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Constructive Critique on Public Speaking Essay Dr. Pausch lost his battle with cancer, but his legacy lives on through his achievements and in the countless number of students who were fortunate to learn from such an extraordinary individual. Dr. Randy Pausch was a widely respected professor from the University of Carnegie Mellon. He co-founded the entertainment technology center in 1999 and he spearheaded the creation of the Alice Project, a program that aids in the learning of computer science academics. Dr. Pausch has received numerous accolades from his work and dedication to his students. He has appeared on many television shows like Good Morning America and the Oprah show. To this day people are still recounting the lessons learned from Dr. Pausch. In a recent video interview highlighted on the Oprah’s website, one lady stated what she thought was so meaningful to her about Dr. Pausch and his lectures as his amazing outlook on life and his appreciation for every aspect of his life. These qualities are witness in his 2008 lecture nicknamed the Last Lecture. Throughout the lecture Dr. Pausch showcased his ability to reach out to his audience. He and captured their imagination with his humor and enthusiasm despite begin diagnosed with cancer six months earlier. Because of the importance and popularity of this inspiring lecture I will provide a critique of Dr. Pausch ability to deliver his massage to his audience and analyze his public speaking mechanics. More specifically I will look at the way he keeps the audience engaged and what are the areas he could improve. Strengths noted: From the moment the lecture began I was hooked. Dr. Pausch did not waste any time keeping the audience engaged and keeping them marveling at the foundations of his strength despite his diagnosis. After the standing applause, Dr. Pausch told his listeners to â€Å"make me earn†. This mindset shows that he cares about the message that he was about to give and the message that the audience was about to receive. He also started his lecture with this question which I though was the glue to the seats. His question was fundamental in keeping them engaged and thinking. â€Å"If you had one last lecture to give to the world before you died what would it be?† From this point on, If this was Dr. Pausch last lecture I wanted the hear it. Thereafter, He gave a back story in the lecture which to thought was helpful to the audience member that did not know his circumstances. One of the tactic in his lecture that I though was the most important is he told the audience what he was not going to talked about. This eliminated all guessing and left no room for disappointment. I thought that I was public speaking brilliances. Pausch visual media kept the focus of the lecture and was very easy to follow and understand. It was clear, concise and to the point. He also has props. He voice was evenly tone and he spoke as if he was just engaging in a normal conversation. Additionally Dr. Pausch humor seemed to be naturel; he kept his audience laughing throughout the lecture which I think helped them to stay uninterested. Last but not less, I love that the lecture was not just a lecture to the audience but a lecture to his children. Knowing that he passed away made that lecture much more intimate and could be used as a blueprint for all parents to help their children achieve their dreams. Areas to improve: Connecting to the audience is definitely Dr. Pausch strong suit but sometimes he did get off topic a little bit. Because he is such a dynamic person I understand that it can be easy to get caught telling your person story rather than sticking to the topic. I noticed Dr. Pausch did get off topic a few times and told a few side bar stories but not too much that would have downgraded the lectures quality. Conclusion: I my introduction I highlight the accomplishment of DR. Pausch; the inspirational professor from Carnegie Mellon University. I was instructed to write a critique about his â€Å"last lecture;† that focused on the strength and the areas of improvement. In the strengths the most important aspect about the lecture is that Dr. Pausch keeps the audience entirely engaged throughout. Dr Pausch spoke for 72 min with the complete attention of his audience. In the strengths of my critique I was able to show this by highlighting the various tactics that were used. For example the question he asked in the beginning of the lecture was one tactic and his great sense of humor was another. Areas of improve were hard to find but the only time I found any in the lecture was when Dr. Pausch gets off topic a few times; other than that the lecture was flawless. Unfortunately we lost Dr. Pausch too soon but his lesson will live forever. Everyone can learn something from his willingness live life to the fullest no matter what god has in store for you. The one quote that stands out to me in the lecture is â€Å"you can’t change the cards we are dealt just how we play the hand† Bibliography http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/story/index.html http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Lessons-Learned-from-Randy-Pausch-Video http://www.etc.cmu.edu/site/