Speech Presentations Blog SPC2608 Group 1 | Alexis Arias

Speech Presentations Reflection

 Alexis Arias | 9/25/2026

    After going through all of the group presentations, I learned that public speaking involves a lot more than just standing in front of a class and talking. Each group covered different chapters and topics, but a lot of the information connected together. I also liked that different students explained the material in their own ways because it made some of the topics easier to understand and showed how the different parts of public speaking work together.

    Group 1 started with Catherine Guillen covering Chapter 1, which focused on what public speaking actually is. One thing I found interesting was the idea that public speaking is an evolving art. Catherine explained that public speaking has changed as society and technology have changed. It is not only something that happens in a classroom. It can happen during meetings, interviews, debates, celebrations, online meetings, and many other situations. I also liked her explanation of audience-centered speaking. A speaker should not only think about what they want to say, but also who they are speaking to and what the audience already knows or expects. That seems like something that would make a speech much more effective.

    Antonella Carrera then covered building confidence and managing speaking situations. She talked about how speaking in front of other people can make people nervous or afraid, especially when they have to present in front of the whole class. One thing I took from her section was that nervousness is normal, and practicing can help make someone more comfortable. She also talked about what to do before, during, and after a speech, including preparing for questions and staying calm if you make a small mistake. I liked this because making a mistake during a speech is something that can easily make someone panic, but it does not mean the entire speech is ruined.

    The next part of Group 1 focused on Chapter 3 and listening. Abigail Nunez explained that public speaking classes usually focus heavily on the speaker, but the audience and listening are just as important. She explained that speeches are incomplete without listeners because the audience gives the speech its relevance. She also talked about giving positive and constructive feedback after someone speaks. I thought this was useful because feedback can help a speaker understand whether they actually reached their purpose and connected with the audience.

    Alejandro Lander continued with Chapter 3 by explaining supportive communication climates and mutual respect in dialogue. He explained that a supportive communication climate allows people to feel comfortable sharing their ideas while still respecting other opinions. He also discussed dialogical listening, including things like maintaining eye contact, taking notes, and allowing someone to finish speaking before responding. I liked this part because it showed that being a good communicator does not just mean being good at talking. You also have to be willing to listen to other people.

    Group 1 then moved into Chapter 5, which was about adapting to your audience. This was one of the sections I found especially interesting because it explained how speakers need to understand the people they are talking to. Demographics can give a speaker basic information about an audience, but they should not be used to stereotype people. Psychographics go deeper by looking at things like standpoints, values, attitudes, and beliefs. The next part of Chapter 5 explained how understanding these things can help a speaker figure out how their audience might respond to a topic. Overall, this section showed why public speaking should be audience-centered instead of only focusing on what the speaker wants to say.

    Group 2 then moved into organizing and preparing a speech. Their first parts focused on choosing a topic, developing a purpose, researching, and organizing information. Manfred Wiltz discussed the importance of using facts, statistics, and evidence correctly. One thing I took from his section was that speakers should not just throw statistics into a speech because they sound convincing. The information needs to actually support the point being made and come from a reliable source.

    Holly Yu then covered organizing and outlining a speech in Chapter 8. Her section showed how having an organized outline can make it easier for both the speaker and the audience to follow the speech. The main points need to connect to the overall purpose instead of just being random information. I thought this connected well with Manfred's section because research gives you the information for your speech, while an outline helps you figure out where that information belongs.

    Group 3 continued with topics involving language, delivery, and how a speech is presented. Jimmy Valdivia's section on language and culture explained how speakers need to be careful with their word choices because words can have different meanings depending on someone's background and experiences. He discussed things such as slang, jargon, idioms, euphemisms, and clichés. I thought this was interesting because something that seems normal to one person might be confusing or have a completely different meaning to someone else.

    The next part of Group 3 covered Chapter 12, which focused on delivering a speech. Janelle Aboujaoude explained vocal and nonverbal delivery and how the way a person speaks can affect how the audience understands their message. Things like tone, pace, and body language can make a difference. Grace Espinosa continued with effective delivery, including fluency, articulation, and pronunciation. I think this section was useful because knowing your material is only part of giving a good speech. You also have to actually communicate it in a way that keeps the audience interested.

    Amelia Perez then discussed speech beginnings and endings, along with presentation media and audience engagement. I liked the idea that the beginning of a speech is important because it is the first impression the audience gets. The conclusion is also important because it is the last thing the audience hears and should leave them with the main point. Her section on presentation media also showed that visual aids can help a speech, but they should actually serve a purpose. Emma Denaro Stys continued this idea by explaining different types of presentation media and how speakers should choose them based on the audience, purpose, and situation. She also pointed out that sometimes using less media can actually be more effective.

    Group 4 covered several topics related to different types of speeches and persuasion. Riley Potter's section focused on different types of speeches and the importance of considering what the audience already knows. His discussion also showed that speakers need to think about how to keep an audience emotionally engaged instead of simply giving them information.

    Shannon Bernard Libby then covered Chapter 14 and persuasive speaking. She explained the difference between persuasion and coercion or manipulation. I liked this distinction because persuasion should still allow the audience to make their own decision. The next part, presented by Thu Le, focused on policy speeches and ways to organize them. Thu explained problem-solution, problem-cause-solution, and Monroe's Motivated Sequence. She also discussed how a speaker should adapt their persuasive approach depending on the audience. I thought this was useful because not every audience is going to react to an argument in the same way.

    Rosangela Ruiz continued with arguments and reasoning. She explained that an argument does not necessarily mean a disagreement. In public speaking, an argument involves making a claim and supporting it with evidence and reasoning. She also covered logos, ethos, and pathos, along with deductive, inductive, causal, and analogical reasoning. Another part I found useful was her explanation of logical fallacies, such as hasty generalization, post hoc reasoning, ad hominem, and straw man arguments. These examples showed how an argument can sound convincing while still using flawed reasoning.

    Melani Hernandez then discussed distance speaking. She explained that distance speaking happens when the speaker and audience are not physically in the same location, such as with Zoom presentations, online classes, and livestreams. I thought this was especially relevant because online communication is such a normal part of school and work now. The next part from Oriana Gonzalez focused on media spokespersons and preparing for media appearances. She explained the importance of being prepared and being able to communicate a clear message through different forms of media.

    Finally, Lajahnique Olive covered Chapter 17, which focused on special occasion speeches and group presentations. She explained different types of special occasion speeches, such as speeches of introduction, nomination, tribute, and acceptance. She then moved into group presentations and explained how communication and teamwork are important when multiple people are working together. I liked her point that a successful group presentation should feel like one presentation rather than several unrelated speeches put together. She also explained that everyone should understand not only their own section but also have a general understanding of the entire presentation.

    Overall, going through all four groups helped me understand that public speaking has many different parts. Group 1 focused heavily on audiences, listening, confidence, and adapting to people. Group 2 showed the importance of choosing topics, researching, using evidence, and organizing information. Group 3 focused more on language, delivery, beginnings and endings, and presentation media, while Group 4 connected public speaking to persuasion, arguments, media, and group communication. Hearing specific explanations from students like Catherine, Antonella, Abigail, Alejandro, Manfred, Holly, Janelle, Grace, Amelia, Riley, Shannon, Thu, Rosangela, Melani, Oriana, and Lajahnique helped me see how all of these topics connect. The biggest thing I took away is that being a good public speaker is not just about being confident. You need to understand your audience, have reliable information, organize your ideas, communicate clearly, and be able to adapt depending on the situation. I think these are skills that will be useful outside of this class too, especially in college, work, and everyday communication.