Oral Citations

An oral citation is a helpful tool that is widely applicable

What:

An oral citation is used to give credibility to a claim, and supports evidence during a speech. This will often take the form of “According to…”, or “Based on…”, etc. An oral citation includes source, credentials, date, and year.

When:

This will usually precede your evidence.

Quick Tips:

Blend your oral citations with the rest of your argument to make your evidence flow as well as possible with the rest of your speech.

Always cite something that is not your own work.

Paraphrasing instead of directly quoting usually blends and flows better, and can further engage an audience while removing unnecessary time within the speech.

Empathic Listening

Listening is half of a conversation, and listening intentionally makes any conversation better.

What:

Empathic listening incorporates attentiveness and empathy into the listening process and allows for the listener to personally connect to what they are being told. This ultimately leads to absorption of more information and higher quality in responses. More active and empathic listening usually uses more support and encouragement rather than advice or criticism.

Why:

When responding to someone after listening to them talk, it is important to address everything they said on a literal and emotional level. A conversation is greatly improved when both people are understanding and connecting to each other’s’ words. Furthermore, for people who may struggle when talking to others, this practice can help one ignore their anxieties and find comfort in prolonged, meaningful conversation.

Quick Tips:

Try to actively connect experiences of your own to what the other person is sharing with you.

Use body language to show the speaker and yourself that you are attentive to what they are telling you.

Unconditional acceptance incorporates a complete lack of judgement from the listener and acceptance of what the other person is saying while listening.

Be patient!! Hear the other out to the best of your ability.

Senior Thesis

How to present your senior thesis.

What:

A senior thesis is to be presented as any other form of speech would be, however certain areas should be perfected to the best of their ability. Among these are executive presence, engagement with the audience, and apparent mastery of content (incorporating confidence and executive presence to seem credible and knowledgeable).

Quick Tips:

Rehearsing:

Practice repeatedly in front of a mirror. Continue until you can maintain eye contact with yourself.

Record yourself presenting and watch the recording, specifically looking at body language.

Present to others in a genuine setting, mimicking a real life presentation to the best of your ability.

Presenting:

Executive presence is created for most by exhibiting confidence, decisiveness, and integrity. These all intersect in an audience’s engagement with content through the credibility you give yourself.

Envision a room in which you have complete credibility-everything you say has grabbed the audience’s attention in a meaningful way, and your presentation was successful.

Make your audience listen to you empathically. Connect with them on a meaningful level.