Presentations

Presentations that I have attended in the past have been most effective when they have involved analogies, factual illustrations, examples, and restatements. All of these have been highly effective in catching my attention and keeping it. Speeches that are especially effective include many elements that I can personally relate to. The types of verbal support that bore me, are often read from a manuscript, and involve very few analogies, examples, or factual illustrations. The ineffective speeches are often filled with hypothetical illustrations and little anecdotal support/personal connection. The speeches that leave me in a state of confusion often have a very narrow direction or no direction, include loose metaphors, and paint hypothetical situations that I cannot link to any concrete information. The most easily forgotten metaphors are those with little emotion or vocal inflection, and little personal connection to the speaker. I am able to tell if a source is "quality" based on its credibility. I expect a speaker to provide a citation as they give their speech, and I will consider it quality if the source is deemed credible by APA and MLA standards. Often, the quality of the source can be determined by the name alone. This reflection will help me to assure that I use the techniques that are most effective for me when giving my speech for others to hear.