Presenting to the class or delivering a speech to a large crowd can create anxiety, fear, and stress. Adapted from the best-selling text,
The Art of Public Speaking, Canadian Edition, will equip readers with tools and strategies to allay their fears while captivating audiences in various contexts, from the classroom to the workplace. Stressing the importance of public speaking in both the academic career and in the workplace is a challenge as students often don't realize that writing for the ear is different than writing for the eye. The scope of the text includes different public speaking situations (e.g., business meetings, web casting, teleconferencing, meetings, trade shows, etc.).
The Art of Public Speaking walks readers through the steps and skills involved in crafting and delivering effective oral presentations.
Bringing the theory to life, the authors include numerous engaging Canadian examples relevant to a variety of disciplines and careers. Examples and speeches draw on current topical issues (free trade, corporate spying, genetically modified food, etc.) that are important to Canadians and to post-secondary students.
Whether a novice or a professional, every student will learn how to be a better public speaker through Lucas' clear explanations and thorough coverage. Ultimately, this text helps students learn practical oral communication skills that enable them to navigate through life with greater confidence to achieve personal and professional success.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen E. Lucas is Professor of Communication Arts and Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has taught since 1972. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his master's and doctorate degrees from Penn State University.
Professor Lucas has been recognized for his work as both a scholar and a teacher. His first book, Portents of Rebellion: Rhetoric and Revolution in Philadelphia, 1765-1776, received the Golden Anniversary Award of the National Communication Association in 1977 and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His major articles include "The Schism in Rhetorical Scholarship" (1981), "The Renaissance of American Public Address: Text and Context in Rhetorical Criticism" (1988), "The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence” (1990), and “The Rhetorical Ancestry of the Declaration of Independence” (1998), for which he received the Golden Anniversary Monograph Award of the National Communication Association. His most recent book is Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999 (2009).
Professor Lucas has received a number of teaching awards, including the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Wisconsin and the National Communication Association’s Donald Ecroyd Award for Outstanding Teaching in Higher Education. His lecture course on "The Rhetoric of Campaigns and Revolutions" is among the most popular on campus and has twice been selected for statewide broadcast in its entirety by Wisconsin Public Radio. Professor Lucas is featured in the Educational Video Group’s program on the history of American public address, and he has appeared on the History Channel’s documentary on the Declaration of Independence.
Professor Lucas has directed the introductory public speaking course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1973. Over the years he has been responsible for numerous teaching innovations and has supervised the training of hundreds of graduate assistants. In addition to participating in public speaking workshops and colloquia at schools throughout the United States, he has served as a judge for the major national English-language public speaking competitions in China, has lectured at numerous Chinese universities, and has conducted workshops for Chinese instructors on teaching public speaking.
Stephen Lucas and his wife, Patty, live in Madison, Wisconsin, and have two sons, Jeff and Ryan. His interests include travel, sports, art, and photography.
