Public Speaking--When & How to Use Notes

[NJCher]

Another poster suggested I make this an OP. It was originally posted on the Sarah Palin Reads Notes Off Her Hand thread. I added a few items to it.

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Keywords on a note card are considered OK because few people can rise to the standard described by LeftyMom in the post above, which is extemporaneous speaking, speaking without notes. Remember--public speaking is the number one fear of Americans. In my department at a NJ university, we only let public speaking students have 30 words on one index card for a 5-7" speech.

Palin again showed her ignorance when she pointed out Obama used a teleprompter. Speeches by presidents are supposed to be read because of their importance. If a president "mis-speaks," it could cause problems with foreign relations or other such affairs, so that is why presidential speeches are prepared by speechwriters with input from the candidate and his/her advisers.

Up until Clinton, practically every president read his speeches for this reason. Clinton's speeches were prepared for him but he drove his speech writers nuts because he would often rewrite speeches on such things as the back of an envelope and then deliver it from memory. Clinton could get away with things like that because he had a brain.

The only other type of speech that is read is in a situation like what is going on now with Toyota. Legal suits will be forthcoming and that is why every word by a company president or a company representative is weighed carefully. The executive rarely deviates from the prepared speech because it could haf repercussions in court.

The irony here is that Palin could have had note cards but instead she chose to write on her hand, which adds to her image of being frivolous and as one not to be taken seriously. What's worse is her body language after she reads from the notes. It appears she desperately wants to get rid of the hand scribbles as she wipes her hand repetitively on her knee. She is embarrassed to have to use this crutch. She knows she appears juvenile.

Sources: The above information comes from an analysis of 50 public speaking books. I analyzed the books for when it was acceptable to read a speech and when a speech should not be read. The books were from academic libraries at universities in NJ.


Cher

[lunatica]

1. The original attack on Obama for the teleprompters was ludicrous

And even after he showed he can spar with a room full of adversaries and best them at every turn without the help of anything but his own mental alacrity she's still too stupid to know when to stop with her crappy one liners. She keeps proving how unintelligent she is every time she opens her mouth. Not one single real thought comes out. She rehashes the same sound bites. Her sentences show nothing more than how disorganized her thinking is.

[sarge43]

2. She thinks?

She's a sock puppet, mouths whatever the cliche du jour is and she is utterly incapable of self analysis and self criticism. If a real idea try to cross her mind it would die of thirst.

[Stephanie]

3. Thank you! Very important information here.

The fact that Palin was given her Q&A questions in advance, prepared (or had prepared for her, more likely) the answers in advance, but still couldn't remember the three most important things she'd do as President and had to write them on her hand, is beyond ridiculous. She's nothing but a joke.