| dc.description.abstract | Eliminating the apprehension of
public speaking is vital for law
undergraduates to perform well as future
attorneys and other legal professionals. A
descriptive cross-sectional study assessed
Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) among all
the (n=140) second-year law
undergraduates who followed the
compulsory Public Speaking module in
KDU, Sri-Lanka. A pre-tested, selfadministered questionnaire followed by
the Personal Report of Public Speaking
Anxiety (PRPSA) scale developed by
McCroskey was used for data collection.
Data was analysed using descriptive
statistics, t-test, and one-way ANOVA in
SPSS 23.0. All the participants had a 'low'
level of PSA. The majority (90.9%: n=100)
had the previous experience of performing
in front of an audience, and 60% (n=66)
were involved in extra-curricular activities
related to public speaking. However, the
majority (75.5%: n=83) had not followed
any course related to public speaking. The
mean of the PRPSA score of the students
who had participated in extra-curricular
activities related to public speaking was
significantly different from that of the ones
who had not (P=0.030). Tukey post hoc test
on a one-way ANOVA revealed that the
students who had participated in debating
had a significant mean difference in PRPSA
score with the students who had taken part
in Toastmasters (P=0.000) and with those
who had not participated in any activity
related to public speaking (P=0.000).
Previous exposure and having a
compulsory course module on public
speaking were identified as the critical
elements in reducing the PSA among the
law undergraduates. It would lead to the
transformation of self-confidence and
ultimately, a positive transformation in
their professionalism and personality. | en_US |
