Divide a sheet of paper into two columns. Label one column Characteristics of an Effective Public Speaker. Label the other column...

Public
speaking, like any form of communication, requires certain shared interests between speaker and
listener. In this particular mode of , several canons are employed when the communication is
effective and when it leads to actual change in behavior or attitude.

First,
the effective strategies: (1) the physical attributes of the communication €“ the pleasant and
appropriately strong or gentle sound of the voice, the appealing appearance of the speaker, the
ambience orof the venue, etc.-- must all be in place. (2) Next, the opening utterance (in fact,
even the announced title/subject of the speech) must draw the listener in to the topic. (3)
After the first arresting, intriguing, challenging statements (not necessarily in declarative
voice €“ questions, suppositions, etc. often work better), the speaker must present what is
called the declaration of structure, by which is meant a brief map of how the journey from
thesis to conclusion will be arranged/designed. This feature, early in the utterance, allows the
listener to anticipate the arguments structure and therefore to follow the unfolding of the
evidence. (4) Next, in vocal paragraphs, the public speaker must adhere to the announced
structure, citing evidence not only authoritatively but convincingly, neither exaggerating nor
understating the struts that hold up the thesis position. (5) Finally, the speaker must
summarize the evidence and restate the conclusion in undeniable terms.

    
Now the errors in public speaking: (1) an unclear, ambiguous stance on the question in
controversy. If the speaker does not make perfectly clear which side he/she is arguing, the
audience will mentally retreat from the argument, losing immediate interest in the outcome. (2)
Second, the speaker should not digress from the point to make jokes or otherwise perform
himself/herself. (3) Another mistake some speakers make is assuming the audience members are as
interested in the topic and argument as the speaker. So in order not to lose their attention the
speaker must reword the thesis statement without altering the intent of the speech. (4)
Throughout the delivery the speaker must avoid the Manichean fallacy (oversimplifying the debate
by committing the either-or fallacy). (5) Finally, the public speaker should not malign the
opposing viewpoint by deriding or otherwise insulting those who hold an opposing
view.