CRITIQUING SPEECHES

• BE ACTIVE LISTENERS
• GIVE HELPFUL CRITICISM
• BE SUPPORTIVE
• BE HONEST

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BE ACTIVE LISTENERS

• Remember that it is your responsibility
• make frequent internal summaries
• take key-word notes
  • they will help with your oral critiques
  • and with your written critiques

GIVE HELPFUL CRITICISM

• avoid negative connotations of the word "criticism"
• criticism, when offered as helpful feedback is always good
• choice of language used is important
• consistency:
  • don't use colloquial language
  • use course-specific terms
  • it is far more helpful when you do
• denotative/connotative language
  • stay away from "loaded language"
  • be aware of value judgments
  • use concrete descriptions

BE SUPPORTIVE

• always begin with effective elements
• don't be corrective:
  • " You shouldn't tap your pencil...
  • " I wouldn't tap with my pencil...
• own your observations:
  • " It distracted me when you tapped with your pencil...

BE HONEST

• recognize strengths of the speech and the speaker
• recognize problems to the communication process: noise
  • internal and exterior barriors
• avoid "us versus them" debates