Response to "Listening effectively" by Jenn Q Goddu

This article mentions some great points to improve listening skills:

• Make sure that you understand the main idea of the speech; this will allow you to discern the main points of the speech.
• If you have a negative attitude towards the speech/speaker, why would you want to continue listening? Have a positive attitude when listening to the speech.
• Don't try to think of questions during the speech; this will only distract you from the actual speech. Jot down quick notes. You can think of questions later.
• Don't judge the speaker; if he or she makes a mistake, has squeaky voice, has an inside-out shirt, etc., don't be quick to disqualify the speaker and not listen. 

Welcome!

Welcome to the Comm 204 Public Speaking class blog! The purpose of this blog is for you, the students in the class to get used to communicating to the public, even if the public consists of your other classmates. As a reminder, you must post a blog reflection (2-3 paragraphs) on this class blog within a week after each graded speech. Things to think about include how you feel your speech in class went, what are some things you feel you can improve, what are things you think went well, why the topic you chose is important (to you, and to society in general), how you went about your research and preparation, and anything else you feel like you want to address.

Remember, this blog is not supposed to be very stressful, nor should it be full of academic and scholarly jargon. Think about your audience while writing this, and keep in mind that this blog is public. Not everyone reading this blog will be someone in academia, so how can you write and communicate in a way that is accessible and approachable, while also retaining coherency and credibility?