What is it and how does it work?

The Beliefs about Public Speaking Scale is a 31-item self-report rating scale that measures four dimensions of public speaking: transmission, transaction, recursive process, and audience orientation (Stewart et al., 2017). Adapted from the Beliefs About Writing Survey (BWS), the measure has been validated with undergraduate student populations (Stewart et al., 2017; Sanders-Reio et al., 2014).  

Surveys may be administered multiple times in a semester to collect longitudinal data. Instructors can configure the survey to release results to students for feedback purposes.

Which skill(s) are targeted?

The Beliefs About Public Speaking Scale can be used to collect students' self-report ratings of of audience orientation and openness to recursion:

• Produce content that is credible and compelling to a target audience across multiple formats (oral, written, and visual).
• Prepare coherent and clearly organized oral, written, and visual products based on purpose, genre, context, and audience.
• Develop independent processes for setting communication goals, seeking and incorporating feedback, and revising to improve effectiveness.

Who has used it?

• Dietrich College General Education Program

• First-Year Writing Program

• Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholar Development (OURSD)

• 99-101: Core@CMU