Nora used several types of transitions throughout her speech which helped her organize the flow of her self-presentation. Firstly, she used the cause-effect connective word “so” to tie the introduction with the box full of items defining Nora’s self-image (Sprague et al., 2019). Next, she used the connector “also” while describing the importance of such boxes in Filipino culture. Finally, Nora used a chronological connector, “lastly,” to make a smooth transition to her engagement ring, the final part of her current image. Overall, her speech contained an appropriate amount of connective words, making it easier for the listeners to follow Nora’s story.
In addition, Nora managed to create a powerful and effective introduction to her speech. She started her speech with a question about the parts of identity. This question was a solid attention-getter, a thought-provoking move that engaged the audience in thinking and listening (Sprague et al., 2019). Upon expressing the essential parts of her self-image, such as her profession and family, Nora delivered a decent conclusion. She openly expressed pride in her self-image and encouraged the listeners to feel the same, thus demonstrating the value of her topic.
Finally, Nora performed fairly well in terms of speech delivery. She maintained good eye contact with the audience, which contributed to the power of her message. The speech was well organized, as it had a distinctive and well-composed introduction, body, and conclusion. The only slight flaw was the pace and tone of Nora’s speech — she talked faster than normally and sounded a bit insecure in certain moments. Considering these facts, I would have given Nora an A- grade for her effort. I would have commended her for her excellent use of transitions, a solid introduction with an attention-getter, and a powerful conclusion. At the same time, I would have recommended practicing delivery in order to improve control over the tone and the pace of her speech.
Reference
Sprague, J., Stuart, D., & Bodary, D. (2019). The speaker’s handbook (12th ed.). Cengage Learning.