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    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?
    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?
    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?
    Ebook145 pages1 hour

    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?

    By J. Mark Fox

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    About this ebook

    Who’s afraid of public speaking? Almost everybody! In fact, in nearly every survey where people are asked, “What is your greatest fear?,” public speaking comes out on top. By far the largest group, 41%, named speaking in public as that activity that gives them the shakes! Amazingly, the next highest response was from 18% of the people who admitted DEATH was their greatest terror.

    In other words, most people would rather die than give a speech!

    Someone said that the brain starts working before you are even born, and stops the moment you get up to give a speech. That’s why most people avoid it at all costs. At the same time, it is the ability to speak that sets candidates apart in the interview process. This ability to communicate in public is also the common denominator among business people who rise to the top of their profession. Speaking well is an ability that will serve you in every area of life. Looking to overcome your fear and learn a life-changing skill? This book can help. You will be led through the steps of choosing a topic, organizing your ideas, finding support material, starting and ending the speech with a bang, and developing a delivery style that sparkles. J. Mark Fox has taught nearly 3000 students how to overcome their fear of giving a speech and put the art of public speaking to work for them. He can do the same for you!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJ. Mark Fox
    Release dateMar 19, 2014
    ISBN9781311334541
    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?
    Author

    J. Mark Fox

    J. Mark Fox received his Masters Degree in Speech Communications from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1981, and a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Rice Seminary in 1990.Mark is married to Cindy, and they have seven children, two daughters-in-law, and three grandsons. They live in Burlington, North Carolina. Mark has been Pastor of Antioch Community Church since 1987 and an Instructor in the School of Communications at Elon University since 1990. He has taught over 2500 students in his Public Speaking courses. He also has a weekly podcast called Healthy Church Radio and writes a blog at jmarkfox.com.

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    Book preview

    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking? - J. Mark Fox

    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?

    By J. Mark Fox

    Copyright 2014 J. Mark Fox

    Smashwords Edition

    Smashwords Edition, License Notes

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    Table of Contents

    Who's Afraid of Public Speaking?

    Chapter 1: General Purpose

    Chapter 2: Choosing a Topic

    Chapter 3: Specific Purpose and Central Idea

    Chapter 4: Organizing Your Speech

    Chapter 5: Supporting Your Points

    Chapter 6: The Introduction

    Chapter 7: The Conclusion

    Chapter 8: Visual Aids

    Chapter 9: Delivery

    Chapter 10: Overcoming Fear

    Chapter 11: Persuasion

    Chapter 12: Three Types of Persuasive Speeches

    Chapter 13: Target Audience

    Chapter 14: Aristotle's Three Dimensions of Persuasion

    Chapter 15: Logic

    Final Thoughts

    About the Author

    Who’s Afraid of Public Speaking?

    Who’s afraid of public speaking? Almost everybody! In fact, in nearly every survey where people are asked, What is your greatest fear, public speaking comes out on top. By far the largest group, 41%, named speaking in public as that activity that gives them the shakes! Amazingly, the next highest response was from 18% of the people who admitted DEATH was their greatest terror.

    In other words, most people would rather die than give a speech!

    Someone said that the brain starts working before you are even born, and stops the moment you get up to give a speech. If that’s been your experience (as it has been mine), then this study guide is for you. I want to help you overcome your fear of public speaking, and give you the tools with which you can help others. We will examine the process of preparing and delivering a speech, step-by-step, and I will include in each section an assignment you can follow.

    Back to the top

    General Purpose 1

    Before you even choose a topic, you need to know what type of speech you will be giving. Let’s agree, for the purposes of this book, that there are only TWO types of speeches: informative or persuasive. Some would include speeches that entertain or commemorate or introduce, but it might be argued that each of those could also be labeled either informative or persuasive.

    An informative speech gives information. It’s that simple. Your goal is to inform your audience about your topic, in a way that is clear and interesting.

    A persuasive speech targets a change in your listeners. You are an advocate or defender of a cause or idea, and you are trying to convince your listeners to agree with you or even to take action on behalf of your cause.

    I have been to Haiti several times. An informative speech about Haiti might explore her history, or examine the manners and customs of her people, or explain her voodoo religion. A persuasive speech about Haiti might exhort the listeners to go and serve among these, the poorest of the poor in the Western Hemisphere.

    Your situation may dictate which type of speech to give. When I am asked to speak at high-school graduations, for example, I know that my job is to inspire and motivate. It calls for persuasion.

    At other times, the choice will be up to you. You can either inform or persuade, and it is important that you know which one you are doing! If you are unclear yourself, the audience most certainly will be.

    Assignment

    Choose 12 topics that you would like to speak about, 6 informative and 6 persuasive. Write them down.

    Back to the top

    Choosing a Topic 2

    If you made it to this page, then you have overcome one of the most difficult battles in public speaking. Every year, more students complain to me about THIS than anything else! What is THIS? Choosing a TOPIC! When I ask them in class to tell me their topics, I hear more answers of, I don’t know, than at any other time. Sometimes when I ask, a student will say, I don’t know, yet, but MOST of the time they will say, (groan) I don’t know, Mr. Fox...I don’t even have a clue.

    Vance Havner said when he was a boy, not only did he not know anything, he didn’t even SUSPECT anything.

    But don’t let yourself get away with that response. You DO know what you can speak about. How do I know? Because I know what the Golden Rule for choosing a topic is:

    Choose a topic that interests you!

    That’s right. The most important consideration in choosing a topic is NOT your audience, but you! And the reason is simple. If you choose a topic that YOU are not interested in, guess who else will be bored to tears? You guessed it, your listeners.

    But if you choose a topic that YOU are interested in, then you will be able to marshal your greatest weapon: your ENTHUSIASM.

    I remember a student once who approached me after class and said, Professor Fox, I want to give my informative speech on Origami. I thought she had gotten something stuck in her throat toward the end of that sentence, so I said, Huh? She repeated it: I want to speak about Origami. I’m sorry, I don’t know what that is, I replied. She patiently explained that Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. Stifling a reaction (which would have been something akin to putting my forefinger down my throat), I replied, Oh? That sounds...interesting. I envisioned the football players in my class falling asleep and out of their chairs, shaking the building and interrupting life as we know it at the university.

    Undaunted by my less-than-enthusiastic response, she went on to prepare and deliver one of the most interesting speeches I have heard in a classroom. She literally had students crowding around her desk when she was done, 300 lb. linemen, asking her things like, "Can you show me

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