Advanced Public Speaking

Reviewed by Ron St John, Assistant Professor of Speech, University of Hawaii Maui College on 12/12/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This content of the text includes comprehensive information for all areas and ideas of public speaking that would help anyone succeed in a Speech course and public speaking situations in life. There is no index, however, there is a robust search engine for the entire book. There is no glossary; however, in most browsers, you can highlight a word and right-click on it to look up the meaning of the word. There is a “Classroom Activities and Additional Resources” section, after the main sections of the text, that includes 22 subsections. The subsections provide a wealth of information, activities, YouTube videos, and a variety of resources to help readers effectively prepare, practice, and present superior speeches. There are YouTube samples throughout the Resources section that will be helpful to new learners who are accustomed to viewing digital examples.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content is accurate throughout for most readers. There are some sections that I would revise and include different information. Most readers may perceive these sections as accurate and consistent with popular beliefs and strategies, however, I do not think that they are literal, and in close alignment with the logic in the rest of the text. There are some minor errors in the text. I believe that the author of the text presents unbiased information and activities that will help readers, from any walk of life, improve their public speaking and communication skills. Most of the activities are geared toward face-to-face classes and could be easily adapted to Zoom and online classes. There are some alternative activities for synchronous and asynchronous distance education classes. Perhaps more alternative activities that can be easily used in synchronous and asynchronous courses are in the works for the next edition.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up-to-date and includes the fundamentals of public speaking, which are identified and explained with current, and historical information, demonstrating the relevancy of the text, and the longevity of the information. Many of the examples in the text are current and could be easily updated to reflect changes in the times and mediums used to communicate. There are YouTube videos throughout the text that I am sure could be easily updated, replaced, or deleted if the relevance or timeliness of the video has waned.

Clarity rating: 5

This is a clear, engaging text, composed in a dynamic and well-written manner. This text is a real “scroller” (page-turner). When Communication and Public Speaking terminologies are used in the text, there are clear explanations, parenthetical explanations and examples (right after the concepts that some readers may need to understand the information), and specific examples are provided throughout the text. Some of the examples are in YouTube videos with clear explanations of the key takeaways from the videos and examples of how the reader can apply the information. The text and additional resources are reader-centered.

Consistency rating: 5

The content of the text is internally consistent throughout. The sections/chapters are composed consistently throughout the text. After reading sections “1.” and “2.” the reader should be able to easily identify the consistent layout of the text and expect the same layout for all other sections throughout the text. Consistent terminology is used throughout the text, and the author has identified terms that may not be familiar to some students, by explaining the terminology and providing parenthetical explanations and examples throughout the text. The Framework is consistent throughout the text. There are textboxes throughout the text with examples and explanations about key ideas and concepts that help the readers understand, learn, and even apply the information to situations in their lives.

Modularity rating: 5

This text is organized into six major sections that are divided into small chapters/sections that are relevant and aligned to the concerns and questions students have at the beginning of a public speaking class and throughout the class. The chapters/sections include engaging headings that direct and guide the reader through the section, with subheadings for each sub-section. The organization of the text aligns with the progression of basic public speaking courses and guides students through the natural process of learning and developing public speaking skills and strategies. The text includes subunits that prepare the reader for the next section. The text is reader-centered throughout.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics, concepts, and fundamentals of speech are presented logically and clearly. I can tell that the organization of the text and the sections was done by someone who actually teaches speech classes to students. The author has identified the best way to scaffold the information to help readers understand new concepts and build on previous knowledge as they are learning, developing, and practicing public speaking skills. As a speech instructor for over 30 years, this is one of the first texts that I have encountered that is organized in the same order that I present the information to students in my classes. The author has included internal previews and summaries for sections and subsections to aid the reader and help them flow into the next sections, subsections, ideas, and concepts so that they may better understand and learn the content in a logical progression. The author included “Key Takeaways” Boxes at the end of each section to help the reader identify the most important key ideas from each section. This is valuable for the readers who are just skimming through the section and see something in the Key Takeaways that they may want to go back and review. There is also a detailed “References” section at the end of each section to identify the outside sources used in the section.

Interface rating: 5

The text is easy to navigate with “breadcrumb” hyperlinks, for the Previous chapter/section and the Next chapter/section, at the bottom of the browser, which is accessible at all times from any page. All images and charts are crystal clear. Throughout the text, videos are embedded in the pages that can be watched in the text, in a viewer, or in YouTube. I am sure that these videos can be easily updated and changed if they lose their appeal, become outdated, or are no longer available.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

I can see that the author has spent countless hours on this text, and I know that it is challenging to find small justification, grammatical, and spelling errors. Unfortunately, to the chagrin of my students and anyone else whose work I am reviewing, I am cursed with the skill of having been a professional proofreader for a large printing and graphics design operation before grammar check, spell check, computers, or any other conveniences of modern-day lithography and graphics design. I am an extremely slow reader because I read every single word (and often aloud). In this text, I have found some justification and grammatical errors. Some are more glaring than others. Some are minor errors that go unnoticed and don’t affect the content or the readability of the text. For me, one error did create a pause in reading the text. So much so that I wanted to contact the author to let her know. Conveniently, there was a way to contact her at the end of every section. So I contacted the author, Lynn Meade, with the Instant Feedback Google Form at the end of the chapter/section. I am hoping that she addresses this concern or contacts me. Maybe it is not even an error, and I am not seeing the correct context of the information. I would gladly offer, free of charge, my proofreading services to the author.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Incorporated and integrated into this text are inclusive examples and explanations of how “Culture Makes a Difference.” There is an excellent explanation in one section of “Individualism vs Collectivism” and “High vs Low Context” cultures which are the basics of understanding cultural diversity and how culture can make a difference in the way we communicate with each other. Thank you for including this important and concise explanation of cultures.

Comments

This is an excellent text that I definitely plan on adopting for my speech and communication courses. I know that this text will engage my students and help them to improve their public speaking and communication skills. The fact that this is a Creative Commons zero-cost textbook is even better. The “Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.” sections that the author has at the end of each chapter/section demonstrates her desire to get the feedback and put it back into the text and create a “living version of the text.” is awesome. This is an excellent idea, and I will absolutely include this in my Creative Commons text. The feedback is collected in Google Forms which is a great way to collect feedback. I will even use this type of reader/student feedback in my Learning Management System sections and modules for all of my courses. Thank you to the author for sharing this excellent idea.

Reviewed by Danielle Hartman, Adjunct Instructor, University of Mary Washington on 6/10/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book covers a lot of the various content areas in a comprehensive manner on the topic for novices, students with experience already, and for instructors. Some areas are not or rarely covered in other texts on public speaking. Some areas would have liked to see a little more information on such as DEI and online presentations. The Table of Contents is very helpful but there is no index.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content is accurate and in some areas where there is debate it discussed the pros and cons of each side. Sometimes the author will indicate which side they recommend and others not, eliciting clear preferences or unbiased information.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text uses very recent information and examples throughout. The pandemic and social justice movements since 2020 have had a significant impact on how presentations are done and inclusion efforts within public speaking and the text does a good job addressing these changes.

Clarity rating: 5

All terminology is clearly explained and in a very relatable and inclusive manner for novice and advanced speakers as well as instructors.

Consistency rating: 5

The text uses consistent terminology and structure throughout. It also indicates as needed to reference past chapters or sections or if something will be covered in more depth later on.

Modularity rating: 5

The text has clear sections making it easy for busy students and instructors to pick up and return to if they only have a few minutes at a time to read. It is written in a very conversational tone making it easy to retain information and sections are an appropriate length for attention spans.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text has very clear and consistent organization. The organization makes logical sense even though it differs from other public speaking texts (for example addressing the nervousness and fear of public speaking is not at the beginning but in part 2). The text's structure allows students to go from their of idea generation and writing through the process as they experience, removing the initial focus of fear and hopefully this would help many students re-frame their initial impression of public speaking.

Interface rating: 4

It is very easy to see and navigate through. The only issue I encountered was some charts in the PDF version are sideways so for those who download to have access offline would have a few pages that way.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are a few typos but very minor.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text does a good job being inclusive and diverse in terms of content as well as how speakers should work to do the same in their presentations and have good DEI. I would like to see a little more, particularly on accessibility.

Comments

Overall a fantastic and unique text on public speaking. At first the length seems daunting which may deter some students initially, but it reads well and quickly. The activities are beneficial and well connected to the topic throughout the text. It is a welcoming and inviting text making this subject and the act of public speaking less formidable.

Reviewed by Maryan Ali, Advanced Public Speaking (BETA), Howard University on 1/1/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book is comprehensive and covers a wide range of topics; it is compatible with the 21st-century audience because it has memories videos of real people and real-world scenarios from ordinary people to presidential speeches. The author made a great deal of effort to present diverse examples of all types of speeches. I enjoyed reading and listening the presenters.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

This book's content is excellent; it has diverse worldwide presenters who address global, domestic, national, and personal perspectives quite powerfully. The ideas of the people were accurate though it was not error-free. For instance, in the reported presentations, there are some errors due to punctuations. For instance, this book provides the tools to build or create beyond acceptable speech. As the author Lynn Meade mentions, it is about transforming the world.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text was relevant to the central idea, thoughtful, and resourceful. Therefore, a future update or edition is possible. For example, in making the World Better Place, Lynn Mead (author) addresses how we have a power in us that can transform the world if we utilize it. Otherwise, it will limit or diminish our ideas. For example, the book teaches public speaking, provides activities for students, and shows real people's speeches. These video clips and links are tremendously helping students understand certain aspects of speech clearly. Another example is how 16th-year-old Greta Thunberg addressed the United Nations Climate Action Summit. She stood up for her generation by articulating the effects of climate change on them and how the UN was not taking severe or mitigating the matter.

Clarity rating: 4

This book made technical terminologies easy to understand in context and definitions. It is a unique fact that the author made this book open and available to educators, students, other individuals in the US and around the world. In this book, Lynn Meade discussed and encouraged the importance of public speaking and how to approach it. For example, he made the idea so what who cares irrelevant by explaining the importance of caring about your audience and knowing what they need from the presenter, engaging and presenting the thoughtful, clear, and concise speech. For example, the book explained the meaning of the phrases, such as "mind the gap," which lets the people taking the subway in London watch out for the cracks between the platform and the train.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is pretty consistent with the communicative terminology and the framework. It employed countless sources of powerful speeches from the TED Talks to United Nations, each catered to its target audience, whether it was political changes, addressing natural phenomena, civil rights, and so on. For instance, The author articulated how to avoid random words while speaking in front of the audience. He concluded four remarks that transform one's speech:
Avoiding nervousness.
Designing content
Delivery mechanism
The audience's perception of your message.

Modularity rating: 5

The author did a great job dividing and subdividing small sections with the same central related ideas or topics. Therefore, the writer organized in a small, interconnected, engaging reader rather than disrupting. The book demonstrated speeches, such as informing, persuading, inspiring, motivating, or presenting a new idea or product. In addition, the author explored how each individual can utilize their potential, whether it is for job interviews, graduation ceremonies, business pitches, etc.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book content is bulky yet is organized and touches diverse aspects of public speaking in a sense that teaches interactively, practically, and theoretically encourages learners. The idea flows throughout the book along with the relevant video clips of that particular topic. For example, the author utilizes a scenario to demonstrate how to get an idea, "Moving the Cheese Out of the Way So You Can Find Your Best Ideas." In addition, Lynn Meade presented a picture of food in a refrigerator, which helps the reader visualize and vividly remember this idea better.

Interface rating: 4

This book does not have any visible distortion or interface issues. The author organized the topics on the content page and, when clicked, displays the subject and its subtopics, so I have not come across significant issues navigating the throughout the book. In addition, it has 673 pages and video links, which is a rich resource to tap into to master public speaking. It is an excellent book to have for all elements of public speaking.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

The text contains grammatical errors, particularly the video transcriptions. For example, on page 47, this statement needs a period or semicolon after the word them, "People appreciate a speaker who took the time to think about them it will increase both liking and credibility." There are compound and complex statements like this that I came across as I read the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not offensive in any way; in fact, it addresses how to avoid all phrases and words that are not appropriate for speech professionally or formally. In addition, the book has a diverse group of people addressing specific issues necessary. For example, the speech given by Tshering Tobgay highlights variety, cultures, and inclusiveness. Introduces his country, his traditional dress, and what his government did to become Carbon Neutral.

Comments

The book is an excellent resource for almost everyone to reference for their speeches; therefore, I like to thank Lynn Meade, the author, for his generosity in making this book an open book that educates us about public speaking.

Reviewed by Amy Rawson, Professor, Century College on 10/26/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

I really like the content of this OER textbook. I have looked over many OER textbooks and this one is by far the best. I love how the author organized the content into smaller chunks for students and the information provided was relevant, current, and helpful. I could see myself using this in class. This textbook covers all areas and ideas of the fundamentals of public speaking appropriately--the only thing I would change would be the word "Advanced" in the title as I think this textbook could be applied more broadly to Introduction to Public Speaking courses. There was not a glossary that I could find, but a strong and detailed table of contents was provided. Each of the chapters were so rich with content, I do not think a glossary and/or index is necessarily needed.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I only found 1 typo which was an extra space in the introduction. The overall content of this textbook was extremely accurate and I loved the links to useful video examples and websites, etc. The textbook is unbiased in my opinion.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content of the textbook is currently up-to-date, but I could see that quickly changing based on the next current event, social unrest, and/or next election. This has the potential to make the textbook seem more dated within a short period of time, but no necessarily obsolete. I do believe that this textbook is well written and organized in such a way that necessary updates should be relatively easy and straightforward to implement such as changing videos, links, and some content.

Clarity rating: 5

One of the main reasons I like this textbook is because it seems written with a focus of the audience of students. It is written well and any jargon/technical terminology is explained. It seems written in a laid back, casual, conversational tone which I think will strongly appeal to students and instructors.

Consistency rating: 5

Yes, the textbook is internally consistent in terms of framework and terminology. Although there are multiple chapters within a section of this textbook the author clearly explains this is on purpose so students can quickly access what they need.

Modularity rating: 5

This textbook is readily and easily divisible into smaller reading sections that could easily be assigned at different points within the course. As I stated before, there are multiple chapters within each section. However, the author clearly describes that this intent was purposeful so students can readily access what they want and/or need. The textbook is well organized and should not present much disruption to the reader. The textbook has a nice flow.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This textbook is well organized and topics are clearly presented in a logical way. This textbook covers all of the important aspects of a public speaking textbook and could be used (in my opinion) both advanced or introductory college-level speech classes.

Interface rating: 4

Overall I do not think there are interface issues. There is no glossary or index, but this may be by design. The only piece that may distract or confuse students could be all of the chapters listed in one section.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There were no grammatical errors that I found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This textbook uses inclusive examples (and so do the links and videos) which I appreciated. It is not offensive or culturally insensitive in any way.

Comments

It is a great textbook! Thank you for this opportunity to review.