Week 15, Question 3

I think I have learned most in this class that the audience is a lot less judgmental than the speaker thinks.  As a speaker we are our own worst critics.  The listeners are human and they understand.  I have really enjoyed the vast variety of students in the class and I have learned so much from all the speeches and presentations.  My favorite things to learn was the audience adaptation section and I also think that is probably the most important in everyday life.  Regardless of the event, I believe the audience factor needs to be considered.  When you think about it, we make many audience adaptations in life on a daily basis.  If we go to a 'nice' restaurant, we dress differently than normal.  If we are seeing grandparents, or other 'respectable' people whom we may hide our normal selves from, we dress and act different :).  For an interview, or when addressing a person of some authority, we act and speak different.. I feel like audience adaptation is basically everywhere.  If you have a planned argument with a best friend or boyfriend, and it plays out a little differently than expected.. you make changes in your counter attack.. hahaha..I hope everyone had as great of a semester as I did, regardless of any struggles.  I am sure we are all a little better than we were when we started. 

Week 15, Question 2

If I had to choose one speech as a favorite, I would probably say it was the persuasive speech.  I enjoyed seeing the passion everyone had along with the media presentations.  It gave me an opportunity to see a more personal side of people as well as a little insight into their lives.  I also enjoyed how the class had different perspectives on things like the issues involving marijuana.  I thought the audience listened to both sides very well and I thought that both sides has very valid arguments.  I also really liked the presentations involving the drinking and driving.  The personal stories some of the students used in the speeches were really touching as well as educational and added greatly to the validity.  A close second was the tribute speech.  I really really liked those as well.  Though they were a less formal presentation, they were very enjoyable for me.  I have to admit I did cry a little, but that made it all that more enjoyable to me.  I am a sucker for an emotional story.  Great job everyone and I hope you have all learned a lot.  I have been glad to watch everyone improve so much.  I know there are so many who started this class wondering how on earth they would ever give a speech.  Well, now you have done it.. 5 times :) and we all did very well. 

Week 3, Question 1

I really enjoyed watching the pro and con video.  It helped me think about multiple aspects for my presentation as there is also 2 sides to mine.  I haven't nailed down exactly how I want to proceed with mine, but having seen these examples really helped me see that both can be done very effectively.  Both speakers appealed to the emotions of the audience by using the basis that we all want whats best for our children and this also helped them connect with the audience.  The girl used tragedy and fear as a way to persuade her audience while the boy used more statistical and factual data.  For me personally, I like the more statistical data as I feel that is more accurate.  The Columbine reference, while tragic, was something people outside of that town may not connect with as close as she had hoped.  Such tragedy is sometimes intangible in some peoples minds.When the male used the statistical data about the parents not being as motivated or as well trained as the teachers, thus justifying kids attend a public school versus being home taught, some may have been offended.  I wouldn't have been personally because I am confident and educated enough to understand his perspective and point, but I could see where some parents may disagree..depending on his audience.

Week 13, Question 3

In Chapter 15, I particularly thought the section on Using Evidence Effectively was interesting and very important.  In giving speeches, especially persuasive ones, it is going to be vital in your speech that you use your evidence correctly or it is likely that you will be very unsuccessful, and probably will loose your audience early on.  In addition, it talked about logic.  This, to me, was the 'common sense' part.  In giving your speech, and presenting your argument/evidence, I believe it would be very important that all of your evidence made 'logical' sense.  If your audience can't wrap their heads around what your presenting about and it just doesn't 'make sense' then you are headed for disaster.  In my personal opinion, I think that the logos type of appeal would be most successful with ethos and pathos being right behind.  I don't think I would ever use the mythos type, it just doesn't seem like my style.  If someone (an audience) is going to be persuaded, I believe that logic, emotion, and current statistics will make a much more likely case.  I know if I were the audience, I would prefer some information that appealed to my brain logic as well as an emotional personal story or current statistics that would force me to want to act immediately.  In my persuasive speech, since my topic is quite an epidemic, I will definitely be using emotion and statistics to persuade my classmates.  This will also tie into the logical part of their brain because it will 'make sense' to everyone and they will be able to visualize the problem very quickly and with little effort

Week 13, Question 2

The most recent conversation where I was in persuasive mode occurred between me and a friend of mine, Megan.  She is recently divorced and I was presenting the idea of her starting her education.  She was very hesitant because she felt she is not very smart and that it was already to late for her to start such a long process.  I believed I used the Analogical type of reasoning because my argument to her was based on my life and the life of others she knew.  I told her that it is never to late, because I hadn't started my college education until I was 29 and she had watched me grow and become such a better and more rounded person because of it.  She agreed.  As the conversation proceeded I could tell by her facial expressions that she seemed overwhelmed by all the information I was giving her but at the same time I could tell she was interested.  In an effort to give her additional reassurance, I started telling her about the financial aid opportunities and also told her that I would support her and help her through the registration process as it can be confusing and overwhelming at times.  I could instantly see relief in her eyes and a glimpse of hope with some dreams trying to make there way into her head.  I feel that I did a really good job in my argument to her and having myself, someone that she knew, as the example, really made my points that much stronger.  I am happy to report that she is now in her second semester at Sierra College and she is making great progress.  I am still part of her support system and as she moves further and further along I am able to watch her confidence grow with every success. 

Week 12, Question 2

Oh where shall I begin with this one considering our lives are flooded with persuasion, most of which we don't even realize.  As far as media, it is constant persuasion.  Almost every fast food commercial advertises sales on items like 2/$5 or the 'dollar' menu, buy one get one free.. this is all persuasive ways in which these companies are trying to get the business of consumers.  Then we have all the make up and face cream commercials.  They advertise with these beautiful women who have flawless skin promising to look like this if you use their product.  Covering lines, magically making years disappear, etc.  None of which, by the way, are remotely even true.  As for public speaking, all I can really think of is the political campaigns.  They promise the sun, the moon, and the stars when in reality it's just a bunch of hog wash.  Once elected, they just do as they please anyway and we end up with no better mess than we had before, only that it has tumbled into something worse.  On the interpersonal note, I am a pretty dominate person so I tend to be the one in my friendships that is the persuader :-) I think people just need to make sure that they are educated on things in life and that they do their own research on topics that interest them and also before making any decisions in their life.  Weather it be where to grocery shop, what to eat, what TV to buy, or what wrinkle shaving cream to invest in, listen to opinions and input of whatever you choose, but also do your own homework and make your own decision.

Week 12, Question 1

In reading about the different patterns this week I am not sure if I am actually more clear in the differences or more confused :), but I will give deciphering them a shot... In Monroe's Motivated Sequence, it is stated that this should be used when you are trying to persuade your audience to take an action in something.  It gives a very specific way in which to present your information in order to get your audience on your same page, and to also get them motivated to take that action.   The theory states to ask your audience to grasp the relevance and importance of your topic (attention), understand the problem (need), believe that your solution is a good one (satisfaction), imagine the solution being enacted (visualization), and feel motivated to do their part
 (action).  In my eyes, this makes sense and I also believe that it may have some psychological backing and research which makes it work.  It seems to me, some good topics from the book that would fit this would be Junk food on campuses, and handheld cell phone use while driving.

In the Problem-Solution part of the reading it seemed to me that it was along the same lines of the motivated sequence type of organization, but for possible a less in depth, or shorter speech.  It was organized as a much more to the point type to me.  It basically states that you state a problem and a solution.  Very simple and to the point.  An A&B sort.  I thought the example of hitting children that the book used fit the pattern very well.

I am still not sure of the pattern I want to use for my final speech, but I am leading toward the 2 discussed here as my topic is the spaying and neutering of animals which seems to fit these patterns well enough.