The impact of gender and introductory communication course type on public speaking performance

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to find out whether the previously identified gender gap in public speaking anxiety and self-perceived communication competence was also evident in student speaking performances. This study also examined whether students developed equally strong presentations in public speaking versus hybrid introductory communication courses. Recordings of 164 explanatory speech performances were graded, and results were analyzed using a 2 × 2 factorial multivariate analysis of variance. Results showed no difference between males and females in performance. Both course formats resulted in speech performances that were proficient to mastery level, with marginally stronger performances in the public speaking course.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Melissa Bruce, Hyle Daley, Karen Wrightsman, and Anthony Arciero for helping to grade speeches during the first stage of analysis.

Notes on contributors

Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post (Ph.D., Ohio University, 2009) is an Associate Professor and the Basic Course Director in the Department of Communication and a Senior Scholar in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University.

Katherine E. Hyatt Hawkins (M.A., East Carolina University, 2015).

Joshua Murphy (M.A., George Mason University, 2016).

Ayodeji Otusanya (M.A., West Chester University, 2016).

George Kueppers (M.A., George Mason University, 2017) are doctoral students in the Department of Communication at George Mason University.