Clinical Assistant Professor of Law
Speaking and Presenting: Pitches and Persuasion
What You'll Learn
- How to inspire people with a sense of "informed hope"
- How to treat storytelling as an "entrepreneurial superpower"
- How to expand your range of dynamic gestures and facial expressions
- How to increase the creativity you bring to your next negotiation
4 Modules
8 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Speaking and Presenting: Pitches and Persuasion
The hope good presenters project when pitching their ideas is not naïve hope. They’re not Pollyanna at the podium. Instead, the solutions they offer are supported by research, data, and expertise. This course will teach you how to merge hard facts with an imaginative vision in a way that at once resonates with and inspires your audience.
Skills You'll Gain
- Advanced Negotiation
- Business Negotiation
- Business Networking
- Negotiation
- Negotiation Strategies
- Public Speaking Preparation
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Speaking and Presenting: Pitches and Persuasion, a course in the Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting Specialization. This course helps you craft persuasive messages by combining optimistic framing with dynamic delivery. You will practice pitching ideas, influencing decisions, and using movement, stories, and language to connect with audiences and communicate with confidence in professional and everyday contexts.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Optimism: Vocabulary
- Video: Optimism
- Reading: Meet Professor Barry
- Reading: Teaching Style and Resources
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: University of Michigan Survey
- Video: Informed Hope
- Video: 30-Year Flash
- Reading: (Optional) Chapter 3 —Optimism
- Reading: (Optional) Class Clips
- Graded Assignment: Low-Stakes Practice
- Reading: Pitch Perfect
- Reading: Community Engagement Rules
- Discussion Prompt: Pitch Perfect
- Reading: Edit our Edits
- Reading: Speaking Stats ("73 Questions")
- Discussion Prompt: Speaking Stats ("73 Questions")
- Video: Silicon Valley
- Video: Lincoln’s Lessons
- Video: The Hope Speech
- Discussion Prompt: Recap
- Graded: Week 1 Review
Module 2: Optimism: Speaking Studies and Exercises
- Video: Duchenne Smile
- Video: Reset Button
- Video: Negotiations
- Graded Assignment: Low-Stakes Practice
- Reading: (Optional) Getting to Yes
- Reading: Speaking Exercise ("What Happens If You Win?")
- Reading: How to Use the Gallery Tool
- App Item: (Optional) Feedback Gallery
- Reading: Speaking Exercise ("Agent Advocacy")
- Discussion Prompt: Recap
- Graded: Week 2 Review
Module 3: Dynamic: Vocabulary
- Video: Dynamic
- Video: Head, Arms, Heels
- Video: Technology
- Reading: (Optional) Chapter 4—Dynamic
- Reading: Digital Body Language
- Discussion Prompt: Digital Body Language
- Video: Respect the Robe
- Video: On Bended Knee
- Video: Flags
- Graded Assignment: Low-Stakes Practice
- Reading: Good Sentences, Good Speeches ("Television")
- Discussion Prompt: Good Sentences, Good Speeches ("Television")
- Discussion Prompt: Recap
- Graded: Week 3 Review
Module 4: Dynamic: Studies and Exercises
- Video: Body > Face
- Video: Displacement
- Video: Visuals, Vocabulary, and Viewpoints
- Graded Assignment: Low-Stakes Practice
- Reading: Speaking Exercise ("Movement Matters")
- Discussion Prompt: Movement Matters
- Reading: Speaking Exercise ("Movement Mimicry")
- Discussion Prompt: Movement Mimicry
- Discussion Prompt: Recap
- Discussion Prompt: Course Takeaways
- Reading: Course Feedback
- Reading: "Good with Words: Writing and Editing" and Michigan Online
- Graded: Week 4 Review
Grading Policy
The course grade is based on four quizzes worth 25% each. To pass the course, learners must earn an overall score of 80% or higher. Practice quizzes and optional activities support learning but do not count toward the final grade.
Beginner Level
No prior experience necessary
