Truth revelation procedures are evaluated according to various normative criteria. The authors find the concepts of false conviction and false acquittal more adequate for such evaluation than the conformity with the rule of law and apply a useful classification of truth revelation procedures into incentive-based (ITRs) and evidence-based ones…

Objective: To allow students an opportunity to speak publicly on the first day of class while becoming familiar with fellow students. The activity encourages students to examine the perceptions and stereotypes they have about one another by blindly guessing certain characteristics about their partner. By participating in the exercise, students…

Noting that fear of public speaking is the most common fear shared by people of all types, this book offers practical, easy-to-follow strategies for confident and effective public speaking. The book discusses the following aspects of public speaking: (1) what to talk about; (2) how to research a topic; (3) how to organize a speech; (4) how to keep…

With "adventure-based" learning, instructors present activities in a way that allows the group to develop its own abilities, with guidance from the instructor when appropriate. Adventure-based learning activities (which emphasize the importance of play) lend themselves to inclusion in the basic speech communication course, particularly…

This volume compiles more than 230 noteworthy speeches delivered by over 130 prominent African, Asian, Native, and Hispanic Americans from the late 1700s through 1995. In bringing together these speeches, "Voices of Multicultural America" brings to life the people and events surrounding each speech with narratives that give the…

A study on basic speech assessment replicated an earlier one except that in place of the CCAI and the Competent Speaker form, the Self-Perceived Public Speaking Competency Scale (SPPSC) was used. Also, 2 randomly selected control groups of students were added to the research design: one consisting of 62 students who had not taken speech and were…

This paper discusses the extent to which epideictic speaking is treated in communication skills courses in the discipline. Noting that the genre receives little emphasis in textbooks and basic courses in the field, the paper questions whether students are being optimally served by current pedagogical practices. The paper first summarizes…

A study examined what critiques, if any, encourage debaters to think about their debating in the most productive ways. It evaluated oral critiques and revealed decisions as components in influencing the debaters'"self-talk" or internal dialogues as the more important messages. The study used R. Petty and J. Cacioppo's (1986) elaboration…

English instructors working towards diversifying the curriculum, increasing multicultural discussions in the classroom, and encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to awakening consciousness can learn much from their students' interest in popular music. MTV and VH1 have special significance for students and can be easily incorporated into a…

While speech instructors work to design appropriate diversity goals in the public speaking class, few have the training for such a task. A review of course objectives and assignments for the basic course may be helpful. Suggestions for instructors working to incorporate diversity in the basic course include: (1) recognize the dominance of the…

This paper presents a view of traditional American Indian public speaking styles to students studying modern Indian diplomatic talk. A transcription of a talk given by the Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz provides an example of careful political speaking in the traditional tribal style. A culture which is typically oral, rather than…

An examination of audience analysis factors in representative communication textbooks indicates that current pedagogical applications are broadly categorized into demographic and dispositional properties. The adaptation of constructivist theory to audience analysis can give speech students reasons why the speaker-audience relationship is as it is.…

Debate educators have been concerned about the disadvantages of tournament debating. While student debaters have learned critical thinking, research, writing, public speaking, and other skills, some former participants feel the experience left them too argumentative generally. Some scholars favor moving away from formal debating contests. A…

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…

Forensics educators should explore the implications of feminism for debate pedagogy and practice. First, the inclusion of feminist perspectives is directly related to the pedagogical goals of solving the problem of women's participation in debate and of accomplishing the task of enabling debate coaches and student debaters to become competent,…