Let's talk IMPROMPTU: No preparation? What the????????!!!!!

Yes, it is crazy, but in life you will be called upon once or twice without warning to speak eloquently...upon  those memorable, life changing moments, you'll think back about good ole' Sandra fondly and rock some serious rhetoric. Below is the detailed account of the midterm coming up on October 8th 2009, to a theater near you:

Mid Term Comm 301


2 Parts:

70 pts for impromptu speech

Suggestions for preparation:

Don’t do it sleep deprived! Memorize the outline (expect a quiz any time on the outline in class)

Memorize a generic attention getter, credibility comment, 2 complete transitions and a memorable ending. All of these can be fairly generic, used for any topic that comes up.



Speech will be graded on organization and delivery only, since you have no say in the topic.



Topics will be very simple and basic, yet potentially entertaining, to make it as easy as possible for those who come prepared. See previous list below for an idea. You’ll draw from an envelope. You can compare/contrast if you like.

Love or Money

Red or Green

Winning or How You Play the Game

Excitement or Relaxation

Hip-hop music or Opera music

High-Heels or Flat shoes

Spending Money or Saving Money

Studying for a test Guessing the answers

Fireworks Fire safety

Vegetables Meat

Hats Flip-flops

Telling the truth Embarrassing someone

Speech classes Writing classes

Cell phones Traditional Land Phones

Texting Emailing

Also: 30 pts AFTER the impromptu speech, for a complete written introduction on a source of your choice which you find and bring in and cite from on or before 10/13.

FROR THIS WEEK'S BLOG,  post an impromptu introduction, pretend you draw a speech topic from a blog-envelope, so just choose a random topic from the list above or elsewhere and see if you can plow right through with a FULL intro--label the parts please, (attn getter, purpose, thesis, preview of main points, connection to audience, credibility and end with the transition!)

Blog crisis 2009: Chris's photo images have been stolen from our blog!

Interruptions and Impromptu Speaking

Quick, watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRvzl0zOsO8&feature=player_embedded

couldn't resist, that schtick is funny! interruptions are a recent phenomenon again! South Carolina REP senator Wilson interupted Pres Obama, shouting "you lie" during the health care reform speech, then Kanye threw down during Taylor's acceptance speech...is heckling the new applause? Has the world gone mad? Speechmakers everywhere must unite and support eack other, how does one survive heckling-style interuptions? Let's prepare JUST IN CASE --what happens if/when  Kanye or senatorWilson interrupts you right after your thrilling attnetion getter people??? It could happen! Will you lose your place...get thrown off, be horribly embarassed??? Will you curse, cry, maybe even rise above the event to come out shining even brighter than before...maybe Beyonce buys you Starbucks or gives you a cow on Farmville....

GET TO THE POINT SANDRA! This week tell me here, what did you think of these two recent moments from a public speaking perspective? I am NOT asking your opinion of the people OR even their specific behavior and words, I am asking you to comment on the rhetorical situation: The way the speaker handled it and how a good speaker might be prepared for such a thing...is it effective to address the heckler or just ignore them and move on? What do you notice in on-line clips of either speech as far as reactions to these interuptions? How do they make the audience feel? Are there social rules and expectations surrounding these types of unscripted, awkward moments? Can you think of another recent example? Finally, what would you do if you were interupted by either Kanye or S Carolina's Senator Wilson in our classroom at CRC during your big moment???

Street Creds and Squirrels

Hey gang--Don't forget, next week we make the group speeches--bring popcorn and snacks! Excellent meeting Thursday! --You all worked really hard with your groups, stick to that outline--it is like a map to a place you haven't been to before: DON'T GO OFF-ROAD!

Be sure and type your name along with comments for this week's response...So, credibility is important for a successful speech. Visit my You Tube masterpiece "The Making of Sandrah's Thesis" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F16X_AoVd9I   (haha) I made this short film with a crew at Sac State as part of my thesis. According ANY detail in this  silly "Making of..." mockumentary, what might I be credible to speak to you about? In 5 or 6 sentences, identify a line or scene and connect it to my credibility:

Here's an example: Don't steal it! ...in one scene you didn't have any cash and couldn't buy parking, so you would be credible to speak about student parking issues here in Sacramento.

Read all previous posts and don't repeat what someone else has said or it won't count, and you may be playful and light-hearted in your examples, as long as you make a connection between what you see and the idea of speaker credibility, or "ethos." See you next Tuesday for the quiz!

Group Speech Details

Don't get too excited, here is the first major speech assignment!

100PTS

Speech given 9/16 in class
Aprox 7 minutes
Outline required: One per group but individual copies for members
Grading: Organization, 33%, Content, 33%, Delivery, 33%

Agree with your instructor on a selected portion of our textbook. Select and agree to group membership. Meet and exchange emails this evening, begin discussion and planning. Determine and select between one and 3 cultural artifacts/pop cultural icons or entities/current events that your textbook section can be applied to or that relate to your text in some way. When emailing outside of class for further planning, please CC me in your group so I may reply to all and offer help, input and criticism (kidding).

Outline:
INTRO
Attention getter
Thesis
Preview main points
Purpose
Credibility
Connection
Transition
BODY
Main Points
Support, examples, citations, analogies etc
Transition
CONCLUSION
Conclusive language
Review
Restate Thesis
Memorable Ending
REFERENCES LIST
Alphabetically list sources of support, info, quotes, including textbook

Each speaker must use a visual aid and make an oral citation, and speakers should refer to one another by name during speech.

For 9/9 class meeting groups will meet, exchange research results, devise outlines, interact with instructor, ensure approval of material. Coming to class for 9/9 is part of the group speech grade, fyi. Email me idnasss@yahoo.com for questions or assistance.

Attention Getters!

Sometimes the secret to good speeches are the devices that keep us interested--a good speaker knows how to use attention getters and peppers them throughout her speech!

An unusual photo, a funny comment or even a startling statistic or moving quote are great attention getters--try two in combination=even better! For this blog think of a speech you have enjoyed or hated from the past and describe the way the speaker kept your attention. Was it effective? Why or why not? Please keep all comments politically correct!

Tuesday 9/1

Agenda
Write 5 minutes/silently
Lecture on Chpt 1-3
Blog Reminder
Introduction Speeches
Handout Syllabus
Review Course Calendar
Thursday Preview

Lecture Notes

Chpt 1

Why study speech?
Quote
Rhetorical Situation
Vocab
Classic Roots
Conversation, Writing, Public Speech: Same/Different

Chpt 2 Ethics
Responsibility 4 Message
Define
Citations
Plaigerism
Fair Use

Chpt 3: Listening
An act, not passive
selective
40%, 50%, 35%=Ew!
Distractions: Internal/external
Barriers
Goals
P. 19:Evaluate