Ruben Borreros reflection

 Reflection on Group Presentations: The Importance of Public Speaking

In class we had four different groups present on the importance of public speaking, including my own group. Even though the topic was the same, each group had a different way of doing things, and it was interesting to see how they compared. Some groups were more polished, some were more persuasive, and others struggled a little, but in the end I think I learned something from watching each one. In this paper I’ll go through my thoughts on each group in the order they presented.

Group One: A Solid Start

Group One went first, which I know is never easy, but I think they handled it well. They seemed organized and they didn’t waste time figuring out who was supposed to talk when. The transitions between speakers were smooth, and I liked that they explained public speaking in a way that made sense for real life. They mentioned interviews, leadership, and just regular everyday situations, which made their points easy to connect to.

One thing I did notice though is that their presentation felt more informative than persuasive. They told us why public speaking matters, but they didn’t really push the audience to care about it on a personal level. If they had shown a little more passion or urgency, it probably would’ve been even stronger. Still, it was a solid presentation and a good way to start the round of projects.

Group Two: My Group – The Most Persuasive

I think my group, Group Two, had the best overall presentation. We really tried to focus on persuasion, not just explanation. From the start, we wanted the audience to not only understand why public speaking is important but also feel like they should actually take it seriously and practice it in their own lives.

We used personal stories, which I think helped us connect better. For example, one group member shared about a time they were really nervous before a school presentation but then felt proud after finishing it. That kind of personal touch made it feel more real. We also tried to keep eye contact and not rely too much on the slides, which made our delivery smoother.

Another thing that worked well for us was balance. Everyone had their role and time to talk, and it didn’t feel like one person was doing all the work. Overall, I think what made us stand out was the energy and the way we pushed the audience to actually think about improving their public speaking skills.

Group Three: Struggled but Showed Effort

Group Three had the hardest time, in my opinion. A lot of their presentation was them reading straight from the board, and that made it harder to stay engaged. There were a few moments where people stumbled or lost their spot, and it made the whole presentation feel a little less confident.

At the same time, I could tell they put effort into the slides and had a lot of information prepared. I don’t think they didn’t know the material—I think nerves just got the better of them. If they practiced more eye contact and spoke from their own notes instead of reading word-for-word, it would’ve been a lot stronger. They weren’t terrible, but compared to the other groups they definitely had the most to work on.

Group Four: Strong Delivery, Lacked Depth

The last group, Group Four, was actually really good when it came to delivery. They spoke clearly, made eye contact, and seemed confident. Out of all the groups, they probably looked the most professional when they were speaking.

The only problem was that their content didn’t go as deep as some of the other groups. It felt more like they focused on style over substance. The presentation was enjoyable to listen to, but it didn’t leave me with as much information or examples as the others did. If they added a little more detail, they probably could’ve been one of the strongest groups.

Overall Reflection

Looking back at all four groups, each one had something to learn from. Group One showed how important organization is. My group, Group Two, showed how persuasion and energy can really lift a presentation. Group Three showed how nerves can hurt delivery, but also that practice and confidence can fix that. And Group Four proved how much delivery matters, even if the content isn’t as strong.

Seeing similar topics done in four different ways gave me a better understanding of what makes a presentation effective. It’s not just about knowing your material, it’s also about how you deliver it and whether the audience actually feels connected to what you’re saying.