Chapter 12 Reflection

I don't mind giving talks and oral presentations; in fact, I usually enjoy giving them!  I was pleased with the mention of TED Talks early on in the chapter.  Most TED speakers are eloquent with their speech and really know how to captivate the audience with their words.  Although each speaker is different and they all present on a wide variety of subjects, all speakers seem to have amazing abilities with giving oral presentations.  Another point I really appreciate from the chapter is the mention of gestures.  I am a dancer and a kinesthetic learner, and I find it useful when speakers use their hands to help demonstrate what they are talking about.  When I speak, I tend to use gestures myself quite regularly.  Last of all, I would like to mention the chart found on page 190.  The chart lists a variety of problems matched up with possible solutions.  I found this to be very useful.  Of the problems listed on the chart, Boredom is possibly my biggest worry.  I can handle misunderstandings and disruptive behavior, but boredom is something I don't want my audience to ever experience.

Chapter 11 Reflections

First off, I was very pleased with the way they used the word “visual aids” instead of “art” in this chapter.  I believe “visual aids” is a more accurate way of describing the concepts being taught.  I am a dancer; I am an artist.  The principles I read about are very useful when considering the application of visual aids in written documents, and it was interesting to assess the crossovers into dance.  The color wheel was perhaps one of my favorite points in the chapter as it explained complementary colors, and triad/primary colors.  While I am mostly a kinesthetic learner, visuals are major supports that help me learn and understand new content.  Charts, images, and even handouts can make a world of difference for me when engaging in the learning process.  As a brief rant, I highly disliked the explanation of shapes in the chapter: “horses are shaped like horses, violins are shaped like violins, etc.” (page 170).  Overall, the chapter was insightful and offered great tips for enhancing business papers and presentations.

Chapter 10 Reflections

Chapter 10 did an excellent job with explaining the methods of writing business reports.  I found it interesting, however, that the guidelines and techniques given are not much different from those given for writing report papers for school.  The chapter quickly explained the basic steps for creating a report: Data gathering, composition, and revision.  These steps are commonly found when creating any form of report, whether in the business world or not.  One of the main differences, though, is the cover letter which is presented in the front matter of a long report.  Aside from the cover letter, all of then other aspects of a business report seemed familiar in relation to other written reports for school.  The examples at the end of the chapter were also helpful in seeing the principles in use.  I cannot imagine writing a 100 page report, but I feel confident in the ability to do so now that I can see how simple the formatting of a business letter is.