LESSON 2: Methods of Delivery

Communication works to those who work at it.

-John Powell

If you look up the word delivery in the dictionary, you will discover that it is defined
as
(1) the carrying of something to a particular person or address;
(2) the process of giving birth;
(3) the action and manner of throwing or tossing a ball or punch;
(4) the rescue of someone from hardship; and
(5) the action or manner in which somebody speaks to an audience.

Although our focus in this lesson is the last definition of the word delivery, the action
or manner of speaking to an audience, the other four definitions are also relevant.

When we deliver our speeches, we do carry something to others --- our message.
Our delivery also gives birth to our ideas as we bring hard work and thoughts to life
for our audience. Similarly, when we enter the public dialogue, we throw or toss our
ideas out to our audiences, hoping they will catch them. Depending on the speaking
environment, our passion and engagement, and the beliefs of our audience, our ideas
may even feel like a punch. Finally, when we share information others do not have or
encourage them to change, we sometimes help them avoid hardship or confusion.

What these other definitions of delivery suggest is that delivery is more complex than
simply “giving a speech.” It is your way of connecting with your audience and sharing
your ideas with them.

METHODS OF DELIVERY

The four types of delivery you use as a public speaker are extemporaneous,
impromptu, manuscript, and memorized. Let’s take a look at each of these methods
of delivery and the reasons for using them.

1. Extemporaneous Delivery
Most of your speeches will be extemporaneous. When you give an extemporaneous
speech, you present a carefully prepared and practiced speech from brief notes
rather than from a memory or a written manuscript. Because extemporaneous
delivery tends to be more natural than other delivery modes, it one of the more
common methods.

An extemporaneous delivery evolves as your speech evolves. That is, as you work
from your preparation outline to your speaking outline, you are getting ready to deliver
your speech extemporaneously. As such, you come to know your speech in full detail.
You then summarize that detail in the speaking outline. When you practice giving your
speech from the speaking outline, words and phrases remind you of the full ideas on
the preparation outline. Thus, your speaking outline provides you with the brief notes
you speak from. Because you don’t need to read the full text of your speech, to
remember what you want to say, you can give your speech in a very natural way.

Extemporaneous speeches are prepared ahead of time, but the exact words are
chosen at the moment of presentation. This allows for more direct delivery than does
reading from a manuscript. The advantages of extemporaneous deliveries are many.
The speaking outline or speaking notes prompt your ideas but not allow you to read
every word to your audience. Your eye contact and gestures are natural and tone is
conversational. Finally, because extemporaneous deliveries encourage direct
communication between the speaker and audience, you stay audience-centered.

Beginning speakers sometimes find extemporaneous delivery intimidating----the fear

they may forget their ideas. However, the solution isn’t to write out every word. One
solution is to add more keywords and phrases to your outline (not full sentence) so
you have more cues to help you. Second, practice your speech often before you give
it so you will feel more confident about what you will remember and what you want to
say. Your goal isn’t to eliminate your fear by reading your speech, but to give yourself
tools so you can “talk” your speech. The difference between an extemporaneous
delivery and a speech read to an audience is striking. With an extemporaneous
delivery, your language follows an oral rather than a written style. An extemporaneous
delivery also follows a conversational style, which is more formal than everyday
conversation but remains spontaneous and relaxed. Additionally, with a
conversational style, your postures and gestures are relaxed and you make frequent
eye contact with your audience. In contrast, because reading requires your full
attention, you’re less able to make eye contact and gesture spontaneously.

2. Impromptu Delivery

When you give an impromptu speech, you present a speech that you have not
planned or prepared in advance. Although you may be wondering why anyone would
do this, especially in the light of the previous discussions about the importance of
preparation, planning, and practice, impromptu speaking is quite common. It occurs
in meetings or public gatherings when someone is asked to speak or feels the need
to share his or her perspective. When you decide to speak, you have the advantage
of having a moment or two to organize your ideas. If you suddenly are asked to speak,
you may not be able to jot down notes, but you still can organize your ideas. Take
time to make a quick speaking outline and organize key ideas and points in your head
before you begin to speak.

Although you never have much time to prepare an impromptu speech, you can
practice impromptu deliveries. In fact, you might be asked to give several impromptu
speeches in your classes. When you deliver an impromptu speech, consider the
following guidelines:

1. Quickly but calmly decide on the main points you want to make.
2. Introduce your main points as you would in a speech you had time
to prepare; offer a preview such as “The three things I’d like to cover
are” and use of signposts such as “first.”
3. Support your main points with sub and sub-points.
4. Summarize your main points in a brief conclusion.
5. If you find yourself in an impromptu situation, stay calm. Even though
you may be nervous, you have learned to organize ideas, relate them
to the audience, and deliver various types of speeches. Remember,
too, that when you give an impromptu speech, your audience does
not expect elaborate source citation, fancy visual aids, or creative
introductions.

3. Manuscript Delivery

When you give a manuscript speech, you read to an audience from a written text.
Although most speeches are delivered extemporaneously, some speeches require a
manuscript delivery:

1. When detailed and exact information must be reported carefully,

such as to a professional board or a formal committee.
2. When your speech will be scrutinized word by word, archived, and
referred to later (for example, the president’s address to the nation).
3. When your speech text will be used later for some other purpose (for
example, a keynote address at a conference, which often is
published).
A manuscript speech is one of the most challenging forms of delivery. Contrary to
what most beginning public speakers think, speaking from a manuscript requires
more preparation and skill than extemporaneous or impromptu speaking. Two
problems are likely to occur when a speaker is reading from the full text. First, the
speech often sounds like a written text and not an oral text, or a speech that “reads”
well but doesn’t “talk” well. Second, the speaker may be inclined to read to the
audience rather than talk with them, which isn’t conducive to a healthy public
dialogue.

When you write your speech in manuscript format, talk the speech aloud as you write
it. Working from your preparation outline, sit at your desk and say the speech orally
as you write down the words on your computer or paper. If you find yourself thinking
the speech rather than saying it aloud, go back and speak the part you have just
written. You usually will notice that you’ve slipped into a writer’s style instead of a
speaker’s style. Remember, your goal is to write a speech, not an essay.

The second problem with using a manuscript is the temptation to read the manuscript
to the audience. First, your eye contact is greatly reduced because you are focusing
on the manuscript and not the audience. Second, your words may sound wooden
because you are not paying attention to their purpose or meaning. Third, your delivery
may be too fast because you are not paying attention to the audience’s reactions or
are not thinking about what you are trying to say.

The solution to this second problem---reading your speech--- is to practice speaking

from the manuscript again and again. If you become familiar with your manuscript
during practice, you will find your natural rhythm and conversational style. You will
notice where you can make your eye contact with your audience easily and for
extended periods. Like your extemporaneous speeches, you will be able to deliver
full ideas or sub points without reading. You will also discover that you’ll want to slow
down because, even though the words are in front of you, you feel comfortable
enough with them to speak them with feeling rather than rush through them.

4. Memorized Delivery

When you give a memorized speech, you present a speech that has been written out,
committed to memory, and given word for word. With a memorized delivery, you give
the speech without any notes. Orators two thousand years ago prided themselves on
their ability to memorize speeches that were hours long. Today, memorized speeches
are usually used only for toasts, blessings, acceptance speeches, sometimes for
speeches of introduction, and sometimes for forensics. Use a memorized delivery in
these situations:
1. When your speech is very short
2. When you want to say things in a very specific way,
3. When notes would be awkward or disruptive.

The trick to a memorized delivery is to speak as naturally and conversationally as

possible. Rather than focusing on remembering your words, focus on communicating
your words to your audience. When you deliver a memorized speech, don’t recite it,
rather deliver it as though you were talking to your audience.
To commit a speech to memory, follow these steps:
1. Write a manuscript of the speech, using a spoken style and not a
written one.
2. Begin with the first line or first part of the first line and read it aloud
over and over.
3. When you are familiar with that first line, deliver it, or parts of it,
without reading it.
4. Do this over and over until you can deliver the full line by heart.
5. Now, holding your manuscript but not looking at it, deliver the line by
memory, looking out at an imaginary audience.

Once you’ve committed that first line to memory, deliver it again from memory and
then read the second line aloud. Do this again and again until this line is familiar.
Repeat steps 3 and 5 for the remaining lines of the speech. Every few lines, set the
manuscript aside and practice them until you can deliver them naturally and with
confidence.

Once you’ve learned the full speech, practice it over and over, reminding yourself to
listen to the meaning of your words. Remember, you want to bring the words to life
and connect with your audience. If you are delivering a long-memorized speech, keep
your manuscript nearby, if you can, so you can find your place if you get lost. If you
can’t keep your manuscript near you, someone else may be able to hold it and prompt
you if you lose your place. If you lose your place and have no one to prompt you,
continue extemporaneously, or pause, backtrack to the last line you remember,
repeat it in your head, and you should be able to remember what comes next.

Although they do take practice, memorized deliveries have their place in your toolbox
of delivery styles. If done properly, a memorized delivery can free you from your notes
but give you the comfort of knowing what you will say exactly what you planned to
say.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH DELIVERY METHOD

Extemporaneous Impromptu Manuscript Memorized
Definition A speech that is A speech that A speech that A speech that
carefully prepared is not planned is written word is written word
and practiced from or prepared in for word and for word,
brief notes rather advance and read to an memorized,
than from memory uses few or no audience and given
or a written notes word for word
manuscript
Advantages Combine a Allows for a Helps present Frees the
conversational conversational very detailed speaker to
style with style with few or specific move about
speaking outline; or no notes information the room; No
Encourage careful exactly as the need for notes
organization speaker wants
 Disadvantages Required practice Requires Requires a Requires
time; Speakers thinking and conversational careful
may be tempted to organizing style that can memorization;
memorize the ideas quickly; be hard to Speaker must
speech No time for achieve remember
preparation because the important
speaker reads points and
from a full text details without
notes
Table 3

Source: Cuerda, F. & Pilapil, E. Purposive Communication in the New General

Education Curriculum, c2017.