Giuliana Paredes BLOG POST #1

 Blog Post #1 - 02/01/2026

    As our first assignment for Introduction to Public Speaking with Professor Sinkoff, each group was assigned a chapter from our textbook, Engage. My group was Group 2, in which we were tasked with “Getting Ready for a Successful Presentation.” My group and I divided each chapter between two people, and the work began. 

On my portion of the presentation, I worked alongside Jehu on Chapter 6. We divided it by him doing the first half and me finishing the second half. In this section, I addressed topics such as conducting research interviews, the interview guide, evaluating your sources and information, avoiding plagiarism, taking accurate notes, paraphrasing the correct way, and lastly acknowledging your sources. All these topics are key elements in regard to preparing a speech that not only is memorable but also is credible. 

I also took on the work of doing Chapter 8 alone, a personal decision I made seeing as we were short a member and I found the extra work to not be challenging. I felt confident in my ability to handle the material independently and believed that taking responsibility for this chapter would benefit the group as a whole. This chapter went over a crucial aspect of the entire group’s presentation, which was the parts of a speech and its purpose. Because this topic connects directly to how speeches are written, organized, and delivered, it plays a major role in understanding effective communication overall. The information in this chapter helps explain not only what each part of a speech is, but also why each part matters and how they work together to support the speaker’s message. I used many diagrams straight from the book to provide context and direct sources, as seen in this image. These diagrams helped visually break down the structure of a speech, making the information easier to understand and follow. Using direct sources from the textbook also ensured accuracy and helped reinforce the concepts exactly as they were intended to be taught. I felt that including visuals was especially important for this chapter because it allowed the audience to clearly see how each section of a speech connects to the next. 

Continuously, while actually presenting my information, I was quite nervous, but I had done many presentations and speeches in the past, so I was not going to let the nerves get to me. During my presentation, I felt that I spoke in a calm manner and speed. I kept my slides very minimal so the audience would not get overwhelmed, and I made sure to hit my most important points. One thing I did note while I was speaking and when I watched my group’s presentation back is that I stuttered in certain parts, which is unfortunate, but it is something I can work on. 

Additionally, after rewatching my group’s presentation, I felt each member did an excellent job. Each one of them were team players, got their work done, and overall did a great job presenting as well. I actually really enjoyed Jennifer’s presentation. She spoke in a very calm manner, which made the information easy to understand and grasp, and had excellent points with key information. 

Moreover, my fellow classmates were also tasked with doing a similar presentation. I will be speaking on Group One’s presentation. They covered Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5. Each group member did an excellent job; they were prepared, organized, calm, and collected. In specific, I want to mention three points I enjoyed about their presentation. Everyone sounded like they were prepared and knew what they were talking about, but more than anything, I vividly remember really enjoying Fiorella’s part of the presentation. She spoke in a manner that was direct and with power. Fiorella was prepared and confident. I really enjoyed how she structured her slides and information, which made her presentation really enjoyable. Additionally, the way Group One organized and designed their slides was eye-catching and not overwhelming. Last but certainly not least, Group One being the very first group to present can definitely be intimidating, but I wanted to give kudos to them for going first and doing an amazing job. I really enjoyed their presentation, and I hope to see them present more in the rest of our time together in the semester. 

Focusing on another group, I had mixed feelings about Group Four, who covered Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. I felt that each group member did a great job on their slides; my issue began during the actual presentation. It felt a tad bit unorganized, which distracted me from the overall message. Although this was a slight issue, overall I really enjoyed their presentation. With its challenges, it allowed other group members to step up and take over, which is actually great practice for the future because you never know what life will throw your way, especially during a presentation. 

The last group to address is Group Three. This group had strong speakers as well as a well-rounded presentation structure. Each member had their slides completed, and when it was their turn to present, they did so calmly and confidently. I felt that their presentation was very informative and easy to follow. The group appeared well prepared and organized, which helped their overall message come across clearly. Each speaker contributed effectively, making the presentation feel balanced. Another note Luciana even while having some speech difficulties did an excellent job and here presentation was enjoyable. As well as Madelay her presentation was my favorite from the group she did an excellent job. 

To conclude, this assignment was fun and engaging, especially as our first project. It allowed me to get to know my group as well as the rest of my classmates. I know that in an online class of 40+ students, it can be difficult to get to know everyone and create engaging assignments that involve everyone. Professor Sinkoff did a great job explaining and assigning this project, and I am excited to see what is to come for the rest of the semester.