Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses

Speaking assignments in arts and humanities courses (including English, history, religion, philosophy, foreign languages, art history, theater, and music) often require that you interpret the meaning of a particular idea, event, person, story, or artifact. Your art history professor, for example, might ask you to identify the various artistic and historical influences on a sculpture or painting, or an instructor of literature may ask you to explain the theme of a novel or a poem. Some presentations may be performance-based in nature, with students expressing artistic content.

Rather than focusing on quantitative research, presentations in the arts and humanities often rely on your analysis and interpretation of the topic at hand. These interpretations are nonetheless grounded in the conventions of the field and build on the research within it.

Informative Talks of Description and Analysis

Often in the arts and humanities, students prepare informative presentations (see Chapter 23) in which they explain the relevance of a historical or contemporary person or event; a genre or school of philosophical thought; or a piece of literature, music, or art. For example, an art history professor may require students to discuss the artist Bernini’s contribution to St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Presentation aids are often a key part of such presentations; here, audiences would expect to see relevant reproductions and photographs.

Presentations That Compare and Contrast

Another common assignment in arts and humanities courses is to compare and contrast events, stories, people, or artifacts in order to highlight similarities or differences. For example, you might compare two works of literature from different time periods, or two historical figures or works of art. These presentations may be informative or persuasive. Presentations that compare and contrast include the following elements:

  1. Thesis statement outlining the connection between the events, stories, people, or artifacts
  2. Discussion of main points, including several examples that highlight the similarities and differences
  3. Concluding evaluative statement about the comparison (e.g., if the presentation is persuasive, why one piece of literature was more effective than another; if informative, a restatement of similarities and differences)

Classroom Discussions

Many students taking arts and humanities courses must research a question and then lead a classroom discussion on it. For example, a literature student may lead a discussion on Anton Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard. The speaker would be expected to provide a synopsis of the plot, theme, and characters and offer an analysis of the play’s meaning. For directions on leading a discussion, see “Speaking in Education Courses.”

Preparing Effective Arts and Humanities Presentations

Good presentations in the arts and humanities help the audience think of the topic in a new way by providing an original interpretation of it. A presentation on the historical significance of Reconstruction after the Civil War of 1861–1865, for example, will be more effective if you offer a new way of viewing the topic rather than reiterating what other people have said or what is already generally accepted knowledge. A debate on two philosophical ideas will be most effective when you assert issues and arguments that are different from those that the audience has thought of before. Because many speaking events in the arts and humanities call for interpretation, the more original the interpretation (while remaining logical and supported by evidence), the more compelling the presentation will be for the audience.