Introduction

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Jason Wrench, Anne Goding, Danette Ifert Johnson, and Bernardo Alexander Attias
Milne Library Publishing at SUNY

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Preface

Public speaking in the twenty-ﬁrst century is an art and a science that has developed over millennia. In a world that is bombarded by information, the skill set of public speaking is more important today than ever. According to an address given by Tony Karrer at the TechKnowledge 2009 Conference, The New York Times contains more information in one week than individuals in the 1800s would encounter in a lifetime.^[1] Currently, the amount of information available to people doubles every thirteen months and is expected to double every twelve hours in the future. In a world ﬁlled with so much information, knowing how to organize and present one’s ideas through oral communication eﬀectively is paramount.

From audience analysis to giving a presentation, Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking will guide students through the speech-making process. We believe it is important to focus on the practical process of speechmaking because we want this book to be a user-friendly guide to creating, researching, and presenting public speeches. While both classic and current academic research in public speaking will guide the book, we do not want to lose the focus of helping students become more seasoned and polished public speakers. We believe that a new textbook in public speaking should ﬁrst, and foremost, be a practical book that helps students prepare and deliver a variety of different types of speeches.

In addition to practicality, we believe that it is important to focus on the ethics of public speaking from both a source’s and a receiver’s point of view. In 2006, Pearson et al. examined the state of ethics in public speaking textbooks.^[2] Speciﬁcally, the researchers used the National Communication Association (NCA) Credo for Ethical Communication to guide their study of ethics in public speaking textbooks.^[3] Ultimately, the researchers focused on eight speciﬁc categories of public speaking ethics content areas: freedom of speech, honesty, plagiarism, ethical listening, ethical research, hate words, diversity, and codes of ethics. As a whole, the top ten public speaking books varied in their degrees of exposure to the various ethical issues. We believe that using the NCA Credo for Ethical Communication as the basis for discussing ethics within this book, besides the latest research in ethics and communication, will help students see how ethics can apply to the public speaking context. The emphasis on ethics in communication is very important across the ﬁeld, so a public speaking textbook that completely integrates ethical issues instead of sidelining them will be a welcome addition. All four of the coauthors on this text have researched the topic of communication ethics and written about how ethics is important in every facet of our communicative lives.

Overall, we believe that the combination of practicality and ethics will present a new perspective on public speaking that will be welcomed by the ﬁeld. We believe this book will be both intellectually stimulating and realistically applicable.

Why a Third Edition?

If you’ve watched Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking evolve since it was first published back in 2011, you may be aware that the project originally started after I (Jason Wrench) sat through a workshop at SUNY New Paltz investigating the world of open-source in higher education in 2009. I’d known about open-source journals, but the idea that there were open-source textbooks was something completely new to me. I looked online and found a publisher by the name of Flat World Knowledge (FWK for short). I emailed them and asked if they were interested in developing a communication line. They had a couple of books on business communication. Over the years, I had watched as the price of public speaking textbooks had escalated while the actual bulk of the content didn’t change radically. Sure, the examples and pictures changed, but the core of the texts didn’t. But they sure increased in price $5 to $10 each year!

As public speaking is the most commonly taught course in the field of communication, it made sense for a small open publisher to sign the project. In 2011, the first edition of the book came out. Shortly thereafter, FWK went through a business remodel. They determined that having a 100% free electronic version of a textbook was not necessarily the most financially suitable approach. So, FWK changed their model from “free” to “fair.”

However, the original version of the book was still floating around under the Creative Commons license, so the original version was still freely available. The publisher asked people who had the book on their website to remove our names from the book. For years now, people have used the first edition of the book without our names attached.

We published a second edition of the book in 2016 with FWK. That edition was never an open-source textbook.

Consequently, we’ve had two competing versions of the book for many years now: the first edition, which was still free and open-source, and the second edition, to which FWK held the copyright. The open-source version has had a life of its own and people who knew we wrote that book have asked if there would ever be a second edition. We often found ourselves explaining that there is a second edition, it’s just not open-source. And as we were under contract with FWK, we really couldn’t update the first edition of the book because it would be in direct competition with the second edition.

We were thrilled by the numerous professors who adopted the second edition of our textbook, published by FWK, and the students who used that book to dive into the world of public speaking.

After a conversation with FWK, they decided they were not interested in pursuing a third edition. Instead, we had the copyright for the book returned to us. As such, we can once again offer an open-source version of Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking. In many ways, this is a homecoming for the book. We’re going back to our original goal: a public speaking textbook that delivers the learning objectives of the basic communication studies course in a truly open-source format.

When Anne Goding and I set out to write this book and then brought on Ben Attias and Danette Johnson, we never knew the journey this project would take and continues to take. We are excited to release this third edition of the textbook with Milne Publishers, the SUNY Open Textbook Publisher.

What’s New in the Third Edition?

Welcome to the third edition of Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking. This new edition builds on everything that has made this textbook a trusted guide for students learning to speak with confidence, clarity, and integrity. While the chapters and core structure you’ll encounter remain familiar, the book has been thoughtfully updated to reflect the ways communication continues to evolve in today’s world.

You’ll notice that this edition strikes a balance between tradition and change. The foundation of effective speaking—understanding your audience, organizing your ideas, and delivering your message with confidence—remains the same. What’s new is how these ideas connect to our modern communication environment, where technology, hybrid learning, and digital media play a central role in how we share messages. The text now includes discussions of online presentations, AI-assisted tools, and the challenges of speaking ethically in digital spaces, helping you apply timeless public speaking principles in contemporary contexts.

Another important change in this edition is the return to open access. After several years under traditional publication, Stand Up, Speak Out is once again freely available to students and instructors through Milne Open Textbooks at SUNY Geneseo. This means that the book is not only cost-free but also built on the principles of accessibility, collaboration, and educational equity—the same values that underpin effective public communication.

You’ll also find new and updated visuals, examples, and exercises designed to make the learning experience more engaging and relevant. The examples come from diverse voices and contexts, reflecting the wide range of people, cultures, and ideas that comprise our world. Throughout the text, you’ll see a continued emphasis on ethics—how to speak truthfully, listen respectfully, and use communication as a force for understanding rather than division.

Most importantly, this edition remains focused on you—the developing speaker. Whether you’re preparing your first classroom presentation or planning to use these skills in your career, this book is designed to be practical, approachable, and empowering. The third edition encourages you not only to stand up and speak out, but also to do so with confidence, curiosity, and a genuine care for the communities you represent.

About the Authors

JASON S. WRENCH

Jason S. Wrench (Ed.D., West Virginia University) is a professor in the Department of Communication at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Dr. Wrench specializes in workplace learning and performance, or the intersection of instructional communication and organizational communication. His varied research interests include computer-mediated communication, empirical research methods, humor, interpersonal communication, risk/crisis communication, supervisor-subordinate interactions, and workplace learning and human performance improvement. Dr. Wrench regularly consults with individuals and organizations on workplace communication and as a professional speech coach for senior executives.

Dr. Wrench has published numerous books on a variety of communication topics: Intercultural Communication: Power in Context, Communication, Affect, and Learning in the Classroom (2000, Tapestry Press), Principles of Public Speaking (2003, The College Network), Human Communication in Everyday Life: Explanations and Applications (2008, Allyn & Bacon), Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach (2008, 2013, 2016, & 2019, 2026 Oxford University Press), The Directory of Communication Related Mental Measures (Summer 2010, National Communication Association), Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking (2011, 2020, Flat World Knowledge), and Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness (2013, Allyn & Bacon; 2018, Kendall-Hunt), Training & Talent Development: Intersecting Communication, Human Performance Improvement, and Organizational Effectiveness (2015 & 2023, Kendall Hunt), Organizational Communication: Theory, Research, and Practice (2015 & 2023, Flat World Knowledge), Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships (2021, Milne Open Textbooks), Innovative Business Communication: Strategies for a Globalized World (2024, University of Arizona Global Campus), and The Future is Now: Empowering Society Through AI Literacy (2025, Milne Open Textbooks).

Dr. Wrench is also the editor of numerous books: Casing Organizational Communication (2011 & 2022, Kendall Hunt), Workplace Communication for the 21st Century: Tools and Strategies that Impact the Bottom Line: Vol. 1. Internal Workplace Communication, and Vol. 2. External Workplace Communication (2013, both with Praeger), Casing Public Relations (2014, Kendall Hunt), Casing Sport Communication (2016, Kendall Hunt), The Impact of Social Media in Modern Romantic Relationships (2018, Lexington Press), Casing Nonverbal Communication (2021, Kendall Hunt), and The Role of Generative AI in the Communication Classroom (2024, IGI Global).

Dr. Wrench was the editor of the Ohio Communication Journal from 2005-2007, served as an associate editor for Communication Research Reports from 2007-2010, and been on the editorial board for numerous academic journals. Dr. Wrench is the past editor of the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research for the World Communication Association (2019-2024).

Dr. Wrench has published over 40 research articles that have appeared in various journals: Communication Education, Communication Quarterly, Communication Research Reports, Education, Human Communication, Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Intercultural Communication, Southern Communication Journal, The Source: A Journal of Education, The NACADA Journal (National Association of Campus Advising), and others.

Besides his academic work, Dr. Wrench is the author of ten novels, all published with Pride Publishing.

In 2012, Dr. Wrench was awarded the designated position of Teaching Fellow within the Eastern Communication Association (ECA), which is the oldest communication association in the world. Dr. Wrench is a former president of ECA and the New York State Communication Association.

ANNE GODING

Anne Goding was a Lecturer in the Department of Communication at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. She holds an M.S. in Communication Studies from Eastern Washington University and specializes in the intersections of intercultural communication, storytelling, and public communication.

At SUNY New Paltz, Ms. Goding teaches “Storytelling and Culture,” a diversity course she created, drawing upon her academic background and her personal experiences with traditional storytellers, particularly from Native American traditions. Her teaching portfolio also includes courses like “Small Group Communication” and “Communication among Cultures.”

Ms. Goding is the author of Storytelling: Reflecting on Oral Narratives and Cultures and the co-author of Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking. Her work, including the article “How Institutional Meanings Displace the Real Environment (Revisiting Rio),” has also been published in the International Journal of Communication.

Prior to her work at SUNY New Paltz, from 1981 to 1992, Ms. Goding served as a teacher for the Medicine Chief of the Bear Tribe Medicine Society in Spokane, Washington. In this role, she taught outdoor summer programs covering Native American philosophy, ceremonial etiquette, earth rituals, traditional women’s studies, the Sacred Pipe, the sweat lodge ceremony, and the Vision Quest. She also worked as codirector of Bear Tribe Publishing Company from 1986 to 1989. In 1994, she received a grant from Eastern Washington University Foundation for developing a teaching package in visual presentation and has presented numerous workshops on public speaking.

DANETTE IFERT JOHNSON

Danette Ifert Johnson serves as the Provost of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, a role she assumed in July 2019. As the college’s chief academic officer, she oversees all educational affairs, including academic vision, faculty development, curriculum, student access to experiential learning, and numerous administrative areas such as Athletics, the Center for Career and Professional Development, Information Services, and the Center for International Programs.

Dr. Johnson earned her Bachelor of Arts in speech communication and history from West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC), a Master of Arts in educational psychology from West Virginia University (WVU), and both a Master of Arts and a PhD in communication studies from Northwestern University.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Johnson was the Vice Provost for Academic Programs and a tenured Professor of Communication Studies at Ithaca College, where she also served as the inaugural director of the Integrative Core Curriculum. Her extensive teaching career, spanning over two decades, also includes positions at Texas Tech University and her alma mater, West Virginia Wesleyan College. She has taught a wide array of courses, from introductory public speaking to graduate-level research methods, and has authored over thirty published articles and book chapters in journals such as Communication Education, Communication Research, and Western Journal of Communication.

Dr. Johnson has been widely recognized for her contributions to academia. The Eastern Communication Association (ECA) honored her as a Distinguished Teaching Fellow (2009) and a Distinguished Research Fellow (2012), and she also received the ECA’s Past President’s Award. At WVWC, she received the Community Council Outstanding Faculty Award and was named Honors Faculty Member of the Year. She has a strong record of service, having served as president and executive director of the ECA, as well as president of the WVWC Alumni Council and a member of its Board of Trustees. Additionally, she serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.

BERNARDO A. ATTIAS

Bernardo Alexander Attias, who holds a PhD from the University of Iowa (1997), is a Professor of Communication Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where he has been a faculty member since 1994. His research and teaching expertise spans rhetorical studies (including classical, postmodern, freedom of speech, peace & conflict, and crime & punishment), cultural studies, performance studies, technology, and intercultural communication.

Dr. Attias has published on a wide range of topics, such as media coverage of warfare, the politics of psychoanalysis, transgressive sexualities and consent law, popular music, and electronic dance music culture. He coedited the book DJ Culture in the Mix: Power, Technology, and Social Change in Electronic Dance Music (Bloomsbury) and he guest edited special issues of Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture and Women & Language. His published works include “Authenticity and Artifice in Rock and Roll” in Rock Music Studies, “Police Free Gay Slaves: Consent, Sexuality, and the Law” in Left History; he has also coauthored chapters on diverse topics such as online DJ performance and feminist heterotopia.

Throughout his tenure at CSUN, he has served in numerous administrative roles, including Department Chair, Graduate Coordinator, and Chair of several key committees. Also active as a DJ and occasional performance artist, Dr. Attias integrates his creative energy and interests into both his scholarship and his pedagogy.

Dedication

In Loving Memory of Anne Goding (1950-2019)

This third edition is dedicated to our dear friend, colleague, and coauthor Anne Goding, whose wisdom and spirit continue to inspire these pages. Anne’s unique perspective—shaped by her immersion in Native American philosophy, her dedication to intercultural understanding, and her passion for authentic communication—enriched not only this book but all who had the privilege of knowing her.

As a bridge between cultures, a keeper of sacred traditions, and a gifted teacher, Anne understood that true public speaking is not merely about technique, but about honoring the sacred relationship between speaker and audience. Her legacy lives on in these pages and in the voices of countless students who learned to speak with both confidence and reverence under her guidance.

Though her voice has fallen silent, her teachings continue to resonate. We offer this edition in gratitude for her contributions and in celebration of a life dedicated to helping others find their authentic voice.

A Note About Images

Throughout this text, we have included numerous images that were taken from various stock image websites. We specifically looked for images that had licenses that allowed us to use them within the text but would also allow other end-users to distribute the text without having to worry about image licensing. When possible, we preferred to use images with a Creative Commons license, but many free image sites now have their own licensing terms. Below is a list of the image sites we used with links to their licensing terms:

Other images not from one of these four sites will have more detailed licensing information in the book.

Karrer, T. (2009, January 29). New work literacies and e-learning 2.0. Presentation given at TechKnowledge-09, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pearson, J. C., Child, J. T., Mattern, J. L., & Kahl, D. H., Jr. (2006). What are students being taught about ethics in public speaking textbooks? Communication Quarterly, 54(4), 507–521. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370601036689
Smitter, R. (2004). The Development of the NCA Credo for Ethical Communication. Free Speech Yearbook, 41(1), 1–2. https://doi-org/10.1080/08997225.2004.10556298

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