Week 14 — Readings & Resources · Special-Occasion & Small-Group / Team Communication

Course: Public Speaking — Fundamentals of Oral Communication (COMM 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Marchetti
Objective covered: Objective 8 — Plan and deliver special-occasion speeches; apply small-group communication principles.

How to use this page

Everything here is a link to an external resource — open it in your browser, the same way you'd open any link. Nothing to download, nothing to buy.

This week's resources are grouped by the two topics we cover: special-occasion speaking (with examples to study) and small-group communication. Pick one item from each group and you'll be ready for the quiz; do all of them for a richer view. Total estimated time: 40–55 minutes if you read/watch everything; 25–30 minutes on the pick-one path.

Order that matches the lecture: ① what special-occasion speeches are and how they work → ② the major types, including the toast/tribute in detail → ③ small-group roles and problem-solving.

The habit to carry into this week: as you watch any example speech, apply the three criteria — occasion fit, appropriate brevity, mood/tone match — and ask whether the specific details land more or less than the generic ones.

① Understanding Entertaining & Special-Occasion Speeches

Maps to Lecture Segments 2–4. What makes an entertaining speech work; the four ingredients (preparation, occasion fit, audience adaptation, time mindfulness).

Reading — "Understanding Entertaining Speeches" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 18.1)
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/18%3A_Speaking_to_Entertain/18.01%3A_Understanding_Entertaining_Speeches
Why it's assigned: a clear overview of what entertaining speeches are, why they need real preparation, and the four practical ingredients that make them succeed — exactly what we built in lecture. The "winging it" failure mode is named directly.
⏱ ~10 min

② The Major Special-Occasion Speech Types (including Toasts, Eulogies, Introductions)

Maps to Lecture Segment 3. The full catalogue of ceremonial and inspirational speech types, with description and key features for each.

Reading — "Special-Occasion Speeches" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 18.2)
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/18%3A_Speaking_to_Entertain/18.02%3A_Special-Occasion_Speeches
Why it's assigned: covers the eight types of ceremonial speaking (introduction, presentation, acceptance, dedication, toast, roast, eulogy, farewell) plus inspirational speeches (goodwill, commencement) — the full map of what we call "special-occasion speeches." Read while thinking about the specific speeches you'll be delivering this week.
⏱ ~15 min

Famous examples — the American Rhetoric Top 100 archive
🔗 https://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html
Why it earns the click: the Top 100 Speeches index (verified live) is a gold-standard archive of famous American speeches. Several entries are effectively special-occasion or tribute speeches (eulogies, farewells, award speeches). Browse the index, notice the range of occasions, and click through to any speech whose title interests you. Famous-speech rule: we point to these as examples of the craft; we never put invented words in a real speaker's mouth — read the actual text/audio at the source.
⏱ varies — 10 min to browse and read one is plenty

③ Small-Group Communication and Group Roles

Maps to Lecture Segment 5. Task, maintenance, and self-centered group roles; problem-solving agenda; panel and symposium presentations.

Reading — review of group-communication principles from your course materials
The "An Introduction to Group Communication" LibreTexts collection is a broader reference if you want a deeper treatment of group roles and problem-solving processes. Your lecture outline covers the essential concepts for the quiz; use this if you want a fuller treatment.
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Group_and_Interpersonal_Communication/An_Introduction_to_Group_Communication_(LibreTexts)
Why it earns the click: the source of the task/maintenance/self-centered role framework in a freely accessible, plain-language format.
⏱ ~10 min (skim the relevant chapters on roles and problem-solving)

Optional deep-dives

• "Keynote Speaking" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 18.3) — if you're curious about after-dinner speeches and motivational keynote addresses, this short chapter extends the week's material.
  🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/18%3A_Speaking_to_Entertain/18.03%3A_Keynote_Speaking

• TED Talks (ted.com) — browse ted.com for any talk whose opening amounts to a brief "introduction" of the speaker's topic. Notice how the best TED openers model the speech-of-introduction technique: they briefly establish what matters about this topic and why you should care, before the main argument begins.
  🔗 https://www.ted.com

Pick-one quick path (≈25 min total)

In a hurry? Do exactly these two and you'll be ready for the quiz:
1. Read "Special-Occasion Speeches" (Ch. 18.2) — covers all the types.
2. Skim "Understanding Entertaining Speeches" (Ch. 18.1) for the four key ingredients.

Then, for the assignment, come back to the American Rhetoric index and read or listen to any one real speech that fits a category you're working on — not to copy, but to notice what specific moves the speaker makes.

Heads-up (links rot): these point to outside sites that occasionally move or rename pages. If a link ever fails, tell Prof. Marchetti and use the Stand up, Speak out table of contents or a search for the title.