How to Speak

Patrick Winston’s How to Speak presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been an MIT tradition for over 40 years. Offered every January during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), usually to overflow crowds, the talk is intended to improve your speaking ability in critical situations by teaching you a few heuristic rules. Professor Winston’s collection of rules is presented along with examples of their application in job-interview talks, thesis defenses, oral examinations, and lectures.

Toastmasters can learn a lot about how to start a speech, how to use props and slides, tips on giving informational and persuasive speeches, the best ways to end a speech and tips and tricks for job interviews.

Professor Winston’s presentation is available on YouTube at this link.