The ability to recognize and explain the elements of the communication process is the beginning of truly
understanding how to prepare for and deliver effective oral presentations. When we are able to recognize
the elements of the communication process, we are then able to think more critically about the other factors involved in the effective delivery of oral presentations.
“First Inaugural Address” President Barack Obama
Cook, R. (Producer). (2012). Barack Obama's first inaugural address [Video segment]. In Great
Speeches,
Volume 1: John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Adolf Hitler, Douglas MacArthur, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, and
Barack Obama. Retrieved from the Films On Demand database.
After viewing the speech, prepare a one- to two-page paper (not including title and reference pages) with
an introduction and conclusion, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Provide an explanation for the elements of the communication process seen in the speech by answering
the following questions:
Speaker: Who is the speaker in the speech?
Message: What is his/her message?
Style: What is the speaker’s predominant style of speaking?
Setting: What is the setting for the speech? What kind of noise or interference is there in the setting during
the speech?
Audience: Who is the audience for the speech? What feedback do you see from the audience in recording
of the speech?
Sample Solution