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Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 11th edition

Published by Pearson (January 2, 2020) © 2021

  • Steven A. Beebe Texas State University - San Marcos
  • Susan J. Beebe Texas State University - San Marcos

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For courses in Public Speaking.

A guide to preparing and presenting speeches with the listener in mind

Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach is a practical, user-friendly guide to help speakers connect with their listeners. Authors Steven and Susan Beebe emphasize the importance of considering the audience at every point in the speech-making process. By focusing student attention on the dynamics of diverse audiences, ethics and communication apprehension, the text prepares students for giving speeches while keeping their listeners foremost in mind.

The 11th Edition offers updated content that helps students better understand contemporary communication opportunities and challenges.

Hallmark features of this title

  • A Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety in Chapter 1 helps students conquer communication apprehension. It enables students to assess their confidence level, receive their score immediately and continue reading about how to improve speaking anxiety.
  • Chapter-opening learning objectives guide students on how to approach the chapter. They reappear at key points in the chapter to help students stay on track.
  • A Study Guide at the end of each chapter revisits the learning objectives and key terms, and guides students to think critically about chapter concepts and related ethical issues.
  • Coverage of ethical and diverse speaking is integrated throughout the text to stress that these issues are an essential part of being an audience-centered speaker.

New and updated features of this title

  • UPDATED: Refreshed speech examples throughout the text provide readers with a variety of positive models of effective speeches about modern and relevant modern topics.
  • UPDATED: Developing Your Speech Step by Step boxes provide students with extended examples of how to implement audience-centered speechmaking concepts.
  • NEW: Examples and illustrations provide classic and contemporary models of both well-known and student speeches to help students master the art of public speaking.
  • REVISED: An audience-centered model of public speaking appears throughout the text to remind students of the steps involved in speech preparation and delivery, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of considering the audience.
  • NEW: An appendix on mediated public speaking guides students through appropriate online communication given the rapid growth of technology that has changed the way we interact today.
  • NEW: Public Speaking Today features in each chapter explore contemporary digital trends and potential technology roadblocks in public speaking, such as identifying fake news, preparing a podcast, speaking well asynchronously and more.

Features of Revel for the 11th Edition

  • NEW: Videos embedded throughout the narrative boost mastery. Many videos are bundled with corresponding self-checks to enable students to test their knowledge. New topics include:
    • capturing an online audience
    • podcasting
    • presenting a great toast
  • NEW: TED Talk videos keep learning relatable and current, centering on topics such as the concept of a “single story,” unconscious bias and selecting the right speech topic.
  • Audio excerpts throughout the text highlight effective speech examples and reinforce learning. Students can listen to audio clips while they read, which brings examples to life in a way that a printed text cannot.
  1. Speaking With Confidence
    • 1.1 What is Public Speaking?
    • 1.2 Why Study Public Speaking?
    • 1.3 The Rich Heritage of Public Speaking
    • 1.4 The Communication Process
    • 1.5 Improving Your Confidence as a Speaker
  2. Presenting Your First Speech
    • 2.1 Consider Your Audience
    • 2.2 The Audience-Centered Speechmaking Process
  3. Speaking Freely and Ethically
    • 3.1 Speaking Freely
    • 3.2 Speaking Ethically
    • 3.3 Speaking Credibly
  4. Listening to Speeches
    • 4.1 Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening
    • 4.2 How to Become a Better Listener
    • 4.3 Improving Critical Listening and Thinking Skills
    • 4.4 Analyzing and Evaluating Speeches
  5. Analyzing Your Audience
    • 5.1 Gathering Information about Your Audience
    • 5.2 Analyzing Information about Your Audience
    • 5.3 Adapting to Your Audience
    • 5.4 Analyzing Your Audience before You Speak
    • 5.5 Adapting to Your Audience as You Speak
    • 5.6 Analyzing Your Audience after You Speak
  6. Developing Your Speech
    • 6.1 Select and Narrow Your Topic
    • 6.2 Determine Your Purpose
    • 6.3 Develop Your Central Idea
    • 6.4 Generate and Preview Your Main Ideas
  7. Gathering and Using Supporting Material
    • 7.1 Sources of Supporting Material
    • 7.2 Research Strategies
    • 7.3 Types of Supporting Material
    • 7.4 The Best Supporting Material
  8. Organizing and Outlining Your Speech
    • 8.1 Organizing Your Main Ideas
    • 8.2 Organizing Your Supporting Material
    • 8.3 Organizing Your Presentation for the Ears of Others: Signposting
    • 8.4 Outlining Your Speech
  9. Introducing and Concluding Your Speech
    • 9.1 Purposes of Introductions
    • 9.2 Effective Introductions
    • 9.3 Purposes of Conclusions
    • 9.4 Effective Conclusions
  10. Using Words Well: Speaker Language and Style
    • 10.1 Differentiating Oral and Written Language Styles
    • 10.2 Using Words Effectively
    • 10.3 Adapting Your Language Style to Diverse Listeners
    • 10.4 Crafting Memorable Word Structures
  11. Delivering Your Speech
    • 11.1 The Power of Speech Delivery
    • 11.2 Methods of Delivery
    • 11.3 Characteristics of Effective Delivery
    • 11.4 Rehearsing Your Speech: Some Final Tips
    • 11.5 Delivering Your Speech
    • 11.6 Responding to Questions
  12. Using Presentation Aids
    • 12.1 Types of Presentation Aids
    • 12.2 Using Computer-Generated Presentation Aids
    • 12.3 Guidelines for Developing Presentation Aids
    • 12.4 Guidelines for Using Presentation Aids
  13. Speaking to Inform
    • 13.1 Informative Speech Topics
    • 13.2 Strategies to Enhance Audience Understanding
    • 13.3 Strategies to Maintain Audience Interest
    • 13.4 Strategies to Enhance Audience Recall
    • 13.5 Developing an Audience-Centered Informative Speech
  14. Understanding Principles of Persuasive Speaking
    • 14.1 The Goals of Persuasion
    • 14.2 How Persuasion Works
    • 14.3 How to Motivate Listeners
    • 14.4 How to Develop Your Audience-Centered Persuasive Speech
  15. Using Persuasive Strategies
    • 15.1 Enhancing Your Credibility
    • 15.2 Using Reasoning and Evidence
    • 15.3 Using Emotional Appeals
    • 15.4 Strategies for Adapting Ideas to People and People to Ideas
    • 15.5 Strategies for Organizing Persuasive Messages
  16. Speaking for Special Occasions and Purposes
    • 16.1 Public Speaking in the Workplace
    • 16.2 Ceremonial Speaking
    • 16.3 After-Dinner Speaking: Using Humor Effectively

APPENDICES

  1. Speaking in Small Groups
    1. Solving Problems in Groups and Teams
    2. Leading Small Groups
  2. Mediated Public Speaking
    1. Mediated Communication: An Introduction
    2. Types of Online Presentations
    3. Audience
    4. Preparing for Your Online Presentation
    5. Rehearsing Your Online Presentation
    6. Delivering or Recording Your Online Presentation
    7. Online Etiquette: Digital Citizenship
  3. Speeches for Analysis and Discussion
    1. I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Jr.
    2. Inaugural Address: John F. Kennedy
    3. Address to the Nation: George W. Bush
    4. Audio and Video Manipulation: Suchinder Kalyan

About our authors

Steven A. Beebe is Regents' and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas State University. He served as Chair of his department at Texas State for 28 years and concurrently as Associate Dean for 25 years. Steve is the author or co-author of 12 widely used communication books, most of which have been through multiple editions (including Russian and Chinese editions), as well as numerous articles, book chapters and conference presentations. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He made international headlines when conducting research at Oxford; he discovered a manuscript that was the partial opening chapter of a book that was to be co-authored with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis called Language and Human Nature. His book C. S. and the Craft of Communication, based on his Lewis discovery, has recently been published. Steve has traveled widely in Europe and Asia, and has played a leadership role in establishing new communication curricula in Russian universities. He has received his university's highest awards for research and twice for service, been recognized as Honors Professor of the year, received the Evertte Swinney Excellence in Teaching Award twice, been designated a Piper Professor by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, and was named Outstanding Communication Professor by the National Speaker's Association. In 2013 he served as President of the National Communication Association, the largest professional communication association in the world. His passions include his family and a lifelong love of music; he is a pianist and organist and a struggling cellist.

Susan J. Beebe's professional interests and expertise encompass both oral and written communication. Sue has co-authored 3 books and has published a number of articles and teaching materials in both English and communication studies. She has received the Texas State University Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Service and the College of Liberal Arts Awards for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, in Teaching, and in Service. After serving as Director of Lower-Division Studies in English for 11 years, Sue retired in 2014 from the Department of English at Texas State. An active volunteer in the community of San Marcos, Texas, Sue was the founding coordinator of the San Marcos Volunteers in Public Schools Program and has served on the San Marcos School Board, the Education Foundation Board, and the San Marcos Lifelong Learning Advisory Committee. In 1993 she was named the statewide Friend of Education by the Texas Classroom Teachers' Association; in 2000 the San Marcos school district presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Sue enjoys reading, traveling, and caring for the Beebe family cat, Luke. Sue and Steve have two sons: Mark, a marketing manager for a Dallas security technology company; and Matt, a middle school teacher in Austin.

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