The Communication Experience: A Guide to Successful Public Speaking introduces students to the study of public speaking by focusing on four foundational conclusions about the communication experience: that writing, reading, critical thinking, and speaking skills are needed to succeed in any academic or professional setting; that public speaking is just one of many communication skills needed to succeed; that speeches are more than something that you cut and paste together; and that public communication is often made more difficult than it has to be.

The text helps students recognize the role of public speaking within the larger practice of communication, develop essential skills for and approaches to speechmaking, and understand and overcome communication apprehension.

The text is organized into three units. Unit one focuses on the global communication experience. In unit two, students learn about academic and professional speechmaking. Unit three teaches readers how to personalize their speeches, addressing ways they can cultivate their own unique style and customize their content. Individual chapters address various communication environments; incorporating audience ethics into speechmaking; argumentation; hearing versus listening; tailoring a speech for a specific audience; organizational strategies for speeches; storytelling in academic and professional presentations; finding your voice; and more.

The Communication Experience is an exemplary resource for courses and programs in public speaking and communication.