Public Speaking: Strategies for Success (4th Edition)

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A strategic approach to public speaking

Public Speaking: Strategies for Success is based on the premise that successful public speaking is strategic. Critical thinking and strategic planning are emphasized throughout the text. David Zarefsky, one of today's leading scholars in speech communication, encourages students to think through and about the public speaking process. Zarefsky urges students to consider the diversity of audiences, occasions, and speakers and to choose a specific purpose, a relevant topic, and the appropriate material to make their speeches successful.

Because public speaking is situation-specific, the author stresses the integration of theory and practice throughout the text. Students learn how to develop and apply strategies for speaking situations they will encounter throughout the rest of their lives. 

MyCommunicationLab is an integral part of the Zarefsky program. Key learning applications include MediaShare, assessment and sample speeches.

This text is available in a variety of formats — digital and print. Pearson offers its titles on the devices students love through Pearson’s MyLab products, CourseSmart, Amazon, and more. To learn more about our programs, pricing options and customization, click the Choices tab.

A better teaching and learning experience

This program will provide a better teaching and learning experience–for you and your students. Here’s how:

• Personalize Learning–MyCommunicationLab is online learning. MyCommunicationLab engages students through personalized learning and helps instructors from course preparation to delivery and assessment.
• Improve Critical Thinking–Practical applications of critical thinking skills are emphasized throughout.
• Engage Students–Challenging cases and examples encourage students to apply what they have learned.
• Apply Ethics–Features throughout the book reflect the view that ethical issues are involved in every aspect of public speaking.
• Support Instructors–A full set of supplements, including MyCommunicationLab, provides instructors with all the resources and support they need.

Reviewer Praise for Zarefsky's
Public Speaking: Strategies for Success

“The primary strengths of the Zarefsky text are its emphasis on informative and persuasive strategies...and its reliance on rhetorical and public address theory to under gird the public speaking practice.”

“I also appreciate that this text puts much emphasis on choosing a specific strategy that will motivate the particular audience and achieve the speaker's purpose...”

Mark A. Gring, Texas Tech University

“The research conclusions are varied, well-documented, and serve as good models for students when they are citing sources themselves.”

“I think Zarefsky's text is very complete, exceptionally good, and unique in its coverage of reasoning strategies.”

Dr. Barbara Blackstone, Slippery Rock University

“The strength of Zarefsky's book is it has a unified rhetorical approach. That generates more substance than, say, Lucas' book.”

Douglas Kresse, Fullerton College

“I have found it to be user friendly, both from the perspective of the instructor trying to teach it and the students trying to grasp and apply it.”

“From a strategic perspective, students using Zarefsky's text in my classes have developed more thoughtful and better crafted informative and persuasive messages than any other group of students I have experienced in my career using any other text.”

Craig Monroe, California State University San Bernardino

“I am strongly committed to Zarefsky's text because of its emphasis on critical thinking/strategic planning and because the progression of topics lends itself to a stepwise approach to mastering public speaking skills.”

Robert Brookwalter, Marshall University

“I think the strategic thinking and planning approach is useful.”

“I loved the website with interactive tests. This is definitely a plus for the book. All the resources I examined were excellent.”

Lisa Inzer Coleman, Southwest Tennessee Community College