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Thinking about Public Speaking

In this chapter . . .

In this chapter, you’ll learn to define public speaking by distinguishing it from everyday conversation. You’ll also learn to define performance and why public speaking is performance. You’ll read about two theoretical models for understanding the process of communication. In the last section, you’ll be invited to consider the benefits of practicing public speaking.

What’s your mental picture when you think about public speaking? The President of the United States delivering an inaugural address? A sales representative seeking to persuade clients in a board room? Your minister, priest, or rabbi presenting a sermon at a worship service? Your professor lecturing? A dramatic courtroom scene? Politicians debating before an election? A comedian doing stand-up at a night club?

All of these and more are instances of public speaking. Public speaking takes many forms every day in our country and across the world.

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THR 120 Spring 23 Textbook Copyright © by Mechele Leon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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