Speech & Location
Location: Determine where you will be speaking, as well as the time of day. If the room is small, think about making your speech more personal and intimate. If the room is large, consider a more formal approach. The time of day can also affect the dynamics of the speaking situation. For example, if you are speaking after lunch, your audience might be sleepier than usual; if you are speaking during a busy time of day, you might have to consider outside noise.
Technology: The kind of space you are speaking in will help you determine your technology needs and opportunities. Are you planning to show slides? If so, does the space have the technology you need to do so? Is the room large? If so, will you have access to a microphone, so that everyone can hear you?
Audience: Who will be watching and listening to you speak? Factors including age, demographics, gender, and diversity of background should be considered.
Most formal speaking situations will be in spaces created for public speaking: an auditorium, a reception hall, and a boardroom are familiar examples. For this course, you will probably always be speaking in a classroom. This is great news, because classrooms are designed to make it easier to hear and speak. Moreover, if you will be speaking in front of your public speaking class, the audience size is known in advance, and your audience will consist of the same people you meet with week after week!
