Below is an explanation of the categories of agreement and disagreement.
SA = strongly agree with the statement
A = agree with the statement
D = disagree with the statement
SD = strongly disagree with the statement
1. having the good fortune to have the right audience at the right time explains most good speeches. | SA | A | D | SD |
2. I can influence nearly any audience if I try. | ||||
3. Even when I know what I want to say‚ I can’t seem to control how I say it. | ||||
4. People who speak well are just plain lucky. | ||||
5. There are so many variables in a communication situation that communicating well consistently is nearly impossible. | ||||
6. When I get up in front of a group‚ my self-control flies out the window. | ||||
7. How much I contribute to a conversation depends on how much others will allow me to contribute. | ||||
8. The ability to speak well is something you just happen to be born with. | ||||
9. I am usually in control of my behavior‚ when I speak. | ||||
10. Good fortune or luck is created by the speaker‚ it doesn’t just happen. | ||||
11. Given the chance‚ I can control almost any conversation. | ||||
12. If I am aware of a personal communication behavior that is bad‚ I can control it. | ||||
13. Since there is really no such thing as luck‚ being a good speaker is the result of personal effort. | ||||
14. No matter how hard I try‚ when I get up in front of a group‚ I just can’t seem to make things come out right. | ||||
15. When I am in front of a group‚ it is almost as if the audience control me more that I control it. | ||||
16. Persistence and hard work‚ not chance‚ will make you a better speaker. | ||||
17. Very few situations are so complicated that communication cannot help. | ||||
18. I can keep my wits about me in most communication situations. |
Hamilton‚ J. P. (1991). The Development of a Communication Specific Locus of Control Instrument. Communication Reports‚ 4 (2).