Chapter 1
Introduction to Public Speaking
By Boundless
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14489/square/1399960698-5f1ed18910-z.jpeg)
Public speaking can enrich the speaker's personal and professional life, and also provide opportunities to influence the outside world.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14436/square/5046323054-b4d82dbf9e-z.jpeg)
Public speaking has great personal benefits, such as building self-esteem, honing critical thinking skills, and presenting networking opportunities.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/12242/square/7650804342-9715bb425f.jpeg)
Public speaking is a great tool for career advancement because it provides opportunities to impress the boss, seek publicity, and network.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14477/square/3372210791-9262e5c072-z.jpeg)
Public speaking skills can be used to influence the world through public leadership and in personal day-to-day applications.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/17211/square/onner-at-xenis-bbtv-office.jpeg)
While public speaking and conversation share many similarities, they are in fact two very different forms of communication.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/12974/square/3773067890-43218b4302-z.jpeg)
The speaker is one of the key elements of the basic speech communication model.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14234/square/7811043664-a12859aeb2-k.jpeg)
The message is the most important and instrinsic element of all speech communication models.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14882/raw/munication-shannon-weaver2.jpg)
The channel is the method (auditory and visual) that is used to transmit the message to the receiver.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/31081/square/6648470-e3bb8301ab-z.jpeg)
Your audience represents one very important third in the basic model of communication.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14222/square/5557325772-e2c23e9dc6-o.jpeg)
Your audience can provide you with immediate feedback; pay attention to the visual and verbal cues they give you in the moment.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14245/square/1024px-tv-noise.jpeg)
Noise and interference can block your audience's ability to receive your message.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14221/square/px-evita-dando-un-discurso.jpeg)
How you deliver your speech presentation may be just as important as the speech itself.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/14377/square/5710805223-bb3be8ca3e-b.jpeg)
It is important to understand the environmental and situational contexts in which you are giving a speech.
Understanding the cultural and gender context of your speech is vital to making a connection with your audience.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/9137/square/princeton-lecture.jpeg)
An informative speech involves a knowledgeable speaker transferring some of their knowledge to their audience.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/9125/square/wmjbryan-speech.jpeg)
In a persuasive speech, a speaker attempts to persuade the audience to adopt his/her position in relation to a topic.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/9141/square/n-of-congress.-nara-200188.jpeg)
Many speeches will contain elements of both informative and persuasive speeches.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/31096/square/helen-alan-toasting.jpeg)
Some special occasions require speeches that are different than speeches aimed at informing or persuading audiences.