Presentation Assessment of Speaker Skills (Pass) Rubrics
COMPETENCY 1: TOPIC. CHOOSES AND
NARROWS A TOPIC APPROPRIATELY
FOR THE AUDIENCE & OCCASION
The speaker presents a topic and a focus that are not appropriate for the
purpose, time, the constraints or audience. [That is, the speaker’s choice
of topic is inconsistent with the purpose, the topic cannot be adequately
treated in the time limitations of the speech, and there is little or no
evidence of successful audience analysis.]
The speaker presents a topic and a focus that are appropriate for the
purpose, time constraints, and audience. [That is, the speaker’s choice
of topic is generally consistent with the purpose, is a reasonable choice
for the time limitations of the speech, and reflects appropriate analysis
of a majority of the audience.]
The speaker presents a topic and a focus that are exceptionally
appropriate for the purpose, time constraints, and audience. [That is,
the speaker’s choice of topic is clearly consistent with the purpose, is
totally amenable to the time limitations of the speech, and reflects
unusually insightful audience analysis.]
COMPETENCY 2: PURPOSE.
COMMUNICATES THE THESIS/SPECIFIC
PURPOSE IN A MANNER APPROPRIATE
FOR THE AUDIENCE & OCCASION
The speaker does not communicate a clear and identifiable
thesis/specific purpose. [That is, a majority of the audience may have
difficulty understanding, within the opening few sentences of the speech,
precisely what the specific purpose/thesis of the speech is.]
The speaker communicates a thesis/specific purpose that is adequately
clear and identifiable. [That is, at least a majority of the audience
should understand clearly, within the opening few sentences of the
speech, precisely what the specific purpose/thesis of the speech is.]
The speaker communicates a thesis/specific purpose that is
exceptionally clear and identifiable. [That is, there is no question that
all of the audience members should understand clearly, within the
opening few sentences of the speech, precisely what the specific
purpose/thesis of the speech is.]
COMPETENCY 3: RESEARCH/DATA.
PROVIDES SUPPORTING MATERIAL
APPROPRIATE FOR THE AUDIENCE &
OCCASION
The speaker uses supporting material that is inappropriate in quality and
variety. [That is, supporting material is only vaguely related to the thesis
of the speech, and variety is either too great or too little to do anything
but detract from the effectiveness of the speech.]
The speaker uses supporting material that is appropriate in quality and
variety. [That is, supporting material is logically linked to the thesis of
the speech, and is of such quality that it adds a measurable level of
interest to the speech.]
The speaker uses supporting material that is exceptional in quality and
variety. [That is, supporting material is unarguably linked to the thesis
of the speech, and further is of such quality that it decidedly enhances
the credibility of the speaker and the clarity of the topic.]
COMPETENCE 4: VISUAL AIDS.
ELECTRONIC AND NON-ELECTRONIC
PRESENTATIONAL AID(S) (ARTIFACTS,
POSTERS, POWERPOINT, PREZI, ETC.)
USED PROFESSIONALLY &
COMPETENTLY
Visual aids distracted from, interfered with, or worked inconsistent with
speaker intention(s), resulting in disruption of the presentation or
communication of ideas. Use of aids appears to lack practice, proficiency,
or familiarity.
Visual aids are unproblematic, but add relatively little to the contents
of the presentation—the ideas presented are minimally enhanced by
the visual aid(s).
Visual aids reveal creativity and imagination, effort at integrating them
appropriately in the presentation, and significantly enhance
entertainment value, clarification of content, and audience retention,
comprehension, and/or persuasion.
COMPETENCY 5: ORGANIZATION. USES
AN ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERN
APPROPRIATE TO THE TOPIC,
AUDIENCE, OCCASION, & PURPOSE
The speaker fails to use an introduction or conclusion and fails to provide
a reasonably clear and logical progression within and among ideas. [That
is, the introduction fails to engage even a majority of the audience in an
appropriate manner, the body of the speech reflects lack of clarity in
organization, and the conclusion fails to reflect adequately the content of
the speech and fails to leave even a majority of the audience with a clear
message or call to action.]
The speaker uses an appropriate introduction and conclusion and
provides a reasonably clear and logical progression within and
between ideas. [That is the introduction clearly engages a majority of
the audience in an appropriate manner, the body of the speech reflects
adequate clarity in organization, and the conclusion reflects
adequately the content of the speech and leaves a majority of the
audience with a clear message or call to action.]
The speaker uses an exceptional introduction and conclusion and
provides an exceptionally clear and logical progression within and
between ideas. [That is, the introduction clearly engages the audience
in an appropriate and creative manner, the body of the speech reflects
superior clarity in organization, and the conclusion clearly reflects the
CONTENT of the speech and leaves the audience with an undeniable
message or call to action.]
COMPETENCY 6: LANGUAGE. USES
LANGUAGE APPROPRIATE TO THE
AUDIENCE & OCCASION
The speaker uses unclear or inappropriate language. [That is, the speaker
chooses inappropriate jargon or language which is sexist, racist, etc.]
The speaker uses language that is reasonably clear, vivid, and
appropriate. [That is, the speaker chooses language that is free of
inappropriate jargon, is nonsexist, is nonracist, etc.]
The speaker uses language that is exceptionally clear, vivid, and
appropriate. [That is, the speaker chooses language that enhances
audience comprehension and enthusiasm for the speech, while adding
a measure of creativity that displays exceptional sensitivity by the
speaker for the nuances and poetry of meaning.]
COMPETENCY 7: NONVERBAL. USES
VOCAL VARIETY IN RATE, PITCH, &
INTENSISTY (VOLUME) TO HEIGHTEN &
MAINTAIN INTEREST APPROPRIATE TO
THE AUDIENCE & OCCASION
The speaker fails to use vocal variety and fails to speak in a
conversational mode. [That is, the speaker shows frequent weakness in
controlling and adapting pace, volume, pitch, etc., resulting in an overall
detraction from the quality or impact of the speech.]
The speaker makes acceptable use of vocal variety in a conversational
mode. [That is, the speaker shows only occasional weakness in pace,
volume, pitch, etc., thereby not detracting significantly from the
overall quality or impact of the speech.]
The speaker makes exceptional use of vocal variety in a conversational
mode. [That is, vocals are exceptionally and appropriately well-paced,
easily heard by all audience members, and varied in pitch to enhance
the message.]
COMPETENCY 8: ARTICULATION. USES
PRONUNCIATION, GRAMMAR, &
ARTICULATION APPROPRIATE TO THE
AUDIENCE & OCCASION
The speaker fails to use acceptable articulation, pronunciation, and
grammar. [That is, disfluencies and disfluencies interfere with the
message, and frequent errors in pronunciation and grammar make it
difficult for the audience to understand the message.]
The speaker has acceptable articulation, with few pronunciation or
grammatical errors. [That is, most sounds are properly formed, there
are only minor vocalized disfluencies, and a few (1-2) minor errors in
pronunciation and grammar.]
The speaker has exceptional articulation, pronunciation, and grammar.
[That is, the speaker exhibits exceptional fluency, properly formed
sounds which enhance the message, and no pronunciation or
grammatical errors.]
COMPETENCY 9: SYNCHRONY. USES
PHYSICAL BEHAVIORS THAT SUPPORT
THE VERBAL MESSAGE
The speaker fails to use acceptable posture, gestures, facial expressions,
eye contact, and dress. [That is, kinesic (posture, gesture, facial
expressions, eye contact) and proxemic (interpersonal distance and
spatial arrangement) behaviors and dress are incongruent with the verbal
intent and detract from the speaker’s credibility with the audience as
well as distracting the audience from the speaker’s message.]
The speaker demonstrates acceptable posture, gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, and use of dress. [That is, kinesic (posture,
gesture, facial expressions, eye contact) and proxemic (interpersonal
distance and spatial arrangement: behaviors and dress generally
support the message, with minor inconsistencies that neither
significantly distract from the speaker’s credibility with the audience
nor interfere with the message.]
The speaker demonstrates exceptional posture, gestures, bodily
movement, facial expressions, eye contact, and use of dress. [That is,
kinesic (posture, gesture, facial expressions, eye contact) and proxemic
(interpersonal distance and spatial arrangement) behaviors and dress
consistently support the verbal message and thereby enhance the
speaker’s credibility throughout the audience.]
COMPETENCE 10: ADAPTATION.
PRESENTATION REFLECTS AN
APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE FIT TO
THE RELEVANT AUDIENCE(S)
Presentation is inappropriate to the audience or context, due to culture,
religion, constraints of the physical environment, time available,
relationship with the audience, technology, or purpose of the occasion,
or otherwise offensive or contrary to audience values.
Presentation meets the minimal expectations of the audience and
context (culture, beliefs, values, relationship to audience, timing, or
purpose of the presentation), but otherwise presentation does little to
optimize the connection of the speaker(s) and topic to the audience
(e.g., by persuasively articulating the relevance and/or importance of
the presentation to the audience(s).
Presentation provides creative connection(s) between the speaker(s),
the presentation, and the audience. The connection, relevance and
importance of the topic to the audience is explicated, illustrated, or
otherwise demonstrated.