Speech Critique

Speech critique is an important skill to develop, especially since many today are making claims left and right. From the marketer next door to the politician in public office, gimmicks and smokescreens can take the place of real substance in speeches. We shouldn't just be passive receivers of information; it's important we also carefully analyze everything we hear.

By deconstructing speeches, a person can develop his or her critical thinking abilities. But the benefits of speech critique are not limited to being able to analyze other people's communication. By having peers critique one's own speech, areas of improvement in one's public speaking and speech writing skills can be identified. By regularly critiquing one's own speeches, a presenter can ensure his or her on-going development.

The following are some tips when critiquing a speech:

Be fair and objective.

When making a speech critique, it's important that you evaluate using an accepted standard.

These standards include technical areas: the faithfulness of the speech to the speaker's goal and intent; the content and structure of the speech; the appropriateness of the speech to the audience and context; and the techniques used in the delivery. Presentation aids (audiovisual help) and non-verbal communication (eye contact and physical movement) are also areas of assessment.

Note the development of ideas.

A good speech is engaging and entertaining - even emotionally moving. But it also must have relevant content presented in a manner that's easy to understand.

When making a speech critique, assess the development of ideas. Did the speaker clearly present his major premises? Were all these premises substantiated with facts and reasonable supporting arguments? Are the examples he or she used relevant? Are the conclusions valid? Maybe the speaker merely used logical fallacies to get a point across and does not really deserve to get merit for the message he or she is sending.

Consider the intangibles too.

For fairness sake, you must analyze a speech based on measurable data. But a speech is also a communication tool, and at the end of the day, a lot rides on how it impacts a receiver. It might help too to assess a listener's own experience of the speech.

If you're a listener, explain the points you have enjoyed immensely and the parts that resonated with you as an individual. Did you get bored? Were you moved to action? Did the speech fall within your expectations? How does the speech rate among similar speeches you've heard before? Being able to provide a speaker with subjective data like these can also help them fine tune their speeches.

Similarly, if you're a speaker, reflect on your experience. Were you nervous? How did you handle cues from the audience? Did you feel confident with the points that you are trying to make? Psychological factors can also influence a speech, so make sure you include them in your speech critique.

Suggest good ideas for improvement.

Lastly, don't be afraid of sharing your opinion, especially when you've found a way to make the speech better than the original. You have to have clarity in offering your suggestions so you do not offend the person who created the speech. Be sure to say the truth, especially if you have appreciated the speech.

Remember: speech critique is not designed to be destructive - in fact, it is supposed to help both speakers and listeners to become more informed and alert! So always try to leave the speaker with a sense of accomplishment, but also ways to improve his or her public speaking in future.

Resources

• Good examples of speech critique.