Comm Lab
The Communication Lab, located at the Lakewood Campus in Room 2264 (upstairs in the Library), is designed to tutor students across the curriculum in all stages of oral presentations.
Students can receive help with:
- Developing speaking outlines
- Creating visual aids
- Increasing confidence in speech delivery
Additionally, students have the opportunity to record their presentations in our rehearsal studio and receive tutor feedback. Students can also learn techniques for controlling public speaking anxiety.
For more information please contact the Lab directly at 303.914.6182, or Ashley Etchart at ashley.etchart@rrcc.edu 303-914-6202.
Make a tutoring appointment through THE ROCK. Select Navigate then Appointments. Watch the short video below for directions on how to make your appointment.
Comm Lab Hours
Monday, August 26 - Tuesday, December 10
Closed:
Monday, September 2: Labor Day
Tuesday, October 15: Development Day
November 25 - December 1: Fall Break
MONDAYS
10:00 am – 5:00 pm IN PERSON (with remote option for students)
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm REMOTE ONLY
TUESDAYS
11:00 pm – 6:00 pm REMOTE ONLY
WEDNESDAYS
12:00 Pm – 5:00 pm IN PERSON (with remote option for students)
5:00 - 7:00 pm REMOTE ONLY
THURSDAYS
11:00 am – 5:00 pm IN PERSON (with remote option for students)
FRIDAYS
10:00 am – 2:00 pm IN PERSON (with remote option for students)
All Communication Lab Appointments Should Be Scheduled Through Navigate.
If you scheduled an IN-PERSON appointment:
Please meet with the tutor in the Communication Lab - Room 2264, inside the Library on the Lakewood Campus.
If you scheduled a VIRTUAL appointment:
Please log into the virtual Zoom meeting at the designated meeting time using the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89722695407
Meeting ID: 897 2269 5407
College Resources
Don't forget to utilize these departments around campus when planning your presentation:
Tips and Guidelines to Giving a Presentation
Click Below to find out more about each step
Choosing a Topic
Choosing a topic can be a struggle for some students. Speech topics can be generated in a few different ways. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:
Personal interests – Think hobbies, career goals, and knowledge.
Audience interests – What topics currently impact your audience?
Occasion – Is there a holiday or event that is important happening around your speaking date?
Research – Watching some kind of news program or reading online news, newspapers, magazines etc. can be a great start!
Think About Your Audience
The way you approach your speech topic will vary depending on your audience. Two basic elements to consider are:
Demographics – Age, gender, ethnicity, education level, religious affiliation, economic status, group membership, sexual orientation, etc. are all elements to take into consideration when speaking. For example, you will have to connect differently to an audience of 18-25 year olds when speaking about retirement benefits than you would an audience of 50-65 year olds.
Psychographics – Audience characteristics such as values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are key considerations when speaking.
Organization
A good speech needs a clear organizational pattern for your audience to follow. Effective speeches have a clear introduction, body and conclusion.
Developing Content
For some speech assignments, you may be able to pull from your own personal experience to begin content development. For many assignments, however, research is the key to identifying strong speech content. The RRCC Library online databases are a great place to find quality sources. We have subscriptions to multiple scholarly databases to put you on the road to research success. Learn more at Library Services.
Citing Sources
You can plagiarize a speech the same way you can plagiarize a paper! You need to include verbal source citations in research-based speeches.
One of the biggest challenges to delivering an effective presentation for many speakers is nervousness and anxiety. Click here to get a quick list of the top 10 ways to reduce nervousness when speaking.
There are many elements to successful speech delivery. Here are a few key elements to keep in mind:
1. Think about your voice – work for a natural, spontaneous vocal delivery that reflects your everyday communication style.
2. What are you doing with your body? Face your body toward your audience. Look at your audience members directly. Use natural gestures. Stand with feet hip distance apart, both feet on the ground.
3. Use your visual aid effectively. If you are using a visual aid, make sure you refer to it. Is it big enough for the entire audience to see? Don't "talk to" the visual. Make sure your visual is professional. Too much content on a power point slide is overwhelming. Try to stick to the "5 and 5" rule no more than 5 lines per slide and no more than 5 words across. Pictures are always a plus!
4. Use audience feedback to clarify points. Does your audience appear to understand what you are saying? If not, reword or restate key ideas to make sure the audience gets it.
5. Speak extemporaneously! Use brief notes or an outline to cue you. Don't read a speech to your audience. Most speakers cannot speak effectively from a manuscript. Connect with your audience and talk with them, not at them!
Don't overlook one of the most important steps in the speech making process - evaluation.
- Record (whenever possible) your presentation so you can perform a self-evaluation.
- View your videotaped speech. This can help you determine what you did well and what you need to work on for your next presentation.
- Take instructor and peer feedback seriously.
As an audience-centered speaker, it's important to remember the meaning is in the receiver.