This study addressed pedagogical practices in the public speaking classroom in an attempt to help control communication apprehension (CA) levels and improve retention rates among college students in the basic public speaking course. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Berger and Calabrese's uncertainty reduction theory and Weiner's attribution theory of achievement, the purpose of this correlational study was to identify the most effective speech presentation order for decreasing overall rates of CA among college students in the public speaking classroom. Using the PRCA-24 instrument, pre and post tests were collected and analyzed from 10 class sections at 2 local community colleges in New Jersey during the 2012 fall semester. Mean differences from each institution were calculated via t tests, and the standard deviation for each population sample was calculated via a chi-square test. In addition, statistical analysis of the data collected from the PRCA-24 pre and posttest were analyzed using a two-tailed t test to examine the hypotheses. The results support that there is a significant difference in CA levels in students that were treated with the demonstrative speech prior to the informative speech. The findings also support that students whose scores indicated a low level (scores between 24 and 55) of CA during the pretest had the highest retention rates at the end of the term and students whose scores indicated a high level (scores between 83 and 120) of CA during the pretest had the lowest level of retention at the end of the term. Based on the results of this project study, a professional development series and PowerPoint presentation was developed to promote dialog between instructors about the best teaching methods for reducing CA in higher education, with an overall goal of helping students become more confident and competent communicators. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]