Speech Communications
SpCom 101, Fall 2001

Outlines for speech delivery


Study in the Libraries

Attention-getter: Studying environment is an important factor that determines the amount of time it takes to have the work done.

  • It was just week ago, when I started looking for an alternative studying place, when I felt there are too much distractions studying in the lounge in my dorm.
  • Since when I saw lots of freshmen do not know where to go, I wanted to introduce them to introduce them to many places where they can concentrate well.
  • The undergraduate library is good for providing quiet environment, cool places to rest, and it’s nearby from anywhere on the campus.
Thesis: The undergraduate library is an ideal place for all the students who are looking for a good studying environment.

Transition: The first thing required for a good studying environment is getting rid of all the distractions.

  1. The library provides variety of places that can fit into anyone’s studying habits.

  1. Most parts in the building are kept quiet, and there nothing distracting people who try to study.
    1. The place is so quiet that people have to whisper to each other.
  2. There are many different kinds of places, so people can choose wherever they want to study.
    1. The blocked desks, which take up most of the spaces in the library, are very effective studying place for people who are easily distracted.
      1. When you sit in one of those desks, you will never be distracted by any noises, and you will never turn your head to look for things that can distract you.
    2. There are also places for different kind of studies, such as larger desks for group studies, and couple arm-chairs that can be used just to read books in a relaxed position.

Transition: Studying in this kind of environment for couple hours in row would be so painful, so there are couple areas that would help people to cool down.

  1. The library has many places where people can rest for a while and cool down.

  1. The library structure is connected to other buildings and some foods can be found on the hallway.
    1. On the hallway to the graduate library building, there are variety of bending machines, tables and seats set up on the sides of the wall.
    2. When I went there with my friends, we saw popcorn and a microwave sitting right next to the bending machines.
    3. Couple beverages and popcorn will be good one for everyone who gets hungry by the time.
  2. If you just want to feel some air, there is a good place where people can expose themselves to the freshness, and cool down.
    1. There is a small square area that is perfect for cooling down.
    2. If you study on the second basement floor, you will find a door right next to you, and you can just walk outside.
    3. At the night, you can enjoy the mood with quiet darkness, and also enjoy talking to friends.

Transition: Although the library has everything students need, it should be easily accessible.

  1. The library is located near most dormitories and buildings where students have classes.
    1. This is the greatest advantage the undergraduate library has, although there are many other libraries that look better and more modern.
    2. Since the library is located at one side of the quad, it is on the center of the whole campus.
      1. Between classes, if you want to enjoy that short time, go to the Illini union; otherwise, go to the library. Since you can walk to any classes in ten minutes from there, you can use that small tiny bit of time wisely.
    3. The library is located at walking distance from the most of the dormitories in the campus area.
      1. Since most dormitories surround the quad area, the library can still be close enough to walk to.
      2. It is worth going to the library because the walking time will be shorter than the time you would take to concentrate.

Restated thesis: So, with all these things that can be done, the undergraduate library can not only be a great studying place, but also fun place because people can easily concentrate, and rest, and it is also nearby.

Conclusion: The advantage the undergraduate library has, compare to the studying places in the dormitories will have significant effect on people’s time spending on their studies.
  • So from now on just pack all the work that should be done for that day, and go to the undergraduate library to get that work done.


Process of building a computer

Thesis: There are three main steps one has to go through in order to make a well-working computer that will fit well into personal style of computer usage.

Introduction
Attention-getter: Have you ever opened up a computer case? At first time, it looks so complicated; however, the inside of the computer are rather simpler than what people think.

In other words, everyone can make and fix the computers, with little bit of knowledge.

More people start to build their own computers, so that computer manufacturers are in stake. Recently, the two major computer manufacturers merged because of their uncertainty in future business.

Most computers in stores are generally working well; however, they do not fit into every single person’s computer usage.

Thesis and preview: I am going to show you the three-step process for making your favorite computers the way you want it. First, you will choose all the parts you want, and then you will put them together, and lastly, you will try running them.

Visual aid thesis and main points

Body

  1. First of all, your task is to gather the computer parts.

    1. Find the parts in you would like to put in your computer system.

      1.  Look for the performance when choosing internal parts, and think about how it looks and how comfortable it is when searching for external parts.

      2. Required parts are central processor, main board, memory card, graphic card, hard disk, and a case with power, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.


Visual aid required parts to make computer run

Central processor - brain of the computer/determines computer speed

Memory – Random Access Memory/lager space needed for faster process

Main board – holds and connects everything together

Hard disk – storage space

Graphic card – graphical output/graphic speed and memory are important.


    1. Depending on personal interests, one can purchase additional parts such as cd-rom and cd-rw, sound card, LAN card, etc.

  1. Next job is to buy those parts you looked up.

    1. Look for the price change between stores.

    2. As the time passes, the price of certain parts drop.

    3. Do you remember how fast the RAM price changed during the past summer?


Transition: Now you have everything you need for a computer, so now it’s time to put them together.

  1. Assembling is the toughest job in the process, since it involves lots of handwork.

    1. Start putting parts onto the main board, after it has been tightly screwed in the case.

      1. All the internal parts should be connected with the main board.

      2. Processor should be inserted in a socket.

      3. Ram, graphic, and other cards are to be inserted in each slot.

      4. Hard disk and power cables are to be connected.

    2. After all the parts are installed inside the case, connect the external parts with various cables.

      1. Every computer parts have specific place they should be plugged into.

Monitor – graphic card

Speaker – sound card

Keyboard – purple spot
Mouse – green spot

Visual aid connecting external parts, and picture of main board

Transition: Your computer should be pretty good looking by now, but the most important thing is that is it working or not?

  1. The last step in computer building is to make the computer run.

    1. After assembling is done, turn on the computer, and listen for the one short beep.

      1. If that sound is not heard, something was done wrong in assembling, so go back to the assembling step.

    2. Choose and install your desired operating system.

      1. Decide whether to use Microsoft windows or Linux and other minor operating system

      2. Microsoft windows are easy for most users, used by almost all the users.

      3. The other operating systems have couple better features, but people in general have hard time using it.

      4. a new operating system, the Windows Xp that will come out sometime next month will be an easiest operating system ever. It controls almost every single process for the users, so that all they have to do is clicking.

      5. Obtain a copy of CD from people around.

    3. If the operating system installation is successful, you just made a working computer.


Conclusion
Review: As you can see, the process of building a computer is easy and also fun because a simple three-step process will make a computer so easily. You just have to gather the computer parts you need, assemble them, and install software on the computer you just built.

Visual aid Thesis and main points displayed again

Final comment: From now on, build some computer knowledge, so whenever someone has a problem with a computer, you can take care of it.


Sleep Deprivation

Thesis: Sleep deprivation has many detrimental effects.


Introduction

Attention-getter: Did you people get enough sleep last night? About this time, the midterm exams are coming up, and it is hard to get enough sleep, especially the day before the exam.


It is important to study everything you need to know for the tests; however, having a good sleep is as important because you need to have good sleep.


Thesis and preview: Sleep deprivation has many detrimental effects. People become less functional when they are tired. Consequences of sleep deprivation are slower reaction time, and weaker physical body.


Visual aid thesis and main points


Body


  1. Sleep deprivation is having a loss of sleep, as defined in the dictionary.

    1. After going through sleep deprivation, there are couple consequences that a person could go through as a result of tiredness.

    2. Sleep deprivation is too common for all the hard-working people, beginning from high school students up to workers and older business people.

    3. About eight hours is an ideal sleeping time for having enough rest.

      1. “According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, about one third of common American adults were getting less than six hours of sleep a night(Reaves).”

      2. This is because people choose to spend time more efficiently rather than just sleeping.

      3. For most people who have sleep deprivation problem, they need more time to do all their work, and also do what they want to do for fun, such as Internet surfing and watching television.

      4. “…the fact of the matter is we are all trying to function on far too little sleep. To put that in perspective, the general recommendation is a solid eight hours(Reaves).”

Visual aid expert testimony


  1. Having a normal length of sleep on the next day cannot recover the tiredness

    1. “About 16 to 35 percent increase to ordinary sleeping time is necessary in order to restore the efficiency to normal.”(Whittle 21)

    2. That means about ten hours of sleep time is required for the sleep loss.


Transition Although people seem to satisfy themselves better by doing something, other than sleeping; however, this brings many harmful effects to the body during later days.


  1. One general consequence that happens to people after having lack of sleep is diminished senses.

    1. Sleep deprivation causes decline of occipital alpha rhythm of the brain(Whittle 14).

      1. It is related to center of the brain part that works with senses.

      2. It disappears after 50 hours without sleep.

    2. That gradually affects other body senses as well.

      1. There is decrease in sensory acuity which is the reaction time to body senses(Whittle 19).

      2. There is domino effect on quickness of reaction, motor speed.

      3. Also, memorizing ability deteriorate.

      4. One time, I stayed up all night studying for a quiz, but I did not do well. Although, I knew everything on that quiz, I could not concentrate well because of tiredness.


  1. Another outcome of the sleep deprivation is weakening of the physical body.

    1. It brings a change in performance of the muscles(NSF).

      1. Condition on the first day after having less sleep would be close to normal day, but second day, there is a noticeable change(Whittle 61).

      2. Grip strength became weaker, which was measured by lifting weights.

      3. People in the Whittle’s experiment were able to lift only eighty percent of their heaviest weight.

      4. Muscular endurance, resistance power.

Visual aid graph showing mean scores for relative muscle grip endurance.


  1. It also leads the body in inefficient mechanical sense.

    1. It interferes with chemical mechanisms that produce energy(Whittle 16).

  2. Increase in oxygen consumption can be observed(Whittle 17).


Conclusion

Review Sleep deprivation is actually a cause for real harms to the body systems. It disrupts many of the important senses, and also weakens the muscular system.


Visual aid thesis and main points displayed again


Final comment So, for the remaining midterm exams coming up, think about preparing yourselves early, so you can have a good night sleep before the exam days.


Bibliography


National Sleep Foundation. “What are the effects of pain and sleeplessness?” Sleep and

pain. http://www.sleepfoundation.org/publications/sleepandpain1_es.html. 1997.


Reaves, Jessica. “You are feeling very sleepy…” Time.

http://www.time.com/time/search/8599,42176.html. May 29, 2001.


Whittle, Andrew Heath. The aftereffects of one night’s sleep deprivation on selected

physiological and psychomotor. Microfilm publications. Eugene, Oregon. 1973.
Comments