Establishing Credibility

Are You Believable?

Topic: Establishing Credibility

Objective: After a brief introduction and activity, students will list ways they can establish credibility within their speech.

Materials: Rough drafts of speeches and the “Are You Believable?” handout.

Steps: 1. Define credibility: “Credibility is based on whether a person seems to be
knowledgeable (having the necessary information to give this speech), trustworthy (being honest, dependable, and ethical) and personable (showing enthusiasm, warmth, friendliness, and concern for members of the audience)” (Communicate!). Another definition is, “The level of trust an audience has or will have in the speaker” (Communicate!).

2. Ask the students why they think establishing credibility is important for public speaking. Students should respond with answers like, “So we can get our audience to respect and believe us” etc, etc.

3. Hand out the “Are You Believable?” handout.

4. Ask for volunteers to read each passage for the class.

5. After the passages have been read out loud, ask students which passage seemed to be the most credible and why (the first passage is more believable because the person who wrote the speech has firsthand experience in the Junior City Council, the first passage also uses a quote from a local council man, the source is cited so we can go back and look it up, the person who wrote the speech seems to care about the well-being of our generation, the first passage is well-written and the speaker seems to be better prepared than the speaker of the second passage. The second passage is very choppy and uses slang terms, the speaker doesn’t seem to have any knowledge of what he/she is trying to present on, the speaker called the local paper by the wrong name, he/she seems to be winging it and is unprofessional).

Results: Students will have the remaining class time to create a list of ways they could establish credibility in their speech (using firsthand experiences to illustrate a point, use relevant quotes and/or statistics, be prepared, be friendly and inviting, etc.). Students can take their lists home to work on them and will be expected to turn them in the next day.

Are You Believable?

“As the president of our towns Junior City Council, I am exposed to the importance of youth within our community. We can offer a new perspective to our elders; we know what our generation wants. City councilman Joe Held said in his March 24th, 2006 interview with the Columbus Telegram, “We want to know what the kids want; we want to make our community an enjoyable and safe environment for them.”

VS.

“Um…so, my cousins friend is on the Junior City Council and uh…(LONG AND AWKWARD PAUSE WITH SOME FUMBLING) well….I guess they want to find out what like, we, uh…the kids of…our town or city or whatev’, want, ‘ya know? I mean, like, I read somewhere in like a magazine or…wait…it was the paper, I think….uh….yeah…the paper….the Columbus Tutorial….yeah, that one….um…so this dude said that he likes kids….and like, he wants to know what they want so they…er…uh…we…can have places to chill or something.”

Danielle Helzer
Summer 2007

Create Your Definition!

Proof by Definition

Objective: The students create one short paragraph by defining terms.

Material: The students choose topics of their next speeches and think about the contents before this class.

Steps:
1. Lecture
The teacher explains how to replace a common meaning with a more technical meaning by telling the following examples.
• Example-1: Rhetoric
A teacher of rhetoric might begin an introductory lecture this way:
Many people, when they think about rhetoric, conjure up images of endless political speeches full of bombast and posturing which really don’t end up saying anything. But to the Roman of antiquity, rhetoric was one of the seven liberal arts a set of skills which was not inherently good or inherently bad, but capable of use for good or evil alike.
(Public Speaking by David Zarefsky)
• Example-2: Argument: “Licensed deer hunting is not a bad thing.”
(Defining deer)
The Disney cartoon version of a deer is touching. But the innocent creature portrayed in Bambi is just as inaccurate as Disney’s version of a mouth called Mickey that stands on two feet and wears gloves. To farmers trying to protect their crops, suburbanites trying to grow shrubbery, even nuns trying to tend their garden, overpopulated deer have become large rats with hooves. They eat everything in sight and leave a wake of destruction in their path.
(Public Speaking by David Zarefsky)

2. Activity: Creating a Good Introduction
a. The students choose their partners.
b. The students create introductions for their speech by replacing a common meaning with more technical meaning. They need to write downtheir introduction on pieces of paper.
c. Each student present his/her introduction in front of his/her partner. Partners make comments and suggestions.
d. All students submit their papers.

3. End
a. The teacher summarizes the class.
b. The class is over.

Result: The students learn how to create speeches by defining words.

Emi Nishimoto
Fall 2007

Prove It!

Because it is defined as…

Objective: During this short lesson, students will talk briefly about different types of proof, leading into a discussion over proof by definition. The students will read their own speeches and decided whether they have used this form of proof.

Materials: Students will need a draft of their current persuasive speeches.

Steps:
1. Begin class by talking to the students about the importance of using proof to support claims made in speeches. By giving proof, the audience will be more likely to understand and accept the speaker’s claim.

2. Ask the class to think of different ways to give proof. After taking some examples, tell the students about proof by definition. Proof by definition is exactly what it sounds like- using a definition of a term or concept to provide proof to support a claim. Proof by definition is less disputable than other forms of proof; anybody can go to a dictionary and see that a definition is correct and valid.
An example of proof by definition is: Because leitmotif is defined as a dominant or recurring theme, it is simple to determine that Jane’s numerous movements to new locations in Jane Eyre is a leitmotif.
This sentence includes the claim, as well as proof to support the claim in the form of the definition of leitmotif. If the definition was not provided, students who do not know the meaning of the word would have a harder time accepting this claim. With this example, a person could go on to explain exactly how Jane’s movements become a dominant and recurring theme, thus fully utilizing the definition to prove the point.

3. Ask the students to pull out a draft of their persuasive speeches.

4. Have them first highlight or mark their claims. Then, have them highlight or mark their proof using a different color. Give them about 5-10 minutes to work on this.

5. When they are done, as them if anybody had happened to use proof by definition. If so, ask them if they will read their example aloud to the class.

6. If little or no students have used proof by definition, ask them to think about whether it would help or hinder their speeches. Remind them that it is their decision whether to use it or not. Open up the classroom for discussion and questions.

7. Homework: Read through speeches again and decide if proof by definition would help or hinder the speech. Be ready to present findings to class the next day.

Results: Students will be able to realize proof by definition when they read or hear a speech. They will understand that it can give a speech more credibility and reliability, just as other forms of proof do. If they feel that proof by definition will help their speeches, then they will be able to effectively incorporate it.

Proof by Definition

OBJECTIVE: Students will develop the use of definitions in their speeches so that the audience will have a better understanding of what is being said.

MATERIALS: Handout, Access to media center and/or computers.

STEPS:

1. Assign the handout as reading homework for the lesson.

2. Go over the handout with the class and answer any questions they may have.

3. Cite the example of Bill Clinton when he denied having sexual relations with Monica Lewinski.

4. Have the students find an example of a speech where it would have been helpful if the author had included a definition to clarify information.

RESULT: Students will use definitions in a persuasive speech as proof of their points.

Writing Definitions
A formal definition is based upon a concise, logical pattern that includes as much information as it can within a minimum amount of space. The primary reason to include definitions in your writing is to avoid misunderstanding with your audience. A formal definition consists of three parts.

1. The term (word or phrase) to be defined

2. The class of object or concept to which the term belongs.

3. The differentiating characteristics that distinguish it from all others of its class
For example:
• Water (term) is a liquid (class) made up of molecules of hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio of 2 to 1 (differentiating characteristics).
• Comic books (term) are sequential and narrative publications (class) consisting of illustrations, captions, dialogue balloons, and often focus on super-powered heroes (differentiating characteristics).
• Astronomy (term) is a branch of scientific study (class) primarily concerned with celestial objects inside and outside of the earth’s atmosphere (differentiating characteristics).
Although these examples should illustrate the manner in which the three parts work together, they are not the most realistic cases. Most readers will already be quite familiar with the concepts of water, comic books, and astronomy. For this reason, it is important to know when and why you should include definitions in your writing.

When to Use Definitions
• When your writing contains a term that may be key to audience understanding and that term could likely be unfamiliar to them
“Stellar Wobble is a measurable variation of speed wherein a star’s velocity is shifted by the gravitational pull of a foreign body.”
• When a commonly used word or phrase has layers of subjectivity or evaluation in the way you choose to define it
“Throughout this essay, the term classic gaming will refer specifically to playing video games produced for the Atari, the original Nintendo Entertainment System, and any systems in-between.”
Note: not everyone may define “classic gaming”within this same time span; therefore, it is important to define your terms
• When the etymology (origin and history) of a common word might prove interesting or will help expand upon a point
“Pagan can be traced back to Roman military slang for an incompetent soldier. In this sense, Christians who consider themselves soldiers of Christ are using the term not only to suggest a person’s secular status but also their lack of bravery.’
Additional Tips for Writing Definitions
• Avoid defining with “X is when” and “X is where” statements. These introductory adverb phrases should be avoided. Define a noun with a noun, a verb with a verb, and so forth.
• Do not define a word by mere repetition or merely restating the word.
“Rhyming poetry consists of lines that contain end rhymes.”
Better:
“Rhyming poetry is an artform consisting of lines whose final words consistantly contain identical, final stressed vowel sounds.”
• Define a word in simple and familiar terms. Your definition of an unfamiliar word should not lead your audience towards looking up more words in order to understand your definition.
• Keep the class portion of your definition small but adequate. It should be large enough to include all members of the term you are defining but no larger. Avoid adding personal details to definitions. Although you may think the story about your Grandfather will perfectly encapsulate the concept of stinginess, your audience may fail to relate. Offering personal definitions may only increase the likeliness of misinterpretation that you are trying to avoid.

Information source:
The Owl at Purdue
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/622/01/

Kim Hauschild
Fall 2009

LISTEN TO ME! I Know What I Am Talking About.

Establishing Credibility in an Intro

Objective: After completing the activity, students will be able to adequately establish credibility in the introduction of their speech.

Materials: Handout and two typed introductory statements.

Steps:

Ask for two volunteers from the class, if no students volunteer choose two students at random.
Give each student a small sheet of paper that has an introduction typed one it. Each introduction should be different. One introduction should properly establish credibility and the other should not. Have the students take turns reading their introduction aloud to the class.
After the introductions have been read, the class should describe why each introduction either establishes credibility or does not. Be sure to help the class if they are struggling to distinguish between the good example and the bad example.
Discuss with the class what makes a good introduction and what does not. Be sure to ask the class if they have any questions.

Results: Each student will complete a short handout. The handout is designed to build upon what they learned during this activity as well as giving them time to work on their upcoming speech.

Two introductory statements for activity: (statements from pg 276 of Public Speaking, the 4^th edition by Osborn and Osborn.)

__________________________________________________________________

I was amazed to learn in psychology class that research does not support a strong link between exposure to persuasive communication and behavior. This discovery led me to do more reading on the relationship between advertising and consumer activity. What I found was even more surprising, especially when you consider that, according to the Wall Street Journal, companies were willing to pay 1.3 million dollars for a thirty-second spot commercial during the 1996 Super Bowl telecast.

_________________________________________________________________

The information for my speech comes from my psychology textbook, two articles from the Journal of Applied Psychology, and a feature story in the Wall Street Journal.

Name: _______________________

Write an example of a correct way to establish credibility in an introduction using the information from your upcoming speech. Essentially, you will be prewriting the introduction to your next speech.

Andee Collinson
09/09/09

Establishing Credibility

How to look like you know what you’re talking about

Topic: Establishing Credibility

Objective: After completing this activity, students will be able to establish credibility.

Materials: Each student should have a speech prepared. You will need a “Credibility
Criteria” handout, as described below.

Steps:
1. Start by defining credibility as it relates to public speaking: “Credibility is the
quality or capability to elicit belief. In public speaking, establishing credibility is
vital if your audience is going to accept the information you’re providing and
trust you as a speaker.”

2. Explain how to establish credibility:
a. Appearance: Make sure you are dressed appropriately for the situation. If you are addressing a formal group, wear formal clothes. If you are addressing a casual group. casual clothes are probably fine, but avoid wearing distracting clothes.
b. Confidence: Show your confidence. Make it clear that you understand your topic; your audience will be more likely to believe you. Try your best to avoid appearing nervous or unprepared. Maintain good eye contact.
c. Personal Experience: Share your personal experiences. Showing that you have first-hand knowledge of your topic will help your audience see you know what you’re talking about.
d. Language: Use standard grammar and pronounce all your words correctly. Poor language use can be distracting, and for some implies a breakdown in logic.
e. Evidence: Give plenty of evidence that supports what you’re saying. Using information from credible sources, and verbally citing those sources, enhances your own credibility. Never use false statistics, and make sure the sources you’re citing are credible.

3. Pass out a handout with these criteria listed, and have the students compare it to a speech that they’ve already prepared. Then, have them prepare a list of things they could do to improve their credibility.
Result: After some practice, the students should be able to establish credibility while giving their speeches.

Jon Flanagan
09/26/07