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CMNS 101 Fundamentals of Communication

Public Speaking Research Guide

Delivery: Verbal Citations

Why Should You Include Verbal Citations in Your Speech?

  • Build Your Speaking Credibility: Verbal citations demonstrate that your information is supported by reliable sources, strengthening your credibility.
  • Avoid Plagiarism: Acknowledging sources helps avoid plagiarism by crediting the original authors.
  • Build Trust with Your Audience Members: Audience members are more likely to trust your message when they know your information comes from reputable sources.
  • Demonstrate Professionalism: Using verbal citations shows that you have done your research and prepared for your presentation, which reflects professionalism.

How to Write Verbal Citations

  • Author’s Name: State the author's name or the organization responsible for the information. Examples of organizations include the National Institute of Health and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Title of the Source or Author’s Credentials: State the book’s title or the article's name. If you gathered a peer or expert testimony through an interview, briefly summarize the author’s experience with the topic. Examples include mentioning the author’s educational or work background.
  • Date: State the date of publication. If the source does not have a publication date, state the date you accessed the source.

Examples of Verbal Citations

  • Book: According to Adler and co-authors in Understanding Human Communication...
  • Journal Article: A journal article published by Jillian Kinzie and George Kuh in Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning in 2017 states…
  • Website: The Occupational Employment and Wages for Information Security Analysts by the Bureau of Labor Statistics published in May 2023 indicates…

Final Reminders for Adding Verbal Citations

  • Be Concise: To prevent information overload for your audience members, include essential information, such as the author’s name, title of the source, and year of publication.
  • Use a Variety of Sources: Use various sources to strengthen your speaking credibility and adapt to the audience’s learning styles.
  • Practice: Practice delivering your verbal citations with your speech to sound natural and confident. Remember to state your citations in the body of the speech and introduction (if applicable).

Recommended Research for Further Learning