Finds that instructors of the basic public speaking course are treating students with communication apprehension (CA) during regular class time by concentrating on a skills training approach to teach the necessary speaking skills; creating a supportive and positive classroom environment; recognizing students' CA as normal; and using teaching…

The history of the basic course in speech communication in college shows that it has maintained a continued emphasis on public speaking and that change has been slow. A review of the literature revealed that the course has been typically viewed as a public speaking course taught in self-contained sections with one instructor responsible for…

Offers a brief history of the teaching of expository discourse. Defines explanatory speaking, identifying its relation to informative speech. Presents a pedagogy for explanatory speaking, built on the classical rhetorical tradition and contemporary research. Describes implications for teacher training, student study skills, and assessment of…

This paper examines the impact of traditional and accelerated public speaking instruction on undergraduate-level students' self-perceptions of communication apprehension and self-esteem. Subjects, students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs were enrolled in the same semester in either a 16-week traditional public speaking course…

A study investigated the effectiveness of subliminal techniques (such as tape recorded programs) for improving public speaking ability. It was hypothesized that students who used subliminal tapes to improve public speaking ability would perform no differently from classmates who listened to identical-sounding placebo tape programs containing no…

A study was conducted to determine whether significant public speaking anxiety is present in an adult elective speech course and to determine whether speech anxiety can be lowered with the use of post-speech conferences. Subjects were 74 undergraduate students enrolled in four sections of a night elective course in public speaking. The Personal…

Examines four methods of instruction to teach public speaking students how to use visual aids effectively in their speeches: oral lectures, written handouts, demonstration lectures, and multi-media demonstration lectures. Found that demonstration lectures are the most effective method of instruction and written handouts the least effective. (PD)

A study examined the effects of controlling situational factors (i.e., instructional interventions) on reducing state anxiety level of low and high public speaking apprehensives. Subjects were 306 undergraduates enrolled in the basic public speaking course at a midwestern university during the 1988-1989 academic year. Situational factors tested…

Describes the use of the Communication Anxiety Graph (CAG) to help students trace the pattern of their anxiety when making a speech. Also reports the results of a study using the CAG. Provides advice for student speakers based on when their anxiety peak may occur. (PD)

Many speech communication educators and researchers look upon Dale Carnegie's public speaking course with derision for its methods as well as its motives. A comparison of Carnegie's course with university courses in speech communication reveals a number of differences between the two, which in part explains this attitude. Carnegie began his course…

St. Louis Community College-Meramec (SLCC-Meramec) is a metropolitan community college offering associate degrees, transfer, and certificate programs. Because of an anticipated increase in public speaking enrollment, the Communications Department Chair at SLCC-Meramec wanted to upgrade and improve the public speaking course content and…

Defining basic speech communication courses as those public speaking, interpersonal, or communication courses that treat fundamental communication concepts, this annotated bibliography reflects the current thought of speech educators on the basic course. The bibliography consists of 27 citations, all of which are drawn from the ERIC database. (SKC)