delivering your presentation extemporaneously

Ace the Presentation

Extemporaneous Presentation: Definition and Actionable tips

There are several forms or methods of speech delivery out there and it can be impromptu (with no warning, more improvisation required), or the most common case: extemporaneous presentations.

EXTEMPORANEOUS PRESENTATION DEFINITION

We need to define this properly and make sure people don’t get confused here. Because from a literal sense extemporaneous and impromptu have the same exact meaning, the difference being that extemporaneous is an older term, both mean out of time, without preparation, ad-hoc, etc .

Now, here’s the tricky thing: From a dictionary point of view, they’re one and the same, but in the art/science of public speaking, they are taught as different things.

Extemporaneous, which comes from Latin ex tempore (“out of the time”), joined the English language sometime in the mid-17th century. The word impromptu was improvised soon after that. In general usage, extemporaneous and impromptu are used interchangeably to describe off-the-cuff remarks or speeches, but this is not the case when they are used in reference to the learned art of public speaking. Teachers of speech will tell you that an extemporaneous speech is one that has been thoroughly prepared and planned but not memorized, whereas an impromptu speech is one for which absolutely no preparations have been made.

Merriam Webster Dictionary

In Short: an extemporaneous presentation is a form of speech delivery where the speaker is notified with some antecedence that he/she will be presenting, giving an opinion, or sustaining arguments about a particular subject, and usually, he/she prepares for it and brings some keynotes.

Here the speaker has time to prepare himself, he can have some notes as a reminder with him, but the audience does not expect them to be read. The speaker has to be spontaneous and deliver the speech with the soul, a more formal way of speaking because it is carried out using notes.

Impromptu Speech Topics and Tips

Memorized Speech or Presentation

The 4 Types of Speech Delivery

Extemporaneous Presentation or Speech Tips

This speech delivery method is significant because it follows the outline that usually comes from the notes we take; most of them come from our personal experience and research.

Even if we have a full manuscript or tons of notes, memorizing the speech is a bad idea the audience expects us to be prepared and know what we talk about, yet when we show up, our heart has the speak up.

One key thing that makes or breaks your extemporaneous presentation is the lack of planning, research, outlining, mastering the topic.

The extemporaneous presentation can happen in situations such as:

A business meeting or negotiation;
When delivering a press conference or an interview;
A school presentation;
A graduation or birthday speech;
A political debate.
A Training session with your Team at Work

Let’s take this last scenario as an example…

Extemporaneous Presentation Example & Actionable Tips

Training Your Sales Team About a New Product

Say you have to deliver a 2hr training session to your sales team about the launch of a new product in the next 3 days

As we mentioned above, having a decent amount of background knowledge allows us to discuss any topic or question that can pop up from the audience.

A) Planning and Preparing an Extemporaneous Speech

Research all you can about the new product, the place where the training will take place, and the target customers of that product.
Prepare your Presentation Outline, based on key findings and most critical needs identified
Fill out the Deck or Slideshows with some of the pointers /features/pictures/or any relevant info about the product
Highlight the Pitch to be used to Convert many prospects
To connect with the audience and build engagement prepare a small session where the trainees can rehearse the pitch
Make sure you know your slides and the topic well enough to answer most questions fired at you
, and iterate on them for the next one

B) Delivering an Extemporaneous Speech

! It goes without saying that the opening of the speech or presentation is key to making an impact on your audience. Here, it could be something as simple as the results of your audience research and the astounding findings on the potential of sales…or, a great sales quote.
Tell Stories that are Relatable: In your research, you spoke to prospects, and you have got some real-life feedback on the product, and the challenges it may solve. Share those stories with the trainees.
Engage the Audience: Make sure to ask questions about how the audience feels they could sell the product and the challenges they’d face. Collect feedback and share your own thoughts and findings and ask for their feedback as well.
Posture and Confidence: You did all the preparatory work, you know your topic, and you really want to share some valuable insights and learnings with the audience. Stand proud of your work, and exude confidence – that builds trust in your teachings.
Ending an Extemporaneous Presentation: Make sure you voice the trainee’s opinions, summarize them, highlight key learnings, key findings from your research, the expected number of sales, the commissions they’ll earn, and end with a motivational quote on perseverance and success.

Here you have six characteristics of an extemporaneous presentation

Has a Script / Notes / Teleprompter and it is not expected to be used too much
Has a Specific topic of discussion
Delivered with very little notes
Performed after some preparation
Practical, clear, and somewhat improvised at times (not sticking to reading notes)
The speaker has some background knowledge on the topic

It is possible to be ready for surprises and unexpected events, in this case.

An extemporaneous presentation if we make our daily steps by choosing activities like reading, and surround ourselves with wise and creative people with helping us in a future extemp presentation.

If you read this article until the end, thank you so much for the attention hope you enjoy it.

References and Further Reading

9+ Extemporaneous Speech Examples

How to Deliver an Extemporaneous Presentation or Speech

Extemporaneous

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The 4 Methods or Types of Speech Delivery

On a daily basis, people use several types of speech delivery to connect with others, influence decisions, and motivate change without realizing which occasions a specific method of speech delivery should be used. Today we will talk about 4 types of speech delivery that are commonly used and sometimes happen almost unnoticed. Manuscript Speech Memorized…

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14.1 Four Methods of Delivery

Learning objectives.

Differentiate among the four methods of speech delivery.
Understand when to use each of the four methods of speech delivery.

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown bring greetings to the 13th Annual House of Ruth Spring Luncheon. by Brian K. Slack at Baltimore, MD

Maryland GovPics – House of Ruth Luncheon – CC BY 2.0.

The easiest approach to speech delivery is not always the best. Substantial work goes into the careful preparation of an interesting and ethical message, so it is understandable that students may have the impulse to avoid “messing it up” by simply reading it word for word. But students who do this miss out on one of the major reasons for studying public speaking: to learn ways to “connect” with one’s audience and to increase one’s confidence in doing so. You already know how to read, and you already know how to talk. But public speaking is neither reading nor talking.

Speaking in public has more formality than talking. During a speech, you should present yourself professionally. This doesn’t mean you must wear a suit or “dress up” (unless your instructor asks you to), but it does mean making yourself presentable by being well groomed and wearing clean, appropriate clothes. It also means being prepared to use language correctly and appropriately for the audience and the topic, to make eye contact with your audience, and to look like you know your topic very well.

While speaking has more formality than talking, it has less formality than reading. Speaking allows for meaningful pauses, eye contact, small changes in word order, and vocal emphasis. Reading is a more or less exact replication of words on paper without the use of any nonverbal interpretation. Speaking, as you will realize if you think about excellent speakers you have seen and heard, provides a more animated message.

The next sections introduce four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a public speech.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. Impromptu speeches often occur when someone is asked to “say a few words” or give a toast on a special occasion. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m a volunteer with the Homes for the Brave program.” Another example of impromptu speaking occurs when you answer a question such as, “What did you think of the documentary?”

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it’s spontaneous and responsive in an animated group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or no time to contemplate the central theme of his or her message. As a result, the message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu speech in public.

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make.
Thank the person for inviting you to speak.
Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking.

As you can see, impromptu speeches are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

Extemporaneous Speaking

For instance, suppose you are speaking about workplace safety and you use the term “sleep deprivation.” If you notice your audience’s eyes glazing over, this might not be a result of their own sleep deprivation, but rather an indication of their uncertainty about what you mean. If this happens, you can add a short explanation; for example, “sleep deprivation is sleep loss serious enough to threaten one’s cognition, hand-to-eye coordination, judgment, and emotional health.” You might also (or instead) provide a concrete example to illustrate the idea. Then you can resume your message, having clarified an important concept.

Speaking extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. The disadvantage of extemporaneous speaking is that it requires a great deal of preparation for both the verbal and the nonverbal components of the speech. Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to speak.

Because extemporaneous speaking is the style used in the great majority of public speaking situations, most of the information in this chapter is targeted to this kind of speaking.

Speaking from a Manuscript

Manuscript speaking is the word-for-word iteration of a written message. In a manuscript speech, the speaker maintains his or her attention on the printed page except when using visual aids.

The advantage to reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. As we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, in some circumstances this can be extremely important. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact. In reading one word at a time, in order, the only errors would typically be mispronunciation of a word or stumbling over complex sentence structure.

It is worth noting that professional speakers, actors, news reporters, and politicians often read from an autocue device, such as a TelePrompTer, especially when appearing on television, where eye contact with the camera is crucial. With practice, a speaker can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the speaker is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to use a conversational tone while delivering a prepared script, and (2) the speech is written in a style that sounds conversational.

Speaking from Memory

Memorized speaking is the rote recitation of a written message that the speaker has committed to memory. Actors, of course, recite from memory whenever they perform from a script in a stage play, television program, or movie scene. When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message needs to be exact and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

The advantage to memorization is that it enables the speaker to maintain eye contact with the audience throughout the speech. Being free of notes means that you can move freely around the stage and use your hands to make gestures. If your speech uses visual aids, this freedom is even more of an advantage. However, there are some real and potential costs. First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer. You might end up speaking in a monotone or a sing-song repetitive delivery pattern. You might also present your speech in a rapid “machine-gun” style that fails to emphasize the most important points. Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly, if you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going.

Key Takeaways

There are four main kinds of speech delivery: impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and memorized.
Impromptu speaking involves delivering a message on the spur of the moment, as when someone is asked to “say a few words.”
Extemporaneous speaking consists of delivering a speech in a conversational fashion using notes. This is the style most speeches call for.
Manuscript speaking consists of reading a fully scripted speech. It is useful when a message needs to be delivered in precise words.
Memorized speaking consists of reciting a scripted speech from memory. Memorization allows the speaker to be free of notes.
Find a short newspaper story. Read it out loud to a classroom partner. Then, using only one notecard, tell the classroom partner in your own words what the story said. Listen to your partner’s observations about the differences in your delivery.
In a group of four or five students, ask each student to give a one-minute impromptu speech answering the question, “What is the most important personal quality for academic success?”
Watch the evening news. Observe the differences between news anchors using a TelePrompTer and interviewees who are using no notes of any kind. What differences do you observe?

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How to Deliver an Extemporaneous Presentation

Great speakers typically present in a smooth delivery style that we all admire. They sound like they are having a conversation with listeners rather than talking at them.

This style is called extemporaneous speaking or extemporaneous delivery. That means (a) the speaker knows the material (b) speaks in a conversational style, (c) from limited notes (d) in a structured way.

Listening audiences prefer this style much more than they do listening to a speaker who memorized a presentation word-for-word or a speaker who is reading from overly detailed notes.

In contrast, extemporaneous speaking looks and sounds comfortable and composed. Listeners might assume a conversational style requires special talents. However, any speaker can achieve this with the right preparation.

First, commit to a clear structure. Conversational speakers use a template to prepare their presentations that usually includes a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each of these sections has clear component parts. This template gives speakers a mental road map to follow even when they are not looking at their notes.

Second, practice up to 10 times. True, that sounds like a lot but with practice comes comfort. Speakers with that easy conversational look and sound practice many times beforehand to truly internalize the material.

Third, limit your speaking notes to simple phrases or even single words for each idea. The number one killer of conversational delivery is the use of too many notes. More notes leads to more reading and less eye contact. This will almost always prevent a speaker from achieving good delivery. Instead, use a key word outline. Every few times you practice, rewrite your notes and simplify them by cutting the clutter.

Click here to read the rest of Alex’s tips.

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9.2 Methods of Speech Delivery

What follows are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a speech. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but you will most likely want to focus on the extemporaneous approach, since that is probably what your instructor will want from you.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m a volunteer with the Homes for the Brave program.” Another example of impromptu speaking occurs when you answer a question such as “What did you think of the movie?” Your response has not been preplanned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak. Even worse, you might find yourself going into a meeting and your boss says, “I want you to talk about the last stage of the project. . .” and you have no warning.

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu speech in public:

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point or points you want to make.
Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Do not make comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or uneasy. No one wants to hear that, and it will embarrass others and yourself.
Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
Stay on track. Answer the question or prompt as given; resist the temptation to go elsewhere.
If you can, use a structure, using numbers if possible: “Two main reasons . . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Past, present, and future or East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast are common structures.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you don’t have something prepared). If in front of an audience, don’t keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu speeches are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

Manuscript Speaking

Manuscript speaking is the word-for-word iteration of a written message. In a manuscript speech, the speaker maintains his or her attention on the printed page except when using visual aids. The advantage to reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. In some circumstances this can be extremely important. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact. In reading one word at a time, in order, the only errors would typically be mispronunciation of a word or stumbling over complex sentence structure. A manuscript speech may also be appropriate at a more formal affair (like a funeral), when your speech must be said exactly as written in order to convey the proper emotion or decorum the situation deserves.

It is worth noting that professional speakers, actors, news reporters, and politicians often read from an autocue device, such as a TelePrompTer, especially when appearing on television, where eye contact with the camera is crucial. With practice, a speaker can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously and maintaining eye contact while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the speaker is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to use a conversational tone while delivering a prepared script, and (2) the speech is written in a style that sounds conversational and in spoken rather than written, edited English, for example, with shorter sentences and clearer transitions.

For the purposes of your public speaking class, you will likely not be allowed to read your speech. Instead, you will be assigned to give an extemporaneous presentation.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Extemporaneous speaking is the presentation of a carefully planned and rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational manner using brief notes. By using notes rather than a full manuscript, the extemporaneous speaker can establish and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they are understanding the speech as it progresses. And since you will be graded (to some degree) on establishing and maintaining eye contact with your audience, extemporaneous speaking can be extremely beneficial in that regard. Without all the words on the page to read, you have little choice but to look up and make eye contact with your audience. In some cases, your instructor will require you to prepare strong preparation and speaking (notes) outlines as a foundation for your speech; this topic is addressed in Chapter 6.

Speaking extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don’t need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or to adapt to your audience, you can do so. The outline also helps you be aware of main ideas vs. subordinate ones.

Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to speak, so be aware that if you want to present a credibly delivered speech, you will need to practice many times. Because extemporaneous speaking is the style used in the great majority of public speaking situations, most of the information in the subsequent sections of this chapter is targeted toward this kind of speaking.

Memorized Speaking

Memorized speaking is the rote recitation of a written message that the speaker has committed to memory. Actors, of course, recite from memory whenever they perform from a script. When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message needs to be exact and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

However, there are some real and potential costs. First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer. You might end up speaking in a monotone or a sing-song repetitive delivery pattern. You might also present your speech in a rapid “machine-gun” style that fails to emphasize the most important points.

Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. If you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Obviously, memorizing a typical classroom speech takes a great deal of time and effort, and if you aren’t used to memorizing, it is very difficult to pull off. Realistically, you probably will not have the time necessary to give a completely memorized speech. However, if you practice adequately, you will approach the feeling of memorization while still being extemporaneous.

As we said earlier, for the purposes of this class you will use extemporaneous speaking. Many professional speakers who are paid to make speeches use this approach because, while they may largely know what they want to say, they usually make changes and adjustments based on the audience or event. This approach also incorporates most of the benefits of memorized speaking (knowing what you want to say; being very thoroughly rehearsed) and manuscript speaking (having some words in front of you to refer to) without the inherent pitfalls those approaches bring with them.

the presentation of a short message without advance preparation

the word-for-word iteration of a written message

the presentation of a carefully planned and rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational manner using brief notes

the rote recitation of a written message that the speaker has committed to memory

the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace

It’s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century Copyright © 2022 by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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18.5: Delivering Your Presentation as One

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Jennifer Wood@Millersville University
Millersville University via Public Speaking Project

By completing the other three levels of coordination, the group will have decided on the key message, thoroughly researched the supporting material, developed logical conclusions, and created realistic recommendations. Therefore all that stands between you and success is the actual presentation—the vehicle that carries the facts and the ideas to your audience. Here it is important to recognize that if an assignment required both a written document and an oral presentation then be sure one effectively complements the other. Although you can reference the written document during the oral presentation, the oral presentation should be planned with the thought in mind that not everyone is given the written document. Therefore, the oral presentation may be the only content they receive. Since you will not always know who receives the written document, it is best to coordinate the presentation as if no one has the full written document, which can serve as reference tool for gaining content requiring further explanation or accessibility to detailed information. At the same time, if the entire audience is provided written material keep in mind different decision makers may be in the audience. For example, the creative director may be only interested in your creative concepts, whereas a vice president of finance may be only interested in figures.

The presentation preparation primarily focuses on your group’s ability to develop a clear plan and execution of delivery. A delivery plan includes essential elements such as (1) purpose, (2) oral content, (3) dress, (4) room, (5) visuals, (6) delivery, and (7) rehearsal to ensure that the group presentation is both captivating and useful to your audience, as well as worth their time.

Group members should keep at the forefront of their minds the answer to the question “Was the general purpose—to inform or to persuade— achieved?” As a group, practice keeping the purpose of the presentation explicit for the audience. The purpose should never become hidden during the presentation. Each group member’s awareness of the purpose is important in maintaining the right kind of delivery. It is possible to have great content for a presentation and miss the entire purpose for the presentation. For example, say your group had been asked to do a presentation aboutFacebook and how it could be used in the financial industry. You could take an informative or persuasive approach. However, if the audience—banking professionals—attends a presentation where the content is focused onFacebook rather than having a focus on its use in the financial industry, then the purpose was not achieved.

The delivery plan will help you evaluate if the purpose of the presentation is clearly aimed at the primary audience. In addition, the group can determine when and how clearly they are articulating the explicit purpose of the presentation. The purpose is complemented by a clear preview, the audience members’ awareness of what decisions are at issue, and the audience’s desire to get important information first.

Screen Shot 2019-06-30 at 1.46.09 PM.png

oral oontent

Up to this point the majority of the group’s engagement with the content has been in terms of reading and writing. It is time to orally interact with the selected content to ensure that it has been developed for this audience, properly structured, and clearly articulated. The delivery plan is a time to evaluate word choice, idioms, and antidotes. When working with this content, make sure that it is suited to the purpose, and that the key message is explicit so the audience remembers it well.

The introduction of group members, transitions, and internal summaries are all important elements of the delivery plan. A proper introduction of group members and content will not happen automatically. Therefore, it is important to practice it to determine if introductions fit better at the beginning of the presentation, if names need to be emphasized through the wearing of name tags, or if names are better used as a part of transition content. The use of name only may not be effective in some speaking situations. Therefore, it is important for the group to determine what a proper group member introduction includes beyond the name.

Plus, be consistent; that is, determine if everyone is using first name only or full name, do they need to know your positions, some background, or can you simply state it in a written format such as a team resume. Speech content is not useful if the audience does not accept your credibility.

I dress to kill, but tastefully. ~ Freddie Mercury

As in all presentations, an awareness of your physical appearance is an important element in complementing the content of your speech. Do not hesitate to talk about and practice appropriate dress as a group. It is important to look like a group. Really consider defining a group’s speaking uniform by deciding how formal or informal the dress code.

It is important to take into consideration cultural, occupational and regional norms. In addition, it is important to think about branding choices. Often groups want to brand themselves for the audience. It is not necessary to mimic your audience. For example, a sales presentation to cranberry association members may entice a group to wear red. However, the cranberry association may not be the only sale your group needs to make so you will be forced to ask the question: Will each sales presentation audience determine the color we accent in dress? In short, do not let the speaking occasion brand you. Simply know what is considered professional for this presentation. You have spent a lot of time on preparing the content for this audience so do not detract from it.

Screen Shot 2019-06-30 at 1.49.01 PM.png

It is not always feasible to practice your delivery in the actual room where you will deliver your speech. However, it is extremely important that you actively plan your delivery for the room by recreating the speaking environment. If prior access to the room is not available, then you will need to do your planning by asking a series of questions of the presentation planner. Some common things to find out include the size of the room; if a projector is available and its location within the room; is there a platform and/or a stationary lectern; is there a sound system and how many microphones; where the group will be seated before being introduced; will the presentation be recorded; what is the availability of the room in advance of the presentation; and what is the number of seats and seating arrangement so the group can plan for the zone of interaction.

including (a) enhanced understanding—helps audience comprehend what they hear and see; (b) enhanced memory—serves as a visual reinforcement; (c) enhanced organization—visually displays your organizational strategy; (d) enhanced attention—grabs and maintains audience interest; and (e) enhanced sequencing—shows rather than describes.

The term visuals refers to both non- technology visual aids (handouts, posters, charts, etc.) and presentation technology. Visuals should not appear as though several individuals made them but rather as uniform to the group’s presentation. All visuals should blend smoothly into the speech. All group members should be clear on what visuals or documents were pre- requested (so you do not eliminate them as unnecessary during rehearsal). Many times it is better to simply project or display visuals. At other times, visuals may need to be assembled in a presentation packet for all audience members. Bohn & Jabusch (1982) suggest that there are several researched-based reasons why visual aids enhance presentations including (a) enhanced understanding—helps audience comprehend what they hear and see; (b) enhanced memory—serves as a visual reinforcement; (c) enhanced organization—visually displays your organizational strategy; (d) enhanced attention—grabs and maintains audience interest; and (e) enhanced sequencing—shows rather than describes.

Screen Shot 2019-06-30 at 1.49.58 PM.png

The four modes of delivery— memorized, impromptu, manuscript, and extemporaneous—are all valuable in group presentations. However, the most common mode of delivery is extemporaneous. Earlier in the chapter, developing a script was discussed. The step of transforming the script into adelivery outline—an abbreviated version of the preparation outline(DiSanza & Legge, 2012)—is a significant part of planning delivery. The ultimate goal is to figure out how the group can be confident that the entire presentation stays together and does not just exist in pieces. The delivery outline may go as far as to stipulate vocal and gesture instructions. The delivery outline is not created to be read from, therefore, the group also should determine how speaker notes will be used. The delivery outline should be provided to every group member so everyone is familiar with the entire presentation. It is important to set up contingency plans for who will present content if someone is absent on the day of the presentation— the presenter who gets stuck in morning traffic or the professional who had a flight delay.

The key is for all group members to remain conversational in their delivery style. This may be best achieved by utilizing effective delivery strategies such as appropriate gestures, movement and posture; appropriate facial expressions including eye contact; and appropriate vocal delivery— articulation, dialect, pitch, pronunciation, rate, and volume. Group members should evaluate each other on audibility and fluency.

One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. ~ Arthur Ashe

Rehearsals are for the final polishing of your presentations. It is a time to solidify logistics of how many group members are presenting, where they will stand, and the most appropriate transitions between each speaker. Group members should grow more comfortable with each other through rehearsals. A key aspect of polishing involves identifying gaps in content and gaining feedback on content (oral and visual), style, and delivery. The rehearsals are good time to refine speaker notes and to practice the time limit. The number of scheduled rehearsals is dependent on your group and the amount of preparation time provided. The most important element for the group is to adapt their rehearsal timetable based on an honest evaluation of the speaking skills represented within the group.

The only part of a group presentation that you may not be able to rehearse is responding to the actual audience members’ questions and objections. However, you can anticipate the types of questions and practice a simple strategy of how you will respond— repeating the question, stating who from the group will respond, and answering succinctly. Four of the most common types of questions are follow- up questions; action-oriented questions focused on what would you do if; hypothetical questions focused on different scenarios; and information- seeking questions. A primary way to practice is to think of at least three questions you would like to answer, prepare the answer, and practice it during rehearsal(s).

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3.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery

Jordan Smith; Melissa Ashman; eCampusOntario; Brian Dunphy; Andrew Stracuzzi; and Linda Macdonald

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to

Identify and describe the four methods of delivery
Organize an impromptu speech
Design a manuscript for presentation
Explain the need for practice in delivering extemporaneously
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of memorization

The Importance of Delivery

Photo of a young woman delivering a presentation

Delivery is what you are probably most concerned about when it comes to giving presentations. This chapter is designed to help you give the best delivery possible and eliminate some of the nervousness you might be feeling. To do that, you should first dismiss the myth that public speaking is just reading and talking at the same time. Speaking in public has more formality than talking. During a speech, you should present yourself professionally. Your clothes should be appropriate for the situation, your language should be correct and appropriate for the audience, and you should appear knowledgeable about your topic. The level of formality is determined by the context, audience expectations, and purpose of the message.

Methods of Presentation Delivery

There are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a presentation.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Maru, and I’m an account manager.” Another example of impromptu presenting occurs when you answer a question such as, “What did you think of the report?” Your response has not been pre-planned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak.

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it’s spontaneous and responsive in an animated group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or no time to contemplate the central theme of their message. As a result, the message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.

This step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu presentation in a public setting:

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make.
Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Avoid making comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or feeling uneasy.
Deliver your message, making your main point as concisely as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
If possible, create a structure for your points. For example, use numbers: “Two main reasons . . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Timeline structures are also effective, such as “past, present, and future”.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you don’t have something prepared). If in front of an audience, don’t keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu presentations are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

For additional advice on impromptu speaking, watch the following 4 minute video from Toastmasters: Impromptu Speaking :

(Direct link to Toastmasters Impromptu Speaking )

Manuscript Presentations

Manuscript presentations are the word-for-word iteration of a written message . The advantage of reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. In some circumstances, this exact wording can be extremely important. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact. Acceptable uses of a manuscript include

Highly formal occasions (e.g. a commencement speech)
Particularly emotional speeches (e.g. a wedding speech, a eulogy)
Situations in which word-for-word reading is required (e.g. a speech written by someone else; a corporate statement; a political speech)
Within a larger speech, the reading of a passage from another work (e.g. a poem; a book excerpt).

Manuscript presentations, however, have a significant disadvantage: Your connection with the audience may be affected. Eye contact, so important for establishing credibility and relationship in Western cultures, may be limited by reading; your use of gestures will be limited if you are holding a manuscript, and a handheld manuscript itself might appear as a barrier between you and the audience. The speaker can appear to be more connected to the manuscript than to the audience. In addition, it is difficult to change your language or content in response to unpredictable audience reactions.

Write the speech in a conversational style, and
Practice your speech so that it flows naturally.

Preparation will make the presentation more engaging and enhance your credibility:

Select and edit material so that it fits within your time limit,
Select material that will be meaningful for your particular audience,
Know the material well so that you can look up at your audience and back at the manuscript without losing your place, and
Identify key words for emphasis.

An essential part of preparation is preparing your manuscript. The following suggestions are adapted from the University of Hawai’i Maui Community College Speech Department:

Make the manuscript readable

Use a full 8.5 x 11inch sheet of paper, not note cards.
Print on only one side of each page.
Include page numbers.
Use double or triple line spacing.
Use a minimum of 16 pt. font size.
Avoid overly long or complex sentences.
Use bold or highlight the first word of each sentence, as illustrated by the University of Hawai’i.

Example of words bolded at the beginning of a sentence for ease of reading a manuscript..

Mark up your manuscript

Add notations—“slow down,” “pause,” “look up,” underline key words, etc. as reminders about delivery.
Highlight words that should be emphasized.
Add notes about pronunciation.
Include notations about time, indicating where you should be at each minute marker.

Engage Your Audience

Practice your presentation.
Try to avoid reading in a monotone. Just as contrast is important for document design, contrast is important in speaking. Vary your volume, pace, tone, and gestures.
Make sure that you can be clearly understood. Speak loud enough that the back of the room can hear you, pronounce each word clearly, and try not to read too fast.
Maintain good eye contact with your audience. Look down to read and up to speak.
Match gestures to the content of the speech, and avoid distracting hand or foot movements.
If there is no podium, hold the manuscript at waist height.

Extemporaneous Presentations

Extemporaneous presentations are carefully planned and rehearsed presentations, delivered in a conversational manner using brief notes or a slide deck . By using notes rather than a full manuscript, the extemporaneous presenter can establish and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they are understanding the presentation as it progresses.

To avoid over-reliance on notes or slides, you should have strong command of your subject matter. Then select an organizational pattern that works well for your topic. Your notes or slide deck should reflect this organizational pattern. In preparation, create an outline of your speech.

Watch some of the following 10-minute video of a champion speaker presenting an extemporaneous speech at the 2017 International Extemporaneous Speaking National Champion. :

(Direct link to 2017 International Extemporaneous Speaking National Champion video)

Presenting extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don’t need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and non-verbally. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or to adapt to your audience, you can do so.

Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to present, so be aware that if you want to present a credibly delivered speech, you will need to practice many times. Extemporaneous presenting is the style used in the great majority of business presentation situations.

Memorized Speaking

Memorized speakin g is the recitation of a written message that the speaker has committed to memory. Actors , of course, recite from memory whenever they perform from a script in a stage play, television program, or movie scene. When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message needs to be exact and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer. Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly, if you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Memorizing a presentation takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve a natural flow and conversational tone.

Check Your Knowledge (11 Questions)

University of Hawai’i Maui Community College. (2002). Commemorative speech objectives and tips. https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/commemorative_speech1.html

3.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery Copyright © 2021 by Jordan Smith; Melissa Ashman; eCampusOntario; Brian Dunphy; Andrew Stracuzzi; and Linda Macdonald is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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7.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery

Jordan Smith; Melissa Ashman; eCampusOntario; Brian Dunphy; Andrew Stracuzzi; and Linda Macdonald

The Importance of Delivery

Delivery is what you are probably most concerned about when it comes to giving presentations. This section is designed to help you give the best delivery possible and eliminate some of the nervousness you might be feeling. To do that, you should first dismiss the myth that presenting is just reading and talking at the same time. Presentations have more formality than talking. During a presentation, such as an oral report, you should project professionalism. This means meeting the expectations of your situation and audience. Start by being well groomed and wearing clean, appropriate clothes for the situation. Professionalism in speaking also means being prepared to use language correctly and appropriately for the audience and the topic, making eye contact with your audience, projecting confidence, and knowing your topic very well.

Methods of Presentation Delivery

There are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality and memorization when giving a presentation.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Jocelyn, and I’m an account manager.” Another example of impromptu presenting occurs when you answer a question such as, “What did you think of the report?” Your response has not been pre-planned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak.

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it is spontaneous and responsive in a group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or no time to think of the central theme of their message. As a result, the message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.

This step-by-step guide may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu presentation in public:

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make. You might write a few keywords on a notepad if you have one near.
Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Avoid making comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or feeling uneasy.
Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
If you can use a structure, using numbers if possible: “Two main reasons . . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Timeline structures are also effective, such as “past, present, and future” or “East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast”.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you do not have something prepared). If in front of an audience, do not keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu presentations are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

For additional advice on impromptu speaking, watch the following 4-minute video from Toastmasters: Impromptu Speaking :

(Direct link to Toastmasters Impromptu Speaking )

Manuscript Presentations

Highly formal occasions (e.g. a commencement speech)
Particularly emotional speeches (e.g. a wedding speech, a eulogy)
Situations in which word-for-word reading is required (e.g. a speech written by someone else; a corporate statement; a political speech)
Within a larger speech, the reading of a passage from another work (e.g. a poem; a book excerpt).

Manuscript presentations, however, have a significant disadvantage: Your connection with the audience may be affected. Eye contact, so important for establishing credibility and relationship, may be limited by reading, your use of gestures will be limited if you are holding a manuscript, and a handheld manuscript itself might appear as a barrier between you and the audience. In addition, it is difficult to change language or content in response to unpredictable audience reactions. Reading a manuscript is not as easy as one might think. Keeping your place in a manuscript is difficult and most of us will sound monotone.

Write the speech in a conversational style, and
Practice your speech so that it flows naturally.

Preparation will make the presentation more engaging and enhance your credibility:

Select and edit material so that it fits within your time limit;
Select material that will be meaningful for your particular audience;
Know the material well so that you can look up at your audience and back at the manuscript without losing your place; and
Identify keywords for emphasis.

An essential part of preparation is preparing your manuscript. The following suggestions are adapted from the University of Hawai’i Maui Community College Speech Department:

Use a full 8.5 x 11inch sheet of paper, not notecards.
Use only one side of the page.
Include page numbers.
Use double or triple line spacing.
Use a minimum of 16 pt. font size.
Avoid overly long or complex sentences.
Use bold or highlight the first word of each sentence, as illustrated by the University of Hawai’i.

Add notations—“slow down,” “pause,” “look up,” underline keywords, etc. as reminders about delivery.
Highlight words that should be emphasized.
Add notes about pronunciation.
Include notations about time, indicating where you should be at each minute marker.

To deliver the speech effectively, make sure you are comfortable with the manuscript delivery style. To engage your audience,

Practice your presentation.
Try to avoid reading in a monotone. Just as contrast is important for document design, contrast is important in speaking. Vary your volume, pace, tone, and gestures.
Make sure that you can be clearly understood. Speak loud enough that the back of the room can hear you, pronounce each word clearly, and try not to read too fast.
Maintain good eye contact with your audience. Look down to read and up to speak.
Match gestures to the content of the speech, and avoid distracting hand or foot movements.
If there is no podium, hold the manuscript at waist height.

Memorized Speaking

First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer and you will not effectively engage your audience. (Manuscript speaking often suffers the same fate.) Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly, if you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Memorizing a presentation takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve a natural flow and conversational tone.

Extemporaneous Presentations

The extemporaneous speaking style benefits from the flexibility and naturalness that comes with impromptu speaking as well as the benefits of well-developed content and organization that comes with manuscript or memorized speaking. This presentation delivery style maximizes all of the benefits of the various presentation styles while minimizing their challenges.

To avoid over-reliance on notes or slides, you should have a strong command of your subject matter. Then select an organizational pattern that works well for your topic. Your notes or slide deck should reflect this organizational pattern. In preparation, create an outline of your speech.

Watch some of the following 10-minute videos of a champion speaker presenting an extemporaneous speech at the 2017 International Extemporaneous Speaking National Champion. :

(Direct link to 2017 International Extemporaneous Speaking National Champion video)

Presenting extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you do not need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and non-verbally. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or to adapt to your audience, you can do so.

Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you are scheduled to present, so be aware that if you want to present a credibly delivered speech, you will need to practice many times. Extemporaneous presenting is the style used in the great majority of business presentation situations.

7.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery Copyright © 2022 by Jordan Smith; Melissa Ashman; eCampusOntario; Brian Dunphy; Andrew Stracuzzi; and Linda Macdonald is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Speak & Present Effectively

9 How to deliver your presentation

In this chapter you’ll learn how to deliver a presentation. we’ll look at voice and body language skills that keep your audience engaged and inspired. .

Excellent presenters use many delivery skills. Don’t worry about being perfect at all of them; start by working on the three skills you identified in Chapter 3. When those skills feel improved, choose three more to work on.

Volume Speak loudly enough so that we can hear you. Good volume also makes you sound confident

Clarity Enunciate your words, and avoid mumbling, so the audience can easily understand what you’re saying

Tone Match your tone to the content. Typically, tone goes higher when we are unsure or are asking a question, and goes lower when we are stating a fact or being authoritative

Pace Speak slowly enough to be understood, and vary your pace to add interest

Choppiness – Speak as fluidly as possible, avoid hesitations and unusual pacing
Speed – Speak smoothly and confidently, but a little slower than in normal conversation. In multicultural situations (where we might not be familiar with each others’ accents) speak even slower, and watch your audience to make sure they understand you.
Pauses – Listening can be tiring. Brief pauses let your audience absorb information. You can also use pauses to add emphasis or anticipation.

Vocal variety Vary your tone, pace and volume to add interest, emphasis and clarity. For example, speak a little faster to add excitement or anticipation, or speak a little louder to show emphasis. Some cultures and languages tend to be more monotone, so some students may have to work a little bit harder to ensure they vary their tone.

Body language

Professional posture Good posture supports your voice, and makes you look professional and confident (when we’re nervous we tend to hunch and cross our arms). Face the audience most of the time, and avoid turning your back on them to look at your slides.

Manage your movement Repetitive body movements, such as tapping your foot or swaying, can also distract the audience. If you’re presenting in person, slowly move around the physical space, such as moving towards the audience, or from one part of the room to another.

Use gestures Use gestures to add interest, emphasis, and help explain what you’re saying, such as indicating part of a slide or demonstrating an action.

Eyes & face

Make eye contact most of the time Eye contact shows confidence and helps everyone in the audience feel included. Look at all parts of the room. Secret tip for shy presenters: look at people’s foreheads – it has the same effect as eye contact. If you’re presenting online, this means looking at the camera. If you’re using notes should be point form – not full sentences – that you can quickly glance at, not read.

Manage your facial expressions You can show passion and emotion through facial expressions. But be careful, sometimes presenters show how nervous they are by having a look of worry on their face.

Your passion will engage the audience. Show your enthusiasm, energy and interest through appropriate use of tone, pace, volume, facial expressions, gestures, and body language.

Your level of energy can be infectious, and inspire the audience. Even if your topic is serious, like mental health or a tragedy, you can still convey conviction and interest in the subject matter. Conversely, without passion, you can make even the most fascinating content boring, and cause your audience to disengage.

Filler words Fillers distract the audience and make you seem nervous, unprepared or professional. These include uhh , umm , like, you know, and any other words or noises that are not actual content. Real words like and and so can also be used as filler words.

Vocabulary Use words and phrases your audience understands; language that is appropriate for them. Will they understand abbreviations, acronyms, slang and jargon?

Transitions Use transitions to connect sentences to each other, indicate that you’re moving to the next major point, or in group presentations, that you’re moving to the next speaker.

Make sure the length of your presentation matches your audience’s expectations. If your presentation is a lot shorter, the audience (and instructor!) might be disappointed; if you go overtime they might resent you.

After each presentation, make a note of 3 things that you did well, and 3 things you want to improve.

If you have a speech impediment or accessibility needs

If you have a speech impediment, visual impairment, hearing difficulty, physical disability, or other health issue, there are many resources available. You may want to start by speaking with your instructor and contacting Langara Accessibility Services .

If you stutter, you’re not alone. Many famous people have found ways to become great presenters while managing their stutter, including President Joe Biden, James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader) and Nicole Kidman. Some basic coping strategies include speaking slowly, managing stress and thoroughly knowing your material. Additional resources are available from The Canadian Stuttering Association .

Test your knowledge

Watch each of these videos and test your understanding of the presenter’s skills.

What did you notice?

Business Presentation Skills Copyright © 2021 by Lucinda Atwood and Christian Westin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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11 Chapter 11: Delivering Your Speech; Using Language

Lauren Rome, College of the Canyons

Adapted by William Kelvin, Professor of Communication Studies, Florida SouthWestern State College

Figure 11.1: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1

Introduction

If you’re like most people, you probably aren’t afraid of the preparation involved in giving a speech. Instead, you’re more likely anxious about delivering your actual speech to an audience. The irony, of course, is that your speech delivery is actually the shortest aspect of the entire process. You will spend much more time (days, at least) researching, compiling, and practicing your speech, while the actual delivery will be somewhere between five and ten minutes.

Let’s look at this hypothetical scenario about two public speaking students, Sasha and Andres. Sasha spends weeks researching, outlining, and crafting her speech. When it comes to delivering her speech, she is conversational and engaging but messes up a couple of times when trying to remember her oral citations. Although Sasha thinks this has ruined her speech, the audience thinks her speech was informative and interesting. Audiences are less apt to notice little mistakes in a speech, and if they did, they would most likely blame any imperfections on a case of nerves.

On the other hand, Andres does not spend as much time preparing and relies on the fact that he is comfortable in front of a crowd and good at “winging it.” Although the audience might consider him to be entertaining, they might also find themselves unable to recall any substantial information delivered in the speech. They might also drift off and stop focusing due to disorganization in Andres’s speech.

The moral of the story is clear: a well-prepared speech delivered with flaws is still a well-prepared and significant speech, but a speech poorly prepared yet delivered flawlessly, is still a poorly prepared and insignificant speech.

We do realize students feel the most anxiety about delivering their speech. This chapter is designed to help you achieve the best delivery possible and eliminate some of the nervousness you might be feeling. In this chapter, we are going to examine best practices for delivering speeches in multiple situations.

Methods of Delivery

Speeches are categorized into four broad methods of delivery, depending on the amount of preparation required and the nature of the occasion. We aim to acquaint you with these four methods of delivery, and how you focus your time on the preparation, practice, and presentation of extemporaneous speeches.

Manuscript Speaking

Manuscript speaking is the word-for-word iteration of a written message. You might be familiar with manuscript-style speeches if you have ever heard a State of the Union Address given by a president, or if you watch cable news anchors deliver the news. In each of these cases, the choice to use a manuscript is made because the exact words matter, and much time and energy are expended on getting everything just right .

There are costs involved in manuscript speaking. If you are not experienced in using them, your presentation will likely sound robotic and disengaging. Additionally, if you are reliant upon a manuscript to convey your points, your focus will be on the script itself instead of making eye contact with the audience. If you speak from a manuscript, you do not “see” your audience; therefore, you are not receiving their messages and cannot react appropriately. Most likely, unless you’re running for president, or you’re in an oral interpretation class, you won’t use this method. This method is used in public statements when people are concerned about lawsuits, for example making a public apology while hoping to forestall future trials, or wanting to demonstrate contrition immediately, without necessarily admitting guilt.

Memorized Speaking

When you were in elementary school, did you ever have to memorize a poem or a part of a speech? If you are like most students, the answer is “Yes.” There is nothing wrong with memorization. But if you try to memorize an entire speech, you risk forgetting what you planned to say and coming across as completely unprepared.

Memorized speaking is when a speaker commits their entire speech to memory. Although it might be tempting to do this, it is not expected of you in an introductory public speaking course. Memorization is a significant time commitment and there are many risks associated with this method. Often, when attempting to memorize speech content, there is potential to overlook verbal and nonverbal elements of delivery. Will you also memorize which gestures you use, or when you pause? What about the tone or pitch used to make your voice sound engaging? If these are missed, you might remember to say all the right words, but your audience will be bored. Memorized speeches can sound as robotic as manuscript speaking when executed unartfully. Selecting words in advance removes something human from delivery and damages the connection to the audience.

The greatest risk of memorization, though, is forgetting your words. If you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Sometimes people use this method when note cards would look amateurish, and, like manuscript delivery, when every word counts, for example a tightly timed speaking contest.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is when a speech is delivered with little to no advanced preparation. This might sound intimidating, but impromptu speeches are not usually as long and detailed as the assigned speeches you’re preparing in a public speaking class. Likely, you’ve already given many impromptu speeches throughout your life. For example, if you’ve ever had to introduce yourself to a class at the beginning of the semester, or had to explain to your parents why you’re late for curfew you’ve definitely given an impromptu speech before. It’s what you use when you raise your hand to answer a question in class.

Overall, Impromptu speaking is the most common speech you’ll give. It’s also a very valuable skill. Imagine being asked to explain your perspective during a board meeting or speaking up about a new rule change suggestion at a school district meeting. Being able to swiftly form cogent verbal utterances can make you stand out from the crowd and enhance your political savvy.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Extemporaneous speaking means that you’ve had plenty of time to research, prepare and rehearse. If you’ve made it this far in the textbook, then you’re probably in a public speaking class and developing a speech to extemporaneously deliver to your class. The goal of extemporaneous delivery is not to memorize your speech word for word, but to know the general content and then speak conversationally using brief notes to help keep you on track.

Speaking extemporaneously has many advantages. First, it allows you to connect with your audience, which promotes the likelihood that they will perceive you as knowledgeable and credible. In addition, your audience will pay attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. The disadvantage of extemporaneous speaking is that it requires a great deal of preparation for both the verbal and the nonverbal components of the speech. If you think back to the scenario in our introduction with Sasha and Andres, such preparation cannot be achieved the day before your speech.

Since extemporaneous speaking is the style used in the great majority of public speaking situations, most of the information in this chapter is targeted to this kind of speaking.

Understanding the Speaking Situation

Depending on the situation in which you are speaking, many elements are likely to change. For example, giving a speech in a college classroom is going to be different from presenting at work, or giving your toast as maid of honor or best man. In each of these scenarios, there are things you must take into account to deliver your speech effectively. These elements might include the location, room and audience size, or furniture and equipment.

Delivering to a Virtual Audience

Photo of computer screen with Zoom showing

Figure 11.2: Zoom Classroom 2

Whether in an online class, a virtual interview, or a virtual meeting with your team, knowing how to present information online is a necessary skill for the modern world. Although you aren’t always able to see your entire audience at any given time, they will usually be able to see you! Mary Abbajay in Forbes (2020) provides some tips for a successful virtual presentation:

Get the Lighting Right : As a presenter, it is essential that people can see you well. Make sure you have good lighting in front of your face. If your back is to a window, close the shades. While natural light is often the best choice, if your workspace doesn’t have natural light and you do a lot of virtual presentations, consider purchasing supplemental lighting to enhance your image. Ring lights are popular choices for providing balanced lighting; they can be used with desktop computers or cell phones.
Choose the Right Background : To prep your video conferencing space, clean it. Avoid a cluttered background or anything that can be distracting. Use tasteful decorations and avoid anything potentially embarrassing or controversial. Next, consider masking your space. Learn whether your presentation platform enables you to use virtual backgrounds or blur your background, as Zoom allows.
Know the Technology : A dry run is essential so that you’re comfortable with the platform features. Make sure you practice with the same technical setup (computer and internet connection) that you will use when you deliver the presentation. Ask a friend to help you to see if your equipment works well on their end.
Play to the Camera : When you are the one speaking, look directly into your computer’s camera, not on the screen or at the other participants. This takes some practice, but it makes the viewer feel as if you are looking right at them. Some presenters turn off their self-view so that they aren’t distracted by their own image. Put the camera at eye level. Try not to have your camera too far above or below you. If it’s too low, then you run the risk of creating a double chin. And to the audience, this makes it appear as though you are looking down toward the desk or floor! A camera too high makes it difficult to maintain eye contact, as you may find your gaze dropping as you speak.
Get Close (But Not Too Close) : You want the camera to frame your face, shoulders, and waist. Check with your professor about specific requirements. People are drawn to faces, so you don’t want to lose that connection by being too far away, but you also don’t want your face to take over the whole screen like a disembodied head because, well, that looks weird. Practice your positioning and distance.
Stand Up : Standing up provides a higher energy level and forces us to put our bodies in a more presentation-like mode. Standing up mirrors a typical live speaking situation, which is more professional.
Do A Sound Check : If your sound is garbled, people will tune out (and your instructor won’t be able to grade your speech!). While people may forgive less than perfect videos, if they can’t hear you, they miss your message. Practice with someone on the other end of the presentation platform. Make sure your sound emits clearly. Sometimes headphones or external microphones work better than computer audio, sometimes not. Every platform is different, so make sure your sound quality is excellent every time.
Plug into Your Modem : If possible, plug your computer directly into your modem using an ethernet cable. This will give you the strongest signal and most stable internet connection. The last thing you want to happen during your presentation is to have a weak or unstable internet signal.
Be Yourself and Have Fun : Again, just like in face-to-face presentations, audiences connect to authenticity, so be yourself! Let your personality show through. Have fun. If you look like you’re enjoying the presentation, so will others. Happy people retain information better than bored or disinterested people, so model the energy that you want to create. The audience takes its cue from you.

Delivering to a Live Audience: Physical Spaces and Audiences

Physical spaces with live, in-person audiences have different variables that need to be considered than virtual spaces. The size of the room or location where the speech is delivered and the size of the audience might change elements of our delivery.

Figure 11.3: Auditorium 3

Since this is a public speaking textbook for a college class, you might already be familiar with the location of the speeches you will be giving. All classrooms are not created equal, though. Some classes can be small and quaint, while others are held in lecture halls that hold hundreds of people. Depending on where you will be speaking, let’s look at some important considerations:

How large is the space I will be speaking in? Do I need a microphone?
If I am not using a microphone, how loud will I need to speak so everyone can hear me?
How is the space configured? Where do I need to stand so my audience can see me clearly?
How will movement enhance my connection to the audience?
What furniture and equipment might I need to use or navigate?

Furniture and Equipment

Some classrooms, lecture halls, conference rooms, or stages may have furniture or equipment that can be used to support a speaker’s delivery. Although this is not an exhaustive list, the two most common apparatuses are briefly discussed below: lecterns and microphones.

Although these seemingly antiquated stands might make your presentation feel more formal, they can be used to the speaker’s advantage. Lecterns are a great place to set your notes so you can gesture freely, or move around to engage with the audience. Also, if you are worried about what to do with your hands, it could be a nice place to rest them. Just be careful to check in on how you are resting them; it is all too tempting to grip the edges of the lectern with both hands for security. You also don’t want to use lecterns as a physical crutch and lean on them. Lecterns can keep you rooted in one place, thus deterring movement. They can also be a barrier between you and the audience. Yes, that barrier may feel protective, but building rapport is the name of the public speaking game. The most polished speakers usually do not rely on lecterns, and m any instructors disallow their use, so ask your instructor for their policy, and see if you can break away from them, or keep them to one side of the room.

Student in a white dress giving a speech

Figure 11.4: Student Speech 4

Microphones

If the setting is large enough, you might need to use a microphone to help project your voice. While this isn’t a frequent occurrence for beginning speakers, it could be something you encounter. Microphones require preparation and adaptation. If a microphone is too close or far from your mouth, it could distort or drop your voice. Some microphones only pick up your voice if you speak directly into them. The best plan, of course, would be to have access to the microphone for practice ahead of the speaking date. Most often you will encounter fixed microphones that are stationary. You may need to adjust its positioning, if possible. However, you may also find yourself using lavalier microphones, which are clipped on your clothing near your face, and may have a bulky communication pack that clips to your waistline. Practicing with these lav mics is especially important, because they impede your movement a bit and can feel awkward. Another mic issue to watch out for is so-called “hot mics,” which catch people saying embarrassing things. Always assume microphones are on!

Preparing for Your Speech Delivery

Now with a better understanding of the variables of the speaking situation, you can begin thinking about your actual speech delivery. Although this book has spent a lot of time on the structure and content of your speech, those will fall flat if you forget to consider your verbal and nonverbal delivery.

Consider Verbal and Nonverbal Elements

Sometimes it isn’t what you say, but how you say it that matters in public speaking. Although you will spend a considerable amount of time writing and organizing the content of your speech, those words could fall flat if you don’t consider the verbal and nonverbal elements that can help them come alive. Vocal variety , the use of multiple delivery elements at once, helps to keep your delivery engaging and your audience connected.

Vocal Elements

Pronunciation : The conventional patterns of speech used to form a word. If you are not familiar with how to pronounce a word, look it up. If you can’t find it, find a way to confidently pronounce the word that you will remember; you don’t want to tell the audience you don’t know how to pronounce it or stumble through the word.
Enunciation : How clearly the speaker pronounces words. If you’ve ever had to ask someone to repeat a word, they may suffer from poor enunciation.
Articulation: Using your mouth, tongue, and airflow as the instrument to produce sound. Whether you say “tomato or to mah to” is the difference in articulation.
Volume : The loudness or softness of a speaker’s voice. Controlling your volume ensures your audience can hear you clearly, adds variety, and brings attention to the most important moments in the speech.
Pitch : The highness or lowness of a speaker’s voice. A voice that lacks variety in pitch can be described as monotone, which causes people to lose interest. We all have a natural range of pitch; attempt to vary your delivery along that spectrum. A change of pitch outside of your normal range can be attention-getting.
Rate : How quickly or slowly you speak. Controlling your rate can be one of the most challenging things a speaker has to do. When nerves kick in, it can be really hard to slow the speed that you’re talking, since you likely just want to “get this over with.” When a speaker’s rate is too quick, the audience has a hard time following along. Further, it can make the speaker look nervous, damaging their ethos.
Flow of Delivery : The consistency of delivery. Is the delivery smooth or is it disrupted with a start-stop style? The goal is to have a smooth delivery.
Pause : A break in speaking. Never underestimate the power of the pause. It can focus the audience’s attention or create anticipation. Hot tip – pauses give you time to think about what you’re going to say. Embrace the pause! A silent pause is much more engaging and relaxing for the audience than vocalized pauses.
Vocalized Pauses : Words or sounds such as, “um,” “like,” “ya know,” or “uh.” These can take the place of an actual word or silent pause. Instead of filler words, use that moment to pause for a breath and collect your thoughts.
Energy and Enthusiasm : All verbal and vocal elements are enhanced by giving the delivery energy and enthusiasm because it provides voice inflection which is a change in tonality. The more excited we are during the delivery, the more engaged the audience will be, up to a point. It is rare, but it is possible to overdo it. Keep the audience, topic and situation in mind when planning your level of enthusiasm.

Nonverbal Elements

Eye Contact : Using your eyes to directly connect with your audience. Eye contact lets your audience feel that you are speaking directly to them. It is the fastest, and easiest, way to create a relationship with your audience. This is the single most powerful nonverbal element of your delivery.
Gestures : Motions with your hands or arms. You do not want to talk too much with your hands, but you do not want to stand like a statue either. Controlled body language and variety in gestures help to reinforce your points and help the audience interpret the impact of your words. Some things to think about: what will yo udo with your hands when you’re not gesturing? Most instructors do not want you to put your hands in your pockets. How will you handle your note cards? Perhaps you can pass them from one hand to the other so that you can gesture with both hands at times, or at times keep them hidden in one hand to gesture with both simultaneously.
Facial Expressions : How your eyes and mouth work to display the “emotional tone” of a message. Direct eye contact and smiling when appropriate, or not smiling when appropriate, will help the audience understand your message. Your face tells a story. Does it match your speech?
Physical Appearance: To have the best impact on an audience, you also need to think about your clothing and appearance basics. You don’t need to run and buy expensive new clothes, but you do need to think about the impression your appearance might make. If you want to be taken seriously, you must present yourself seriously. Keep in mind that your goal is to have your audience focus on your face rather than an article of clothing or your uncombed hair. You do not want to be too revealing in your choice of clothing because it is a distraction. Some advice: wear what makes you feel most confident, and make sure the outfit is professional and fits the occasion. Some professors may suggest informal professional dress such as khaki pants and a collared shirt. Other professors may encourage formal professional dress such as slacks and a collared, button-up shirt. This is a good time to discuss dress with your professor.While in this moment you may be worried about your final grade, think beyond that outcome. Do you want to develop comfort speaking formally? If you want to go into a field where formal wear is the norm, you should start performing in such garments as soon as possible. Consider going to a thrift store. Even if the clothes are worn, they will have the cut and weight that you must become accustomed to. The formal wear made ubiquitous by Western customs tend to make speakers hot and sweaty—sad, but true! Your public speaking class presents you the chance to practice in a low-stakes environment, so that you will feel comfortable in formal wear for job interviews, sales pitches, etc.

Figure 11.5: Commencement Speech 5

Practicing Your Speech

Have you heard the saying “practice makes perfect”? Well, forget it. Perfection is not a realistic goal. Instead, you should aim to be prepared, which is exactly what practice will give you. Try this new phrase: “practice makes better.” What do you think? You might think that the purpose of practicing is to memorize the words written in your outline, but this isn’t true. Usually, you aren’t graded on whether or not you say the words exactly as they are written in your outline. Instead, practice lets you get comfortable with the content and find areas for improvement. It’s simple: more practice means less anxiety and better delivery. Let’s look at some strategies for practicing your speeches so you can feel more confident in your delivery.

Imitate the Speaking Situation

If you recall earlier in this chapter, the speaking situation is the setting, location, or platform in which you might be giving your speech. When practicing, it is ideal for you to get familiar with the speaking situation before you give your presentation. If you are speaking in a conference room or a classroom, it’s necessary to understand how loud you need to project your voice, or how the room might affect your ability to make eye contact with your audience. If possible, visit the space (or a similar space) ahead of your speaking engagement. Even if your speech is not written yet, it’s always wise to learn the room and become more comfortable with it. Examine the physical features, technology, lighting, etc. You don’t want to be shocked if you wind up under a bright light! One of your authors visited a public speaking venue where he was set to perform and got comfortable, then when the performance day came, the venue had removed the lectern! You never know what will happen, but preparation will likely never hurt.

Additionally, if you only read your speech in your head, or whisper the words quietly to yourself, you aren’t actually practicing for a public speech. Practicing your speech in the way in which you will deliver (stand up, speak out loud, use eye contact, etc.) helps you get more comfortable with the content and whether you tend to mispronounce or stumble over words. Also, sentences on paper do not always translate well to the spoken medium. Practicing out loud allows you to actually hear where your sentences and phrases are awkward, unnatural, or too long, and allows you to correct them before getting up in front of the audience. Practice saying the speech differently every time. As you do, the ideas become more your own, and you worry less about sticking to an idealized script. When your mind has more potential pathways to follow in the moment, you are less likely to get stuck.

The more similar you can make the practice setting to the speaking setting, the more prepared you will be. You don’t want the first time you are delivering your speech to be when you are delivering your speech to the entire audience.

Also, practice in clothes that are similar tow hat you will wear in your speech, or the exact outfit, if it’s convenient. You may find that it does not fit well or irritates you. One experience you do not want, is to be preparing to leave the house on the day of your speech and find out that your pants will not close, your blouse is missing a button, or the tag of your undershirt is nagging you.

Get Feedback from Others

Speaking publicly is a challenging task (even for the authors!). It’s not easy to do alone. Seeking useful, constructive feedback from your classmates, peers, or family can make the difference between a good speech and a great speech. By practicing your speech in front of others, they can share their opinion on your language choices, verbal and nonverbal elements, and timing.

One thing you have to ask of your observers: be honest . They can’t just tell you, “That was great!” since that doesn’t tell you what was great. It might help to give them specific questions to answer:

How was my eye contact?
Could you hear me?
Was my voice engaging or monotone?
Did I mispronounce any words?
How was my posture?
Were my gestures effective?
Did I have any mannerisms or distracting habits that I should try to avoid?

Record Yourself Delivering Your Speech

We know this feels “cringey,” but a video recording can help you identify elements of your speech content and delivery that another observer might not. Are you concerned about what you do with your hands when you speak? Or whether your voice is as powerful as you planned? Or how many vocalized pauses do you use? A video recording allows you to be the audience member of your own speech and is invaluable in creating the overall presentation you want.

Another idea is to make an audio recording of your speech and listen to it on the go–in the car, on the train, while you brush your teeth. This process will cause you to memorize the order of information, and also remember some turns of phrase. You can even try recording different versions where you vary your citation style, word choice, etc. Just as Hollywood sceeen-tests scenes to see which audiences respond best to, you can evaluation your options and decide which performative choices you think best.

Tips for Effective Delivery

Figure 11.6: Prateek Kalakuntla 6

Know your material. You should know the information so well you do not have to devote your mental energy to the task of remembering the sequence of ideas and words.

Prepare well and rehearse enough so you don’t have to rely heavily on notes. Many speakers, no matter how well prepared, need at least a few notes to deliver their message. Even your professors use lecture slides or outlines to help keep them on track! If you can speak effectively without notes, by all means, do so. But if you choose to use notes, they should be only a delivery outline or keyword outline. Notes are not a substitute for preparation and practice. Refer to assignment instructions for rules about note cards. Many professors only allow 3-by-5 inch note cards on firm card stock–not typical 8.5-by-11 inch paper nor regular-weight printer paper.

Establish a personal bond with listeners. Begin by selecting one person and talking to them personally. Maintain eye contact with the person long enough to establish a visual bond (about five to ten seconds). This is usually the equivalent of a sentence or a thought. Then shift your gaze to another person. In a small group, this is relatively easy to do. But, if you are addressing hundreds or thousands of people, it is impossible. What you can do is pick out one or two individuals in each section of the room and establish personal bonds. Then, each listener will get the impression you are talking directly to them. As your speech progresses, try to build more personal bonds with more audience members.

Monitor visual feedback . While you are talking, your listeners are responding with their nonverbal messages, such as head nods, wrinkled or furrowed brows, wide eyes, or even tears. Use your eyes to actively seek out this valuable feedback. If individuals aren’t looking at you, they may not be listening either. Make sure they can hear you. Consider moving towards them and work to actively engage them.

Additionally, if you look out at your audience and you notice that someone has a confused expression on their face, that is a signal that something you’ve said is unclear. There is nothin g wrong with stopping and rephrasing what you are saying. After all, your speech is for the audience and their understanding. Monitoring visual feedback helps you as a speaker and helps you to be seen as a more credible speaker.

Good delivery is meant to support your speech and help convey your information to the audience. Anything that has the potential to distract your audience means that fewer people will be informed, persuaded, or entertained by what you have said. Practicing your speech in an environment that closely resembles the actual situation that you will be speaking in will better prepare you for what to do and how to deliver your speech when it counts.

Remember, whether you are presenting in person or virtually, all presentations are audience-centered. Their time is valuable, so honor that time by delivering the best presentation you can. No matter what kind of presentation you are giving, you must find ways to create authentic audience connection, engagement, and value.

Reflection Questions

After having reviewed the methods of delivery, how do you see extemporaneous speaking as an effective tool you can use in the classroom or in a career?
If you are delivering a speech virtually, what aspects of your speaking area and technology do you attend to in order to maximize your performance?
After reading about vocal, verbal, and nonverbal elements of delivery, how will you improve your own delivery?
What will be your specific method of practicing for your speeches? Who can you practice in front of? Will you record your speech and watch it back to evaluate the delivery?

Articulation

Enunciation

Eye Contact

Facial Expression

Flow of Delivery

Pronunciation

Vocalized Pause

Abbajay, M. (2020, April 20). Best practices for virtual presentations: 15 expert tips that work for everyone . Forbes. Retrieved April 15, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryabbajay/2020/04/20/best-practices-for-virtual-presentations-15-expert-tips-that-work-for-everyone/

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Group Presentations

Delivering your presentation as one.

Three people sitting in chairs on a stage while another person stands at a podium

Oral Content

I dress to kill, but tastefully. – Freddie Mercury

As a group, the overall question you want to be able to answer is: Did our dress provide an accurate first impression not distracting from the content? So what kinds of things can be distracting? The most common are colors, busy patterns, clothing that can be interpreted as seductive, and large or clinking jewelry. As a group determine what type of dress is effective in coordinating your group’s credibility. It is important to take into consideration cultural, occupational and regional norms. In addition, it is important to think about branding choices. Often groups want to brand themselves for the audience. It is not necessary to mimic your audience. For example, a sales presentation to cranberry association members may entice a group to wear red. However, the cranberry association may not be the only sale your group needs to make so you will be forced to ask the question: Will each sales presentation audience determine the color we accent in dress? In short, do not let the speaking occasion brand you. Simply know what is considered professional for this presentation. You have spent a lot of time on preparing the content for this audience so do not detract from it.

One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. – Arthur Ashe

The only part of a group presentation that you may not be able to rehearse is responding to the actual audience members’ questions and objections. However, you can anticipate the types of questions and practice a simple strategy of how you will respond— repeating the question, stating who from the group will respond, and answering succinctly. Four of the most common types of questions are follow-up questions; action-oriented questions focused on what would you do if; hypothetical questions focused on different scenarios; and information-seeking questions. A primary way to practice is to think of at least three questions you would like to answer, prepare the answer, and practice it during rehearsal(s).

Chapter 18 Group Presentations. Authored by : Jennifer F. Wood, Ph.D.. Located at : http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html . Project : Public Speaking Project. License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
Churchill Club Top 10 Tech Trends Debate. Authored by : Steve Jurvetson. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/5760456067/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
Presentation. Authored by : Marc Wathieu. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcwathieu/6978659829/ . License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

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Chapter Thirteen – Speech Delivery

Maryland GovPics – House of Ruth Luncheon – CC BY 2.0.

The next sections introduce four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a public speech.

Types of Delivery

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m a volunteer with the Homes for the Brave program.” Another example of impromptu speaking occurs when you answer a question such as, “What did you think of the movie?” Your response has not been preplanned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak. Even worse, you might find yourself going into a meeting and your boss says, “I want you to talk about the last stage of the project. . .” and you have no warning.

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it’s spontaneous and responsive in an animated group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or no time to contemplate the central theme of their message. As a result, the message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu speech in public:

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point that you want to make (like a mini thesis statement).
Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Do not make comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or uneasy. In other words, try to avoid being self-deprecating!
Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
If you can use a structure, use numbers if possible: “Two main reasons. . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Past, present, and future or East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast are prefab structures.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you don’t have something prepared). If in front of an audience, don’t keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu speeches are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

We recommend practicing your impromptu speaking regularly and every day. Do you want to work on reducing your vocalized pauses in a formal setting? Cool! You can begin that process by being conscious of your vocalized fillers during informal conversations and settings.

Extemporaneous

Extemporaneous speaking is the presentation of a carefully planned and rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational manner using brief notes.

Speaking extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don’t need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. By using notes rather than a full manuscript (or everything that you’re going to say), the extemporaneous speaker can establish and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they are understanding the speech as it progresses. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or to adapt to your audience, you can do so. The outline also helps you be aware of main ideas vs. subordinate ones.

Because extemporaneous speaking is the style used in the great majority of public speaking situations, most of the information in the subsequent sections of this chapter is targeted toward this kind of speaking.

Manuscript speaking is the word-for-word iteration of a written message. In a manuscript speech, the speaker maintains their attention on the printed page except when using presentation aids.

The advantage to reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. This can be extremely important in some circumstances. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact. In reading one word at a time, in order, the only errors would typically be mispronunciation of a word or stumbling over complex sentence structure. A manuscript speech may also be appropriate at a more formal affair (like a funeral), when your speech must be said exactly as written in order to convey the proper emotion or decorum the situation deserves.

However, there are costs involved in manuscript speaking. First, it’s typically an uninteresting way to present. Unless the speaker has rehearsed the reading as a complete performance animated with vocal expression and gestures (well-known authors often do this for book readings), the presentation tends to be dull. Keeping one’s eyes glued to the script prevents eye contact with the audience. For this kind of “straight” manuscript speech to hold audience attention, the audience must be already interested in the message and speaker before the delivery begins. Finally, because the full notes are required, speakers often require a lectern to place their notes, restricting movement and the ability to engage with the audience. Without something to place the notes on, speakers have to manage full-page speaking notes, and that can be distracting.

It is worth noting that professional speakers, actors, news reporters, and politicians often read from an autocue device, such as a teleprompter, especially when appearing on television, where eye contact with the camera is crucial. With practice, a speaker can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously and maintaining eye contact while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the speaker is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to use a conversational tone while delivering a prepared script, and (2) the speech is written in a style that sounds conversational.

Memorized speaking is reciting a written message that the speaker has committed to memory. Actors, of course, recite from memory whenever they perform from a script in a stage play, television program, or movie. When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message needs to be exact, and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

Memorization, however, can be tricky. First, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. If you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Obviously, memorizing a typical seven-minute classroom speech takes a great deal of time and effort, and if you aren’t used to memorizing, it is very difficult to pull off.

We recommend playing with all 4 types of delivery (though extemporaneous is most common in public speaking). Once you identify what type of delivery style you’ll use in a speech, it’s time to rehearse. We will discuss best practices for rehearsing in Chapter 20. Let us focus now on elements of effective speech delivery.

Vocal Aspects of Delivery

Though we speak frequently during the course of a day, a formal speech requires extra attention to detail in preparation of a more formal speech presentation. What can one do in advance to prepare for a speech? The challenge is partly determined by the speaker’s experience, background and sometimes cultural influence and existing habits of speaking. Articulation, Pronunciation, Dialect, Tone, Pitch, and Projection each depends on long-term practice for success. These aspects are like signatures and should be developed and used by each speaker according to his own persona.

Voice, or vocal sound, is made when controlled air being exhaled from the lungs, passes over the vocal cords causing a controlled vibration. The vibrating air resonates in the body, chest cavity, mouth, and nasal passages. The vibrating air causes a chain reaction with the air in the room. The room’s air, set in motion by the voice, is captured by the listener’s ear. The vibration of the air against the eardrum is transferred to electrical impulses that are interpreted by the listener’s brain. Thus, the sounds we can make are predicated on the breaths that we take.

“Crying baby” by Brazzouk. CC-BY-SA .

TRY THIS! BREATHING

Talk without breathing. It cannot be done. So, if you are screaming (like a baby), you are also breathing!

The first word of advice on speaking to an audience: BREATHE!

Articulation

We are often judged by how well we speak in general. A measure of perceived intellect or education is how well we articulate . That is: how well and correctly we form our vowels and consonants using our lips, jaw, tongue, and palate to form the sounds that are identified as speech. Diction and enunciation are other terms that refer to the same idea. For instance, saying “going to” instead of “gonna” or “did not” instead of “dint” are examples of good versus poor articulation. Consonant and vowels are spoken with standard accepted precision, and serious students and speakers will strive to practice the clarity of their sounds. Proper diction is as integral to the English language as proper spelling, but it takes practice.

Pronunciation

Proper articulation applied to a given word is that word’s pronunciation . The pronunciation includes how the vowels and consonants are produced as well as which syllable is emphasized. For generations, speakers depended on “markings (such as the International Phonetics Alphabet or similar Dictionary Symbols) to discover or decide how words were officially pronounced. With online dictionaries now readily available, one needs only to “look up” a word and select “play” to hear an audible recording of the official and precise way a word should be pronounced. Now there is no excuse for mispronouncing a word in a speech. A mispronounced word will obliterate a speaker’s credibility, and the audience’s attention will be focused on the fault rather than the message.

TRY THIS! PRONUNCIATION

1. Flip through a book, article or scholarly work until you come to a word that is unfamiliar and you can only guess its pronunciation.

2. Go to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary website and look up the word.

3. When the definition appears, click the icon of the loudspeaker. The word is audibly pronounced for you.

The online dictionary is useful in both articulation as well as pronunciation.

Accent, Dialect, and Regionalisms

Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Hachim al-Hasani.

“Iraqi speaker” by Office of United States Rep. Ellen Tauscher. Public domain.

Subtleties in the way we pronounce words and phrase our speech within a given language are evident in accents , regionalisms , and dialects . An accent refers to the degree of prominence of the way syllables are spoken in words, as when someone from Australia says “undah” whereas we say “under.” A regionalism is a type of expression, as when someone says “The dog wants walked,” instead of “the dog wants to go for a walk.” Dialect is a variety of language where one is distinguished from others by grammar and vocabulary. In Pennsylvania you might hear people say that they are going to “red up the room,” which means “to clean the room.”

Those who depend on speaking for a career (broadcasters, politicians, and entertainers) will often strive for unaccented General or Standard English. Listen to most major network newscasters for examples of regionalism-free speech. A given audience may be prejudiced towards or against a speaker with an identifiable accent or dialect. Though we would wish prejudice were not the case, the way we speak implies so much about our education, cultural background, and economic status, that prejudice is inevitable. Any speaker should be aware of how accent, dialect , and regionalisms can be perceived by a given audience. If you speak in a way that the audience might find difficult to understand, make an extra effort to pay attention to the accent and phrasing of your speech. Ask a sympathetic and objective listener to help you when you practice.

We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us. – Friedrich Nietzsche

Vocal Quality

The quality of the voice, its timbre (distinctive sound) and texture, affects audibility and can affect the articulation. Our voices are unique to each of us. It is a result of our physical vocal instrument, including diaphragm, vocal cords, lungs and body mass. Some examples of vocal quality include warm, clear, soft, scratchy, mellow and breathy. Each speaker should practice at maximizing the vocal effect of their instrument, which can be developed with vocal exercises. There are numerous books, recordings and trainers available to develop one’s vocal quality when needed. The quality of one’s voice is related to its range of pitch.

TRY THIS! INFLECTION

Your voice goes UP, and then your voice goes d o w n.

Pitch and Inflection

Identical to musical parlance, the pitch is the “highness” or “lowness” of the voice. Each of us has a range of tone . Vocal sounds are actually vibrations sent out from the vocal cords resonating through chambers in the body. The vibrations can literally be measured in terms of audio frequency in the same way music is measured. When the pitch is altered to convey a meaning (like raising the pitch at the end of a sentence that is a question), it is the inflection. Inflections are variations, turns and slides in pitch to achieve the meaning.

In his writing “Poetics,” Aristotle lists “Music” as an element of the Drama. Some scholars interpret that to include the musicalization of the spoken word with dramatic inflection . The meaning and effectiveness of a spoken line is greatly dependent on the “melody” of its inflection.

Though archaic, the study of elocution formalizes the conventions of inflection. In some contemporary cultures, inflection has been minimized because it sounds too “melodramatic” for the taste of the demographic group. It would be sensible to be aware of and avoid both extremes. With effective animated inflection, a speaker is more interesting, and the inflection conveys energy and “aliveness” that compels the audience to listen.

“Ice-T” by Tino Jacobs. CC-BY .

When public speaking was known as elocution, sentences were “scored” like music, and spoken using formal rules. Sentences ending as a question went UP at the end. Sentences ending in a period, ended with a base note. And everyone had fun with exclamation points!

For most of music in history, including Opera, Broadway, and early Rock and Roll, songs were written so that the melody (raising and lowering the pitch) was consistent with what would be spoken. Many of today’s songs, notably Rap songs, depend solely on rhythm. There is little if any inflection (melody) to enhance a lyric’s meaning. Certain languages differ in their dependence on inflection. Japanese and German seem monotonic compared to Italian and French, which offer great variety of inflection.

The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play. – Richard Strauss

Even someone one who is not a singer can be expressive with inflection and pitch. Like the “Think System” of Professor Harold Hill in the musical The Music Man. If you THINK varied pitch, you can SPEAK varied pitch. Think of pitch inflections as seasoning spices that can make the speech more interesting. Sing “Happy Birthday.” You do not have to concentrate or analyze how to create the melody in your voice. Your memory and instinct take over. Notice how the pitch also provides an audible version of punctuation, letting the audience know if your sentence has ended, if it is a question, and so on. The melody lets the audience know that there is more to come (a comma) and when the phrase is ended (a period). Remember that in a speech, the audience does not have the written punctuation to follow, so you have to provide the punctuation with your inflection.

TRY THIS! VOCAL VARIATION

Find a listening partner. Using only the sounds of “la” ha,” and “oh,” convey the meaning of the following:

1. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever seen!

2. I’ve fallen and can’t get up!

3. That soup is disgusting and spoiled.

4. I got an “A” in my Speech Final!

If you cannot relay the meaning with just sounds, try a second time (each) with gestures and facial expressions until the listener understands. Then say the lines with the expressive inflections you have developed using only the sounds.

Those who do not use inflection, or use a range of pitch, are speaking in monotone . And, as the word implies, it can be monotonous, boring, and dull. A balance between melodramatic and monotonous would be preferred. The inflection should have a meaningful and interesting variety. Be careful not to turn a pattern of inflection into a repetitious sound. Think through each phrase and its musicalization separately.

Many speakers have developed the habit of ending each sentence as though it is a question. It may be becoming increasingly common. In the wake of the Valley Girl syndrome of the 1980’s, a bad inflection habit has entered the speech pattern: Some speakers end a declarative sentence with the inflection of a question.

Do you know what I mean?

A word of caution: Inflection and varied pitch must be “organic,” that is to say, natural for the speaker. You cannot fake it, or it sounds artificial and disingenuous. It is a skill that needs to develop over a period of time.

Rate of Speaking

In order to retain clarity of the speech with articulation and inflection, the speaker must be aware that there is a range of appropriate tempo for speaking. If the tempo is too slow, the speech might resemble a monotonous peal. If it is too fast, the articulation could suffer if consonants or vowels are dropped or rushed to keep up the speed. An audience could become frustrated with either extreme. The tempo needs to be appropriate to the speaker’s style, but neither paced like a Gilbertian Lyric (as in “Gilbert and Sullivan”) patter nor a funereal dirge. A comfortable and clear pace is the best. An ideal speaking rate will allow you to comfortably increase your pace to create a sense of excitement, or slow down to emphasize the seriousness of a topic.

It is simple nonsense to speak of the fixed tempo of any particular vocal phrase. Each voice has its peculiarities. – Anton Seidl

Pauses Versus Vocalized Pauses

A text that is read has punctuation that the reader can see…miniature landmarks to define the text. When spoken, similar punctuation is needed for comprehension, and the speaker’s responsibility is to offer the text with pauses. Space between phrases, properly planted, gives the audience the opportunity to understand the structure of the speaker’s sentences and paragraphs. It also gives time for the audience to “digest” crucial phrases.

Generally, spoken sentences and paragraphs need to be simpler and shorter than what can be comprehended by reading. Pauses can help increase comprehension.

However, pauses that are filled with “uh’s, “um’s,” etc., are called vocalized pauses , or fillers , and should be avoided. They can be distracting, annoying, and give the impression of a lack of preparation if used excessively. Even worse is the use of vernacular phrases like, “y’know” (a contraction of “Do You Know”) which gives the impression of lack of education or lack of concern for the audience. The use of vocalized pauses may be the result of a habit that deserves an effort to be overcome. Avoid using phrases such as “Uh,” “OK?”, “y’know”, “like…, I mean,” “right?”

Vocal Projection

The volume produced by the vocal instrument is projection . Supporting the voice volume with good breathing and energy can be practiced, and helping a speaker develop the correct volume is a main task of a vocal trainer, teacher or coach. Good vocal support with good posture, breathing, and energy should be practiced regularly, long before a speech is delivered. There are numerous exercises devoted to developing projection capabilities.

While there is no need to shout, a speaker should project to be easily heard from the furthest part of the audience. Even if the speech is amplified with a microphone/sound system, one must speak with projection and energy. As with your rate of speech, you should speak at a volume that comfortably allows you to increase the volume of your voice without seeming to shout or decrease the volume of your voice and still be heard by all audience members.

Do not expect to walk up to the podium and have a full voice. Actors spend about a half-hour doing vocal warm-ups, and singers warm up much more. You might not have an opportunity to warm up immediately before your speech, but when you can, warm up with humming, yawning (loudly) or singing scales: all while breathing deeply and efficiently. It will loosen your voice, prevent irritation, and fire up your vocal energy.

TRY THIS! PROJECTION

Go to the room in which you are to speak. Have a friend sit as far away from the podium is possible. Rehearse your speech, talking loudly enough so your friend can hear you comfortably. That is the projection you will need. When you mentally focus on the distant listener, you will tend to project better.

One final note: If public speaking is or will be an important part of your career, it would be sensible to have an evaluation of your voice, articulation and projection done by an objective professional so you can take any remedial action that might be recommended. There are courses of study, private lessons, and professional voice coaches to work with your voice projection, tone, and pitch.

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning. – Maya Angelou

While vocal aspects of delivery are certainly important, they do not paint the entire picture. Nonverbal aspects of delivery are discussed next; these include your appearance, posture, gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions.

Nonverbal Aspects of Delivery

Woman in a business suit delivering a presentation.

Women in Business Leadership Conf. by UCLA Anderson. CC-BY-NC-SA .

Personal Appearance

Here is the golden rule: Dress appropriately for the situation. You don’t need to sport a power tie (the predictable red tie politicians wore in the 1980s), but you should be comfortable and confident knowing that you look good.

With the exception of wearing formal black-tie tuxedo to a hockey game, it is good practice to dress a bit more formal than less. Err on the side of formal. Most class speeches would be best in business casual (which can vary from place to place and in time). The culture or standards of the audience should be considered.

There are exceptions depending on the speech. A student once arrived in pajamas to deliver his 9 a.m. speech. At first, I thought he got up too late to dress for class. However, his speech was on Sleep Deprivation, and his costume was deliberate. What he wore contributed to his speech.

If you have long hair, be sure it is out of the way so it won’t cover your face. Flipping hair out of your face is very distracting, so it is wise to secure it with clips, gel, or some other method. Be sure you can be seen, especially your eyes and your mouth, even as you glance down to the podium.

Think of it as an interview…just like in an interview, you will want to make a good first impression. The corporate culture of the business will determine the dress. Always dress at the level of the person conducting the interview. For example, a construction supervisor (or project manager) will conduct an interview to hire you as a carpenter. Do not dress like a carpenter, dress like the project manager.

Actors know when they audition, the role is won by the time they step into the room. A speaker can launch success by stepping confidently to the podium.

Be tidy and clean. If you appear as though you took time to prepare because your speech is important, then your audience will recognize and respect what you have to say.

Movement and Gestures

Overall movement and specific gestures are integral to a speech. Body stance, gestures and facial expressions can be generally categorized as body language . Movement should be relaxed and natural, and not excessive. How you move takes practice. Actors usually have the advantage of directors helping to make decisions about movement, but a good objective listener or a rehearsal in front of a large mirror can yield productive observations.

“Barack Obama at Las Vegas Presidential Forum” by Center for American Progress Action Fund. CC-BY-SA .

Moving around the performance space can be a very powerful component of a speech; however, it should be rehearsed as part of the presentation. Too much movement can be distracting. This is particularly true if the movement appears to be a result of nervousness. Avoid fidgeting, stroking your hair, and any other nervousness-related movement.

Among the traditional common fears of novice speakers is not knowing what to do with one’s hands. Sometimes the speaker relies on clutching to the podium or keeping hands in pockets. Neither is a good pose. From my own observation, hand gestures are very common in Italy. We Italians can be seen in conversation from across the street, and an observer can often tell what is being said. There is no need to imitate an Italian in delivering a speech, but hand movement and the energy that the movement represents, can help hold attention as well as help express the message.

An actor practices using the entire body for expression, and regularly practices physical exercises to keep the body and hands and arms relaxed and in motion. An actor’s hand gestures are developed in rehearsal. A speaker’s gestures should also be considered during practice.

During the period when elocution was taught, hand gestures were regimented like a sign language. This is nonsense. Like inflections, gestures and movement should be organic and spontaneous, not contrived. If there is a hint of artificiality in your presentation, you will sacrifice your credibility.

TRY THIS! GESTURES

Using only your hands, convey the following:

“I give up.”
“I caught a fish, and it was THIS big!”
“We will be victorious.”

Facial Expressions

Most readers are very familiar with emoticons like these:

🙂 🙁 :p 😀 😉 :/

Emoticons were not casual inventions, but graphic depictions of facial expressions that convey various meanings of emotions. They are based on a nearly universal language of expression that we begin learning soon after birth. We smile, we frown, we roll our eyes, and we wink. We open eyes wide with astonishment. We raise our eyebrows…occasionally one at a time, in suspicion; both, in astonishment. Sometimes we pucker our lips, either to offer a kiss or express disapproval, disappointment, or grave concern.

“Castefest 2011, Gothic” by Qsimple. CC-BY-NC-SA .

Since facial expression is a valid form of communication, it is integral to delivering a speech. The face supports the text, and the speaker’s commitment to the material is validated. The press scrutinizes a politician for every twitch of insincerity. Detectives have created a science of facial communication for interviewing suspects. Like inflections, gestures and movement: facial expressions should be organic and spontaneous, not contrived. If there is a hint of artificiality in your expression, you will sacrifice your credibility.

TRY THIS! FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

While looking in a mirror, try to express these thoughts without words:

“I am thrilled that I am getting a raise.”
“I am worried about tomorrow.”
“Lemons are too sour for me.”
“I am suspicious about what he did.”

After you have determined a facial expression for each, say the phrase. And see how well the verbal expression goes with the nonverbal expression.

Eye Contact

Next to clearly speaking an organized text, eye contact is another very important element of speaking. An audience must feel interested in the speaker and know the speaker cares about them. Whether addressing an audience of 1000 or speaking across a “deuce” (table for two), eye contact solidifies the relationship between the speaker and audience. Good eye contact takes practice. The best practice is to scan the audience, making contact with each member of the audience.

However, there are some eye contact failures.

Head Bobber

People who bob their head looking down on the notes and up to the audience in an almost rhythmic pattern.

Balcony Gazer

People who look over the heads of their audience to avoid looking at any individual.

The Obsessor

A person who looks at one or two audience members or who only looks in one direction.

Developing Good Eye Contact

The best way to develop good eye contact is to have an objective listener watch and comment on the eye contact.

The eyes are called the windows to the soul, and the importance of eye contact in communication cannot be overemphasized. Ideally, a speaker should include 80% to 90% of the delivery time with eye contact.

Eye contact is so important that modern teleprompters are designed to allow the speaker to look at the audience while actually reading the speech. The Presidential Teleprompter (two angled pieces of glass functioning like a periscope) is used so the politician can “connect” to the audience without missing a single syllable. Audience members will be much more attentive and responsive if they believe the speech is directed to them.

With good eye contact, the speaker can also observe and gauge the attention and response of the audience. This is actually part of the feedback process of communication. The ideal is that the audience is not overly aware of the speaker using notes.

How do you develop good eye contact? First, practice the speech with a generous amount of eye contact. Second, know the speech well enough to only periodically (and quickly) glance at your notes. Third, prepare your notes so they can be easily read and followed without hesitation.

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure . – Colin Powell

LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY

Types of delivery adapted from Speak out, Call In. Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy by Meggie Mapes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Chapter 12 Vocal Aspects of Delivery. Authored by : Victor Capecce, M.F.A.. Provided by : Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Located at : http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html . Project : The Public Speaking Project. License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
Crying baby. Authored by : Brazzouk. Provided by : MorgueFile. Located at : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crying_baby.jpg . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Ice-T. Authored by : Tino Jacobs. Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ice-T_(2).jpg . License : CC BY: Attribution
Chapter 12 Nonverbal Aspects of Delivery. Authored by : Victor Capecce, M.F.A.. Provided by : Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Located at : http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html . Project : The Public Speaking Project. License : CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
Barack Obama at Las Vegas Presidential Forum. Provided by : Center for American Progress Action Fund. Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barack_Obama_at_Las_Vegas_Presidential_Forum.jpg . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Women in Business Leadership Conf.. Authored by : UCLA Anderson. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/kvxbXN . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

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Iraqi Speaker. Authored by : Office of United States Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D – California). Located at : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iraqi_Speaker.jpg . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright Castlefest 2011, Gothic. Authored by : Qsimple, Memories For The Future Photography. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/qsimple/6029566567/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Media Attributions

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12.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery

The importance of delivery.

Delivery is what you are probably most concerned about when it comes to giving presentations. This chapter is designed to help you give the best delivery possible and eliminate some of the nervousness you might be feeling. To do that, you should first dismiss the myth that public speaking is just reading and talking at the same time. Speaking in public has more formality than talking. During a speech, you should present yourself professionally. This doesn’t necessarily mean you must wear a suit or “dress up”, but it does mean making yourself presentable by being well groomed and wearing clean, appropriate clothes. It also means being prepared to use language correctly and appropriately for the audience and the topic, to make eye contact with your audience, and to look like you know your topic very well.

While speaking has more formality than talking, it has less formality than reading. Speaking allows for flexibility, meaningful pauses, eye contact, small changes in word order, and vocal emphasis. Reading is a more or less exact replication of words on paper without the use of any non-verbal interpretation. Speaking, as you will realize if you think about excellent speakers you have seen and heard, provides a more animated message.

Methods of Presentation Delivery

There are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a presentation.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m an account manager.” Another example of impromptu presenting occurs when you answer a question such as, “What did you think of the report?” Your response has not been preplanned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak. Even worse, you might find yourself going into a meeting and your boss says, “I want you to talk about the last stage of the project. . . “ and you had no warning.

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu presentation in public:

Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make.
Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Avoid making comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or feeling uneasy.
Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
If you can use a structure, using numbers if possible: “Two main reasons . . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Timeline structures are also effective, such as “past, present, and future or East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast”.
Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you don’t have something prepared). If in front of an audience, don’t keep talking as you move back to your seat.

Impromptu presentations: the presentation of a short message without advance preparation . Impromptu presentations are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

For additional advice on impromptu speaking, watch the following 4 minute video from Toastmasters: Impromptu Speaking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GefKPy5YYHI[/embed ]

Manuscript Presentations

Manuscript presentations are the word-for-word iteration of a written message . In a manuscript presentation, the speaker maintains their attention on the printed page except when using visual aids. The advantage of reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. In some circumstances this can be extremely important. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact.

A manuscript presentation may be appropriate at a more formal affair (like a report to shareholders), when your presentation must be said exactly as written in order to convey the proper emotion or decorum the situation deserves.

However, there are costs involved in manuscript presentations. First, it’s typically an uninteresting way to present. Unless the presenter has rehearsed the reading as a complete performance animated with vocal expression and gestures, the presentation tends to be dull. Keeping one’s eyes glued to the script prevents eye contact with the audience. For this kind of “straight” manuscript presentation to hold audience attention, the audience must be already interested in the message and presenter before the delivery begins.

It is worth noting that professional speakers, actors, news reporters, and politicians often read from an autocue device, commonly called a teleprompter, especially when appearing on television, where eye contact with the camera is crucial. With practice, a presenter can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously and maintaining eye contact while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the presenter is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to use a conversational tone while delivering a prepared script, and (2) the presentation is written in a style that sounds conversational and in spoken rather than written, edited English.

Extemporaneous Presentations

Extemporaneous presentations are carefully planned and rehearsed presentations, delivered in a conversational manner using brief notes . By using notes rather than a full manuscript, the extemporaneous presenter can establish and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they are understanding the presentation as it progresses. Without all the words on the page to read, you have little choice but to look up and make eye contact with your audience.

Watch the following 10 minute video of a champion speaker presenting his extemporaneous speech: 2017 International Extemporaneous Speaking National Champion — Connor Rothschild Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzoUu1fDmWE[/embed ]

Presenting extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don’t need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it is engaging both verbally and nonverbally. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or to adapt to your audience, you can do so.

The disadvantage of extemporaneous presentations is that it in some cases it does not allow for the verbal and the nonverbal preparation that are almost always required for a good speech.

Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to present, so be aware that if you want to present a credibly delivered speech, you will need to practice many times. Because extemporaneous presenting is the style used in the great majority of business presentation situations, most of the information in the subsequent sections of this chapter is targeted toward this kind of speaking.

Memorized Speaking

First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer. Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your style of delivery will alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly, if you go completely blank during the presentation, it will be extremely difficult to find your place and keep going. Obviously, memorizing a typical seven-minute presentation takes a great deal of time and effort, and if you aren’t used to memorizing, it is very difficult to pull off. Realistically, you probably will not have the time necessary to give a completely memorized speech. However, if you practice adequately, your approach will still feel like you are being extemporaneous.

12.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery Copyright © 2019 by Jordan Smith; Melissa Ashman; eCampusOntario; Brian Dunphy; and Andrew Stracuzzi is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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PRDV008: Preparing and Delivering Presentations

Extemporaneous speeches.

Read this article, which summarizes the basics of extemporaneous presentations, as compared to impromptu speeches.

Extemporaneous, the most natural method of delivery, involves glancing at notes while maintaining crucial eye contact with the audience.

Key Takeaways

There are two popular methods for organizing ideas to create a graphical representation for speaker notes – outlining and mind or concept mapping .
An outline is a list of items with each item divided into additional sub-items. Each level in an outline has at least two subcategories. There are three basic types of hierarchical outlines – sentence , topic and phrase .
Topic and phrase are the most useful for speaker notes since they allow the speaker to quickly glance at the notes while maintaining eye contact with the audience.
Mind mapping and concept mapping are visual representation of ideas and concepts. Both mind maps and concept maps can be used to graphically show the relationship between ideas for a speech and as speaker notes for delivery.
A mind map diagram starts with a single word as a central branch node and lesser categories as sub-branches going off from the central node. A concept maps can have multiple hubs or nodes with clusters of concepts labeled to show the kind of relationship.
While extemporaneous speaking may be free of the constraints of memorization and manuscript speaking, it is not careless talk; the speaker prepares notes in advance to deliver an organized speech.
Concept Map : A diagram showing the relationships among concepts, with the concepts drawn in rectangular boxes, which are connected with labelled arrows that denote the relationships between concepts, such as "is a", "gives rise to", "results in", "is required by", or "contributes to".
Mind Map : A diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea.
Extemporaneous : A type of speech delivery which involves preparation of speaker notes prior to delivery, associated with conversational style of delivery.

Extemporaneous Speech

Extemporaneous speaking is one of the most natural methods for delivering a prepared speech. You can use an extemporaneous speech to achieve a more natural tone, flow, and style with the audience.

First, think about your topics and anticipate the audience's reception to your speech. You can develop speech notes based on this preparation and use them to aid you during the presentation.

Preparing Speech Notes

There are two popular methods for creating a graphical representation for notes: outlining, and mind or concept mapping.

An outline is a list of items with each item divided into additional sub-items. Each level in an outline has at least two subcategories. There are three basic types of outlines:

Sentence outline – Each complete sentence includes a heading or single sentence about the subject of the outline.
Topic outline – Each topic is listed and functions as a subtopic of the outline's subject.
Phrase outline – Each short phrase entry is a subtopic of the aforementioned main entry.

Speaking notes, topic outlines, and phrase outlines have an advantage over sentence outlines. For example, you can easily look at your notes for reference and as a personal reminder of which topics to discuss as you're speaking.

Outlines commonly take two forms: alphanumeric and decimal.

Alphanumeric Outline

An alphanumeric outline includes a capitalized number or letter at the beginning of each topic. Look at the sample:

I. Thesis statement: Email and internet monitoring is an invasion of employees' rights

Decimal Outline

The decimal outline shows how each item at every level relates to the whole sample.

Thesis statement:

1.0 Introduction

….1.1 Brief history of Liz Claiborne

….1.2 Corporate environment

2.0 Career opportunities

….2.1 Operations management

……..2.1.1 Traffic

……..2.1.2 International trade and corporate customs

……..2.1.3 Distribution

….2.2 Product development

The outline could be printed or handwritten as in this expert from Richard Nixon's Checkers speech.

Speech Notes : Notes from Richard Nixon's Checkers speech.

Mind Mapping and Concept Mapping

Mind mapping and concept mapping are visual representations of ideas and concepts. A mind map is a diagram that starts with a single word and then branches out from the central node, with lesser categories as sub-branches of the larger branches. Concept maps are more freeform, since multiple hubs and clusters can be created. Unlike mind maps, concept maps do not fix on a single conceptual center.

For example, in the mind map for student learning, you can view the main component idea and related ideas which connect to its branch nodes. You can also use a mind map as speaking notes.

Mind Map : A mind map is a diagram that starts with one word and expands into additional categories.

Practice and Rehearsal Guidelines

The following guidelines are best practices on how to practice and rehearse an extemporaneous speech:

Speak in a conversational style by pretending you are with your audience.
Rehearse with your graphics and coordinate them with your talk.
Display your graphics only when you are talking about them.
Rehearse in front of others and solicit feedback.
Record and listen to your timed practice speech.
Prepare for interruptions and questions at the end.

Although extemporaneous speaking may not require memorization and manuscript speaking, organize and prepare your content and notes ahead of time to deliver a speech that will be well received by your audience.

Free Speech : "Free speech doesn't mean careless talk!" produced by the Office for Emergency Management.

IMAGES

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Extemporaneous Presentation: Definition And Actionable Tips
One key thing that makes or breaks your extemporaneous presentation is the lack of planning, research, outlining, mastering the topic. The extemporaneous presentation can happen in situations such as: A business meeting or negotiation; When delivering a press conference or an interview; A school presentation; A graduation or birthday speech;
14.1 Four Methods of Delivery
Key Takeaways. There are four main kinds of speech delivery: impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and memorized. Impromptu speaking involves delivering a message on the spur of the moment, as when someone is asked to "say a few words.". Extemporaneous speaking consists of delivering a speech in a conversational fashion using notes.
How to Deliver an Extemporaneous Presentation
Speakers with that easy conversational look and sound practice many times beforehand to truly internalize the material. Third, limit your speaking notes to simple phrases or even single words for each idea. The number one killer of conversational delivery is the use of too many notes. More notes leads to more reading and less eye contact.
Delivering the Presentation
In academic classes, many presentations will probably be delivered extemporaneously. Rehearsing Your Presentation. The most important element in delivering your presentation as eloquently as possible is practice. The more you rehearse, the smoother your delivery will be and the more you'll be able to deal with unexpected interruptions or ...
How to Deliver an Extemporaneous Presentation or Speech
Tips for how to deliver an extemporaneous presentation or speech. Great public speaking has that smooth conversational delivery style that we all admire. Thi...
12.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery
12.2.1: Impromptu Speaking. Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: "Hi, my name is Steve, and I'm an account manager.".
PDF Extemporaneous Speeches: Definition and Delivery
The following guidelines are tips for how to practice and rehearse your extemporaneous speech: • Write an easy-to-follow speech outline that includes all of the essential elements of your speech. • Create index cards to act as cues to keep you on track throughout your speech. (Alternatively, use the note feature of your graphic technology.)
39 Methods of Presentation Delivery
Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu presentation in public: Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make. Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Avoid making comments about being unprepared, called upon at the last moment, on the spot, or feeling ...
9.1 Methods of Presentation Delivery
Methods of Presentation Delivery. ... With practice, a presenter can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously and maintaining eye contact while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the presenter is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned to ...
13.1: Four Methods of Delivery
Key Takeaways. There are four main kinds of speech delivery: impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and memorized. Impromptu speaking involves delivering a message on the spur of the moment, as when someone is asked to "say a few words.". Extemporaneous speaking consists of delivering a speech in a conversational fashion using notes.
9.2 Methods of Speech Delivery
9.2 Methods of Speech Delivery. What follows are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a speech. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but you will most likely want to focus on the extemporaneous approach, since that is probably what your instructor will want from you.
18.5: Delivering Your Presentation as One
The presentation preparation primarily focuses on your group's ability to develop a clear plan and execution of delivery. A delivery plan includes essential elements such as (1) purpose, (2) oral content, (3) dress, (4) room, (5) visuals, (6) delivery, and (7) rehearsal to ensure that the group presentation is both captivating and useful to ...
3.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery
Deliver your message, making your main point as concisely as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow. If possible, create a structure for your points. For example, use numbers: "Two main reasons . . ." or "Three parts of our plan. . ." or "Two side effects of this drug. . ."
Delivering Your Presentation: Methods of Delivery
Manuscript Delivery. Watch the local or national 6 p.m., 11 p.m., and 6 a.m. newscasts on the same T.V. station. Make notes on which news items repeat and how closely, or precisely, the phrasing is, even if different personalities are presenting the same item. 2.
7.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery
Speak loud enough that the back of the room can hear you, pronounce each word clearly, and try not to read too fast. Maintain good eye contact with your audience. Look down to read and up to speak. Match gestures to the content of the speech, and avoid distracting hand or foot movements.
How to deliver your presentation
Voice. Volume Speak loudly enough so that we can hear you. Good volume also makes you sound confident. Clarity Enunciate your words, and avoid mumbling, so the audience can easily understand what you're saying. Tone Match your tone to the content. Typically, tone goes higher when we are unsure or are asking a question, and goes lower when we ...
11 Chapter 11: Delivering Your Speech; Using Language
You will spend much more time (days, at least) researching, compiling, and practicing your speech, while the actual delivery will be somewhere between five and ten minutes. Let's look at this hypothetical scenario about two public speaking students, Sasha and Andres. Sasha spends weeks researching, outlining, and crafting her speech.
Delivering Your Presentation as One
The presentation preparation primarily focuses on your group's ability to develop a clear plan and execution of delivery. A delivery plan includes essential elements such as (1) purpose, (2) oral content, (3) dress, (4) room, (5) visuals, (6) delivery, and (7) rehearsal to ensure that the group presentation is both captivating and useful to ...
Chapter Thirteen
Extemporaneous. Extemporaneous speaking is the presentation of a carefully planned and rehearsed speech, spoken in a conversational manner using brief notes.. Speaking extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don't need to read it.
12.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery
12.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery ... With practice, a presenter can achieve a conversational tone and give the impression of speaking extemporaneously and maintaining eye contact while using an autocue device. However, success in this medium depends on two factors: (1) the presenter is already an accomplished public speaker who has learned ...
PRDV008: Extemporaneous Speeches
Extemporaneous speaking is one of the most natural methods for delivering a prepared speech. You can use an extemporaneous speech to achieve a more natural tone, flow, and style with the audience. First, think about your topics and anticipate the audience's reception to your speech. You can develop speech notes based on this preparation and use ...

Extemporaneous Presentation: Definition and Actionable tips

EXTEMPORANEOUS PRESENTATION DEFINITION

Extemporaneous Presentation or Speech Tips

Extemporaneous Presentation Example & Actionable Tips

A) Planning and Preparing an Extemporaneous Speech

Here you have six characteristics of an extemporaneous presentation

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The 4 Methods or Types of Speech Delivery

14.1 Four Methods of Delivery

Impromptu Speaking

Extemporaneous Speaking

Speaking from a Manuscript

Speaking from Memory

Key Takeaways

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How to Deliver an Extemporaneous Presentation

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9.2 Methods of Speech Delivery

Impromptu Speaking

Manuscript Speaking

Extemporaneous Speaking

Memorized Speaking

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18.5: Delivering Your Presentation as One

oral oontent

3.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery

Learning Objectives

The Importance of Delivery

Methods of Presentation Delivery

Impromptu Speaking

Manuscript Presentations

Make the manuscript readable

Mark up your manuscript

Engage Your Audience

Extemporaneous Presentations

Memorized Speaking

Check Your Knowledge (11 Questions)

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7.2 Methods of Presentation Delivery

The Importance of Delivery

Methods of Presentation Delivery

Impromptu Speaking

Manuscript Presentations

Memorized Speaking

Extemporaneous Presentations

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9 How to deliver your presentation

Body language

Eyes & face

If you have a speech impediment or accessibility needs

Test your knowledge

What did you notice?

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11 Chapter 11: Delivering Your Speech; Using Language

Introduction

Methods of Delivery

Understanding the Speaking Situation

Delivering to a Virtual Audience

Delivering to a Live Audience: Physical Spaces and Audiences

Furniture and Equipment

Microphones

Preparing for Your Speech Delivery

Consider Verbal and Nonverbal Elements

Vocal Elements

Nonverbal Elements

Practicing Your Speech

Imitate the Speaking Situation

Get Feedback from Others

Record Yourself Delivering Your Speech

Tips for Effective Delivery

Reflection Questions

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Group Presentations

Oral Content