Speaking for Yourself: A Guide for Students

by Barrass; Robert

• ISBN13: 9780415378567
• ISBN10: 0415378567
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-05-25
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

As a student, and in any profession based on your studies, good oral communication skills are essential. It is therefore extremely important to develop your ability to converse, to discuss, to argue persuasively, and to speak in public. This is one reason why, whatever subject you study, you will be encouraged to discuss your work in seminars and you will have opportunities to give short talks or presentations. Most people probably take for granted their ability to speak; not thinking much about it until the have to address an audience, or attend an important interview. However, just as your first impressions of other people are based on how they look and how they speak - so are their impressions of you. In every conversation, as well as when you give a talk or presentation, or are interviewed, you are not only conveying information about the subject being discussed but also presenting yourself. "Speaking for Yourself" provides clear, straightforward advice that will help you: Be a good listener Express yourself clearly and persuasively Contribute effectively to discussions Prepare talks or presentations Prepare effective visual aids Deliver effective presentations Perform well in interviews In short, it will help you to express your thoughts clearly and persuasively - and so to achieve your short and medium-term goals as a student, and your career goals.

Table of Contents

List of figures and tables	xi
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xv
Speaking for yourself	1	(15)
How you speak	3	(5)
Be brief	4	(1)
Be clear	4	(2)
Be sincere	6	(1)
Be polite	7	(1)
What you say	8	(3)
Be accurate	8	(2)
Be appropriate	10	(1)
What you do	11	(1)
Improve your performance	11	(5)
Use standard English: a world language	11	(3)
Reflect on the importance of good oral communication skills	14	(2)
Conversing	16	(10)
Active listening	17	(2)
Be attentive	18	(1)
Speaking	19	(2)
Be responsive	19	(2)
Improve your performance	21	(2)
Take opportunities to converse	21	(1)
Know what you are trying to achieve	21	(1)
Organise your thoughts	22	(1)
Distinguish between facts and speculation	23	(1)
Keep good records	24	(2)
Discussing your work	26	(22)
Asking questions	26	(2)
Asking questions in lectures and seminars	27	(1)
Getting the most out of group work	28	(10)
Tutorials	29	(1)
Seminars	29	(6)
Self-help groups	35	(2)
Teamwork	37	(1)
Arguing a case	38	(3)
Be forceful	39	(1)
Be persuasive	40	(1)
Be precise	41	(1)
Disagreeing without causing offence	41	(2)
Improve your performance	43	(5)
Assessing your performance	43	(1)
Serving on a committee	44	(1)
Recording lines of communication	45	(1)
Video conferencing	45	(2)
Preparing a poster presentation	47	(1)
Choosing the right word	48	(24)
Use the right word	48	(5)
Some words that many people confuse	48	(2)
Other words that many people misuse	50	(3)
Keep it simple	53	(1)
Avoid grandiloquence	53	(1)
Improve your performance	54	(3)
Use a dictionary	54	(1)
Choose words with care	55	(1)
Avoid specialist terms	55	(1)
Avoid abbreviations, contractions and acronyms	56	(1)
Using words effectively	57	(1)
Say what you mean	57	(3)
The position of a word	57	(2)
Repeat a word if it is the right word	59	(1)
Emphasise important points	60	(1)
Express your own thoughts	61	(1)
Use only necessary words	62	(8)
Reasons for verbosity	66	(4)
Use comment words and connecting words	70	(1)
Improve your performance	70	(2)
Editing the work of others	70	(1)
Writing precis and summaries	71	(1)
Listening to yourself	71	(1)
Preparing a talk or presentation	72	(19)
Think	73	(1)
Decide what your audience needs to know	73	(1)
Plan	74	(8)
Design your message to suit your purpose	74	(1)
Consider the differences between speaking and writing	74	(2)
Communicate your purpose	76	(1)
Do you need any audio-visual aids?	77	(2)
Do you need any handouts?	79	(1)
Interest your audience	80	(2)
Any questions?	82	(1)
Write	82	(2)
Write all you plan to say in full	83	(1)
Prepare to speak from notes	83	(1)
Check	84	(1)
Rehearse your talk	84	(1)
Revise your notes for your talk	85	(1)
Improve your performance	85	(6)
Using a computer when preparing a talk or presentation	85	(2)
Practising speaking in a group	87	(1)
Learning from experts	88	(1)
Avoiding stress	89	(2)
Preparing visual aids	91	(9)
Some basic advice	91	(4)
Preparing to use a chalkboard, a marker-board or a flip chart	95	(2)
Preparing to use an overhead projector	97	(1)
Preparing to use a slide projector or a liquid crystal display projector	98	(2)
Speaking to an audience	100	(14)
Delivering a talk or presentation	100	(6)
Before you begin	100	(1)
Start your stop watch	101	(1)
Make sure everyone knows your name	101	(1)
Speak so that everyone hears every word	101	(1)
Say what you are going to talk about	102	(1)
Maintain the momentum	102	(1)
Use your notes as reminders	102	(1)
Keep everyone interested	102	(1)
Provide handouts only when you need them: not before	103	(1)
Allow people time to study each visual aid	104	(1)
Do not display one visual aid when talking about another	104	(1)
Speak only when facing your audience	104	(1)
End effectively	105	(1)
Ask questions	105	(1)
Answer questions	105	(1)
Finish on time	106	(1)
Leading a discussion	106	(3)
Be prepared	106	(2)
Question	108	(1)
Summarise	109	(1)
Improve your performance	109	(5)
Prepare a set of instructions	109	(1)
Assess your own performance	110	(1)
Feedback forms	111	(3)
Finding information	114	(11)
Sources of information	114	(7)
Dictionaries	114	(1)
Encyclopaedias	115	(1)
Handbooks	115	(1)
Standards	115	(1)
Directories	116	(1)
Books	116	(1)
Reviews	117	(1)
Specialist journals	117	(1)
The Internet	118	(2)
Other sources of information available in libraries	120	(1)
Improve your performance	121	(4)
Read to some purpose	121	(1)
Make notes as you read	121	(2)
Cite sources of information	123	(2)
Speaking in an interview	125	(8)
Selection interviews	125	(6)
Choosing a college or university course	125	(1)
Applying for vacation employment or for a permanent post	126	(1)
Being interviewed	127	(4)
Taking an oral examination	131	(1)
Counselling	132	(1)
Bibliography	133	(3)
Index	136