An important tool to help you progress in your speaker skills is the public speech critique. If your using public speaking coaching or public speaking training to master public speaking, then a critique of a speech can help you progress.
Informative to the AudienceWas the speech informative?Does the speech fulfill the job to be done?
Know the Make Up of Your Audience
Does the language or words of the speaker demonstrate a recognition of the audience make up?If there, were young ones included?
If an elderly audience, does the speaker make references that only the young will appreciate?
Introductions that Capture Attention
Does the introduction arouse interest? Does it capture your attention?
Use of Questions
Does the speaker effectively and appropriately use questions?Were there leading questions?
Were there rhetorical questions?
Were there open ended questions?
Were audience participation questions used?
Timing
Overall timing: was it within 30 seconds of allotted time?Was the timing of introduction appropriate?
Accurate Pronunciation
Did the speaker pronounce words correctly?Were names pronounced correctly?
Correct Word Usage
Did the speaker use the appropriate words?Were the words used correctly?
Proper Name Pronunciation Do you know the three different circumstances where this is vital?
Words Clearly Spoken
Was the speech clear throughout the speech?
Fluency
Was there a fluent use of words?Was the entire speech fluent?
Pace Pitch Power
Did the speaker use an appropriate pace.Was their a variation of pace?
Was pitch appropriate?
Did the speaker vary the pitch?
Was the power appropriate at the right time?
Was there a variation of power?
Word Whiskers
Were there any ...uhs...and uhs... or other common whiskers?Were there other kinds such as...and now,...now...or and next.
Pausing
Was there pausing for emphasis?Was there pausing for drama?
Were pauses used for transitions?
Did the speaker pause for circumstances (if necessary)?
Did the speaker pause to allow the audience to think?
Sense stress
Did the speaker use sense stress? Was the sense stress appropriate?
Modulation
Was modulation used?
Enthusiastic Presentation
Was there enthusiasm?Was the enthusiasm appropriate?
Naturalness
Was the speaker natural and conversational?
Gestures
Were gestures used?Were there emphatic gestures?
Were there descriptive gestures?
Mannerisms
Did the gestures turn into mannerisms?
Analogy
Were analogies used? Were they clear?
Were they appropriate?
Dress, Grooming and Poise
Was the dress, grooming appropriate?Was there poise?
Use of an Outline
Did the speaker use an outline? Did the speaker use a manuscript?
Rapport with Audience
Did the speaker build rapport with the audience?
Coherence Through Connectives
Did the speaker use connectives from thought to thought? Were connectors used for transitions from points?
Were connectives used?
Dynamic Range
Was there a use of dynamic range in the voice?
Public Speaking Microphones
Were mics used properly?Did the speaker make full use of the mic?
Use of Profanity
Did the speaker use any profanity?Did the speaker use any veiled profanity or foreign language profanity?
Did the speaker use any gestures that are considered profane?
Did the speaker use any micro expressions that are considered profaneDid the speaker use any micro gestures that are considered obscene?
This public speech critique list is a work in progress.
Go to Speaking Skills List and find more info on the speaking skills.
Speechmastery.com Home: The Public Speech Critique Resource
