Give your career the gift of Coursera Plus with $160 off, billed annually. Save today.

University of Washington

Introduction to Public Speaking

Dr. Matt McGarrity

Instructor: Dr. Matt McGarrity

345,374 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(2,106 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
Approx. 15 hours
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(2,106 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
Approx. 15 hours
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

9 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Placeholder

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate
Placeholder
Placeholder

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

Share it on social media and in your performance review

Placeholder

There are 5 modules in this course

Thank you for joining Introduction to Public Speaking! I am thrilled at the prospect of a global discussion about good speech. Let's get started! In this module, we’ll focus on the basics of the course and how rhetorical canons will help us structure our time. Then we’ll turn to the important ways that speaking and writing differ. By the end of this week, you should have some tools for evaluating your speech writing. If you want some feedback, you’ll be able to upload an introductory speech for peer review.

What's included

13 videos3 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 app item1 discussion prompt

Now that we have the course foundation out of the way, we can work on our basic speech model: the key point speech. I love this format. It's the Swiss army knife of speeches. This basic model works in interviews, short presentations, elevator talks, and can even structure an hour long presentation. After overviewing the assignment, we’ll talk about how to plan out your speeches. By the end of the week, you should have some tools for quickly putting together short presentations. You can practice this by analyzing some speeches.

What's included

14 videos8 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

This week, we’ll talk about support and arrangement. The lessons here will immediately help all of your other presentations. Why? Because we need to think about how audiences hear our ideas in real time. There are things we should be doing to help listeners instantly organize and process the information we’re presenting to them. By the end of the week, you should be able to discuss evidence clearly and highlight your speech's organization. If you want some feedback, you’ll be able to upload a practice elevator speech for peer review.

What's included

14 videos2 readings2 assignments1 peer review

This week, we'll discuss speech apprehension and delivery. I know the fear of public speaking is a pressing topic for many. Why didn’t we start the course with this? Because I think many delivery concerns go away if the invention and arrangement are good. However, invention and arrangement are just part of the equation - now we can supercharge our delivery. By the end of this week, you’ll have some techniques for combating those butterflies and speaking confidently. If you want some feedback, you’ll be able to upload a practice key point speech for peer review.

What's included

15 videos6 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

Thank you for time in this course. I hope the material has proven helpful in some way. We concluded our discussion of the speech last week. I would like to spend a bit of time reflecting on the course and talking a bit about the other courses in this specialization. We will end this week with your final key point speech.

What's included

3 videos1 peer review1 app item

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.9 (553 ratings)
Dr. Matt McGarrity
University of Washington
9 Courses832,427 learners

Offered by

Recommended if you're interested in Business Essentials

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

Showing 3 of 2106

4.7

2,106 reviews

  • 5 stars

    82.41%

  • 4 stars

    13.88%

  • 3 stars

    1.56%

  • 2 stars

    0.33%

  • 1 star

    1.80%

SB
5

Reviewed on Aug 26, 2018

AJ
5

Reviewed on Jun 5, 2020

TG
5

Reviewed on May 22, 2018

New to Business Essentials? Start here.

Placeholder

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Frequently asked questions