Icebreaker: A Manual for Public Speaking

Written expressly for those with little or no experience in public speaking, this down-to-earth text provides the nuts and bolts that connect and reinforce essential steps for speech preparation and delivery. Throughout, Smith and Tague-Busler demonstrate how the processes involved in delivering a speech can be used to improve overall communication skills. They skillfully guide novice speakers in how to choose the topic of their speech, learn the background and needs of their audience, and know their reason for giving the speech. Clear explanations of how to research, prepare, organize, and deliver different types of speeches (e.g., informative, special occasion, persuasive) resonate with readers from all walks of life. Chapters begin with engaging scenarios that depict a real-life situation to set the stage for the key topics discussed in the chapter. "Strengthen Your Skills" exercises and an "Application to Everyday Life" box illustrate how elements of public speaking intersect with various speaking situations in daily life. Key terms are highlighted within each chapter, and students have easy access to their definitions in a separate glossary. Appendices contain activities, exercises, and supplemental material to aid readers in speech preparation, delivery, evaluation, and overcoming speech anxiety.

Titles of related interest from Waveland Press: Foss-Foss, Inviting Transformation: Presentational Speaking for a Changing World, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577662525) and Young-Travis, Oral Communication: Skills, Choices, and Consequences, Third Edition (ISBN 9781577667452).