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The art of giving oral presentations is
rooted in the study of rhetoric, an ancient art
that still provides many key concepts that will
help you become an excellent presenter. Chapter 3
of Oral Presentations for Technical
Communication explains some basic concepts from
rhetoric and illustrates how these concepts can
help enhance your speaking abilities and make you a
more effective and believable presenter. Of the key
concepts in rhetoric, ethos, memory, and delivery
are three of the most important ones for any
presenter; therefore, this chapter discusses these
three in detail. Throughout the rest of the text,
you will draw on this chapter's explanations of
rhetoric as you advance in your study of
presentation skills.
As with most aspects of oral presentations,
items in this chapter are not to be thought of as
rigid rules. All presentations must be guided by
the audience and purpose of the talk, including
whether you are speaking to an international
audience. For certain rhetorical concepts, such as
delivery, issues of international communication are
especially significant, and these issues will be
discussed here. The following sections are included
in this chapter:
• Rhetoric as the Framework for Oral
Presentations
• The Classical Rhetorical Canons
• Ethos: Your Appeal Based on Character
and Credibility
• Memory: Using Your Innate
Abilities
• Delivery: Using Your Body and
Voice
These exercises build on the ideas addressed
in Chapter 3:
1. In order to understand the interaction of
ethos and presentations, watch a speaker on TV
(C-SPAN)
or attend a political speech, campus lecture, or
other presentation. Write up a list of
characteristics about that person based on what you
saw and heard. Was the person trustworthy?
Interesting? Sincere? Discuss how and why you came
to these conclusions.
2. For the next week, try some "aerobic
exercises" for your memory. For example, use the
technique of mnemonics to go grocery shopping
without a list. Memorize people's names by
associating their names with their locations in a
room. Prepare for a meeting but don't bring notes;
memorize what you will say by remembering just the
bulleted items.
3. Find your own style. Draft a short
description of yourself, your interests, and a
technical issue that you find interesting and know
something about. In front of a mirror, practice
giving a short talk about this subject (one
minute). Don't be concerned yet about how you
organize your material: just talk. As an actor
might, try on various styles: a "professional"
style; a "conversational" style; a "speaking to
children" style. Discover what kind of style feels
comfortable and natural for you. If you can,
videotape yourself giving a short talk--perhaps a
description of your home or something else that is
familiar. Watch this tape and notice your style and
delivery.
Presentations and Cyberspace. On the Web,
locate an academic site that presents information
about the classical system of rhetoric (The
Forest of Rhetoric is one excellent site.)
Choose one of the five canons and study the
information about that canon at the site you have
selected.
Presentations and Teamwork. Form a team
of 2-3 students and perform the following exercise
in delivery. Have each person give a short informal
presentation, with no visual aids or other items,
on a topic that's recently been in the news or is
of interest to him or her. Have another team member
tape this presentation; all team members should
listen carefully to the presenter's speaking style,
vocal inflection, and other delivery habits. Play
back the tape recording and provide feedback on
voice, posture, body language, and other
features.
Presentations and International
Communication. Identify how communicators from
other cultures establish ethos. You may accomplish
this in many ways. You might interview a consultant
who specializes in helping Americans prepare to
work effectively in other cultures to learn what
Americans must do to establish and maintain their
credibility in other cultures. Or, you might
research this topic on the Web or read a book or
several credible articles on this topic. Share your
findings with your class.
Presentations and Your Profession. After
practicing the chapter's memory devices during your
daily routines, attend a meeting where you are
likely to know few or no people (for example, a
local association meeting of professionals in your
field). Use your favorite memory devices to learn
and remember the names of 15 people at that
meeting; test yourself each day for a week after
the meeting by reciting those names aloud.
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