Tips for a Class debate

1. Tips for class debate
http://www.debatingmatters.com/getinvolved/toptips/
 Read the Topic Guide
It sounds obvious, but it is very important - without it, it's possible to miss out on major
points or even get the wrong idea of what the motion actually means. This doesn't mean
that you shouldn't do your own research – you need to be innovative, and if you just rely
on the Topic Guide it's difficult or impossible to do this. However, the Topic Guide
provides a good summary of the core arguments for and against the motion, and it's a
good place to start your research from.
 Start researching early
Tackle the research head on. Start early and read everything that you can, the Topic
Guides are essential. Don't just stick to your side of the argument though, read your
opposition's articles and try and anticipate what they will attack you with. If you are
already prepared for some responses, then you won't be wrong-footed as easily. However,
don't rely on this and remember to work with the flow of the debate. Further reading is
great too, read around the subject but be prepared to justify your points and cite your
references for statistics.
 Don’t be deferent!
A lot of your time on the floor will be spent responding to both judges and your
opposition, and some participants fall down in retreating from their original assertions
when confronted by criticism from the panel of experts. In my experience, confidence in
defending your arguments from the criticisms made by the judges is critical in the overall
result. Don't be afraid of offending them! Some of the most successful teams pick up a lot
of points in criticizing the focus of the judges' questions. Answer them directly, but don't
let them subvert or change the course of what you're trying to say. Tackle them head on.
 Be Bold!
Often, people will try to interpret a debate too narrowly. The debates are carefully
selected so that there are good arguments to be made on either side, narrowing the debate
could show a lack of understanding or confidence, so grasp the debate fully and be bold
in what you say. Often a strong position can bring out the issues at the heart of the debate,
allowing you to flourish more visibly with your coherent arguments!
 Don’t back down!
Unfortunately for some of us, during the competition we can often find ourselves arguing
for motions with which we disagree. Far too many competitors, in realizing this, seek to

2. compromise with their position in order to reach a more balanced, 'neutral' sentiment. It's
understandable, but fundamentally not an effective way of winning the argument in
Debating Matters. The judges will be looking for your ability to take your argument to its
ultimate logical conclusion, and defend the most radical of suggestions with skill. If you
see your opposition succumbing to this desire to extend the olive branch, do not hesitate
to get stuck in.
 Statistics are good but…
Use them to support your points but beware! It is very easy to find statistics from your
perspective but be prepared to back them up with multiple sources and always cite your
references and sources. It is very easy to become over reliant on them, so don't depend on
them. There is a good balance between arguments and evidence, so try and aim for a
good mix with statistics only when needed.
 Know your argument
Know your argument, but be flexible with it. It is quite possible that somebody will offer
a new perspective on your argument. This does not necessarily directly contradict what
you have said, but might prove a good discussion point. The ability to respond to these
new ideas, while linking them to your original argument, will demonstrate the ability to
listen, think, and respond to different points.
 Judges questions: don’t panic!
The judges will probably go straight for your arguments, so don't panic! Stand your
ground and fight hard on points. If they ask tough questions, take a little bit of time to
consider your answer. It is very easy to get wrong footed and jump into something too
quickly and end up saying things you later regret. Take your time and address each
question without rushing. Remember there are four of you, so work together with your
partner to help give a united front. At this point, make sure you are sticking to the debate
topic too, the judges may be giving you subtle hints if they feel the debate isn't quite on
track, so be sure to pick up on this if it is the case.
 Take a principled stand
The judges will be looking for your ability to defend your position to the extreme. Make
sure you know your position inside out before you compete, as there is no room for
altering the intention of your motion in the Debating Matters structure. Be prepared to
take on some uncomfortable and fundamental positions - don't draw back from defending
principles which are difficult to tackle in public debate. Your ability to challenge the
fundamental assumptions and values that lie behind contemporary debates will be
rewarded.

3.  Audience questions
Do not underestimate this section. This lasts a long time when you are under fire from all
angles but this is a very important part of the debate. Tackle as many questions you feel
comfortable with and try to pick up on questions that are in support of your side. During
this section, start thinking about the closing summations and really try to pick up on any
particularly weak area of your opponent's arguments.
 Read the news
Talk about current issues with friends and relatives. If you keep generally up to date with
the news and current affairs, this might be relevant in one of the future debates and helps
to get your mindset into a debating and critical one, which I found very useful. Practicing
with your team is also good, our team did this a lot anyway before we even started
debating and it can be quite interesting and thought provoking to hear and respond to
other people's opinions.
 Understand the material
Understand the material - if you have well prepared speeches, but also a strong command
of the facts and ideas surrounding the issue, you will find it far easier to respond to
counter-arguments and points from the floor that you may not have considered. The
Topic Guides are an excellent starting point for this - they focus on the heart of the
debate. Talk through the issue with friends and relatives - often such informal discussion
will help to build up interest in the subject and aid the formation of a coherent argument.
 Speak slowly
Try and stay calm and speak slowly. Whilst the time limit is fairly tight, it is better to
have a calm and mannered presentation than a rushed one which tries to cram too much
in. Place your strongest arguments first to get them into the debate early, don't leave key
arguments until later as you may not get the chance to use them. That said, saving a few
little bits of information or smaller arguments for later on can work very nicely and help
to sway the debate in your favour during the cross-examination.
 Enjoy yourself!
I think the most important thing is to enjoy yourself and to have fun, which sounds
clichéd and tedious, but I loved every minute of the competition. I took a lot of valuable
experience with me and I honestly never expected to get past the Qualifying Rounds.
Whilst you are there chat to people, make new friends and throw yourself into every
debate, whether you are watching or taking part.

4. http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Debate-Speech
Writing Your Own Debate Speech
1 Write in standard English. In other words, don't use slang, as it makes your
argument seem less valid.
2 Know your audience. Write in standard English - however, don't use too complex
vocabulary if no-one else will understand it!
3 Make your point of view clear. Naturally, your point won't be as effective if no-one
knows what you're talking about!
4 Use statistics. Backing up your points make them seem much more reliable, and
therefore valid.
5 Acknowledge your opponent's point. If you do this, you will look smarter and
more knowledgeable, as it seems like you have weighed up the points of view, and found
your conclusion- your opinion.
6 Use persuasive techniques. These include- list of three, which makes your point
more memorable and effective; rhetorical questions, which make your opponents
consider the validity of their point; irony, which undermines their point and makes
yourself seem more mature and intelligent; simile, which gives them something to relate
to; humour, which gets the audience on your side; repetition, which reinforces your point
and so on.
7 Listen to successful debate speeches on youtube. This gives you something to
aspire to, and also helps you know how to present your speech.
8 When it's finished, proof read. Grammatically incorrect lexis undermines your
intelligence, and therefore weakens your argument.
9 And that's it! Try to learn your speech off by heart, as it suggests your interest in
the subject, and therefore makes you seem like a more reliable debater.
Warnings
Remember, just because you can write a debate speech, it doesn't mean you can say a
debate speech effectively. Practice!

5. How to Perform Well in a Debate
People may come up with the most stunning content for their argument, but the fact is
one-third of the marking criteria will go to 'performance' and 'manner of speaking'.
Even these could determine which side wins.
1 Realize that no matter how analytic and academic a debate is, the way you present it
verbally will have an effect on your adjudicator. There is a little bit of drama involved.
For example, if the topic is comical (which they never usually are) then one should
generally put on a happy act, and adopt a really cheerful voice. Match the 'mood' in
which you are speaking with the topic you are arguing about.
2 Maintain eye contact with the people around the room, especially the adjudicators.
After all, they are the ones you are trying to persuade to your side; your team is already
on your side. Of course, look at the adjudicators when introducing and concluding your
speech, and also at the guests - they are part of the audience.
3 Before you start your speech, find a steady spot to place your feet because once the
speech starts it doesn't stop. The best stance to take is standing in the center of the room
and planting your feet right together firmly on the ground. This prevents swaying; some
people fidget so much that they drop the cue-cards.
4 Start by taking a deep breath, look up at the adjudicator and greet them. Don't start the
debate with 'um' or 'uh'. All one should start with is "Good evening/morning adjudicator,
fellow debaters, audience. My name is [your name here]."
5 Speak slowly . there is a time limit to every speech but most of the time, individual
speeches don't exceed the time limit. It is much better to speak slowly, carefully, and
somewhat convincingly. It hardly seems like one is 'arguing' when they inaudibly stutter
a few hundred words with a trembling voice. People really want to hear what you've got
to say, so let them!
6 Be relaxed when you invent your rebuttals. Most are done by improvising on the spot.
Do not worry about what you have just said, concentrate on what you are about to say.
Don't make up a load of waffle, just pin-point where the opposition is wrong, find an idea
that your team supports, and elaborate upon it.
7 Don't give up if you are feeling mortified with the argument you just presented. It is not
over until the conclusion has been stated, and state it loudly and confidently! Even if the
back-up was not so spectacular, this is the opinion you are expressing. Give a large smile,

6. say something along the lines of 'We hope we convinced you', and bid them a hearty
goodbye. Learn the art and history of Rhetoric. Socrates, the great philosopher, was a
famous rhetorician, and won his arguments by letting his opponents contradict
themselves with their own words. Therefore, listen hard to your speeches.
Speaking passionately is a great advantage.
Revise your synonyms. It gets tiresome when speakers use the words
'misconception', 'contradictory', and 'flaws' during their rebuttal. Be creative! Words like
'misapprehended', 'inconsistency', 'indistinct', 'misinterpreted', are not so cliché.
Practice speaking your debate in front of your friends, parents, or anyone willing to
listen. If practiced in front of the mirror, you can analyse your facial expression and hand
gestures.
The #1 most important factor is to relax.
Cue-cards are easier to shuffle when they are in little squares. Long rectangular ones
tend to slip from peoples' hands.
Adjudicators don't like it when a person doesn't tell them what they are going to talk
about for the next three minutes. At least briefly explain what main issues you will raise
in your speech. Label your arguments using M.P.E.R.S. (Moral, Political, Economic,
Religious and Social) This makes it easier to keep track of your arguments and to
structure your speech. State your argument -explain your argument - illustrate your
argument
8 Use hand gestures that illustrate your argument. This way, the audience have a visual
and they won't get bored.
Each of your arguments should be convincing. Don't just go on giving points; this ends
up being boring and shows a lack of disputatious capacity. Don't be afraid if you just said
something wrong. Clarify it while keeping calm.
Warnings
Just note that at the end of the day, the content and accuracy of your argument is
ultimately what the adjudicator will be marking upon.
Teams usually try to intimidate their oppositions by clapping extremely loud when it's
your turn. Just welcome it; when it's their turn, clap even harder.
Things You'll Need
Cue-cards

7. How to Rebut Better
No matter how well you prepare for a debate, there will always be an impromptu section
called 'rebuttal'. This is where you must present a case against arguments your opponent
has made so far. It's off the top of your head, it's a test of you and your team's critical
thinking... but it's easy if you know how.
Method 1 of 2: Things To Do Before You Rebut
1 Know your team's case inside out. If the debate is prepared, you should be reading
and rereading your teammates' speeches and improving them as a team. Brainstorm as
much as you can. If the debate is in the short preparation format (that is, you have an hour
or so between receiving the topic and speaking), make sure you are actively involved in
the 10 minutes or so when you're coming up with your arguments, and focus on what
your teammates are saying when they speak, not just what your opponents are saying
2 Plug holes in your speech before they are exploited. If you can see an opportunity
where your opponent will attempt to rebut, they will see it too. For example, if you are
advocating Car A over Car B, and you say Car A is more expensive, make sure you add a
disclaimer, such as "Even though Car A costs more, the superior quality is well worth the
cost". This way, your opponents may not even try to rebut that point at all, and if they do,
you've set the basis for an easy rebuttal.
3 Get into the mindset of your opponents. Sometimes it can be useful to pretend you
have been allocated to the other side of the debate, and try to get into the opponents'
minds. Does Car B have better safety features? A lower cost? Write down as many of
these rebuttals as possible, and how you plan to counter them. If you can walk into a
debate with a few semi-prepared rebuttals, it makes your job so much easier.
4 Know your opponent's case! The first speaker of the opposing team will outline the
arguments their entire team will make. Write these down quickly, then pay keen attention
to the rest of their speech. You must take in as much information from them as is
possible.
5 Find something that's wrong with their argument. Do they contradict themselves? Are
they cherry-picking arguments? Can you counter a hypothesis of theirs with facts? An
opponent's argument is NEVER airtight. If needed, write down a note to yourself if
you're not sure about a possible rebut, then have a quiet team huddle about it just after
they have finished their speech. Write down anything and everything that you could use.

8. 6 Prepare a rebuttal palm card. A useful format is to write which speaker you're
rebutting (1, 2, 3 or 'all' if it applies), a paraphrased form of what they said, and a
dotpoint that you will use to rebut. Order your palm cards by speaker, and then by
importance.
7 Relax, and pretend you're elsewhere. When you rebut, you shouldn't be talking to an
audience or the adjudicator. Rather, you should be having a conversation with an
argumentative friend, or better yet, a teacher. Be polite, and be formal, but above all,
relax. This will make it a lot easier to...
8 Speak off the top of your head. Once you've exhausted whatever is written on your
palm card, you treat the rebuttal as you would an ordinary conversation. When you talk to
your friends, you don't think about what you're saying beforehand, do you? It just comes
out. Try to position your mind so that you are having a conversation, and it will become
much easier to give impromptu rebuttals. You'll get better at this over time.
9 Be confident. In a debate, nothing is worse than a person who clearly thinks the other
team is smarter, better or winning. You're winning, and you just proved it with your
rebuttal. Be proud of what you have achieved.
Method 2 of 2: How To Rebut
Let's start first with the types of contentions one might make.
→Types of Contentions
1 Logic. Logic is just reasoning. For example, if Car A was more expensive than Car
B, you could argue, "Car B is better than Car A because it is cheaper and it is only logical
that a family with a limited budget would purchase Car B instead of Car A.
2 Analogy. Analogy is a comparison. For example, if Car A was more high quality than
Car B, you could argue, "Car A is better than Car B simply because it is of better quality.
You could compare this situation to somebody shopping for fruits. Car A is like the
perfect, red apple at the top of the pile of apples and Car B is like the rotting fruit that's
been sitting at the bottom of the pile for weeks. Any reasonable shopper would purchase
the fresh, perfect apple instead of the rotting fruit that should be thrown out. Similar to
the apples, few people would purchase a poorly-made car that might break down any
moment on the highway.
3 Historical Evidence.
Anecdotes It either happened to you or you know that somebody has done research
on the topic. An anecdote could be, "On January 1, 2000, my grandfather drove a car - it
was almost identical to car B - and you know what happened? His brakes failed and he

9. crashed off a bridge! However, my parents have been driving a car similar to car A for
decades and nothing bad has happened. Any reasonable person would not want to end up
like my grandfather - dead because of some really badly-made car!"
A study could be, "Professor [enter name here] did a study recently on cars. In the
study of 200,000 people, where 100,000 people drove car A and 100,000 drove car B,
10% of all people who drove car B died in a fatal crash and only 1% who drove car A got
into minor accidents! It's obvious that from this, car A is better than car B".
→Refutations
1 Logic. Prove their logic is wrong. A possible refutation to my previous example
could be, "Yes, it is correct that someone with a limited budget may not be able to afford
Car A, but think about the value of a life. Does a buyer really want to die? As we have all
heard, life is priceless. You cannot buy life and it is therefore worth more than any
amount of money! It is obviously better to be safe with Car A's quality than take the risk
of dying by driving Car B."
2 Analogy. Prove their analogy doesn't work, or is slightly tangential. For example, one
could argue against my previous comparison of the fruit to the cars. One such refutation
could be, "Your analogy does not work. The apples are the same price each. The cars are
not. You need a better analogy because the price of the cars can also be a factor, while the
price of the apples is not."
3 Historical Evidence Anecdotes. Question the validity of their anecdote, or challenge
the significance of their anecdote. For example, a possible response to my anecdote could
be, "First, you cannot prove that is true, but let's assume it is. What's the probability that
any random person who drives Car B happens to be on a bridge at the exact same
moment when the brakes fail? You grandfather was just unlucky. That's all. Taking a tiny
chance to save some money can turn out very helpful in the long run. Besides, we can
logically deduce that your grandfather had a small budget because Car B is cheap. How
do you know whether he got his brakes checked or not? For all we know, he could have
been so cheap that he never bothered to go and get them checked." (Notice, don't try and
hurt your opponent's feelings if you can avoid it, although it's their fault if they brought
up the anecdote and you just destroy it. This wasn't a true story for me, but if it were for
somebody, they could be insulted if you insulted their grandfather who died in a tragic
car accident.)
Studies. You can't prove these false unless they seem very unlikely, such as in a
recent study, 100% of all people who drove Car B died in car crashes. You can only
make the contention seem less important. For example, one might say, "Blah! 10% of
100,000. That's only 1,000 people! It makes more logical sense to take your chances to

10. save a ton of money!" Also, emphasize the "only" in the last statement to make a stronger
statement.
4 Remember why you are here. You can make any statements you want - even if you
personally think they are the dumbest comments in the world and absolutely disagree
with them. Remember that you are only arguing for your side - not for what you actually
If you have too many arguments to use, pick the most important ones, then just have
the rest on the side. You can use any leftover arguments in your rebuttal if you need.
Talk to your teammates. Have you heard the phrase, "worth more than the sum of it's
parts?" It definitely applies here. Together, you can come up with a far stronger rebuttal
than you could working alone. Pass notes during the opponent's speech.
Find a friend who loves to argue, and argue with them frequently. This will only
improve your critical thinking. Never let anybody write your speeches for you. This will
prevent you from knowing what you're talking about, let alone what the rest of your team
is talking about.
Get used to using analogies or hypothetical situations. They are a fantastic tool to have
in your arsenal, not only because they are effective, but also because they take up more
time than a one-liner will. Use them sparingly, however.
Know not only useful facts, but also their origin. You can often use these to completely
contradict an opponent's argument (saving you from having to speak too much,) or, if
both teams are giving facts that seem to contradict each other, it would help if you
mentioned your facts were from a credible source.
Don't forget about 'technical' rebuttals. If you and the other team disagree on the
definition of the topic, make sure you continue to address why your definition is correct
and theirs isn't. If they forget to address it, this can win you easy points.
Only write in points. Don't write in full sentences as you will run out of time.
Warnings
Attack the opposing team's arguments, not the opposing team themselves.
Never, ever, admit you were wrong. If you don't have a counterattack for their rebuttal,
don't address it at all.
Don't spend too long on any one rebuttal.

11. How to Speak Well and Confidently
Good communication is the key to success, whether you're speaking in front of a large
audience or trying to get a point across to a new friend. If you want to know how to speak
well and confidently, you've got to believe in yourself, speak slowly and carefully, and
have strong convictions about what you're saying. If you want to know how to sound
intelligent and thoughtful when you speak, then see Step 1 to get started.
Part 1 of 3: Speaking with Confidence
1 State your opinions with conviction. Before you speak, you have to make sure you
really believe in what you say, whether you're saying that Kanye's new album is amazing
or that the growing inequality gap in the United States should be the government's #1
concern. You don't have to sound arrogant to get your point across and to sound like you
really believe in what you're saying instead of turning to other people for validation or
approval.
It's all in how you say it. If you start a sentence by saying, "I think that…" Or, "But
maybe…" then nothing you say afterwards will sound as forceful as it would have if you
just made the statement.
2 Make eye contact. For one thing, it is polite for others. Also, eye contact will help
others to listen to your thinking carefully. Find a few friendly faces to focus on so your
confidence goes up while you're speaking and that you're communicating your message
even more clearly. If you look down at the floor, you won't look confident, and if you're
looking around while you talk, people may think that you're distracted or looking for
something better to do.
Look people in the eyes when you talk to them -- you can look away for a moment
or two to get your footing, but in general, stay focused on the eyes of the people you're
talking to.
If you see someone looking confused or concerned when you're speaking, you may
even think about whether or not you're being clear enough. However, you shouldn't let
one confused person get you off track.
If you're talking to a larger group where it's difficult to really make eye contact,
focus on looking at just a few people in the audience.

12. 3 Praise yourself every day. This will promote your own confidence, which is
important when you speak. With more confidence, people will take your thinking more
seriously. You don't have to think you're perfect to truly praise yourself and let yourself
feel like the amazing person that you are. Remind yourself of all of the great things
you've accomplished and worked so hard for. Look in the mirror and say at least three
things about yourself, or make a list of all of the great things that make you who you are.
If you can't think of anything you'd want to praise yourself for, then you'll need to
work on boosting your confidence. Build your self-esteem by focusing on something
you're good at, addressing your flaws, and spending time with the people who really care
about you and make you feel good about yourself.
4 Use the shortcut method for better speaking. Chances are that you'll sometimes have
to speak in public as part of your role. While this can seem intimidating, the benefits of
being able to speak well outweigh any perceived fears. To become a better speaker,
remember the following strategies (deliberately kept short for ease of memory):
Plan appropriately.
Practice.
Engage with your audience.
Pay attention to body language.
Think and speak positively.
Cope with your nerves.
Watch recordings of your speeches. This will help you to improve each time.
5 Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the
microphone and any visual aids. Knowing what you're up against and having a sense of
where you'll stand, how the crowd will look, and what it will feel like to move around as
you speak can definitely ease your nerves. It's far better to know what you're facing than
to have a big surprise -- and a blow to your confidence -- on the day of the big event.
If you really want to know the room, you can also show up on a day before your
actual speaking engagement to get a sense of what it's like.
6 Visualize success. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking,
your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your
confidence. Close your eyes and imagine the most confident and well-spoken version of
yourself up in the audience, dazzling them with his words. Or if you're nervous about
speaking in a smaller social setting, picture yourself wowing a small group of friends

13. with your words. Picturing the scenario you want to enact can go a long way in making
you succeed.
This way, when it's time for your big moment, remember what you visualized --
how can you get there?
7 Know your audience. Knowing who you're talking to can go a long way in helping
you speak with confidence. If you're addressing a large audience, it's important to know
where they come from, how old they are, and what their general knowledge is about your
subject. This can help you prepare your words accordingly. If you're talking to a handful
of people, knowing as much about them as you can -- their political beliefs, their senses
of humor -- can help you say the right thing (and to avoid saying the wrong one).
One of the reasons people get nervous when speaking is because they don't like the
unknown; that's why you have to gather as much information as possible.
8 Have confident body language. Body language can go a long way in making you
appear and feel confident. If you want to have confident body language, here's what you
should do:
Have great posture
Avoid slouching
Don't fidget with your hands
Avoid pacing around too much
Look ahead of you instead of down at the floor
Keep your face and body relaxed
9 Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you
include in your speech or conversation. If you know a lot about your subject, you will
feel a lot more confident when you have to speak about it. If you only prepared what you
were going to say the night before and are terrified of getting questions you won't know
how to answer, then yeah, your confidence will not be at an all-time high. Knowing 5
times more about your subject than you're going to say will make you feel prepared for
the big day.
If you will leave some time for questions after your speech, you can practice giving
it to a friend in advance; have the friend ask some tough questions to help yourself
prepare for what may come.

14. Part 2 of 3: Speaking Well
1 Speak loudly enough for everyone to hear. While you don't want to shout, you should
speak loudly enough so that people don't have to ask you to repeat yourself. Speaking
quietly or softly will make people think you are shy and that you don't have confidence in
what you're saying -- that you don't really want to be heard anyway.
If you speak in a low voice, not only will others not be able to hear what you say,
but you will also portray a submissive demeanor, which suggests the opposite of a
confident one.
On the other hand, you don't want to speak so loudly that you're talking over people
just to be heard. Your words alone should get people's attention.
2 Expand your vocabulary. Read as much as you can, from online journals such as
Slate or Salon.com to serious literature like Anna Karenina. The more you read, the more
you'll know and the more expansive your vocabulary will be. You'll be learning new
words and understanding new phrases without even knowing it, and soon, you'll be using
the words you read while you're speaking. Having a wide vocabulary is a must if you
really want to speak well.
This doesn't mean that you have to throw fifty $100 words into your speeches or
everyday conversations every time. Just a few key "fancy" words can make you sound
more intelligent, but not like you're trying too hard.
Keep a vocabulary journal. Write down all of the new words you've encountered
while reading and define them.
3 Avoid excessive slang. If you want to be well-spoken, then you can't go around using
slang or too much casual phrasing. Of course, if your audience is young and hip, you
don't want to sound too formal or stilted, but you should avoid saying things like, "You
guys," or "Hella" or "Nailed it!" or whatever phrases are going around in your culture
these days.
Of course, if you're just speaking with friends, then slang is fine, but if you're
addressing a more mature audience and want to speak well, then you should avoid it.
4 Don't be afraid to pause. Some people view pausing as a sign of weakness, but this is
absolutely not the case. It's okay to pause to gather your thoughts and to think about what
you're going to say next. What's far worse is speaking too fast and sounding like you're
rambling, being frantic, or even saying something that you will immediately regret. Part
of slowing down and speaking thoughtfully means that pauses in your speech will sound
more natural.

15. If you use verbal pauses (such as "um" or "uh") while you speak, don't be too
worried about it. It's just a natural way of getting our minds into gear and even President
Obama uses them quite frequently. If you think you use them too much, you can try to
tone it down, but don't think that you have to avoid them completely.
5 Use gestures only when necessary. Gesturing while you speak is a great way to get
your points across and to emphasize your words. But don't use your hands or gestures too
much when you speak or you will come off as a bit frantic, like you're using your
gestures to compensate because your words aren't enough. Instead, keeping your hands at
your sides and using them in just a few key moments when you're talking will help you
get your point across.
6 Be more concise. Another part of speaking well means knowing what not to say. You
may think that you have to give ten examples to prove some point, but in reality, you may
only need just one or two, and your ideas will come off more strongly because you chose
the best points instead of throwing the entire kitchen sink at the audience you're
addressing. If you're giving a speech, then every word has to count; if you're just talking
to some friends, it's still best to avoid rambling.
If you're giving a speech, then write it down and say it aloud. Reading your own
words can help you see where you're being repetitive, and which things you'd like to cut.
7 Repeat your main points. You may think that stating your main points once is enough
and that your audience will get what's most important about what you have to say. Well,
that's where you're wrong. If you have a few main points that you really want to get
across, whether you're addressing a crowd or trying to make a point during an argument
with a friend, stating your main points again, perhaps at the end of your conversation or
speech, will help you define your message and make your point even more clearly.
Think about writing an essay. You have to repeat your main points at the end of
every paragraph and in your conclusion, don't you? Well, speaking is not so different.
8 Use concrete examples to grab your audience. Concrete examples are the bread and
butter of any speech or conversation. Whether you want to convince your audience to use
renewable energy or convince your best friend to dump her loser boyfriend, you'll need to
present a few cold, hard facts to get people's attention. Pick the statistics, anecdotes, or
stories that will most effectively get your point across. Remember, it's not about throwing
a million statistics at your audience -- it's about using a few key points that they will
actually remember.
Tell a story or two. If you're giving a speech, a story at the beginning or the end can
help introduce your points in a more human way.

16. Part 3 of 3: Taking it to the Next Level
1 Develop a relaxing routine. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and
calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-
thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous
energy into enthusiasm. It's all about finding whatever works for you. Maybe drinking a
cup of peppermint tea before you speak does the trick. Maybe drinking water every five
minutes will do it for you. Once you find what works for you, stick to it.
You can also develop a routine for talking to friends. Find something that calms you
down when you're nervous about speaking, whether it's grabbing a Koosh ball in your
coat pocket or smiling a bit more.
2 Practice, practice, practice. Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using.
Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; practice, pause and breathe. Practice
with a timer and allow time for the unexpected. The more you practice, the more natural
and well-spoken you will sound when it's time to speak. And the better you feel like you
know what to say, the more confidence you'll have when it counts.
3 Don't apologize. If you're nervous or have accidentally misspoken, don't draw
people's attention to it by apologizing for it. Just get on with what you have to say and
people will forget all about what you said. Saying, "Sorry guys, I'm just so nervous," or
"Oops, that was awkward," will only make things more awkward and uncomfortable.
Everyone makes mistakes and there's no need to acknowledge yours unless you're really,
really good at poking fun at yourself.
4 Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your
own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience. The most important
thing is to get your point across, not to look like Steve Jobs when you do it. If you focus
less on yourself, you will feel less self-conscious and more like a messenger, and that will
take off a lot of the pressure. Before you speak, remind yourself about how important the
message that you have to convey is, and why conveying it matters to you. This will make
you stop worrying about whether you're talking too fast or sweating too much.
5 Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as
a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A
Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly
environment. Just getting into the habit of giving speeches or speaking publicly will also
help you succeed. Even if you just want to speak confidently in front of friends or
strangers, the more you do it, the better you'll be at it. It's like any other skill.

17. 6 Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting,
stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you. Think positively about
what you have to do before you begin and know that no one wants you to trip, stumble
over your words, or forget what you were going to say. Everyone wants the best for you,
and you should want that too. Speaking can be a scary thing, whether you're talking to a
football stadium of people or just your class, and everyone wants you to do your best.
Practice really does make perfect. If you're giving a speech, then rehearsing it in
advance will help you sound clear and confident on the big day.
Warnings
In addition to speaking your own ideas, don't forget to listen to the ideas of others too!
Otherwise, others may find you to be self-centered, and you will lose the benefit of their
valuable opinions.
Remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Don't portray an
exaggerated amount of confidence, or you will come off as arrogant and over confident.
There's nothing worse than coming across as believing that your ideas are better than the
ideas of everyone else.