Amanda Smith is a freelance journalist and writer. She reports on culture, society, human interest and technology. Her stories hold a mirror to society, reflecting both its malaise and its beauty.

If you're in tech, you may hope to avoid the anxiety that accompanies speaking in public for work. However, tech and business positions alike occasionally require giving presentations. In situations ...

Yoodli co-founder Varun Puri demonstrates his company’s speech analysis software. (Yoodli via YouTube) Six months after coming out of stealth mode, a Seattle AI startup called Yoodli is raising the ...

According to the National Social Anxiety Center, public speaking anxiety affects over 70% of the population. Luckily, public speaking courses exist to help you overcome your fears around public ...

Inspired by her own experience, SMU Associate Professor Kyong Jin Shim is leading a research project that integrates virtual reality technology and AI to improve public speaking skills in students.

A pilot program this year at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis uses virtual reality headsets to refine students’ speaking skills and presentation ability and to soothe communication ...

Fargo - A speech impediment made Char Feldman shy away from public speaking for much of her life. She wanted to improve at it, though, so she attended a Toastmasters meeting where members practice ...

Want to be a more effective public speaker? A powerful message is only part of the equation. It also matters how you actually speak–if it’s too fast or too slow, whether you overuse filler words such ...

Public speaking is a vital skill in so many areas of everyday life. For those who struggle with speaking, there’s an organization for that…but it also does so much more. Toastmasters International ...

If you want to improve your public-speaking skills, all you have to do is ask. Building any skill requires feedback, but many people are reluctant to ask for help. I was thinking about the topic of ...

Speaking in professional environments can be daunting, especially for beginners in the workforce. At the same time, you can be further into your career but uncomfortable starting at a new company.