CHAPTER 12

DELIVERY

WHAT IS GOOD DELIVERY?

• Good delivery does not call attention to oneself
• It conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, interestingly,
and without distracting the audience
• Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a
certain degree of formality with the best attributes
of good conversation:
– Directness - Vocal and facial expressiveness
– Spontaneity - A lively sense of
– Animation communication

METHODS OF DELIVERY
1. READING VERBATIM FROM A MANUSCRIPT
• A speech that is written out word for word and read to
the audience
2. RECITING A MEMORIZED TEXT
3. SPEAKING IMPROMPTU
• A speech delivered with little or no immediate
preparation
4. SPEAKING EXTEMPORANEOUSLY
• A carefully prepared and rehearsed speech that is
presented from a brief set of notes
 THE SPEAKER’
SPEAKER’S VOICE
1. Volume
• The loudness or softness of the speaker’s voice
2. Pitch
• The highness or lowness of the speaker’s voice
• Inflections: changes in the pitch or tone of a speaker’s
voice
• Monotone: a constant pitch or tone of voice
3. Rate
• The speed at which a person speaks

As the report progressed, it became clear that keeping on schedule

would be directly related to the ability of the project manager to
communicate with the client. Originally, it was thought that weekly
meetings would suffice. It quickly became evident that daily
communication would be necessary in the later stages of the work.
However, travel and distance, unforeseen complications, cost, and even
personality emerged as modifying variables. Personality and the
individual differences in communication style became key stumbling
blocks to the project’s progress. The project manager preferred to make a
quick phone call and relate the overall progress for the day. The client
preferred a more detailed report of specific aspects of the daily tasks.
These differences in communication style caused irritations and
misunderstandings. These often led to indecision and delay, which
created havoc with the schedule and increased the budget. Eventually, it
was decided that both the project manager and the client would allow
their “next-in-charge” to handle the daily discussions. They got along
fine and the project was finished within the budget.

4. Pauses
• A momentary break in the vocal delivery of a
speech
• Vocalized pause: a pause that occurs when a
speaker fills the silence between words with
vocalizations such as “uh”, “er”, and “um”
WHEN PRESENTING PAUSE APPROXI MATELY
Very familiar topics 1 second
Familiar topics 2 second
New topics 3 second
Very new topics 4 second
5. Vocal variety
• Changes in a speaker’s rate, pitch and volume that give
the voice variety and expressiveness
• Try reading this:

I sat next to the Duchess at tea.

It was just as I feared it would be:
Her rumblings abdominal
Were simply abominable
And everyone thought it was me!

6. Pronunciation
• The accepted standard of sound and rhythm for
words in a given language
• Example:
• Genuine, theater, nuclear, February
Eight plosive sounds:
b for boy, d for d og, g for girl, j for j ump,
p for put, t for t oy, k for kite, and ch for child
ch

1. Pat took the hot dogs and ate 10 of them.

2. The black bat and the pink beetle often hid near the backyard.
3. Peter Porter the pumpkin eater had a wife named Dot Bud.
4. A man must not swallow more beliefs than he can digest.
5. If you do not think about the future, you cannot have one.
6. Oh, it’s nice to get up at eight, but it’s nicer to stay in bed.

7. Articulation
• The physical production of particular speech sounds
• Example:
WORD MISARTICULATION
Ought to Otta
Didn’t Dint
For Fur
Don’t know Dunno
Have to Hafta
Them Em
Want to Wanna
Will you Wilya
8. Dialect
– A variety of language distinguished by variations of
accent, grammar or vocabulary

Dis chapta wunt be necissry if This chapter wouldn’t be necessary if

peopled jus learnta speak cleara.
Doncha rememba sittin an trynta
unista somebiddy whouz talking bout
sometain that sposdtube interesting,
but you can’t quite gittit cause the
speechuz sloppy?
people would just learn to speak clearer.
Don’t you remember sitting and trying to
understand somebody who is talking about
something that is supposed to be
interesting, but you couldn’t quite get it
because the speech was sloppy?

THE SPEAKER’
SPEAKER’S BODY
1. Personal appearance
• Facial expression
2. Movement
• Posture talks e.g.
• Looking down
• Cocking head to one side
• Clutching your arms
• Clasping your hands tightly

3. Gestures
• Motions of a speaker’s hands or arms during a speech
• Important points can be emphasized by using
gestures:
a. Size: show the width or height of an object
b. Enthusiasm for an idea: punch the air with your fist
c. Symbolic action: wave your hand in greeting to show
reaction
d. Location: to show specific location or wider area
4. Eye contact
• Direct visual contact with the eyes of another person
• It means shifting your focus to and from a person’s eyes
• It encourages them to pay attention, to respond and to
respect you
• It allows you to ‘read’ your listeners’ faces to get
feedback
• It helps to establish and build rapport and also involves
audience in the presentation

PRACTICING DELIVERY
1. Go through your preparation outline aloud to
check how what you have written translates into
spoken discourse
2. Prepare your speaking outline
3. Practice the speech aloud several times using only
the speaking outline
4. Begin to polish and refine your delivery
5. Give your speech a dress rehearsal under
conditions as close as possible to those you will
face in class

ANSWERING AUDIENCE QUESTIONS

1. PREPARING FOR THE Q & A SESSION
a. Formulate answers to possible questions
b. Practice the delivery of your answers
2. MANAGING THE Q & A SESSION
a. Approach questions with a positive attitude
b. Listen carefully
c. Direct answers to the entire audience
d. Be honest and straight forward
e. Stay on track
QUESTION AND ANSWER TECHNIQUES
1. LISTENING TO THE QUESTION

1. Get ready to listen.

2. Pay attention. Establish eye contact with the questioner.
3. Control your biases. Try not to allow your biases toward the questioner to
get in the way of your ability to pay attention and formulate a response.
4. Separate fact from feeling. Listen whether the questioner is questioning
based on emotions or not.
5. Don’t interrupt the questioner. Listen to the entire question before
responding.

2. RESPONDING TO THE QUESTION

1. Tell the truth.

2. If you don’t know the answer to a question:
a. Admit your lack of knowledge and offer to do research and
respond later.
b. Ask other listeners for help in providing the necessary
information.
c. Ask questioners to expand on their questions and explain
their reasons for asking.
d. Offer to discuss the question during break time or at the
conclusion of your presentation.

3. AVOID

1. Tennis-returning a question
a. Well, let me ask you the same question.
b. I can answer that by asking you a question.

2. Hedging
a. Well, that depends on what you mean.
b. Well, it’s a very complicated matter.
c. I’m afraid that’s confidential.