Leading Your Audience

Leading Your Audience: A Systematic Approach to Public Speaking is a structured, easy-to-follow textbook. It is ideal for use in communications courses such as Public Speaking, Oral Communications, and Rhetoric. While many textbooks focus on theoretical speech concepts, Leading Your Audience gives students practical, easily applicable tools and strategies to achieve the goal of being a successful public speaker. Leading Your Audience is organized systematically to provide students with a stress-free structure while building their confidence. The book gives numerous practical examples that help students learn to apply the concepts presented to their own speeches. It is written in a clear, concise style to maintain student interest. The book has eleven chapters. It begins with an introduction to public speaking, including the causes of speech anxiety. It then provides comprehensive coverage of everything from methods of delivery, to organizing and outlining, to persuasive and special occasion speeches. A separate section provides activity forms, self-evaluations, and topic sheets. There is also an appendix with sample speech outlines on a variety of interesting topics. The material has been classroom-tested, and proven to quickly build students' speech proficiency. Adopters will receive an Instructor's Manual with activities, assignments, evaluation forms, and a test bank.Laura Arnett Smith earned a Master of Science in Communication Studies at the University of Tennessee, where she was the director of the public speaking program. She currently teaches at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee and is the founder, curriculum director, and instructor for J&L Training Institute.