

Effective Public Speaking
Lead Author(s): George Griffin and Contributors
Student Price: Contact us to learn more
Top Hat Intro Course - Designed to teach the skills and build the confidence your students need to become effective public speakers.
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Key features in this textbook



Comparison of Public Speaking Textbooks
Consider adding Top Hat’s Effective Public Speaking textbook to your upcoming course. We’ve put together a textbook comparison to make it easy for you in your upcoming evaluation.
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
Pricing
Average price of textbook across most common format
Up to 40-60% more affordable
Lifetime access on any device
$121.80
Hardcover print text only
$99.29
Hardcover print text only
$114.52
Hardcover print text only
Always up-to-date content, constantly revised by community of professors
Content meets standard for Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology course, and is updated with the latest content
In-Book Interactivity
Includes embedded multi-media files and integrated software to enhance visual presentation of concepts directly in textbook
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Only available with supplementary resources at additional cost
Customizable
Ability to revise, adjust and adapt content to meet needs of course and instructor
All-in-one Platform
Access to additional questions, test banks, and slides available within one platform
Pricing
Average price of textbook across most common format
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
Up to 40-60% more affordable
Lifetime access on any device
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
$121.80
Hardcover print text only
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
$99.29
Hardcover print text only
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
$114.52
Hardcover print text only
Always up-to-date content, constantly revised by community of professors
Constantly revised and updated by a community of professors with the latest content
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
In-book Interactivity
Includes embedded multi-media files and integrated software to enhance visual presentation of concepts directly in textbook
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
Customizable
Ability to revise, adjust and adapt content to meet needs of course and instructor
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
All-in-one Platform
Access to additional questions, test banks, and slides available within one platform
Top Hat
George Griffin, Effective Public Speaking, Only one edition needed
McGraw-Hill
Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, 9th Edition
Pearson
Beebe & Beebe, Public Speaking Handbook, 5th Edition
About this textbook
Lead Authors
George Griffin, Professor of SpeechKeiser University
George Griffin earned his degrees at the University of West Florida and Auburn University. He has been teaching college, business seminars and workshops for over 30 years, while still doing public speaking engagements for non-profit organizations. Currently, he is serving as the Professor of Speech at Keiser University, Orlando, and as Adjunct Professor at Stetson University. George is also the author of “STAGE FRIGHT! A Student-Friendly Guide to Managing the Jitters.”
Contributing Authors
Wade CorneliusNew Mexico State University
Kathryn DederichsUniversity of St. Thomas
Morgan GintherInstructional Designer at Texas A & M
Luke GreenSt. Cloud Technical and Community College
María Elena BermúdezGeorgia State University
Daryle NaganoEl Camino College
Wendy YarberryFlorida State College at Jacksonville
Allen DavisIndiana University
Jasmine RobertsOhio State University
Krista MacDonaldDoña Ana Community College
Explore this textbook
Read the fully unlocked textbook below, and if you’re interested in learning more, get in touch to see how you can use this textbook in your course today.
Chapter 1: Homework Questions
One of the advantages of a public speaking course is that you will learn how to turn off communication once in a while.
True
False
Competence and confidence are two of the qualities that can be developed through a public speaking course.
True
False
After you have completely mastered a new skill, you reach a level known as “Consciously Incompetent.”
True
False
Conversation and public speaking are entirely different forms of communication with very little in common.
True
False
One of the weaknesses of a speech class is that it doesn’t address the necessary skill of listening effectively.
True
False
The skills you learn in public speaking class can directly apply to many of the other classes you take in college.
True
False
One way to define “effective public speaking” is, “When you speak, something happens.”
True
False
The two ways in which we communicate with others are:
Everything we do and everything we say
Everything we do and say, and everything we don’t do or say
Speaking and listening
Written and spoken
Which of the following professions do not really require effective communication skills:
Attorney
Accountant
Broadcaster
Pharmacist
None of the above
Of the five levels of communication, which one describes communicating with yourself:
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Nonverbally
Symbolically
Communicating with an undefined and unquantified audience is known as:
Small Group Communication
Public Speaking
Mass Communication
Conversation
Of the various elements of communication, which one do we engage most often:
Speaking skills
Listening skills
Writing skills
Nonverbal skills
Public Speaking class is a lot like taking a drivers’ education course because:
You see a lot of people “crash and burn”
You watch a lot of scary videos
You actually learn by doing
If you just read the book you’ll do fine
A symbol is any action or object that is used to ________
Developing any new skill will involve a four step process. Put the four steps in the correct chronological order:
Unconsciously Incompetent
Consciously Incompetent
Unconsciously Competent
Consciously Competent