Table of Contents
Memo of Transmittal i
Executive Summary iv
Introduction 1
Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking 2
Preparation 7
Know your Audience 8
Creating an Outline 11
Evaluate the Outline 11
Strategies for Presenting 12
General Tips 13
Visual Aids 13
Conclusion 16
References 17

Executive Summary

Glossophobia is the fear of speaking in public settings. People with an anxiousness of public speaking likely either exhibit the phobia or similar symptoms related to the phobia. The purpose of this report is to find and understand ways to deal with public speaking anxieties as it is a common fear among the general population. This report focuses on defining glossophobia, or more commonly referred to as public speaking anxiety (PSA), and elaborating on strategies/tips for overcoming this phobia.
Symptoms of public speaking anxiety can be feeling intense anxiety prior to, or at the thought of having to verbally communicate to a group of people. Another symptom would be feeling physical distress, nausea, or feelings of panic in some cases. Possessing good public speaking skills is a very important skill one can possess and having this skill to speak efficiently and effectively to an audience gives a person numerous advantages throughout their lifetime.
This report is to help our audience understand the different ways of overcoming PSA in hopes of achieving a better communication process during presentations, work environments, or any situation that may require speaking in a public setting. This report focuses on six strategies to accomplish this: 1) preparation, which focuses on preparation of the speech and content before the actual speech; 2) know your audience, which helps for a better communication process of the message; 3) creating an outline, which is beneficial to organizing the message’s flow; 4) evaluating the outline, helps to structure the message and the persuasiveness of the message; 5) strategies for presenting, which discusses indirect versus direct approaches of delivering the message; and lastly 6) using visual aids to communication the message non-verbally.
Introduction
Anxiety of public speaking can come from a variety of different sources. The anxiety can be a result of past experiences with public speaking, it can come from phobias dealing with public settings, and it can also be a result of an individual’s upbringing which nurtured an anxious reaction to public speaking. The problem at hand thus becomes developing strategies to overcome that anxiety. Through a variety of different methods such as taking medication or using cognitive behavioral and exposure therapy individuals can limit their anxieties toward speaking in public. The other problem is to find useful tips for becoming a better presenter. Prior preparation along with other techniques such as outlining, the use of visual aids, and proper body language go a long way toward becoming an efficient presenter. Finding efficient strategies for becoming a better presenter also help in reducing the anxiety of public speaking.
The purpose of the study is to help find ways to deal with public speaking, as it is something many people need help with. Speaking in a public setting is an underrated skill that can be very important throughout different stages of one’s life. Being able to comfortably and effectively communicate whether it be in a business setting when speaking to co-workers, or simply in a social setting, is an important skill to possess.
Developing strategies for overcoming anxiousness with speaking in a public setting is not as straightforward as it seems. The causes are not the same for everyone who deals with the issue, therefore, everyone requires different strategies that help. Finding strategies is limited to a more general guideline, rather than a specific individual guideline. The best manner to present tips and strategies, therefore, is to provide a general concept that can be broken down into sections where one can see what they