Chapter 15 Review

“Effective mediated public speaking offers a new world of challenges and opportunities.”

In this chapter, we examined mediated public speaking, in which a message is transmitted through an electronic or a mechanical medium. We contrasted mediated communication with face-to-face (F2F) communication. Although mediated communications do not have the immediacy of F2F communications, they offer several advantages and are used increasingly in schools and the workplace. They fall into one of two categories—prerecorded presentations and real-time presentations.

Some of the advantages of all mediated presentations are flexibility, savings, and audience size. Prerecorded advantages include do-overs, pause and rewind buttons, and the ability to save. Real-time advantages include audience feedback, audience interaction, and the option to save. Due to the loss of naturalness in mediated presentations, there are also some challenges to meet, including loss of immediacy, decreased nonverbal communication, diminished feedback, and difficulty managing distractions. Still, there are ways to combat these challenges—by optimizing delivery methods (voice, eye contact, movement, and gestures) and adapting your message appropriately (focusing on building common ground and keeping audience members engaged). It’s also important to practice a mediated speech beforehand.

When recording a presentation, you should consider choice of camera, setting/background, attire, and camera positioning. For real-time presentations, keep in mind the following suggestions: practice with your equipment to make sure it works, select a robust Internet connection, use group chat/video and screen sharing, create opportunities for audience interaction, and solicit feedback through an alternative medium.

Page 464

Key Terms

mediated communication 436

prerecorded (asynchronous) presentation 439

real-time (synchronous) presentation 439

naturalness 444

multitasking 447

takeaway 452

Review Questions

1. Question

   Define mediated public speaking, and provide three examples of situations in which a mediated presentation might be used.

   Define mediated public speaking, and provide three examples of situations in which a mediated presentation might be used.

2. Question

   Name and define the two major categories of mediated presentations.

3. Question

   Identify three advantages of mediated presentations.

4. Question

   Define naturalness, and explain the challenges speakers face when not presenting in a face-to-face situation.

   Define naturalness, and explain the challenges speakers face when not presenting in a face-to-face situation.

5. Question

   Identify three things to keep in mind for effective delivery of mediated presentations.

6. Question

   Name four ways of keeping your audience engaged during a mediated presentation.

7. Question

   Name three tips for practicing the delivery and recording of a prerecorded speech.

8. Page 465

   Question

   Explain how the background for a prerecorded speech should look.

9. Question

   Explain the advantages of group chat/video or screen sharing in a real-time mediated presentation.

   Explain the advantages of group chat/video or screen sharing in a real-time mediated presentation.

Critical Thinking Questions

1. Question

   Will mediated public speaking ever replace face-to-face speeches as the preferred format for presentations? Explain your answer.

   Will mediated public speaking ever replace face-to-face speeches as the preferred format for presentations? Explain your answer.

2. Question

   Some colleges have created courses in which all lectures are presented online. Does this format improve the quality of education? Why or why not?

3. Question

   You have been assigned to videotape a presentation for your class, and you have three choices for locations—the campus study lounge, your apartment, or the campus bar. The campus study lounge may be occupied by students who are prepping for final exams, your apartment has stains on the carpet and the sofa, and the campus bar (where you work) will be moderately empty when it opens a little before lunchtime. Which location would you choose, and why?

   You have been assigned to videotape a presentation for your class, and you have three choices for locations—the campus study lounge, your apartment, or the campus bar. The campus study lounge may be occupied by students who are prepping for final exams, your apartment has stains on the carpet and the sofa, and the campus bar (where you work) will be moderately empty when it opens a little before lunchtime. Which location would you choose, and why?

Activities

1. Question

   Working individually or in groups, prepare a plan to prerecord a speech. Include the type of camera, setting and background, speaker’s attire, and camera positioning.

   Chapter 15 - Activity Question 1

2. Question

   Look at the illustration on page 458. How would you redraw this picture to correct the three camera operators? What should each person do differently?

   Chapter 15 - Activity Question 2

3. Question

   Video Activity 15.4: “Gentz, My Hero, Marilyn Hamilton.” Watch Lillian Gentz’s speech. How does the limited view of the speaker make it difficult to observe all of her nonverbal communication? Her presentation aids? If you were the camera operator, what changes would you make in recording Gentz’s presentation?

   Chapter 15 - Activity Question 3