Chapter 1: The Basics of Public Speaking

After reading this chapter, the student will be able to:

• Define public speaking, channel, feedback, noise, encode, decode, symbol, denotative, and connotative;
• Explain what distinguishes public speaking from other modes of communication;
• List the elements of the communication process;
• Explain the origins of anxiety in public speaking;
• Apply some strategies for dealing with personal anxiety about public speaking;
• Discuss why public speaking is part of the curriculum at this college and important in personal and professional life.