{"id":192,"date":"2025-05-09T21:36:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T21:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/chapter\/chapter-1-the-basics-of-public-speaking\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T20:59:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T20:59:29","slug":"chapter-1-the-basics-of-public-speaking-3","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/chapter\/chapter-1-the-basics-of-public-speaking-3\/","title":{"raw":"Anxiety and Public Speaking","rendered":"Anxiety and Public Speaking"},"content":{"raw":"Why are so many people afraid of public speaking? This is a complex question, and the answer is tied to many personal and psychological factors such as self-efficacy, self-confidence, past experience, training, culture, and context. The term \u201c<strong>glossophobia<\/strong>,\u201d combining the two Greek words for \u201ctongue\u201d and \u201cfear or dread,\u201d has been coined to refer to:\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<em>\u2026a severe fear of public speaking. People who suffer from glossophobia tend to freeze in front of any audience, even a couple of people. They find their mouth dries up, their voice is weak and their body starts shaking. They may even sweat, go red, and feel their heart thumping rapidly. (\u201cDo You Suffer From Glossopho- bia?,\u201d 2015)<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis fear may arise in situations such as responding to a professor in class, participating in a job interview, or having to interact with a stranger, not just giving formal speeches.\r\n\r\nFor many people, fear of public speaking or being interviewed for a job does not rise to the level of a true \u201cphobia\u201d in psychological terms. A phobia is defined by the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV <\/em>as a state where someone experiences \u201csignificant and persistent fear when in the presence of, or anticipating the presence of, the object of fear, which may be an object, place or situation\u201d (Grohol, 2013). They are just uncomfortable in public speaking situations and need strategies for addressing the task.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Glossophobia<\/strong>\r\n\r\na severe fear of public speaking\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nFor many people, fear of public speaking or being interviewed for a job does not rise to the level of a true \u201cphobia\u201d in psychological terms. A pho- bia is defined by the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV <\/em>as a state where someone experiences \u201csignificant and persistent fear when in the presence of, or anticipating the presence of, the object of fear, which may be an object, place or situation\u201d (Grohol, 2013). They are just uncomfortable in public speaking situations and need strategies for addressing the task.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n<h2>Why Anxiety and Public Speaking?<\/h2>\r\nScholars at the University of Wisconsin-Stout (\u201cPublic Speaking Anxiety,\u201d 2015) explain that anxiety in public speaking can result from one of several misperceptions:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>\u201call or nothing\u201d thinking\u2014a mindset that if your speech falls short of \u201cperfection\u201d (an unrealistic standard), then you are a failure as a public speaker;<\/li>\r\n \t<li>overgeneralization\u2014believing that a single event (such as failing at a task) is a universal or \u201calways\u201d event; and<\/li>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">fortune telling\u2014the tendency to anticipate that things will turn out badly, no matter how much practice or rehearsal is done.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nLikewise, many new college students operate under the false belief that intelligence and skill are \u201cfixed.\u201d In their minds, a person is either smart or skilled in something, or they are not. Some students apply this false belief to math and science subjects, saying things like \u201cI\u2019m just no good at math and I never will be,\u201d or even worse, \u201cI guess I am just not smart enough to be in college.\u201d As you can tell, these beliefs can sabotage someone\u2019s college career. Also unfortunately, the same kind of false beliefs are applied to public speaking, and people conclude that because public speaking is hard, they are just not \u201cnaturally good\u201d at it and have no inborn skill. They give up on improving and avoid public speaking at all costs.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">Modern research by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck (2007) and others shows that intelligence and related skills are \u201cmalleable,\u201d meaning that they are open to change and growth. Understanding and accepting that your intelligence and skill in different areas are not fixed or \u201cstuck,\u201d but open to growth, will have a significant influence on your success in life. It will also help you see that just because learning a subject or task is hard does not mean you are not or cannot be good at it. Obstacles and barriers that make learning hard are opportunities for growth, not \u201cgetting off places.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/KUWn_TJTrnU?si=wSX7uarIE6G-aEi3[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">There is more to Dr. Dweck\u2019s research. We would recommend her book <\/span><em style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">Mindset<\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">. Many students enter a public speaking class thinking \u201cI\u2019m just no good at this and never will be,\u201d just like some students feel about college algebra or science. Dr. Dweck and other learning psychologists show that learning a new skill might be hard work, but the difficulty is not a sign that learning is impossible.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nAlong with the wrong way of thinking about one\u2019s learning and growth, two other fears contribute to anxiety in public speaking. The first is fear <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">of failure. This fear can result from several sources: real or perceived bad experiences involving public speaking in the past, lack of preparation, lack of knowledge about public speaking, not knowing the context, and uncertainty about one\u2019s task as a public speaker (such as being thrown into a situation at the last minute).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nIt is not the goal of this book to belittle that fear. It is real and justified to some extent because you might lack understanding of the public speaking task or lack good speaking experiences upon which to build. One of the goals and fringe benefits of this course is that you are not just going to learn about public speaking, but you are going to do it\u2014at least four or five times\u2014with a real audience. You will overcome some of your fears and feel that you have accomplished something of personal benefit.\r\n\r\nThe second fear is fear of rejection of one\u2019s self or one\u2019s ideas. This one is more serious in some respects. You may feel rejection because of fear of failure, or you may feel that the audience will reject your ideas, or worse, you as a person. Knowing how to approach the public speaking task and explain your ideas can help. However, you should ask yourself deep and probing questions as to why you believe that your audience will reject you <em>because this fear is rooted in a belief. <\/em>You should ask yourself what possibly false belief is causing your anxiety.\r\n\r\nOne of the core attitudes an effective and ethical public speaker must have is respect for and empathy with the audience. Your audience in this class is your peers who want to learn and want to get through the class successfully (just like you do). Your audience also includes your instructor who wants to see you succeed in the course as well. Believe me, public speaking teachers get a lot of pleasure from hearing successful student speeches!\r\n\r\nYour audience wants you to succeed if for no other reason than a good speech is much easier and more pleasant to listen to than a poor one. Again, gaining practice in this class with a real, live audience can help you work through the roots of your fear of rejection.\r\n\r\nBeyond dealing with the root fears that may cause you to have a \u201cfright or flight\u201d response when it comes to public speaking, there are some practical answers to dealing with fears about public speaking. Of course, fear responses can be reduced if you know how public speaking works, as you will see throughout this textbook. But there are some other strategies, and most of them have to do with preparation.\r\n<h2>Addressing Public Speaking Anxiety<\/h2>\r\n<div>\r\n<h3>Mental Preparation<\/h3>\r\nIf your neighbor\u2019s house were on fire, getting to the phone to call the fire department would be your main concern. You would want to get the address right and express the urgency. That is admittedly an extreme exam<span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">ple, but the point is about focus. To mentally prepare, you want to put your focus where it belongs, on the audience and the message. Mindfulness and full attention to the task are vital to successful public speaking. If you are concerned about a big exam or something personal going on in your life, your mind will be divided, and that division will add to your stress.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe main questions to ask yourself are \u201cWhy am I so anxiety-ridden about giving a presentation?\u201d and \u201cWhat is the worst that can happen?\u201d For example, you probably won\u2019t know most of your classmates at the beginning of the course, adding to your anxiety. By midterm, you should be developing relationships with them and be able to find friendly faces in the audience. However, very often we make situations far worse in our minds than they actually are, and we can lose perspective. One of the authors tells her students, \u201cSome of you have been through childbirth and even through military service. That is much worse than public speaking!\u201d Your instructor will probably try to help you get to know your classmates and minimize the \u201cunknowns\u201d that can cause you worry.\r\n<h3>Physical Preparation<\/h3>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nThe first step in physical preparation is adequate sleep and rest. You might be thinking such a thing is impossible in college, where sleep deprivation and late nights come with the territory. However, research shows the extreme effects a lifestyle of limited sleep can have, far beyond yawning or dozing off in class (Mitru, Millrood, &amp; Mateika, 2002; Walker, 2017). As far as public speaking is concerned, your energy level and ability to be alert and aware during the speech will be affected by lack of sleep.\r\n\r\nSecondly, you would be better off eating something that is protein-based rather than processed sugar-based before speaking. In other words, cheese or peanut butter on whole grain toast, Greek yogurt, or eggs for breakfast rather than a donut and soft drink. Some traditionalists also discourage the drinking of milk because it is believed to stimulate mucus production, but this has not been scientifically proven (Lai &amp; Kardos, 2013).\r\n\r\nA third suggestion is to wear clothes that you know you look good in and are comfortable but also meet the context\u2019s requirements (that is, your instructor may have a dress code for speech days). Especially, wear comfortable shoes that give you a firm base for your posture. Flip-flops and really high heels may not fit these categories.\r\n\r\nA final suggestion for physical preparation is to utilize some stretching or relaxation techniques that will loosen your limbs or throat. Essentially, your emotions want you to run away, but the social situation says you must stay, so all that energy for running must go somewhere. The energy might go to your legs, hands, stomach, sweat glands, or skin, with undesirable physical consequences. Tightening and stretching your hands, arms, legs, and throat (through intentional, wide yawns) for a few seconds before <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">speaking can help release some of the tension. Your instructor may be able to help you with these exercises, or you can find some on the Internet.<\/span>\r\n<h3>Contextual preparation<\/h3>\r\nThe more you can know about the venue where you will be speaking, the better. For this class, of course, it will be your classroom, but for other situations where you might experience \u201ccommunication apprehension,\u201d you should check out the space beforehand or get as much information as possible. For example, if you were required to give a short talk for a job interview, you would want to know what the room will be like, if there is equipment for projection, how large the audience will be, and the seating arrangements. If possible, you will want to practice your presentation in a room that is similar to the actual space where you will deliver it.\r\n\r\nThe best advice for contextual preparation is to be on time, even early. If you have to rush in at the last minute, as so many students do, you will not be mindful, focused, or calm for the speech. Even more, if you are early, you can make sure equipment is working, and can converse with the audience as they enter. Professional speakers often do this to relax themselves, build credibility, and gain knowledge to adapt their presentations to the audience. Even if you don\u2019t want to \u201cschmooze\u201d beforehand, being on time will help you create a good first impression and thus enhance your credibility before the actual speech.\r\n<div>\r\n<h3>Speech preparation<\/h3>\r\nProcrastination, like lack of sleep, seems to just be part of the college life. Sometimes we feel that we just don\u2019t get the best ideas until the last minute. Writing that essay for literature class at 3:00 a.m. just may work for you. However, when it comes to public speaking, there are some definite reasons you would not want to do that. First, of course, if you are finishing up your outline at 3:00 a.m. and have a 9:00 speech, you are going to be tired and unable to focus. Second, your instructor may require you to <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">turn in your outline several days ahead of the speech date. However, the main reason is that public speaking requires active, oral, repeated practice before the actual delivery.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nYou do not want the first time that you say the words to be when you are in front of your audience. Practicing is the only way that you will feel confident, fluent, and in control of the words you speak. Practicing (and timing yourself) repeatedly is also the only way that you will be assured that your speech meets the assignment\u2019s time limits, and speaking within the expected time limits is a fundamental rule of public speaking. You may think your speech is five minutes long but it may end up being ten minutes the first time you practice it\u2014or only two minutes!\r\n\r\nYour practicing should be out loud, standing up, with shoes on, with someone to listen, if possible (other than your dog or cat), and with your visual aids. If you can record yourself and watch it, that is even better. If you do record yourself, make sure you record yourself from the feet up\u2014or at least the hips up\u2014so you can see your body language. The need for oral practice will be emphasized over and over in this book and probably by your instructor. As you progress as a speaker, you will always need to practice but perhaps not to the extent you do as a novice speaker.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\nAs hard as it is to believe:\r\n\r\nYOU NEVER LOOK AS NERVOUS AS YOU FEEL.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\nYou may feel that your anxiety is at level seventeen on a scale of one to ten, but the audience does not perceive it the same way. They may perceive it at a three or four or even less. That\u2019s not to say they won\u2019t see any signs of your anxiety and that you don\u2019t want to learn to control it, only that what you are feeling inside is not as visible as you might think. This principle relates back to focus. If you know you don\u2019t look as nervous as you feel, you can focus and be mindful of the message and audience rather than your own emotions.\r\n\r\nAlso, you will probably find that your anxiety decreases throughout the class (Finn, Sawyer, &amp; Schrodt, 2009). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are\">In her Ted Talk video<\/a>, Harvard Business School social psychologist Amy Cuddy discusses nonverbal communication and suggests that instead of \u201cfaking it until you make it,\u201d that you can, and should, \u201cfake it until you become it.\u201d She shares research that shows how our behavior affects our mindsets, not just the other way around. Therefore, the act of giving the speech and \u201cgetting through it\u201d will help you gain confidence. Interestingly, Dr. Cuddy directs listeners to strike a \u201cpower pose\u201d of strong posture, feet apart, and hands on hips or stretched overhead to enhance confidence.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">How to Calm Your Anxiety, from a Neuroscientist<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nNeuroscientist Wendy Suzuki has two science-based tools to help us \"turn down the volume on our anxiety.\" As you approach your first speech, try these techniques to calm the nerves and increase the positive effects on your mood.\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/FpiWSFcL3-c?si=vWCXo1qLr6BOmtGO[\/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nFinal Note: If you are an audience member, you can help the speaker with their anxiety, at least a little bit. Mainly, be an engaged listener from beginning to end. You can imagine that a speaker is going to be more <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">nervous if the audience looks bored from the start. A speaker with less anxiety is going to do a better job and be more interesting. Of course, do not walk into class during your classmates\u2019 speeches, or get up and leave. In addition to being rude, it pulls their minds away from their message and distracts the audience. Your instructor will probably have a policy on this behavior, too, as well as a dress code and other expectations on speech days. There are good reasons for these policies, so respect them.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<p>Why are so many people afraid of public speaking? This is a complex question, and the answer is tied to many personal and psychological factors such as self-efficacy, self-confidence, past experience, training, culture, and context. The term \u201c<strong>glossophobia<\/strong>,\u201d combining the two Greek words for \u201ctongue\u201d and \u201cfear or dread,\u201d has been coined to refer to:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><em>\u2026a severe fear of public speaking. People who suffer from glossophobia tend to freeze in front of any audience, even a couple of people. They find their mouth dries up, their voice is weak and their body starts shaking. They may even sweat, go red, and feel their heart thumping rapidly. (\u201cDo You Suffer From Glossopho- bia?,\u201d 2015)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>This fear may arise in situations such as responding to a professor in class, participating in a job interview, or having to interact with a stranger, not just giving formal speeches.<\/p>\n<p>For many people, fear of public speaking or being interviewed for a job does not rise to the level of a true \u201cphobia\u201d in psychological terms. A phobia is defined by the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV <\/em>as a state where someone experiences \u201csignificant and persistent fear when in the presence of, or anticipating the presence of, the object of fear, which may be an object, place or situation\u201d (Grohol, 2013). They are just uncomfortable in public speaking situations and need strategies for addressing the task.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong>Glossophobia<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>a severe fear of public speaking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>For many people, fear of public speaking or being interviewed for a job does not rise to the level of a true \u201cphobia\u201d in psychological terms. A pho- bia is defined by the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV <\/em>as a state where someone experiences \u201csignificant and persistent fear when in the presence of, or anticipating the presence of, the object of fear, which may be an object, place or situation\u201d (Grohol, 2013). They are just uncomfortable in public speaking situations and need strategies for addressing the task.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>Why Anxiety and Public Speaking?<\/h2>\n<p>Scholars at the University of Wisconsin-Stout (\u201cPublic Speaking Anxiety,\u201d 2015) explain that anxiety in public speaking can result from one of several misperceptions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201call or nothing\u201d thinking\u2014a mindset that if your speech falls short of \u201cperfection\u201d (an unrealistic standard), then you are a failure as a public speaker;<\/li>\n<li>overgeneralization\u2014believing that a single event (such as failing at a task) is a universal or \u201calways\u201d event; and<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">fortune telling\u2014the tendency to anticipate that things will turn out badly, no matter how much practice or rehearsal is done.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Likewise, many new college students operate under the false belief that intelligence and skill are \u201cfixed.\u201d In their minds, a person is either smart or skilled in something, or they are not. Some students apply this false belief to math and science subjects, saying things like \u201cI\u2019m just no good at math and I never will be,\u201d or even worse, \u201cI guess I am just not smart enough to be in college.\u201d As you can tell, these beliefs can sabotage someone\u2019s college career. Also unfortunately, the same kind of false beliefs are applied to public speaking, and people conclude that because public speaking is hard, they are just not \u201cnaturally good\u201d at it and have no inborn skill. They give up on improving and avoid public speaking at all costs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">Modern research by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck (2007) and others shows that intelligence and related skills are \u201cmalleable,\u201d meaning that they are open to change and growth. Understanding and accepting that your intelligence and skill in different areas are not fixed or \u201cstuck,\u201d but open to growth, will have a significant influence on your success in life. It will also help you see that just because learning a subject or task is hard does not mean you are not or cannot be good at it. Obstacles and barriers that make learning hard are opportunities for growth, not \u201cgetting off places.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KUWn_TJTrnU?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">There is more to Dr. Dweck\u2019s research. We would recommend her book <\/span><em style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">Mindset<\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">. Many students enter a public speaking class thinking \u201cI\u2019m just no good at this and never will be,\u201d just like some students feel about college algebra or science. Dr. Dweck and other learning psychologists show that learning a new skill might be hard work, but the difficulty is not a sign that learning is impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Along with the wrong way of thinking about one\u2019s learning and growth, two other fears contribute to anxiety in public speaking. The first is fear <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">of failure. This fear can result from several sources: real or perceived bad experiences involving public speaking in the past, lack of preparation, lack of knowledge about public speaking, not knowing the context, and uncertainty about one\u2019s task as a public speaker (such as being thrown into a situation at the last minute).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>It is not the goal of this book to belittle that fear. It is real and justified to some extent because you might lack understanding of the public speaking task or lack good speaking experiences upon which to build. One of the goals and fringe benefits of this course is that you are not just going to learn about public speaking, but you are going to do it\u2014at least four or five times\u2014with a real audience. You will overcome some of your fears and feel that you have accomplished something of personal benefit.<\/p>\n<p>The second fear is fear of rejection of one\u2019s self or one\u2019s ideas. This one is more serious in some respects. You may feel rejection because of fear of failure, or you may feel that the audience will reject your ideas, or worse, you as a person. Knowing how to approach the public speaking task and explain your ideas can help. However, you should ask yourself deep and probing questions as to why you believe that your audience will reject you <em>because this fear is rooted in a belief. <\/em>You should ask yourself what possibly false belief is causing your anxiety.<\/p>\n<p>One of the core attitudes an effective and ethical public speaker must have is respect for and empathy with the audience. Your audience in this class is your peers who want to learn and want to get through the class successfully (just like you do). Your audience also includes your instructor who wants to see you succeed in the course as well. Believe me, public speaking teachers get a lot of pleasure from hearing successful student speeches!<\/p>\n<p>Your audience wants you to succeed if for no other reason than a good speech is much easier and more pleasant to listen to than a poor one. Again, gaining practice in this class with a real, live audience can help you work through the roots of your fear of rejection.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond dealing with the root fears that may cause you to have a \u201cfright or flight\u201d response when it comes to public speaking, there are some practical answers to dealing with fears about public speaking. Of course, fear responses can be reduced if you know how public speaking works, as you will see throughout this textbook. But there are some other strategies, and most of them have to do with preparation.<\/p>\n<h2>Addressing Public Speaking Anxiety<\/h2>\n<div>\n<h3>Mental Preparation<\/h3>\n<p>If your neighbor\u2019s house were on fire, getting to the phone to call the fire department would be your main concern. You would want to get the address right and express the urgency. That is admittedly an extreme exam<span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">ple, but the point is about focus. To mentally prepare, you want to put your focus where it belongs, on the audience and the message. Mindfulness and full attention to the task are vital to successful public speaking. If you are concerned about a big exam or something personal going on in your life, your mind will be divided, and that division will add to your stress.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The main questions to ask yourself are \u201cWhy am I so anxiety-ridden about giving a presentation?\u201d and \u201cWhat is the worst that can happen?\u201d For example, you probably won\u2019t know most of your classmates at the beginning of the course, adding to your anxiety. By midterm, you should be developing relationships with them and be able to find friendly faces in the audience. However, very often we make situations far worse in our minds than they actually are, and we can lose perspective. One of the authors tells her students, \u201cSome of you have been through childbirth and even through military service. That is much worse than public speaking!\u201d Your instructor will probably try to help you get to know your classmates and minimize the \u201cunknowns\u201d that can cause you worry.<\/p>\n<h3>Physical Preparation<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>The first step in physical preparation is adequate sleep and rest. You might be thinking such a thing is impossible in college, where sleep deprivation and late nights come with the territory. However, research shows the extreme effects a lifestyle of limited sleep can have, far beyond yawning or dozing off in class (Mitru, Millrood, &amp; Mateika, 2002; Walker, 2017). As far as public speaking is concerned, your energy level and ability to be alert and aware during the speech will be affected by lack of sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, you would be better off eating something that is protein-based rather than processed sugar-based before speaking. In other words, cheese or peanut butter on whole grain toast, Greek yogurt, or eggs for breakfast rather than a donut and soft drink. Some traditionalists also discourage the drinking of milk because it is believed to stimulate mucus production, but this has not been scientifically proven (Lai &amp; Kardos, 2013).<\/p>\n<p>A third suggestion is to wear clothes that you know you look good in and are comfortable but also meet the context\u2019s requirements (that is, your instructor may have a dress code for speech days). Especially, wear comfortable shoes that give you a firm base for your posture. Flip-flops and really high heels may not fit these categories.<\/p>\n<p>A final suggestion for physical preparation is to utilize some stretching or relaxation techniques that will loosen your limbs or throat. Essentially, your emotions want you to run away, but the social situation says you must stay, so all that energy for running must go somewhere. The energy might go to your legs, hands, stomach, sweat glands, or skin, with undesirable physical consequences. Tightening and stretching your hands, arms, legs, and throat (through intentional, wide yawns) for a few seconds before <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">speaking can help release some of the tension. Your instructor may be able to help you with these exercises, or you can find some on the Internet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Contextual preparation<\/h3>\n<p>The more you can know about the venue where you will be speaking, the better. For this class, of course, it will be your classroom, but for other situations where you might experience \u201ccommunication apprehension,\u201d you should check out the space beforehand or get as much information as possible. For example, if you were required to give a short talk for a job interview, you would want to know what the room will be like, if there is equipment for projection, how large the audience will be, and the seating arrangements. If possible, you will want to practice your presentation in a room that is similar to the actual space where you will deliver it.<\/p>\n<p>The best advice for contextual preparation is to be on time, even early. If you have to rush in at the last minute, as so many students do, you will not be mindful, focused, or calm for the speech. Even more, if you are early, you can make sure equipment is working, and can converse with the audience as they enter. Professional speakers often do this to relax themselves, build credibility, and gain knowledge to adapt their presentations to the audience. Even if you don\u2019t want to \u201cschmooze\u201d beforehand, being on time will help you create a good first impression and thus enhance your credibility before the actual speech.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>Speech preparation<\/h3>\n<p>Procrastination, like lack of sleep, seems to just be part of the college life. Sometimes we feel that we just don\u2019t get the best ideas until the last minute. Writing that essay for literature class at 3:00 a.m. just may work for you. However, when it comes to public speaking, there are some definite reasons you would not want to do that. First, of course, if you are finishing up your outline at 3:00 a.m. and have a 9:00 speech, you are going to be tired and unable to focus. Second, your instructor may require you to <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">turn in your outline several days ahead of the speech date. However, the main reason is that public speaking requires active, oral, repeated practice before the actual delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>You do not want the first time that you say the words to be when you are in front of your audience. Practicing is the only way that you will feel confident, fluent, and in control of the words you speak. Practicing (and timing yourself) repeatedly is also the only way that you will be assured that your speech meets the assignment\u2019s time limits, and speaking within the expected time limits is a fundamental rule of public speaking. You may think your speech is five minutes long but it may end up being ten minutes the first time you practice it\u2014or only two minutes!<\/p>\n<p>Your practicing should be out loud, standing up, with shoes on, with someone to listen, if possible (other than your dog or cat), and with your visual aids. If you can record yourself and watch it, that is even better. If you do record yourself, make sure you record yourself from the feet up\u2014or at least the hips up\u2014so you can see your body language. The need for oral practice will be emphasized over and over in this book and probably by your instructor. As you progress as a speaker, you will always need to practice but perhaps not to the extent you do as a novice speaker.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p>As hard as it is to believe:<\/p>\n<p>YOU NEVER LOOK AS NERVOUS AS YOU FEEL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>You may feel that your anxiety is at level seventeen on a scale of one to ten, but the audience does not perceive it the same way. They may perceive it at a three or four or even less. That\u2019s not to say they won\u2019t see any signs of your anxiety and that you don\u2019t want to learn to control it, only that what you are feeling inside is not as visible as you might think. This principle relates back to focus. If you know you don\u2019t look as nervous as you feel, you can focus and be mindful of the message and audience rather than your own emotions.<\/p>\n<p>Also, you will probably find that your anxiety decreases throughout the class (Finn, Sawyer, &amp; Schrodt, 2009). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are\">In her Ted Talk video<\/a>, Harvard Business School social psychologist Amy Cuddy discusses nonverbal communication and suggests that instead of \u201cfaking it until you make it,\u201d that you can, and should, \u201cfake it until you become it.\u201d She shares research that shows how our behavior affects our mindsets, not just the other way around. Therefore, the act of giving the speech and \u201cgetting through it\u201d will help you gain confidence. Interestingly, Dr. Cuddy directs listeners to strike a \u201cpower pose\u201d of strong posture, feet apart, and hands on hips or stretched overhead to enhance confidence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">How to Calm Your Anxiety, from a Neuroscientist<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki has two science-based tools to help us &#8220;turn down the volume on our anxiety.&#8221; As you approach your first speech, try these techniques to calm the nerves and increase the positive effects on your mood.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-2\" title=\"How to Calm Your Anxiety, From a Neuroscientist | The Way We Work, a TED series\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FpiWSFcL3-c?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Final Note: If you are an audience member, you can help the speaker with their anxiety, at least a little bit. Mainly, be an engaged listener from beginning to end. You can imagine that a speaker is going to be more <span style=\"text-align: initial; font-size: 1em;\">nervous if the audience looks bored from the start. A speaker with less anxiety is going to do a better job and be more interesting. Of course, do not walk into class during your classmates\u2019 speeches, or get up and leave. In addition to being rude, it pulls their minds away from their message and distracts the audience. Your instructor will probably have a policy on this behavior, too, as well as a dress code and other expectations on speech days. There are good reasons for these policies, so respect them.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-192","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":281,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":710,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/192\/revisions\/710"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/281"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/192\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=192"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=192"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom1150publicspeaking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}