Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: discuss the historical tradition of public speaking and different types of speeches; analyze informal and formal methods for conducting audience analysis; examine the general and specific purpose of a speech as well as techniques for generating main ideas and developing a thesis; differentiate primary and secondary research; evaluate types of supporting material and source credibility; survey criteria for selecting main and supporting ideas; research organizational patterns for informative and persuasive speeches; analyze the uses of preparation and speaking outlines as well as components of a speech's introduction, transitions, and conclusions; contrast written and oral language styles as well as impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript and memorized speeches; discuss strategies for developing effective, informative, and persuasive speeches as well as special occasion speeches designed to entertain; explain components of rhetorical proof and the differences between inductive, deductive, causal, and analogical reasoning; and describe methods for evaluating oneself as a speaker as well as guidelines for evaluating other public speakers.