Speech Outlining… Just fill in the blanks with good stuff Part 1

COM 207 Intro Communication Studies, COM 345 Business & Professional Speaking, Outlines

When I first started teaching public speaking, I didn’t require outlines.

BIG mistake! Big, big, big mistake.

What I had learned about outlining a weathercast, live shot or classroom lecture was branded into my brain.  Not the case for rookie speakers.

800px-Ducks-in-orderOutlining helps you get all your ducks in an order.  It helps you place those ducks in such an order that your information builds up to a point rather than dashing here or there through a topic.

I still get out a pencil and paper and sketch out what I want to say when I’m giving a class lecture about an important concept.  A lesson I learned from television is… I generally only get one shot at getting information across to my students.  Better make it a good one.

Where to start

A good place to start is to download the Informative Speech Outline template from Canvas.  Then, all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your good information.  Since you’ve got it up on your computer screen, let me walk you through it.
Continue reading Speech Outlining… Just fill in the blanks with good stuff Part 1 →

Do I really have to give a speech? Really?

COM 207 Intro Communication Studies, COM 345 Business & Professional Speaking, Television news

Yes. Yes, you do. And frankly, you should be excited about the opportunity. People who can speak, intelligently and compellingly, control their destiny and the destiny of others.

Or, if you’re looking for a more practical motivator, the ability to speak well can land you  promotions and big raises.

When first asked to teach a public speaking class I looked over my shoulder to see who the department chair was talking to. I didn’t think I had the experience or knowledge it took to teach public speaking. Turns out I did. I’d been giving extemporaneous, manuscript and impromptu speeches throughout my television career.

Continue reading Do I really have to give a speech? Really? →

Living in a Post-Gutenberg era

COM 201 Media & Culture, Lifestyle changes, Media
Question: What impact did the Gutenberg press have on society?
Answer: A lot. A whole bunch of a lot.

When Gutenberg invented the press in the mid-1400s, it made information accessible to the masses.  The technology made sharing      uncensored ideas with your neighbors, the village down the road, or even the world, possible.

Before the Gutenberg press, only the rich could afford books and manuscripts. In fact, books were so rare that your church probably did NOT have a copy of the Bible under its roof.

According to the University of Texas, which has a Gutenberg Bible, it’s estimated you could only find around 30,000 books in all of Europe before the Gutenberg press.  Fifty years later, 10 to 12 million books circulated throughout Europe.

Yeah, I’d say the Gutenberg press had an impact.    

Watch the following Xerox ad that first aired during the 1976 Super Bowl. It humorously represents the communication opportunities before the Gutenberg press and after. (Seriously, watch it.  It’s only a minute of your time.  Not only does it illustrate the importance of printing, it’s also a look at how commercials have changed over time.)

Continue reading Living in a Post-Gutenberg era →

I’ll be there for you… when the media black is over

COM 201 Media & Culture, Lifestyle changes, Media, music, Pop culture, Social Media

Remember the TV series Friends? Monica and Chandler, Joey and Phoebe and Ross and Rachel all getting into situations and then gathering at Central Perk to talk. We’ll here’s The Nerdist’s take on how Friends would look like if it were set in today’s time.

I wonder if they would use Instagram or Snap Chat to take pictures of the ugly naked guy who lived in the apartment across the street?
 Continue reading I’ll be there for you… when the media black is over →

Gaming – Pass me the controller

COM 201 Media & Culture, Cultural events, Media, Pop culture, Uncategorized

 Written by Terri Reddout

 Gaming.  What do I know about gaming?  Nothing. Nada. Ziltch.
games & culture

Okay, that’s not true.  I did a little research and now I know gaming is a $60 billion dollar a year industry.  It is so big, so incorporated into society that even the academic world takes it seriously.

Games and Culture: A Journal of Interactive Media has been in publication since January 2006.  Each journal asks psychologists, sociologists, communication specialists and more to share what they learned about gamers communicate, how they associate with each other and what they can accomplish working collaboratively.

In one issue they look at how propaganda is being used in EVE Online.  Another article looks at the differences of culture between American and Russian players.  Apparently, there’s a perception that Russians approach the game in a more criminal manner.  The study shows it’s just part of their culture.

Thanks to my work with the students at CentralNewsWatch, I’m also aware of the growth of ESports.  In fact, the NCAA is talking about considering make ESport gamers NCAA athletes.

What else do I know about gaming?
Continue reading Gaming – Pass me the controller →

You won’t need 3D glasses to see the impact of 3D printing

COM 201 Media & Culture, Construction, Industry, Lifestyle changes, Media, Medicine, Pop culture, Uncategorized


By Terri Reddout

I’ll admit it. The concept of 3D printing confused me. How on Earth does the printer that kicks out letters and photos possibly print something in 3D?

Turns out it’s easy. Once you get the right printer and the right type of “ink.”

cubex_angleWhen I first wrote this blog in 2015 you could but a pretty good 3D printer, like this CubeX, for your home for $999 – $2000. Sounds expensive. Especially if you’re only going to use it to print multicolored rocket ships.

old-microwave-ad1I reminded my readers that the first microwaves cost thousands of dollars. (One source said that would be like spending over $10000 in today’s dollars.)

Now, you can pick one up at the local mega mart for under $100.

And, as I predicted, the same has happened with 3D printers.  I just spotted this Flash Forge 3D printer on Amazon for $349 with free shipping!

 So how does a 3D printer work? Well, let’s ask a scientist.

Continue reading You won’t need 3D glasses to see the impact of 3D printing →

Conflict is scary… but conflict can also be good for you

COM 207 Intro Communication Studies, Conflict, Lifestyle changes, Uncategorized


Written by Terri Reddout

Conflict.

It’s uncomfortable.  It’s energy draining.  It’s not fun.

The funny thing is… avoiding conflict is uncomfortable, energy draining and not fun.

Hummmm…

While dealing with conflict may not be one of your favorite things to do, understanding your conflict style and how others deal with conflict can make it easier and more productive.

Would you like a little KTI with your conflict?

KTI is the acronym for the Kilmann-Thomas Conflict Mode Instrument.  It’s a way of determining what your mode for dealing with conflict is.

One side of the instrument considers how assertive you are.  The other side of the instrument looks at your level of cooperativeness. Continue reading Conflict is scary… but conflict can also be good for you →

The future of television? Is it in your face?

COM 201 Media & Culture, Cultural events, Lifestyle changes, Media, Pop culture, Uncategorized

Your Assignment

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Some of the earliest pictures my parents took of me have a television in the background.

So, television has been around as long as I have.

Well, in truth, the mechanics of TV has been around a lot longer than I have.  I’m really a child of early television programming.

Philo sketch
Sketch drawn by Philo T. Farnsworth for his chemistry teacher in 1922. You can learn more about Farnsworth and his battles with RCA at http://philointhehall.com/

The TV mechanism was actually invented by an Utah boy named Philo T. Farnsworth.  He first sketched the idea of the vacuum tube in his high school chemistry class.  He went on to develop the first electric television set in the 1920s.

The Great Depression and World War II supply shortages stalled the spread of television.  The research continued but at a slower rate because materials and man-power were needed for the war effort.

Continue reading The future of television? Is it in your face? →

A premature eulogy for the music business

COM 201 Media & Culture, Cultural events, Media, music, Uncategorized


I grew up in a house in the middle of a 10 acre cherry orchard.  My parents were around 17 when they gave birth to me.  So, when I turned 10, they were 27.  They were my parents, but they were young people too.

slumber party
That’s my sister in the center swinging her head to the Beatles. I’m the redhead to the right, behind my sister.

I tell you all this to explain why at all my slumber parties we were allowed to turn the stereo up to 10 and dance into the wee small hours in the morning.  At my 40th high school reunion, they were still talking about those slumber parties.

Like you, music has played an important role in my life.  I remember when we got the Beatles’ Hard Days Night album.  In high school every dance had a Credence Clearwater Revival cover band playing.  In college, I listened to Chicago, Peter Frampton and Boston.

When my son came along we couldn’t start the day without dancing to Heart of Rock-n-Roll by Hughie Lewis and the News, Every breath you take by The Police or Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen. Continue reading A premature eulogy for the music business →

Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true

COM 201 Media & Culture, Hoaxes, Media, News gathering, Television news, Uncategorized

Written by Terri Reddout

Where were you on 9-11?

Chances are you were toddlers or younger.  Heck!  Some of you might not have been born yet.

I was in my Weber State University office working. My friend called and wanted to know if I started recording the news.  When I asked why, she told me to get in front of a television set, now!  I did. That’s when I saw the replay of the second plane crashing into the second tower.

The next 36 hours were filled with my news students gathering stories and putting together a newscast focused on how the terrorist attack impacted the university, the community and its people.

At the end of the day on 9-12, a student called me over to the computer and said, “Terri, you’ve got to look at this.”  Here’s what the email he opened looked like.

Screen shot 2015-03-04 at 1.08.36 AM

Continue reading Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true →