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The key question underlying this study was: What does the untrained population know about public speaking? The study thus focused on resolving the conflict between folk speech theory, or knowledge that students gain informally, and formal academic speech theory. An Inventory of Public Speaking Principles was devised to test six hypotheses which predict a relationship between a person's educational level, sex, prior speech experience, prior speech training, and that person's attitude toward studying speech communication. One hundred fifty-one students from nine classes in basic speech communication participated in the study by completing the inventory on the first day of classes. Students came to classes with prior and accurate knowledge of public speaking principles, most without benefit of previous training or experience. Analysis of the data indicated strong support for a folk theory of public speaking; in addition, the study provided data for establishing norms regarding what students believe to be acceptable principles of public speaking. (The Inventory of Public Speaking Principles used in the study is appended.) (MAI)