An analysis of the three presidential debates by students in a West Virginia University speech class indicates the debates did little to change their minds. The conclusion is based on mock elections held by the students before and after the debates which showed just a minor variation in the results.

The project was part of SPA 270 Effective Public Speakingtaught by Professor Carolyn Atkins of WVU s Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.

Throughout the semester, the students have explored topics such as ethics of public speaking, effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills, information and persuasive speaking, and participating in question and answer sessions,said Professor Atkins.The presidential debates gave them an opportunity to observe the different characteristics and styles of each candidate.

One hundred eighty-five students took part in the first mock election held Sept. 28prior to the debates. Sen. John Kerry defeated President George W. Bush by just one vote 72-71, with one write-in vote and 41 students indicating they were undecided.

In the second mock election held after the debates on Oct. 26, 184 students from the class voted, giving President Bush the victory over Sen. Kerry 79-75. Twenty-six students indicated they would not be voting Nov. 2, while three students selected a third-party candidate, and one remained undecided.

Before making their final decision, students were encouraged to exercise both critical listening skills and critical thinking skills when examining the views of both candidates.

Nearly 50 percent of the students taking part in the second election reported the debates did not help them make up their minds, Atkins said. Just 3.2 percent reported actually changing their minds after watching the debates.

Because of the persuasive techniques and rhetoric used in both campaign ads and by the candidates themselves, this is an exciting time to be teaching a public speaking class,Atkins said.