Methods of Public Speaking

When it comes to presenting a speech, everyone has his or her own style preference for successfully delivering that speech. Many aspects come into play when an audience judges how good they think a speech is. The presenter must take into account the audience, the environment, the stance of rhetoric regarding the speech, but most importantly, the delivery method of the speech. A speech that is not properly delivered might as well not be a speech at all. An audience would not be willing to sit and listen to a speech that they do not think is worth listening to. Thus, the speaker must find an effective way to connect with its audience while delivering their speech. Some will say that speaking from a manuscript is the best way to deliver a speech, while others may argue that is the best method is speaking from memory or even speaking in an impromptu manner. Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses, but when comparing these different methods of delivery, one will find that the use of another method--extemporaneous speaking--is the best way to successfully present a speech for both the speaker and the listener.

A person who delivers a speech from a manuscript is taking the safe way out. By using this method, the speaker is able to deliver the speech well in the verbal manner, but fails to engage with the audience. If the speaker were to be reading from a manuscript, he or she would simply be talking to the piece of paper in front of them. There would be no connection with the listeners, no eye contact or hand gestures, and the speaker would also not be able to respond to the audience's feedback. This last point is crucial because the speaker must adapt their speech to maintain the attention and interest of the audience. Without it, the speaker is essentially speaking to no one.

Speaking from memory can sometimes work to the speaker's advantage, but more often than not, it will hurt the speaker. Memorizing a speech may allow the speaker to present the entire speech painlessly, but it also takes much time and effort, and may seem like a waste of time to an experienced speaker. This form also allows for more mistakes if the speaker forgets a sentence in the speech, which ultimately will result in a downward spiral in the remainder of the presentation. The speaker could easily get more nervous while trying to remember the next line of the speech and lose all focus. Therefore, speaking from memory is not a recommended form of delivering a speech.

Impromptu speaking may be the least effective way to deliver a speech. The speaker has very little to no time to prepare for the speech and therefore does not have any prior thought out notes or thoughts in mind to elaborate on. It is difficult to sound confident, and use of filler words is often exercised in this form of speaking. An upside to impromptu speaking is that with experience giving impromptu speeches, the speaker will develop a natural feeling