bsucomm375mcfalls:

watch this video for your instructions for your last post. :)

Reflection Paper

            This class was one of my favorites. One of the things I wanted to really push myself as a Communication Major was to really be a natural speaker. I know this is still one of my weaknesses, but my confidence is a lot stronger now then what I remembered from last year or my previous speaking experiences. Another thing that I feel I really got out of this class was how to make an efficient and productive Power Point. I have never really questioned the way Power Points were always presented but yet I always hated them. This class allowed my creativity to really shine through in my presentations.          

             My confidence while speaking to large group of people was rather weak. In addition to that, I would always need an outline in front of me for fear that I might forget my main points and completely freeze in front of the audience. The way this class was conducted allowed me to try different way to speak in front of audiences and also let me figure out that even if my presentation does not go out as planned it’s not a reason to cry over it.

            My connection to the audience still needs a lot of improvement as I see even in my Last Lecture I do look down a lot. In my mind however, my mind is a little bit more at ease at focusing on my topic and not the words on the paper. I think with a little bit more practice or even a lot more practice, I will be able to speak my mind without my main points written down and in front of my face.

            My presentations are no longer drained with words that no one reads. I like using my creativity to get my point across and actually I feel I could use some slides to remind me of what to talk about instead of having the outline in front of my face. I hope that I will get more opportunities to speak the way I have been taught in this class because now I don’t feel a million things rushing through my head and I can concentrate more on my audience.  

bsucomm375mcfalls:

For this week, watch TWO of the last lectures that are posted on our youtube account.  What weaknesses did you see?  Which one was more effective?  If you were in the audience seeing these talks for the first time, would you have found them engaging/inspiring/worth your time?  As you discuss them, please refer to them by the first name of the speaker.  No need to repost the actual videos, as long as I know who you’re talking about.   

Julia:

The beginning had a disclaimer that as an audience turned me off to her credibility. Still at the beginning, she turns her head as if speaking to the slides instead of the audience. That disclaimer actually ends up tying to her main topic pretty well actually. Her lecture topic was very humbling about her little sister Loren. I really was paying attention to her gestures as they were engaging with her audience. Her narrative about Thanksgiving dinner led circles instead of getting to the main point of her topic. I believe it weakened her speech a little bit more than making it stronger. I could not find the second part of her lecture, but actually where it ends had me wanting more. I wanted to hear the end of the lecture and I think that if the lecture had that effect on me than it was a very good lecture.

Adam: 

I really enjoyed how Adam started his speech with a famous quote. But how he used that quote is what really reeled me in. The narratives he used were used well I believe. One of the narratives that made his speech really strong was the story about Black Friday sales. He used examples of how mean people actually got towards other people, but why? Because they could. I think he brought up a very interesting point. Even as he continued how he believed he had sympathy to Batman and how he understood his struggles were all very well used to keep the audience engaged. 

bsucomm375mcfalls:

Here is a video of Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture.  As you watch it, I would like you to pay attention to the characteristics that make him likeable as a lecturer.  Also, more specifically, I found him to be very genuine— if you agree, you may also want to comment about his style— what is it about him that makes him seem so genuine?  Why do you think this lecture has become so famous?— the content itself isn’t all that unique. 

Remember as you watch, that the assignment for your presentation is inspired by this one, but is NOT necessarily modeled after it.  What I mean is, I don’t want you to actually pretend you’re dying, and I don’t want you to necessarily talk about all the great life lessons you’ve learned that you have to share before you kick the bucket.  Instead, I want you to be inspired by Pausch’s talk, and model his genuine approach.  The topic of your talk is completely up to you.  Instead of pretending you’re dying, I’d like you to think of it as “you have only one talk to give, so it better be the ‘you-est’ talk there is.” Be true to yourself as a speaker.

I believe that his reality is what makes him so genuine. He did not spend the whole hour talking about his ultimate death. He talked about important moments that may have seemed like ordinary moments but have turned out to be extraordinary moments in his life. He made people laugh with narratives that revolved around his life. For example, the narrative about his application to Disney Land that led to the life lesson about brick walls. His little “life lessons” relates to mostly everyone and anyone who listened to his last lecture. I believe that the fact that this is a man who knows his days are limited and yet he is talking about everyday things is what makes this lecture so famous. Here is great person who is highlighting little moments or big significant moments in his life which might or might not have happened to everyone yet he should have so much more to talk about. He could be talking about anything and yet he has chosen to talk about everyday little experiences. I think this itself says so much about his last lecture. Instead of talking about the “big life lessons” or what he has learned to appreciate in life, he is talking about appreciate every single moment even when they are ordinary. I believe that is the biggest message and what has made this lecture so famous. Every moment, every day should be taken as a lesson, as a story that is worth telling to someone. 

Spend some time just browsing around youtube, slideshare, vimeo, ted, or something similar. If the artifact you clicked on doesn’t have your interest in the first fifteen seconds, move on to something else. When you’ve finally found something you’re sure is interesting, post it in a reply to this…

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This video was only thirty seconds but it had my attention the whole way through. It is a Durex commercial advertising condoms. The reasons why I feel this is an interesting commercial and why I feel that I am not the only that would watch the whole thirty seconds of it is because sexual appeals will always get our attention. The beginning played a huge part to get my attention. There was not a lot going on so my entire focus was on the one little balloon condom animal entering the scene. In other words there was not a lot of static or too much information being given out that I could not process the message. The message was delivered in a simple way and a very effective way. Seconds after there are only two little balloon condom animals and they are being sexually active. I think once people see the little balloon condom animals being sexually active anyone would be interested to keep watching the commercial. Every viewer will get the idea of what is being sold. Even the fact that it is the product itself that is being enacted draws in the viewer even more. It is something silly, so the fact that it uses humor also adds to the sexual appeal that is being played on. The positions that the balloon condoms are put to do is what makes the commercial entertaining. At the end of the commercial, there is a simple slogan so people can get the CLEAR message. GET ON IT. DUREX. 

(via bsucomm375mcfalls)

What worked really well for the man who was proposing Nova-Flo was that he had all his statistics lined up and ready to be presented. He had a good scenario to explain the effectiveness of his product and how people could benefit from it because of its simplicity. He brings up good points that work in favor for his product. For example, he used a scenario about how people leave the water running and may overflow easily as they go out of the room. He explained that because it is simple to install people will most likely use it. It was not electrical so there would not be a risk with the water. And lastly his product was reusable. Statistics of how many people are in this scenario and how many people have bath units gave great support for the likelihood of usage of his product. The question and answer segment worked very effectively in his favor and he attempted to sway the dragons. It ended up being an easy product that worked very easily for everyone. When one of the dragons asked him how he was going to tell people about the product or bring awareness of the product he responded saying that he has already taken several steps for that. The value that his product had was impressionable as well. The presenter gives good impression when he talks about the amount of money he needs to invest. At the end even most of the dragons mention that he gave a great presentation.  

bsucomm375mcfalls:

After you watch this video (and part 2 as well, if you want to track it down), put yourself in the position of the panel— what elements of the presentation made this presentation “crumble” (as the commentator asserted)?  What would have to have been done differently for you to make these guys an offer?  What elements did work to effectively persuade?  Now put yourself in the position of the presenters— what would you have done differently if you had another chance?  What did you do right?

The elements that made the presentation crumble I believe was that the presenters did not have enough concrete evidence to provide. They stumbled when asked about competitors and where a little unsure of how to go about answering their criticisms. I think they lacked a bit of confidence about what they were trying to sell in the first place. Lastly, when asked for specific forms of support on their website, the presenters gave another competitor that was much stronger and successful doing the same thing. The things that I would have done differently were I definitely would have had all needed forms of evidence to support that the website or marketing thing I was showing was the greatest idea ever. I would have had future short term plans with how to advance further for more marketing opportunities. Seeing myself as the presenter, I would have spoke with more confidence. It’s their made website, the presenters should have been saying their propositions with elegant pride. When they brought up the competitor’s webpage I would have added the plan to advance more than what they had. I also believe that if they had the chance to do it again, the presenters should have offered more scenarios on how people do eat out much more now these days than what used to be the norm. I believe that was one of the things that the presenters got a real big shot down on. The panel did not believe that people did not eat out of often as they do. I feel that the presenters had the right idea. The idea was great.  

bsucomm375mcfalls:

This week, we touched on ways to make your ideas “stick.”  One of these ways is to tell a good story.

Watch this video, and examine the way Rowe uses a story to make an argument.  Comment on the effectiveness of his use of narrative.

That’s all!

First of all, the fact that Mike Rowe has interesting stories because of his job makes it easier for him to make his ideas stick. The show is all about jumping into something he has never formally been trained to do. This is something he explains in his lecture. Secondly, his stories have plenty of humor and humor is something that will always keep people interested. No one really stays interested in the clean cut, routine thing. Because Mike Rowe involves himself in different kinds of jobs and most of the different jobs are dirty as the show implies people stay interested.

His narrative was effective because he explains some jobs might entertain but the actuality of the situation is that people with dirty jobs are happier. I think that line alone might actually help in making his ideas stick. His audience wants to hear why people with dirty jobs are happier than they are. The experiences they go through and the things they do keep them entertained with their own lives. He tells more than one narrative as well. Also, at the end of his lecture he uses his narratives to tie it all in together. He keeps introducing new ideas and his main points as he tells his narratives but at the end he ties it all in together. His narratives are what keep people listening, they want to hear the end of it, and they want to hear the cause of whatever it is he is proposing.

The point of the slides is to show how important design is in our daily life.  I definitely agree with the slides argument. It gave simple visuals of simple designs that we interact with on a daily basis. The very first slide has the whole point and the rest of the slides reinforce the first one. “What is design and why is it important.” The slides also present two different stances for several slides. The slides state how design is something the presenter loves and then soon after states that design is also something the presenter hates and gets mad. With both stances the presenter gives simple visuals of designs that again are in our lives.

Because of the visuals, I understand what the presenter meant by design and how the presenter meant to define it. Design is therefore all around me and my life and all around you and your life. Without designs, we wouldn’t be able to do half the things we do with the efficiency that we use to get certain tasks done as we do today. The design itself of the slideshow had many strengths. Those, again, include having visuals to help mold the thought of the idea that was being presented. Towards the end, I got a bit lost. It may have been because I did not have the presenter to actually fill in the rest of the presentation or it may have been because much less visuals were given. Either way, I received the point and thought that for the most part the slides accomplished their task.

Critical Journal Prompt #2

Tufte says that PP should not be used in serious situation. Under his description this would be a serious situation because the presenter was presenting at TED.  Tufte also says that way too many things are written on the slides themselves which puts the audience at a disadvantage. However, this situation would be quite different because Mitch Hedberg didn’t misuse PowerPoint. There weren’t bullet points on his slide instead there was plenty of images. As he moved through his presentation the image kept the audience laughing and engaged. Therefore I think his critique would be constructive.

Reynolds says that slides should be simple. Somewhere along the line we obtained the rule of the thumb that states when in doubt, add more. This isn’t the case at all. Reynolds would also critique this presentation with a constructive outlook.

I believe this is a presentation. He is presenting his ideas to an audience and getting plenty response back from them. I think the only main difference between a speech and a presentation is that a speech addresses something to an audience and a presentation presents more than ideas with visual aids such as PowerPoint in search for a response back from the audience.  In this case this is what happens; Hedberg has a very creative way to transport his ideas to the audience. Also, along the way the audience is giving him plenty positive responses.

Not only is Isabel Allende intelligent and heart spoken, she is bold as she speaks about her beliefs. She speaks so passionately that the audience gave her a standing ovation once she was through with her presentation. At the end of her presentation, she bluntly states how the obvious truth of women being oppressed is ignored by governments around the world. She backs up her truth passionately with specific tales of women filled with courage and women who know the meaning of survival. She makes her thoughts of feminism aware that although the word itself may be outdated to privileged women throughout countries such as America there are also many other places where there is not nearly enough people to stand up for and against the ignorant.  Which in addition, the silence keeps a vicious cycle of oppression going.

This is why this is the best presentation online (in my opinion). As she speaks about her proudest moment, she emits the thought that every woman should go through a moment as she did. She is modest in saying she wishes she can be like the women in her stories, all of whom are real people. Although she is modest, she takes a stand audaciously in saying that something must be done to educate women so they can make the proper decisions in their own lives. She states her thoughts on a better world if all women were allowed to be educated and enrich the world.

Some women are objected to the most horrific things, some things of which one cannot imagine and yet they still endure the world with hope. Allende concludes that it is this hope which becomes the passion within some women to do something brave and courageous and ultimately take a chance and a risk for change. She speaks for the courageous women that have passion within them to have taken them and their families (if it applies) to a more privileged country or just to a new life. The presentation was an eye-opener for people in our country. She speaks of passion, and we should have that passion to help the underprivileged rise.

bsucomm375mcfalls:

Critical Journal Prompt #1

Here is the very best presentation on the internet (in my opinion).  Your first prompt is to post what YOU think is the best presentation on the internet, and to offer your reason(s) for naming it the best one out there.

Remember, your entries must be at least 350 words.

Please “reblog” this post, and then replace the url of MY video with YOUR video.  Then type your response to the prompt in the “caption.”

Finally, you’ll want to make sure you’re “following” me, so new prompts will automatically be viewable from your account.