How To Give An Effective Evaluation

1. Receive Evaluation Form from speaker

   • Ask the speaker to explain their goals for the project

   • Understand the project purpose and focus on the speech purpose in your feedback

2. Listen carefully to speech and take notes

   • Take notes on the following: Vocal Clarity, Vocal Variety, Eye Contact, Gestures, Audience Awareness, Comfort Level, Interest of Topic, Structure of Content

   • Identify strength and growth areas of the speaker

3. Organize your feedback into a clear structure (i.e. Excelled At, Area to Improve, One way to stretch themselves, Close with a positive observation)

   • This is a speech, so utilize all the tools you know to write your 2-3 minute speech (voice, gestures, stage position, structure, etc)

   • Select only one or two growth areas to present

   • Focus on behaviors that the whole group observed were effective or ineffective ("Sally looked up at the audience during her presentation - making eye contact is a great way to engage the audience") - avoid focusing on your personal likes and dislikes.

   • Use the sandwich method in your structure, always ending with a positive (Commend, Recommend, Commend)

4.  Present your feedback to the group

   • Present your speech to the whole audience - this means primarily focusing on things that everyone observed, not on your likes and dislikes.  It usually means talking about the speaker in third person.