Lecture 15 Attention Getters [28:07]
Summary
TLDRIn Lecture 15, Professor AkuA delves into the art of capturing audience attention through various attention-getters. She emphasizes the importance of starting a presentation with a strong hook, such as a question, story, statistic, or media clip, and advises against startling tactics unless directly related to the subject. The lecture offers practical examples and tips on how to effectively engage an audience right from the beginning, setting the stage for successful presentations.
Takeaways
- 🎓 Professor Aku Aka introduces Lecture 15, focusing on attention getters and their importance in capturing the audience's focus at the start of a presentation.
- 🖼️ The professor advises against blurring the background during a presentation, as it can be distracting and distort the speaker's appearance.
- 📱 It is recommended to record presentations in a quiet environment and to silence or put the phone on vibrate to avoid interruptions.
- 🤔 The professor demonstrates the impact of not following the three rules for recording (quiet space, appropriate background, and no disturbances).
- 📹 The use of background images in presentations is discouraged; instead, recording in a comfortable space with an acceptable background is suggested.
- 💡 Attention getters are crucial and should be the very first element of a presentation, even before greetings or introductions.
- 🙌 Questions can serve as effective attention getters, with the distinction made between direct questions that require answers and rhetorical questions meant for thought.
- 📚 The use of stories or anecdotes, statistics, facts, and examples are suggested as engaging methods for capturing the audience's interest at the beginning of a speech.
- 🎬 Media such as music videos, movie clips, or audio can be powerful attention getters, especially when combined with audience participation.
- 😂 Jokes and humor can be used for attention, but caution is advised to avoid offending the audience.
- 📝 Quotes can be effective attention getters, whether they are from the subject of the presentation, about the subject, or have influenced the subject's life or work.
Q & A
What is the main topic of Lecture 15 presented by Professor Akua?
-The main topic of Lecture 15 is about attention getters and how to effectively grab an audience's attention at the start of a presentation.
Why does Professor Akua recommend not blurring the background during a lecture or presentation?
-Professor Akua recommends not blurring the background because it can distort the presenter's appearance and detract from the way the audience perceives the person.
What is one of the key pieces of advice given by Professor Akua regarding recording a lecture or presentation?
-One key piece of advice is to record in a space that is conducive to recording, where the background is appropriate and the presenter won't be disturbed.
What is an example of an attention getter that Professor Akua discusses in her lecture?
-One example of an attention getter discussed is asking a question, either direct or rhetorical, to engage the audience and make them think about the topic.
What is the difference between a direct question and a rhetorical question as an attention getter?
-A direct question requires an answer from the audience, while a rhetorical question is asked to provoke thought and does not require a response.
Why is it important to give the audience a command to stop an action when using audience involvement as an attention getter?
-It is important to give a command to stop an action to ensure the audience knows when to cease the activity, maintaining control over the presentation and allowing for a smooth transition to the next part of the speech.
How can statistics be used effectively as an attention getter in a presentation?
-Statistics can be used effectively by presenting them in a way that engages the audience, such as having them stand to represent a certain percentage related to the statistic being discussed.
What is the recommended duration for media used as an attention getter in a presentation?
-The recommended duration for media used as an attention getter is at least 30 seconds but no more than two minutes.
Why should one be cautious when using humor as an attention getter in a presentation?
-One should be cautious when using humor to avoid offending anyone, as what may not be offensive to one person could be to another, and it's important to consider the diverse sensitivities of the audience.
What are the three types of quotes that can be used as attention getters in a presentation?
-The three types of quotes that can be used are: a quote by the subject themselves, a quote that has shaped the subject's life or worldview, and a quote said about the subject by someone else.
Why is it not recommended to start a presentation by startling the audience with a loud noise or sudden action?
-Starting a presentation with a startling action is not recommended because it can be seen as passé and is only appropriate if it is directly related to the subject matter of the presentation.
Outlines
🎓 Lecture 15 Introduction and Attention Getters
Professor Aku Aka begins Lecture 15 by emphasizing the importance of capturing the audience's attention at the start of a presentation. She discusses the use of background blurring and its potential to distort the presenter's image, suggesting a well-prepared space for recording. She also touches on the importance of timing and minimizing distractions during the recording. The professor then introduces the concept of attention getters, explaining that they should be the very first element of a speech to draw in the audience effectively.
🗣️ The Importance of Attention Getters and Audience Engagement
The professor elaborates on the role of attention getters in speeches, stressing that they must come before any other element. She uses examples to differentiate between direct and rhetorical questions, explaining how to effectively engage the audience with each type. The summary includes the importance of giving clear instructions to the audience when asking them to participate, ensuring that any action initiated by the presenter is also concluded by them.
📚 Utilizing Questions, Stories, and Statistics as Attention Getters
In this section, the professor discusses various methods to engage the audience, such as asking questions, telling stories or anecdotes, and using statistics. She provides examples of how to use each method effectively, including the use of rhetorical questions to provoke thought and direct questions to elicit responses. The summary also includes the idea of using personal anecdotes or historical facts to draw in the audience and set the stage for the main content of the presentation.
📈 Statistics and Audience Involvement in Attention Getters
The professor explains how statistics and audience involvement can be powerful tools for attention getters. She provides an example of using a statistic about the population of Chicago to engage the audience and then transitions into a discussion about the city. The summary highlights the use of audience participation, such as asking people to stand to represent a statistic, as a way to create a memorable and impactful introduction to a topic.
🎥 Media and Humor in Attention Getters
This paragraph explores the use of media, such as music videos, movie clips, and original content, as attention getters. The professor shares a story of a student who used the song 'Gangnam Style' to engage the audience through a dance. She also advises on the careful use of humor to avoid offending the audience. The summary emphasizes the importance of media duration and the potential for audience involvement in enhancing the effectiveness of attention getters.
😄 Jokes, Quotes, and the Avoidance of Startling Tactics
The professor discusses the use of jokes and humor in attention getters, cautioning about the potential for offense. She also covers the use of quotes, both by the subject of the speech and about the subject, as effective attention getters. The summary includes the idea of using quotes to set the tone and introduce the main themes of the speech. Additionally, the professor advises against using startling actions to grab attention, except when directly related to the speech topic.
🚫 Avoiding Startling Actions and Recap of Attention Getters
The professor concludes the lecture by reiterating that startling actions are not an effective method for attention getters, except in specific circumstances related to the speech content. She summarizes the various types of attention getters discussed throughout the lecture, including questions, statistics, audience involvement, media, quotes, and humor. The summary serves as a reminder of the importance of an engaging introduction in every speech and the requirement for attention getters in future assignments.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Attention Getters
💡Blurring Background
💡Rhetorical Question
💡Story or Anecdote
💡Statistics
💡Audience Engagement
💡Media
💡Jokes and Humor
💡Quote
💡Persuasive Speech
💡Body Language
Highlights
Professor Akuá emphasizes the importance of capturing audience attention at the start of a lecture or presentation.
Blurred backgrounds can distort the speaker's image and are not recommended for presentations.
Presenters should record in a space that is conducive to recording to avoid distractions.
The professor apologizes for potential interruptions due to family meeting day, illustrating the reality of recording in less-than-ideal circumstances.
The use of backgrounds in presentations can be misleading and is discouraged.
Presenters should be comfortable with their background and body language to enhance the presentation style.
Attention getters are crucial and should be the first element of any presentation.
The professor clarifies that attention getters should precede any other introduction or greeting in a speech.
Differentiating between direct and rhetorical questions is essential for effective audience engagement.
The use of stories or anecdotes can serve as effective attention getters in presentations.
Statistics, data, facts, and examples are powerful tools for capturing attention at the start of a presentation.
Audience engagement through actions like standing or clapping can amplify the impact of attention getters.
Media such as music videos, movie clips, or audio can be used creatively for attention getters.
Jokes and humor can be used as attention getters but require careful consideration to avoid offense.
Quotes can be effectively used as attention getters, either by the subject, about the subject, or by someone who influenced the subject.
The professor advises against using startling actions to grab attention unless directly related to the presentation topic.
Every speech in the class will require an attention getter, with specific instructions for the persuasive speech.
Transcripts
hey you guys it's me professor akua and
I am back for
uh lecture 15. so lecture 15 is going to
cover one second you guys
all right lecture 15 is going to cover
attention getters now it is important
that we understand how to grab our
audience's attention you will notice
that I have blurred my background I do
not necessarily recommend blurring a
background
because even in blurring the background
so you can't see my house it also sort
of distorts me a little bit like my ears
and it just changes a little bit the way
you see a person so I would say if at
all possible do everything you can to
place yourself into a space that is
going to be conducive for you to
actually record it okay and I do
apologize you guys today is our family
meeting day and this is our post meeting
where we're sending messages and
communicating back and forth so you guys
are going to hear that sound my phone is
going to keep dinging because I'm gonna
need to
check and respond to some things so
hopefully it'll stop really really soon
okay I could put it on vibrate and
generally that is what I would suggest
you do when you are getting ready to
record information also I would suggest
that maybe you do your recordings when
you know that there's a time when you
aren't going to be disturbed like right
now I probably should have waited to
record this video when this stuff kind
of settled down but we're trying to get
some things done we're under a deadline
and so things are going so again when it
all possible record in a space where you
are okay to show the background to
record at a time and as much as possible
where you won't be disturbed and three
if you can't record at a time when you
won't be disturbed then probably put
your phone on silent or vibrate all
things that I have not done yet at this
point so I wanted to show you how it
happens if we don't follow those three
rules makes sense I hope so
the other thing I want to show you guys
is that I know sometimes people like to
use those backgrounds and I want to show
you what happens when you use
backgrounds
so see I'm here but I'm not really here
I'm kind of over here but I'm not really
here and so again I would strongly
encourage you to record in a place set
up in a place where you're comfortable
with whatever the background is
okay and so to that end
I am going to
stop this background business
and then that way you guys can just see
you're not going to see much today where
I'm positioned at you may see my snack
section that's where I see extra tea
cereal snacks
um that kind of thing and you're gonna
probably see my Zeta picture but I think
I repositioned the laptop so you can't
even really see all that much of it you
just see the dove there so I'm
comfortable with this but at some point
I'm going to want to readjust because
I'm going to want to show you a little
bit
of my body language okay just disregard
that that's just some old little things
I have to put away so
now you can see more of my body and this
is going to be important because I want
you to start seeing a presentation style
as we go forward yes all right so if you
guys just give me one second I'm gonna
pause this video for just a quick second
and then I'll be right back with hold
tight
thank you
all right so I'm back and again this is
lecture 15 and we're talking about
attention getters attention getters are
the things that grab us that draw us the
audience in to your presentation okay
now there are several ways that you can
do an attention together but first I
want to remind you that attention
getters happen first okay the attention
getter occurs first in your speech in
almost every speech there may be a
slight variation somewhere down the line
and you'll hear about that later but
generally speaking a common practice is
that the attention getter is the very
first thing you do now I know that you
guys may or may not be good in math some
of you are probably math Wizards you're
going to major in engineering and
Science and all those things and some of
you may not be math wizards but I know
that you guys know the difference
between first and last yes
so without having to say it
attention getters go first
by first I mean before anything else
by first I mean the very first thing
that occurs by first I mean at the start
by first I mean
at the beginning yes I know it sounds
crazy and redundant but you can't
imagine how many times I've actually had
students to start by saying good morning
that's wrong
they start by saying hi my name is Rukia
that's wrong
hi I'm here to talk to you about
attention getters that's wrong
because attention getters come first
I think I'm making myself pretty clear
with this one right attention getters
come first they come first they come
before any other thing that you do and
there are a variety of ways that you can
engage your audience in an intention
getter let's talk about those okay
so I'm gonna put up a slide and I'm
gonna just talk about a few things on
there there's a couple of things missing
but please consider that this slide was
not created for attention getters
specifically it was created for ways in
which we engage our audience and to be
frank
um I cannot seem to find a good portion
of documents I've created over the last
you know 18
years or what have you and I'm not
really sure why that is 20 yeah 20 years
since I was a TA I can't find some of
them I know that when I left teaching
full-time I just was like I'm throwing
all this away and I threw out way too
much apparently so some things I'm in
the process of recreating so please just
bear with me with this particular slide
that I'm going to show you and I'm going
to attach it or align it up with the
notion of attention getters here's the
slide
hey you guys should be able to see my
screen
and let me get to the proper slide
you guys
when you know better you do better
that's all I can tell you
I wouldn't have all these little pieces
for mercy this takes way too long
you know what this may not even be the
right one you guys give me a second
please
okay there we go
so hence for a dynamic presentation okay
so you should be able to see the screen
I hope you can because and I don't have
anyone live to tell me that they can or
can't so fingers crossed so one of the
things that you want to consider for an
attention getter I'll start first with
the easiest ones okay the easiest thing
is a question now have you ever been in
a position where someone has asked a
question but you didn't know if you were
supposed to answer it or if it was
rhetorical of course you have we've all
been in that moment sometimes we've been
the person who's created that moment and
that um confusion for other people and
they don't know if we want them to
answer us that's generally called a
rhetorical question a question where we
don't want an answer we just want
someone to think about it now as a
speech maker what you need to do is to
differentiate your question between a
direct question that you want answered
and a rhetorical question that you just
want to be thought about okay and how
you do this simply is to tell the
audience what you're looking for so if I
wanted to start off with a question
and I wanted an answer I would say
something like this
buy a show of hands how many of you here
have ever been to Chicago
thank you you may lower your hands
see I know that they know that I wanted
a reply by hand raising because I said
by a show of hands maybe I could have
also said hey raise your hand if you've
ever been to Chicago
thank you I see a few people have their
hands raised please you may lower your
hand
and I instruct them to lower their hand
it is important that when you give your
audience a command think like Simon says
that you also have to give them a
command to stop as well if you ask the
audience to stand you can tell them that
they can stop standing if you ask them
to clap you tell them that they can stop
clapping if you ask them to raise their
hands you let them know that they can
lower their hands and put their hands
down okay so any directive that you give
them to do you also must give them
another director to stop that action as
well okay all right
so a question you can start and use an
attention getter for question it can be
rhetorical
have you ever considered why Chicago is
called the Windy City
I don't necessarily want any answers or
responses I just asked you to consider
it but again if I wanted to know
raise your hand if you've ever wondered
why is Chicago called the Windy City
thank you everyone you may put your
hands down that is how I would use
question whether it's rhetorical or
whether it's direct direct questions
require answers
responses rhetorical questions are
simply for someone to think about let's
move on another thing that you can use
in your attention getter is simply a
story or an anecdote it could be a small
a short story you could tell the whole
story at the beginning or you could even
break it up and tell us the beginning
and then the end or something like that
it's really left up to you as a speech
maker but I'm going to be looking for
these attention getters because the
attention getter is required for your
assignment
okay so for a story it might say
something like um
it was a cold day in 1893
when visitors to Chicago were gathering
for a meeting
the visitors from Kansas
not really but the visitors from Ohio
were talking amongst themselves and they
were talking about the time that they
were having at this meeting but they
were also talking about their meeting
hopes the big guys from Chicago
they went up into a corner and one of
them said to the other huh these guys
are all Air they're very windy they're
like air they're all puppy and from
there came the old adage of the windy
city you see it's not because the city
is windy which it is but it's really
because of the perception of the air the
puffiness and the wind that the men and
perhaps women of that City use in their
conversation good morning my name is
Rukia and I am here to tell you about
Chicago today we're going to hear about
the city's history its culture and the
way it does business
and then I would go on give my
transition sentence and launch into the
body
right all right so now that is the story
or the anecdote that we can use you
could have broken that up and gave part
of the story at the beginning when the
people are standing around talking and
then you could have given the end of the
story towards the end of the speech
right so next what else do we have
also statistics data facts examples
those are also very good to using your
attention getter as well so for example
you might say
Chicago located on Lake Michigan has a
population of more than 3 million people
that is why it is still the US's third
largest city good morning my name is
rupiah and today I'm here to introduce
you to Chicago you'll hear about the
city's history its culture and the way
it does business
now let's take a trip to the windy city
that's my transition sentence let's take
a trip to the windy city and then from
there I give the body and I discuss the
lecture itself you know the presentation
itself the body and all the main ideas
supporting things all right does that
make sense I hope so you guys I hope
you're getting this I hope I'm not going
too fast so that would be using a fact
the population a statistic statistics
are great but they most times really
good statistics
um again you can just say you know one
out of three people or something like
that or two-thirds of the population 66
percent of everyone you can say all
kinds of things like that but one thing
that you can do
that's very helpful is to use statistics
with audience engagement audience
engagement is one of the best ways that
you can actually
um
present an attention getter so that one
would look something like this but again
it takes a little bit of practice so
let's say for example before I did my
speech
I knew that there were
well let's say 20 people in the room
and let's say those 20 people let's say
um
let's say
50 of that would be 10 people and let's
just say
50 of something is what I want to talk
about
so
okay so something like this
with this half of the classroom please
stand
now at that point you've already counted
out that that's roughly 10 people out of
the 20 that are in the room okay so you
would say with this half of the room
please stand
okay
and then you would instruct the rest of
us if everyone could turn your attention
to the people who are standing if you
notice this represents 50 of the people
who are in the classroom at this time
50 of the people in this room are
represented by those who are standing
and this 50 of the population in this
room represents the 50 of us Americans
who live
in the northern part of the country
today I'm going to talk to you about
Northern living in the U.S we're going
to talk about how the U.S was founded in
the northern states
of existence we're going to talk about
the weather and the crops that make up
the culture and the Dynamics of Northern
cities and then finally we're going to
talk about all the things that Northern
cities contribute to the U.S
again you guys I just made it up off the
top of my head so don't hold me hostage
for that one but my point really is to
show you that you can use a statistic 50
and you can use audience engagement by
having them to stand and that way you're
getting like a two for one in that
attention gift yes that one is a really
powerful one to use and students often
use it during the persuasive speech
because it often can show you the impact
of a subject or topic an issue that you
want to bring before your audience so
that's another way that you can do
statistic as well as audience
involvement the other audience
involvement of course is simply asks the
question how many of you have ever been
to Chicago raise your hand the raising
of the hand is another way to do
audience involvement
some years ago when Gangnam Style came
out and some of you may be too young to
even remember the song but for those of
you who do remember when Gangnam Style
came out it was a huge hit right it was
very popular and at that time I had a
student who did his speech on uh South
Korea I think it was yes and so as a
result he played the video for his
attention getter and that is one thing
that you can do you can play a video you
can play music any of those things work
for the media portion for those who want
to do media for your attention getter
but he took it a step further not only
did he play the music video that went to
Gangnam Style he also had the audience
to stand up and he had us to also
participate and do the Gangnam dance yes
so that was also a twofer because he did
music video as his attention getter and
then also he had us to come in and
participate which was audience
involvement that was a really great one
because it demonstrated two levels or
two types of attention together
I'm not saying you have to do that but
I'm saying it's good if you do because
it shows that you've really given this
some thought the truth is is that asking
a question
is the least amount of effort in
attention getting that you can do you
not marked wrong for doing it but it is
the least
um effort involved in doing that kind of
attention get it so you want to show
that you put some effort into this okay
next we have
um let's see what else oh let's talk
media so like I mentioned he used a
music video
you could use a music video that's
already in existence you could take a
movie clip a television show clip you
could take some audio or song you could
even create one yourself some years ago
I had a student who did a persuasive
speech he persuaded us to do everyday
things to exercise and to get active and
get moving and so what he did is that he
took a video of himself and a few
friends and they were doing just
everyday tasks but they were doing it
fun to get exercise and get moving so
when they were at the pool just horsing
around they showed that they showed them
also playing basketball or you know
making baskets in the pool another one
that he jogged to the mailbox at the
beginning of their cul-de-sac another
one they were just kind of horsing
around playing
flag football or something but the point
is that it was him it was his friends he
made the video himself he recorded all
the pieces put it all together in the
video and that was his attention getter
for us to persuade us to be more active
and live a more active lifestyle so
that's also an option for you
when you are using video just consider
that it should be at least for any kind
of media it should be at least 30
seconds but probably no more than two
minutes back okay if it's more than two
minutes max I would assume then that
your speech must be really long 15
minutes or longer and so you want to
make sure that it's within that time
frame so please consider that as you are
choosing your media pieces to use for
your attention here all right I hope
this all makes sense to you guys let's
see what else
you can also use jokes
and humor as a part of your attention
getter but you have to be careful so
that you are being sure being very
careful not to offend anyone and this is
really hard to do especially in the time
and era that we live in now it's hard to
know what offends people and what
doesn't offend people and also we have
to consider that just because one person
in a group isn't offended doesn't mean
that it's not offensive to many other
people
so although I'm not discouraging you to
use jokes or humor I am saying be very
deliberate and be very careful and very
intentional and very clear about the
jokes and humor that you choose to use
as to not offend others
you do with that information as you will
another attention getter that you can
use of course is a quote and there are
several ways that you can use the quote
you can use let's say if we were doing a
speech again on Dr Martin Luther King Jr
as we've been mentioning I've been
mentioning so
let's say you're going to introduce Dr
King to your audience one of the things
that you can do of course is to give a
quote share a quote with us as an
attention getter that Dr King actually
said you can take Dr King's own words
that would look something like this
life's most urgent and persistent
question is what are you doing for
others
these words spoken by Reverend Dr Martin
Luther King Jr to me are his most
powerful words and they are the words
that I live my life by good morning my
name is Rukia and I'm here to introduce
you to Dr Martin Luther King Jr today
you're going to learn about his early
life his years of activism and the time
that
in the time since his death and the icon
that he's become
yes so that would be me
join the attention getter stating the
topic giving you the preview of three
main ideas oh and then also of course
myself okay so that is the quote by the
subject again still sticking with Dr
King if you know anything about Dr King
you also know that he was heavily
influenced by God
that was you know what by whom he
modeled many of his actions and his
beliefs and and his um
in his work in the movement of civil
rights in a non-violent kind of way yes
so we might take a quote from Gandhi to
show its impact on Dr King that would
look like this
Gandhi once said
be the change that you want to see
to me no one has taken up this charge
more than Reverend Dr Martin Luther King
Jr
good morning my name is Rukia and today
I'm here to introduce you to Reverend Dr
Martin Luther King Jr today we'll
discuss his early life
his years of activism and the indelible
Mark that he's left on history
Dr King was a champion for the rights of
all that's my transition sentence and
then I began the first main idea
Okay the third way that we can use a
quote is that we can use a quote again
if we're talking about a person in this
particular instance we can use a quote
that's about the subject so about Dr
King it didn't come from Dr King himself
and it's nothing necessarily that um
inspired Dr King especially because this
may have come later okay so let's just
assume
now this one is made up and I guess I
could find a real one
so let's assume that um
I don't know
um let's okay let's let's take a
President Obama we'll just use her for
instance let's just say President Obama
one day said something about Dr King so
it might be something like
um
Dr King's Legacy as a civil rights
leader will live on for Millennia to
come we
the benefactors of his work will make
sure that his legacy Never Dies those
words were spoken by President Obama
about Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr
good morning my name is Rukia and today
I'm here to introduce you to Dr King
we're going to talk about his early life
his years of activism and the life since
he was assassinated let's begin and we
go on and launch into there yes so when
we think about what folks we can use
three different types of folks a quote
that is a that the subject he or she
said themselves
a quote that has shaped that person's
life and worldview in some significant
way or a quote that has been said about
the subject that we're covering in this
case doc
you guys get it all right I hope you
understand so again let's review so
we're talking about attention here that
means the very first thing that comes
out of your mouth how are you going to
draw Us in you can use a question direct
or rhetorical you can use statistics and
facts you can use audience analysis I'm
sorry audience involvement you can use
media which includes movie clips TV
Clips songs music videos commercials Etc
you can also use a quote by the
individual or by the subject about the
subject or by something that has had a
great impact on the subject you can also
use humorous jokes and you can also tell
short stories or antiques
yes all right the one type of attention
getter that you are not going to use
contrary to popular belief is that you
are not going to
um
start off and get the audience's
attention
by startling them
you're not going to throw a book down
anything like that to get our attention
the only way that you should startle
your audience at the start of a speech
is if it is directly related to the
subject at hand let's say you were going
to tell us about the time that you were
in a bad car accident then maybe the
sound that we're gonna hear is a boom a
crash or something like that but other
than that there's no reason to just bam
your hand or bam a book onto a table or
desk for attention it's passe and really
we don't do that so I hope you guys
understand now more about attention
getters the way to do them why we do
them and the types that you should use
please remember that every speech you're
going to do in this class from this
point forward will require an attention
getter and for your persuasive speech
you must use video in order to do the
attention together you'll hear more
about that later but this has been your
attention getting lecture stay tuned for
lecture 16 it is loading next all right
I'll see you soon
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