Essentials of Exemplary Public Speaking – LibreTexts (Ary, Citrus College) (CC BY-NC-SA)
This textbook has been created specifically for today’s California Community College public speaking students and includes carefully curated content from a variety of public speaking textbooks found in the LibreTexts Social Science Library. This textbook was formatted to meet the California State requirements for speech courses through the Common Course Numbering (CCN) template for COMM C1000. In addition, Content has been revised and edited to include updated research, examples geared toward community college students, and citations.
Students who read this textbook will learn and apply foundational rhetorical theories and techniques of public speaking in a multicultural democratic society. Students will discover, and critically analyze ideas in public discourse through research, reasoning, organization, composition, and delivery.
This textbook emphasizes key content that supports each of the required course objectives that were provided in the CCN template for COMM C1000:
- Apply rhetorical theories to create and analyze public speeches in a variety of contexts including historical and/or contemporary. (Chapters 1, 16, 17)
- Formulate and implement effective research strategies to gather information and ideas from primary and secondary sources, evaluating them for credibility, accuracy, and relevancy. (Chapters 6, 7)
- Employ sound reasoning and construct compelling arguments in support of a guiding thesis and organizational pattern appropriate for the audience, occasion, and purpose. (Chapter 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- Demonstrate rhetorical sensitivity to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging and adhere to ethical communication practices which include truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason. (Chapter 1, 4, and 16)
- Compose and deliver a variety of speeches, including Informative and Persuasive speeches, to a live audience (one to many) using effective delivery practices. Chapters (10, 16, and 17)
- Employ effective listening practices. (Chapter 15)
Major Course Content
Course Content: Part 1: Required Topics:
- Foundational rhetorical theories, including the canons of rhetoric and Aristotelian proofs, as well as relevant principles of human communication. (Chapters 1, 16, 17)
- Critical analysis of historical and contemporary public discourse. (throughout text, specifically chapters 10, 16, and 17)
- Ethical communication practices as senders and receivers. (Chapter 4)
- Effective listening and principles of constructive feedback. (Chapter 15)
- Rhetorical sensitivity to diverse audiences. (Chapter 5, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17)
- Adaptation to audiences, rhetorical situations, and purposes. (Ch. 5, 10, 16, 17)
- Types of speeches (for example, speeches to inform, persuade, entertain). (Ch. 10, 16, 17, 18)
- Outline and compose effective speeches based on purpose and appropriate subject matter, topic, thesis, and organizational patterns. (Chapters 3 and 8)
- Research strategies for locating and critically evaluating ideas and information from primary and secondary sources. (Chapters 6 and 7)
- Use of credible evidence and sound reasoning to support a variety of claims, including appropriate written and oral citations. (Chapters 4, 6, 7 )
- Effective practice and delivery skills using various modes of delivery. (Chapter 12)
- Effective verbal and nonverbal practices while delivering a speech. (Chapter 12)
- Techniques for managing communication apprehension. (Chapter 2)
- Delivery of a variety of student-composed speeches, including Informative and Persuasive speeches. (Chapter 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)