COM 101: Introduction to Communication: Delivering a Speech

There are four notable types of delivery to consider before you give a speech. These are the impromptu, manuscript, memorized, and extemporaneous deliveries. Below is a more in depth explanation of each of these.

Impromptu Delivery- this delivery is used when someone is asked to speak in front of a group without prior knowledge or planning. Because the speaker was not planning to speak there was no preparation or research done beforehand. This delivery type is often the most anxiety inducing because the lack of preparation, but there are a few things you can do to help you seem prepared to the audience. If you are asked to give an impromptu speech remember to be brief, only speak about what you know, and avoid rambling.

Manuscript Delivery- this type of delivery is done using a fully written out speech that can be hand-written, printed, or digital. This method works well for speeches with complicated information or ones that will go on to be published. It is important to remember to not read directly from the script the whole time you are speaking, as this can cause you and the audience to disconnect. 

Memorized Delivery- this type of delivery is done by memorizing the entirety of the speech and speaking without any notes or script. This method can be tricky to do well because of how error-prone our memories can be. Memorizing your speech can be affective for short-speeches, personal speeches, or a speech that will be delivered multiple times or frequently.

Extemporaneous- this type of delivery is done by memorizing the general structure of the speech and using brief notes that layout keywords and phrase. This method takes elements from the other types and blends them together. Like the memorization delivery, this method requires extra practice so you can perfect the flow of your speech and improve your points along the way.

• Prepare yourself by practicing your speech so you know what to say and when to say it.
• Try to write your speech with the intent of saying it out loud. Sometimes when you write something, it doesn't lend itself to being vocalized. Try reading what you are writing out loud as you write it to make sure it flows how you want it to.
• Have organized notes. If you have written your notes make sure they are legible and that each point has all the information you will need about the topic.
• Try to stay focused on your speech. There can be a lot of distractions in the audience and even in your mind, but it is important to stay on track and deliver your speech as it was intended. 

• When you give a speech, you want to look your best. Dressing nice and making yourself look well-maintained will not only improve your credibility to the audience but it will also help you feel more confident. When you look good, you feel good, which can help you preform better while speaking. 
• Another important thing is to remember your facial expressions while speaking. Having appropriate facial expressions is important because it helps your audience connect with you better. They can also help your audience to feel the emotions you want them to feel. 
• Have good posture when you are speaking. If you carry yourself like you are confident it will help you feel confident and the audience will pick up on it. Bad posture or slouching can make you seem like you do not care about what you are saying and can make the audience lose interest in it too.
• Remember eye contact. If you let your eyes wander about the room you may seem distracted to the audience which will distract them as well. But if you make decent eye contact with them, you can connect with them and make them feel like you are talking to them directly which will help keep their focus.

• Start practicing sections of your speech early, as you draft your outline.
• Practice your speech in front of someone for feedback.
• Time yourself once a draft of the speech is completed and adjust the speech as needed to conform to time limits.
• Deliver the speech the way you want it to be when you deliver it for your audience (use the rate, volume, vocal variety, pauses, and emphasis you plan to use on speech day).
• Practice in front of a mirror (practicing once in front of a mirror can help you gauge your facial expressions and other aspects of delivery, but don't forget to practice for others so you can get feedback).
• Don’t only practice in your head. This often results in rushing the speech when you actually give it, which can cause all kinds of speaking errors.
• Practice a few times in the days leading up to the speech, making sure to leave several hours between practice sessions. Practicing too much can lead you to become bored with your content, which could lead to delivery that sounds like a recitation.

Rate- how fast you speak. If you speak too quickly the audience will not be able to understand you, but if you speak too slowly, they may lose interest and their focus.

Volume- how loud or soft your voice is while you speak. You want to speak loud enough that everyone in the room can hear you, but not so loud that the audience feels like you are shouting at them.

Articulation- the clarity of sounds and words we produce. Make sure to pronounce the consonants in every word clearly. For example, if you say the word "didn't" make sure to enunciate the d's because otherwise it can sound like "dinnt" Having good articulation skills will improve your credibility to your audience.

Fluency Hiccups- unintended pauses in a speech that usually result from forgetting what you were saying, being distracted, or losing your place in your speaking notes.

Verbal Fillers- words that speakers use to fill in a gap between sentence or thoughts. Examples of these are: um, uh, ah, er, you know, and like. Try to filter these out of your speech, and if you must pause for a moment, it is better to have a silent one than use a verbal filler.