After reading through chapter 1, one of the first statements which stuck out to me was about the utility of curating one’s own voice in a public forum. I am looking towards studying social work in graduate school, and being able to advocate in a public forum would be an essential skill. Along with this, the point made about constructive civil speech versus uncivil speech was also an important distinction. Sometimes, when you’re passionate about something, an adversary may say something insensitive to you. It is important to remain professional and articulate your disagreement in a dignified manner, when such a scenario could occur.
A huge takeaway I got from this chapter was about the mini history lesson on the canons of rhetoric. Learning about the processes of invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery were all very informative. Furthermore, learning about developing an effective oral style was something I had not thought much of before. Reading how a speaker should use “frequent repetition to emphasize ideas and help listeners follow along” (p. 54) seemed intuitive but is something I might have otherwise looked over. I have become so accustomed to academic writing and trying not to repeat myself. Unless I am summarizing results, methods, thesis, etc. in the discussion portion of my paper. Reading about the utility of repetition in speaking was a very helpful tip. Ultimately, I found this chapter to be a great introduction into learning effective public speaking.
