Public Speaking

Speaking in front of others may be our most prevalent fear, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some essentials you may not have considered:

Once you begin speaking, your anxiety is likely to decrease.
Your listeners will generally be unaware of your anxiety.
Having some anxiety is beneficial.
Practice is the best preventative.

Six Steps to Success

If you are assigned a speaking task in class, how should you proceed? Successful speaking involves six fundamental steps:

Clarifying your objective.
Analyzing your audience.
Collecting and organizing our information.
Choosing your visual aids.
Preparing your notes.
Practicing your delivery.

Speaking on the Spot

When you speak on the spot, it helps to use a framework that allows you to sound organized and competent. The PREP formula (Wydro, 1981), short for "preparation," is a plan that requires you to give the following:

P: Point of View

Provide an overview — a clear, direct statement or generalization.

R: Reasons:

Give the reasons you hold this point of view, broadly stated.

E: Evidence or examples

Present specific facts or data supporting your point of view.

P: Point of view restated

To make sure you are understood clearly, end with a restatement of your position.