Activity 

This week you have the opportunity to analyze the communications in a TED Talk, available at http://www.ted.com/talks.

TED Talks are curated video  presentations.  Speakers are selected for their expertise and for the  value of the content.  These talks are designed to present information  and expose audiences to varying points of view.  Thus,  the content  should have sufficient substance to stimulate discussion, and the video  quality allows critique of the speaker.

Your task for week 4 is to:

First, select a TED  Talk on a topic that interests you from the 1,000 plus available.  Talks  range in length from 3 to 18 minutes.  Choosing a longer one will give  you more material on which to base your analysis.  (The reason for the  18-minute limit is because that is considered the maximum time for  optimum audience attention.  Longer than that, our minds begin to  wander.)

Second, review chapters 10, 11 and 12 of your text.

Third, listen to the  presentation several times, paying close attention to how the speaker  uses non-verbal communication, composes sentences, organizes thoughts,  and engages the audience.   Use the outline below to structure your  analysis:

1. Purpose: General and specific purpose (and implied if different from stated purpose)
2. Non-verbal delivery
   1. Speakers movements during the presentation
   2. Visual aids
3. Strategies for Success
   1. Pathos: tone, emphasis, engagement
   2. Logos: clarity, conciseness, arrangement
   3. Ethos: credibility, expectation, reference
4. Style
   1. Appeals (to emotions, rationality, intelligence, etc.)
   2. Figurative language (similes, metaphors, symbols, imagery)
   3. Use of language, word choices
   4. Diction or accent
   5. Passive or active voice
   6. Simple or complex sentences
5. Oral strategies and tactics
   1. Music
   2. Volume
   3. Speech patterns (articulation, intonation, emphasis)
   4. Other sound effects

Fourth, develop your  analysis using the variables in the five categories above.  Develop your  arguments and conclusions thoroughly.  When you post your analysis,  include the name of the presenter, the title of the Talk, and the URL so that others can view the video.

Enjoy the experience!

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