Passion and Preparation in the Basic Course: The Influence of Students’ Ego-Involvement with Speech Topics and Preparation Time on Public Speaking Grades

• In Event: Top Papers in the Basic Course

Abstract

Authors of basic public speaking course textbooks frequently encourage students to select speech topics in which they have vested interest, care deeply about, and hold strong opinions and beliefs. This study explores students’ level of ego-involvement with informative and persuasive speech topics, examines possible ego-involvement predictors of students’ speech grades, and investigates the influence of preparation time and process activities (topic selection, outlining, research, practice, source evaluation, and visual aid construction) on public speaking grades.

Authors

• Joseph Mazer, Ohio University

• Brian Scott Titsworth, Ohio University

• Rachel Kessinger, Ohio University