The big idea
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The dread is real; the skill is trainable
Public speaking is among people’s greatest fears and most learnable skills. The gap is mostly preparation.
Communication & Argumentation · Lesson 6
Public Speaking and Presentations
beginner⏱ 18 min · 7 cards
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Cut to One Message
The capstone framework, applied to a claim of your choosing.
Keep the write-up. Revisit it in a year and update it deliberately.
The capstone framework, step by step.
Key term
The first decision
What is the most common presentation failure?
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Trying to say everything
An audience remembers one idea. Decide it first: if they forget everything but one sentence, what should it be? Then everything either serves it or is cut.
Compare
What a slide is for
Wrong
Contains the talk
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Right
Needs a speaker
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The test: if a slide would work with no speaker, it is the wrong slide.
Nuance
The nerves
Think like a Maester
You cannot eliminate arousal; you can rehearse until the talk is known, so there is less unknown to fear. "I’m excited" and "I’m terrified" are the same physiology, different label.
Quick check
What are the three parts of an argument, and which is most often omitted?
You did it
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