Professional Speaker Observation:

Purpose:

This assignment offers you an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of a professional speaker.

General Description:

Attend a professional presentation of your choice (if this is not possible, view a news program, or webinar featuring a speaker giving a presentation).

Take notes during the presentation, and submit to me a two page (single spaced memo) in which you analyze the topics listed below:

Topics to Analyze: Please discuss each of the following:

1. Organization: Identify the speaker's thesis and organizational pattern. Describe the audience attitude and the occasion. Was the organizational pattern appropriate for this audience or the situation?

2. Supporting Matierial: Analyze the speaker's use of supporting material, and classify it according to type. What functions did the support provide? Include specific examples.

3. Delivery: What style of delivery did the speaker use? How effective were the speaker's visual, verbal and vocal elements? What visual aids did the speaker use? Did they add or detract from the speech?

Format:

Use memo format. Include a heading for each of the three topics you are analyzing.