Public speaking competitions are events where individuals are given the opportunity to showcase their speaking abilities in front of an audience and judges. Participants typically prepare and deliver speeches on various topics, which may be predetermined or selected by the speaker themselves. These competitions can vary in format but generally focus on elements such as: 1. **Content**: The originality, relevance, and depth of the speech topic.
A speakers bureau is an organization or agency that connects professional speakers with events, conferences, and organizations that are seeking speakers for various purposes, such as keynote addresses, workshops, panels, and seminars. These bureaus typically represent a roster of speakers who possess expertise in different fields, including business, education, healthcare, technology, and personal development. The primary functions of a speakers bureau include: 1. **Representation**: They manage and promote speakers, helping them gain visibility and secure speaking engagements.
Australia–Asia debating refers to a structured, competitive debating format that is often associated with the Asia-Pacific region, primarily involving participants from Australia and various Asian countries. This form of debating typically follows the British Parliamentary style, which is one of the most popular formats in international debate competitions. In Australia–Asia debating, teams typically consist of two speakers each, and the debates cover a wide range of topics, often reflecting social, political, and economic issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.
Brian Keane is a political advisor known for his work in various capacities related to political strategy and communication. Although information may vary based on the specific context—such as the country or political party he is associated with—he has generally been recognized for providing strategic guidance, political analysis, and management in electoral campaigns.
A diatribe is a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something. It often takes the form of a prolonged discourse or written expression that criticizes or denounces an individual, group, or idea. Diatribes are characterized by their passionate tone and strong language, and they can appear in various contexts, such as literature, speeches, or opinion pieces.
Dramatic Interpretation is a type of performance event commonly found in forensic competitions, such as speech and debate tournaments. In this category, performers interpret and present a dramatic piece, typically drawn from a play, novel, or short story. The goal is to convey the emotions, themes, and character dynamics of the selected work through vocal delivery, body language, and facial expressions.
A eulogy is a speech or tribute delivered in honor of someone who has passed away, often during a memorial service or funeral. It typically reflects on the deceased's life, character, achievements, and the impact they had on others. A eulogy may include personal anecdotes, expressions of love and loss, and messages of comfort for those grieving. The purpose is to celebrate the life of the individual and provide solace to family and friends as they remember and reflect on their relationship with the deceased.
Greg Autry is an American academic, entrepreneur, and author known for his work in the fields of space exploration, technology, and innovation. He is often recognized for his insights on the intersection of technology and public policy, particularly in relation to space industry advancements and commercialization. Autry has been involved in various initiatives and organizations aimed at promoting space exploration and is known for his advocacy of entrepreneurial approaches to space projects.
The "Human Microphone" is a participatory communication technique that emerged from grassroots movements, notably during the Occupy Wall Street protests starting in 2011. In situations where amplification devices like microphones are not available or permitted, participants use this technique to project their messages collectively. Here’s how it works: 1. **Repetition**: One speaker voices a message or a point, and the audience repeats it back in unison.
Hyde Park in Sydney is a large public park located in the central business district of Sydney, Australia. It is one of the city's most iconic green spaces and is the oldest public park in Australia, established in 1810. The park covers about 16.2 hectares (40 acres) and features a variety of gardens, walking paths, and recreational areas.
The Interstate Oratorical Association (IOA) is an organization that focuses on promoting oratory and speech competitions among students, primarily at the high school level. Founded in the early 20th century, the IOA aims to foster public speaking skills, critical thinking, and self-expression among young people. The association organizes various oratorical contests where students prepare and present speeches on a predetermined topic. These events encourage participants to research their topics thoroughly, develop persuasive arguments, and enhance their presentation skills.
Land acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects the Indigenous peoples as the traditional stewards of a specific area and their ongoing relationship to the land. This practice is often part of public events, gatherings, or educational settings, where the speaker acknowledges the history and presence of Indigenous communities that have lived on and cared for the land for generations.
The Winchester Reading Prize is an annual literary award that recognizes and celebrates outstanding children's and young adult literature. Organized by the University of Winchester in the UK, the prize aims to encourage reading among young people and to promote authors who create engaging and enriching stories for children and young adults. Typically, the prize involves a shortlist of books selected by a panel of judges, which may include educators, librarians, and literature experts.
A wireless clicker, often known as a wireless presenter or remote presenter, is a handheld device used primarily for controlling presentations, such as those created in software like Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides. It allows presenters to advance slides, control multimedia, and sometimes even interact with certain features of the presentation software from a distance, typically without being tethered to a computer. Wireless clickers typically use Bluetooth or RF (radio frequency) to communicate with a computer or projector.
The World Championship of Public Speaking is an annual competition organized by Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organization that focuses on improving public speaking and leadership skills. This prestigious event features participants from around the world who compete in various rounds to showcase their speaking abilities. The competition typically begins at the club level, where members compete to advance to higher levels, culminating in the World Championship at the Toastmasters International Convention.
A lightning talk is a short, fast-paced presentation typically lasting between 5 to 10 minutes. The format allows speakers to share ideas, insights, or information in a concise manner, often accompanied by slides or visual aids. Lightning talks are commonly used in conferences, meetups, and workshops, promoting quick knowledge sharing and stimulating discussion among participants.
A speaking fee is the amount of money paid to an individual for delivering a speech, presentation, or talk at an event. This fee compensates the speaker for their time, expertise, and preparation involved in presenting their knowledge, insights, or experiences to an audience. Speaking fees can vary widely based on factors such as: 1. **Speaker's Experience and Reputation**: Well-known experts, motivational speakers, or public figures often command higher fees due to their established credibility and demand.
Table Topics is a part of Toastmasters meetings, designed to help members practice their impromptu speaking skills. During this segment, speakers are given a topic or question and typically have a brief amount of time (usually 1-2 minutes) to prepare and deliver a spontaneous speech. The purpose is to enhance participants' ability to think on their feet, articulate their thoughts clearly, and communicate effectively in a short time frame.
"Vital Speeches of the Day" is a publication that features noteworthy speeches given by leaders, thinkers, and influential figures from various fields, including politics, business, academia, and culture. The publication aims to highlight speeches that address important issues, inspire change, and provoke thought. Typically, "Vital Speeches of the Day" curates a selection of speeches that are deemed significant or impactful, providing readers with access to vital discourse on contemporary topics.
The term "Soapbox" can refer to different things depending on the context. Here are a few common interpretations: 1. **Physical Soapbox**: Historically, a soapbox is a box that originally held soap, which was often used by speakers standing on top of it in public places to deliver speeches or promote their views. This practice became symbolic of grassroots political activism and public speaking.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 5. . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact