanied by a summary. The first group focused on chapters 1,2,3, and 5.

     Chapter one highlighted the basics of public speaking, showing that effective communication depends on understanding your audience and presenting ideas clearly. It also explains classical foundations like rhetoric and storytelling while mentioning that public speaking is a practical life skill used in school, work, and everyday situations.

    Chapter two touched on why public speaking makes people anxious. Things like doubting your abilities, worrying about the audience, or stressing over the setting and technology. It then walks you through practical ways to build real confidence, from mindset and relaxation to preparing early, practicing, and getting comfortable with your topic. This was the chapter I did my part of the presentation on, and it taught me new ways to manage my nerves which is something I struggle with.

    Chapter three focuses on how listening shapes public speaking, showing that good communication depends on paying attention, managing distractions and understanding your own listening habits. It explains common barriers. It is about being a more engaged listener.

    Chapter five explains how to understand and adapt to your audience, so your message connects with them effectively. It covers building credibility, using demographic and psychographic information and researching your listeners so you can tailor your speech to their needs, values, and expectations. It teaches you how to shape your content, tone, and delivery based on who you are speaking to and the setting you are in.

    These were the most important points I held onto from each chapter this group presented. Though this was my group, I think we made the presentation extremely engaging with the information and visuals. I really enjoyed listening to my team members and creating my slides.

    The second group focused on chapters 4,6,7, and 8.

    Chapter four explains how to choose a speech topic by identifying your purpose, brainstorming ideas, and selecting a focus that fits you, your audience, and the occasion. It also shows how to write a clear thesis and build a basic outline to organize your main points.

    Chapter six teaches us how to research a speech by using your own experience, finding reliable sources, and evaluating the information you collect. It also explains how to avoid plagiarism through good notes, proper paraphrasing, and clear citations.

    Chapter seven mentions the different types of support you can use in a speech, for example stories, examples, definitions testimony, facts, and statistics to make your ideas clearer and more convincing. It shows how choosing the right kind of evidence strengthens your message and helps your audience understand and trust what you’re saying.

    Chapter eight elaborates on how to organize a speech by developing clear main points, choosing an effective structure and using transitions to connect everything smoothly it also shows how different outlines help you plan and deliver your speech in a clear, organized way.

    Group three focused on chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12.

    Chapter nine explains how to create strong openings and endings in a speech by grabbing attention starting your purpose and finishing with clear closure. It shows how instructions and conclusion shape will people remember and helps your message stick.

    Chapter ten shows how language works in speeches and how culture, gender and audience shape. The way words are understood. It teaches you to choose clear, inclusive vivid language, and use spoken style effectively so your message connects with the listener.

    Chapter eleven teaches us why presentation media like slides videos charts and audio can make a speech clearer and more engaging. It covers the basics of visual design how to use different tools and how to present media smoothly by practicing setting up early and staying focused on your audience rather than technology.

    Chapter twelve explains different speech delivery methods and how factors like culture fluency and disability affect delivery. It also teaches you to manage your voice body and audience. Prepare a speaking outline and practice your speech so you feel confident.

    The last group focused on chapters 13,14,15,16 and 17.

    Chapter thirteen shows what makes an informative speech, effective clear, accurate, meaningful and focused content. It covers the main types of informative speeches, several ways to organize them and how to keep your audience engaged by making the topic vivid, relevant, and easy to understand.

    Chapter fourteen touches on what persuasion is and how it differs from coercion, manipulation, and informative speaking it covers practical and issue base, persuasive, speeches, how to address, different types of audiences and the other responsibilities involved in trying to influence people.

    Chapter fifteen covers how arguments work by combining claims evidence and reasoning it outlines different types of claims the major persuasive appeals, logic, credibility emotion and cultural stories and the main forms of reasoning, such as deductive, inductive, casual and analogical. It also highlights common fallacies, so arguments stay strong and reliable.

    Chapter sixteen mentions how to speak effectively in distance settings, like video calls online presentations and phone meetings and how to handle media appearances as a spokesperson. it includes practical tips for interviews, camera, present studio, or on location, speaking and working with radio, podcasts, and streaming.

    Lastly chapter seventeen explains the main types of special occasion, speeches, introductions, nominations, tributes, roasts, toast, after dinner speeches, public testimony, and elevator speeches. Also, the common formats used in small group presentations like symposiums, team reports, panels, round tables, and forums.

    The final part that really stood out to me was the way our team leaders wrapped everything up at the end their final overview pulled all the presentations together and made the main lessons feel connected hearing their summary help me realize just how much we covered and how each group added something important it also reminded me the public speaking is a skill you built little by little every time someone presents no matter how nervous they may feel they are growing improving and becoming more confident

    I wish I could say one of the presentations stood out to me the most, but in reality, they all did. All the group presentations were genuinely engaging, and each one kept my attention from start to finish. All the slides were visually appealing, organized, and easy to follow, which made the information much clearer. Everyone spoke confidently and explained their topics in a way that felt natural and well prepared. I learned a lot from each group because they did not just present facts. They made the material interesting relatable, and easy to understand by watching all the presentations. Help me see different speaking styles, several ways to design slides, and how effective communication can make any topic more meaningful.

    Everything I wrote reflects the most important points. I took away from the presentations. I learned things I didn’t know before and I picked up skills. I can actually use in future speeches, like how to design clear slides, how to speak with confidence and how to keep an audience engaged. Each group taught me something new and together they helped me understand the material on a deeper level. This was fun, interesting, and engaging. I would love to do it again!

    Thank you!