Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (4th Edition) [Paperback]

Steven A. Beebe (Author), Susan J. Beebe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205295592 | ISBN-13: 978-0205295593 | Publication Date: July 8, 1999 | Edition: 4 Sub

This top-selling public speaking text continues to be an excellent choice for introductory public speaking courses in both 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach serves as a foundation in speechmaking as it guides students through every step of the process and narrows the gap between the classroom and the real world. Its distinctive and popular audience-centered approach emphasizes the importance of analyzing and considering the audience at every point along the way, with marginal icons highlighting passages that address audience-related issues. Numerous examples, excerpts, and sample speeches support the instruction, while recap boxes and end-of-chapter activities reinforce and extend the lessons of the text.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach, Fourth Edition serves as a foundation in speechmaking as it guides readers through every step of the process and narrows the gap between the theory and the real world.

Its distinctive and popular audience-centered approach emphasizes the importance of analyzing and considering the audience at every point along the way, with marginal icons highlighting passages that address audience-related issues. Numerous examples, excerpts, and sample speeches support the instruction, while recap boxes and end-of-chapter activities reinforce and extend the lessons.

For anyone who speaks in front of audiences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 454 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 4 Sub edition (July 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205295592
• ISBN-13: 978-0205295593
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #465,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read- great to use, April 24, 2000

By 

Katherine Brown (United States of America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (Paperback)

This is a really good book. I used it for a college class on public speaking, and I would have been lost without it. It covers things that you always forget to include, and great hints on how to increase your confidence and persuade an audience. For someone like me who was terrified, but no longer is of public speaking, and for those who just need a refrsher course, this book is brilliant.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sixth and Ever Better Edition, July 10, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (6th Edition) (Paperback)

You can't say that the audience-centered concept used in this book was pioneered by them. After all, in the first paragraph the authors give credit to Aristotle for defining the elements of speechmaking as 'of speaker, subject and person addresed - it is the last one, the herer, that determines the speaker's end and object.'

The first edition of this book, about 15 years ago, set the tone for what has now become the sisth edition, with each edition improved by audience feedback and new educational concepts. The general concept of keeping the audience at the center of of the speakers mind through all of the steps in the process.

Of course, this does not mean that the speaker tells the audience only what they want to hear; to do that would not convey anything to the audience but a good feeling. Some of the example speeches, 'I Have a Dream,' Martin Luther King, Jr., speak to people holding views very opposed to his.

The highly illustrated book is carefully organized with a mixture of text, tables, drawings, comments and questions to maintain the students interest while educating him. Indeed these techniques are some that can be used by the student in his speeches.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saved me 80 bux!!, February 17, 2010

By 

Edward J. Glassmire (Philadelphia PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (5th Edition) (Paperback)

Im currently a college student and the latest version of this book is close to 100 dollars but this older edition has the exact same content as the latest, just a different cover. So this really saved me some much needed cash.