Urges the inclusion of the speech to stimulate--"epideictic oratory"--as a standard contest category in tournaments. (PD)

Includes a listing of 82 theses and dissertations completed from 1975-1982. (PD)

Based principally on personal observations and on interviews with journalists and Kennedy staff members, this study analyzes the 1980 Kennedy campaign and focuses on (1) communicative considerations that affected the campaign; (2) stylistic characteristics that exemplified Kennedy's rhetorical problems; and (3) rhetorical highlights of two of his…

Examines the work of Hazlitt as a critic of parliamentary oratory. Discusses his standards of rhetorical eloquence and details his critical estimate of parliamentary speaking. Assesses his contribution to the criticism of British public address. (JMF)

Transcript, editorial analysis, and critiques of the National Debate Tournament final debate between teams from Harvard University and Northwestern University are presented. (JMF)

"Leadership for the 90s" trained 21 senior volunteers in "shared-servant" leadership to facilitate peer development in an association. Leaders showed significant improvement in conducting meetings, communicating clearly, speaking in public, and planning effective presentations. (SK)

Investigates how a speaker's expectations about the audience can influence public speaking anxiety and willingness to speak. Indicates that audience characteristics interact with speaking contexts in complex ways but that, in general, audience pleasantness exerts a stronger influence than audience familiarity, with pleasant friends the most…

Considers the correlations between speaker personality traits and reactions to audiences associated with public speaking anxiety. Finds that the global traits of extroversion/introversion, emotional stability, and intellect were significantly correlated with public speaking anxiety and related cognitive and affective reactions to the prospect of…

Applies H.J. Eysenck's theoretical perspective on the development of anxiety to explain audience perceptions of public speakers--specifically the effects of social conditioning, particularly punishment, and the relative conditionability of an individual's nervous system combine to predict behavioral responses to state anxiety. Finds that…

Describes a high school English teacher's community outreach program and its "outsider in society" theme. The teacher matched reading assignments to appropriate community service ventures, ranging from puppet shows to public speaking engagements and work with Alzheimer's patients. Community interactions inspired students to polish and practice…

Presents guidelines for both effective speech practice and control of public speaking anxiety. (MM)

Criticizes educators as the worst users of audio-visual aids and among the worst public speakers. Offers guidelines for the proper use of an overhead projector and the development of transparencies. (DMM)

Examines how visualization compares with placebo procedures in reducing communication apprehension (CA) in public speaking classes. Finds that visualization is an active treatment procedure that reduces CA above and beyond the reduction that can be attributed to the "extra-attention" involved in any treatment process. (MS)