Name
SPCH 277
Part I: Listening Analysis
Part II: Small Group and Public Speaking Strategies
Part III: Presentation Topics and Research Ideas
DeVry University

Part I: Listening Analysis On the personal analysis of my listening habits I realized my weaknesses which I also got a shock that I scored so low. I scored low on four important points where I can see myself need real improvements to becoming a great listener. Here are my four low scoring points: Need improvement on interrupting others when I disagree on their points; Feeling always to have the last word in; Let my anger influence my reception of the message, and assuming what the sender have to say. My total score is 36 which is a C grade. I have never done any research on how to become a good listener so with my experience I have been doing what suits me best regardless of the outcome. Even though I have always known that I was wrong in my judgments of my interpersonal skills. Especially when I am having a disagreement, I seem to always interrupt others to get my point across. I can now conclude that I need to work on my interpersonal skills such as listening. I now know that it is an important skill I need to possess in order for me to achieve a goal of diminishing my aggressiveness and tone of voice to others.
Respond to the following prompts
•Where in the stages of listening did you experience breakdown?
I experienced breakdown while listening in the stages of: * Interrupting others when I disagree on their points * Feeling always to have the last word in * My anger influence my reception of the message * Assuming what the sender have to say
•What was the reason you failed to listen effectively?
I failed to listen effectively because I interrupt others while I am communicating with them and are having disagreements. While in the disagreement, I also failed in listening because I want to get the last words in to prove my points. When I am angered I seem not to listen to what the person has to say, but I respond to it anyway. I even go as far as to assume what a person is trying to say before they are finished sending their message, which leads to my failure to listen effectively.
•What could you have done differently to improve your listening? In order to improve my listening, I could stop interrupting others has they communicate with me and learn to listen with the full rate of 500-600 words per minute as the lecture discuss. I could also improve on trying not to have the last words in a conversation where there is a disagreement. This can help because I recognized that according to the listening analysis this is where I need improvement. One of my worst failures is assuming what the sender is sending before I receive it, and so if I could avoid doing so I can certainly improve on my listening skills.
Part II: Small Group and Public Speaking Strategies
The skills covered in this chapter focus on your ability to function effectively in a variety of small groups. Place a check mark next to those skills you want to work on most. * ____*_ 1. I actively seek to discover the norms of the groups in which I function and take these norms into consideration when interacting in the group. * ___*__ 2. I can communicate in virtual groups, such as social networking groups. * _____ 3. I can adjust my messages and listening in light of differences between high-context and low-context cultures. * ___*__ 4. I follow the general rules when brainstorming: I avoid negative criticism, strive for quantity, combine and extend the contributions of others, and contribute as wild an idea as I can. * ___*__ 5. I appropriately re-stimulate a brainstorming group that has lost its steam. * ___*__ 6. I employ organizational structure in educational or learning groups. * ___*__ 7. I interact responsibly in personal growth groups. * ___*__ 8. I follow the six steps when in group problem-solving situations: Define and analyze the problem, establish the criteria for evaluating solutions, identify possible solutions, evaluate solutions, select the best solution(s), and test selected solution(s). * ___*__ 9. I can make use of techniques such as the nominal group, Delphi method, and quality circles.
The checklist describing the skills covering small-group communication in Chapter 9 on page 189 Steps In Sequence | Purpose | Example | Problem | In order to communicate my messages in high-context and low-context cultures. | * In my family they know how I am as far as my tone of voice, but when I am around others they want me to watch my tone of voice. * My friends think that I am being rough with others that do not know me. * At times I forget that others view my communication as aggressive. | | | | Gold | To be able to communicate effectively in a high-context and low-context group. | * If I am not around my family, I must be careful of the tone of my voice that I may not seem aggressive. * When talking amongst strangers, I should accept that they do not know me so watch what I say. * I will be careful of my aggressive tone around others. | | | | Plan | I will try to incorporate high-context and low-context cultures into my group communication by listening, watching my aggressive behaviors, and my tone to others. | * I will first do some research on understanding high and low context cultures. * I will then figure the best way of communicating this kind of cultures. * Next, I will take what I have learned to create a better way of communication with high and low cultures. * I will then take what I have learned from rehearsal to implement it into action. | | | | Measurability Test | I will measure my communication when in a group of high and low context form of communication in order to find success | * I know I will reach my goal when others enjoy a conversation with me without addressing me about my aggressiveness. * I will have reached my next goal when my friends don’t have to remind me of my tone to others. * I will have achieved my goal when I don’t have to worry about what I say or watch my tone around anyone of a group. |

The checklist describing the steps in preparing a speech on page 234
These first six steps in preparing a public speech entail a variety of specific skills. Place a check mark next to those skills you most want to work on. * ____*_ 1. When preparing a public speech, I follow a logical progression of steps, such as the sequence outlined here. * _____ 2. I select appropriate topics, purposes, and theses and narrow them to manageable proportions. * ___*__ 3. I analyze my audience in terms of members’ sociological and psychological characteristics, and I adapt the speech on the basis of these findings. * ___*__ 4. I research topics effectively and efficiently and critically evaluate the reliability of the research material. * ___*__ 5. I collect materials relevant to my topic, purpose, and thesis—for instance, examples, statistics, and visual aids and with logical, emotional, and ethical proofs. * ___*__ 6. I identify my major propositions from my thesis statement. * ___*__ 7. When organizing the speech’s main points, I select a pattern appropriate to the subject matter, purpose, and audience. Steps In Sequence | Purpose | Example | Problem | Addressing the issue I have with writing a proper theses statement. | * When I am writing a theses statement I never know how to construct a proper one. * I seem to always write a thesis without facts. * I always seem to choose an inappropriate thesis for my paper. * My professors are always addressing my thesis statement issues on my papers. | | | | Gold | To address the proper way of constructing a good thesis statement. | * When writing a thesis statement I need to gather facts in order to create a proper thesis. * To achieve constructing a proper thesis statement I must choose a good topic. * I will get comments from my professor on how to construct my thesis statement. | | | | Plan | Through proper research and understanding of the concept I will be able to construct a proper thesis statement. | * I will first do some research on how to construct a proper thesis statement. * I will then figure out the best way to construct my thesis statement from the information I have collected. * Next, I will apply what I have learned to constructing a better thesis statement. * I will take what I have learned to rehearsal and implement it into the thesis statement that I deserved to write. | | | | Measurability Test | I know I can write a proper thesis statement if I can follow the proper steps. | * I know I can reach my goal of writing a proper thesis statement if I take the time to learn to construct it. * I will have reached my goal of constructing a proper thesis statement when I can write it with facts. * I will have achieved my goal of constructing a proper thesis statement when my professor does not have to make mark reductions on my paper. |
Part III: Presentation Topics and Research Ideas 1. The impact of what an aggressive behavior can do to another. 2. How to control aggressive behavior towards others? 3. How to become a stronger communicator from having aggression? 4. Why aggression is never a good way of sending a message? 5. Aggressive behaviors degrade characteristics. 6. How to address a person with aggressive behavior?
References:
Bierman, K. L., Coie, J., Dodge, K., Greenberg, M., Lochman, J., McMohan, R., & Pinderhughes, E. (2013). School Outcomes of Aggressive-Disruptive Children: Prediction From Kindergarten Risk Factors and Impact of the Fast Track Prevention Program. Aggressive Behavior, 39(2), 114-130. doi:10.1002/ab.21467. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.devry.edu/ehost/detail?vid=10&sid=521d5cde-e325-45b2-a67f-d1f74824fa69%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4207&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=85630794
DeVito, Joseph A. Essentials of Human Communication. 8th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013. VitalBook file. Bookshelf. http://devry.vitalsource.com/books/9781269649261/id/ch02lev3sec9
Tzoumakis, S., Lussier, P., & Corrado, R. (2012). Female Juvenile Delinquency, Motherhood, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Aggression and Antisocial Behavior. Behavioral Sciences & The Law, 30(2), 211-237. doi:10.1002/bsl.2010. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.devry.edu/ehost/detail?vid=10&sid=521d5cde-e325-45b2-a67f-d1f74824fa69%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4207&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=85630794