The relationship between preparation and performance in public speaking

One hundred and nineteen public speaking students were videotaped while giving speeches and filled out questionnaires concerning preparation time, past experience speaking, anxiety about the speech just performed, general anxiety about communication, and grade point average. Researchers rated the content and delivery of the speeches and compared the ratings with the questionnaire responses. The quality of speech performance correlated positively with cumulative grade point average, total preparation time, time spent preparing a visual aid, number of rehearsals for an audience, time rehearsing silently, time rehearsing out loud, number of rehearsals out loud, research outside the library (interviews, phone calls, surveys, etc.), and preparation of speaking notes. Anxiety about the speech just delivered correlated negatively with quality of performance. Past experience with public speaking instruction had a mixed relation to speech quality. Significant predictors of the quality of speech performance were grade point average, total preparation time, number of rehearsals for an audience, and state anxiety.