NFGS_ch3.3_lecppt.pptx

1. Chapter 3.3
Organizing Content
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company

2. Introduction
• The organization of a presentation is the arrangement of its
content into a structured, coherent message
• Organization puts the major components of your presentation in
an appropriate order and keeps you focused on the development
of each idea
• Well-organized speakers are seen as more competent, confident,
and persuasive than disorganized speakers
• A well-organized presentation helps an audience clearly
understand and make informed decisions about a speaker’s
message, thus enabling the presentation to achieve its purpose
2

3. Identifying Key Points and the Central Idea
• Key points are the main ideas or most important issues you want
your audience to understand and remember
• Select the key points that best support your purpose by looking for
patterns or natural groupings of ideas and information
• The following two particular methods help:
• Chunking
• Mind mapping
3

4. The Chunking Method
• Chunking is the process of separately recording and strategically
sorting the ideas and supporting material you’ve gathered so far
• This simple method helps you identify your key points and allows
you to arrange and rearrange them
4

5. Mind Mapping
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6. Consider the Rule of Three
• Communication experts agree that an effective presentation
should offer at least two key points and no more than five
• Three key points are often ideal
• Keep in mind that this is a guideline, not an absolute, unbreakable
rule, and depends on the rhetorical situation
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7. The Central Idea (1 of 3)
• Your purpose statement identifies the goal of your presentation
• Your central idea summarizes your overall message and key
points in one sentence
• After your presentation, audience members should be able to
remember and rephrase your central idea in their own words
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8. The Central Idea (2 of 3)
Example 1:
TOPIC AREA: Refugee families
PURPOSE: To increase donations to the church’s refugee assistance
program
CENTRAL IDEA: Because the church’s refugee families’ program has been
a blessing for all of us—the families, our church, and
you—please continue to make financial contributions to
our ministry.
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9. The Central Idea (3 of 3)
Example 2:
TOPIC AREA: Muzak
PURPOSE: To make the audience more aware of the purpose and
power of Muzak
CENTRAL IDEA: The next time you hear Muzak playing, you will remember
how pervasive it is, how it originated, and how it tries to lift
your spirits and productivity.
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10. Patterns of Organization
• Generally, the nature of your topic, your purpose, and your key
points will dictate the overall organization of your presentation
• There are several commonly used organizational patterns that can
help you find an appropriate arrangement for your presentation
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11. Arrange by Categories (1 of 2)
• Categorical arrangement divides a large topic into smaller
categories within that topic
TOPIC AREA: The Shakers
PURPOSE: To appreciate the legacy of the Shaker religion in the
United States
CENTRAL
IDEA:
The Shaker religion is a unique American religious
group with distinctive beliefs about Christian life
and inventiveness as a productive community.
KEY POINTS: A. Origin of the Shaker religion
B. Core beliefs about the perfect Christian life
1.Communal living
2.Celibacy
3.Confession of sins
C. Shaker inventions
1.Agriculture
2.Architecture and furniture
3.Tools 11

12. Arrange by Categories (2 of 2)
Below is an example of categorical arrangement that emerged
from the mind map discussed earlier
TOPIC AREA: Common myths about anger
PURPOSE: To explain why anger can harm relationships
CENTRAL
IDEA:
Three myths about anger focus on an erroneous
assumption, inappropriate expression, and a
misattributed cause.
KEY POINTS: A.Myth: Anger and aggression are natural human
instincts.
B.Myth: Forcefully expressing your anger is a healthy
response.
C. Myth: Anger is caused by the action of other people.
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13. Sequence in Time
• Time arrangement refers to a series of chronological steps or
points
• This is applicable to certain topics such as recipes, assembly
instructions, and technical procedures
TOPIC AREA: Conducting effective meetings
PURPOSE: To explain how to use meeting time effectively and
efficiently
CENTRAL
IDEA:
Well-run meetings have a definite purposeful
beginning, a well-organized middle, and useful
ending.
KEY POINTS: A.Convening the meeting
B.Following the prepared agenda
C. Ending the meeting
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14. Position in Space
• Space arrangement is used when your information can be placed
in different locations
TOPIC AREA: Brain structure
PURPOSE: To explain how different sections of the brain are
responsible for different functions
CENTRAL
IDEA:
A guided tour of the brain begins in the hindbrain,
moves through the midbrain, and ends in the forebrain,
with side trips through the right and left hemispheres.
KEY POINTS: A.The hindbrain
B.The midbrain
C. The forebrain
D.The right and left hemispheres
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15. Present Problems and Solutions (1 of 2)
• Problem-solution arrangement describes a problem and offers a
plan to solve the problem (the solution)
• This pattern can be applied to both informative and persuasive
presentations
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16. Present Problems and Solutions (2 of 2)
TOPIC AREA: Sitting, inactivity, and health
PURPOSE: To recommend methods for reducing the aches and
pains of sitting too long
CENTRAL IDEA: Sitting for long periods of time can cause serious
health problems, but standing up and moving around
on a regular schedule can offset the harms.
KEY POINTS: A. Extended sitting can be harmful to physical health.
(Heart disease and cancer both increase with
number of hours per day spent sitting.)
B. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of certain
mental health problems, such as depression and
dementia.
C. A regular schedule of simple physical activities (for
example, standing up, walking, doing chores)
significantly reduces health risks.
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17. Show Causes and Effects (1 of 2)
• A cause-and-effect arrangement either presents a cause and its
resulting effect (cause-to-effect) or describes the effect that results
from a specific cause (effect-to-cause)
TOPIC AREA: Children and television
PURPOSE: To describe how watching too much television causes
harmful effects in children
CENTRAL
IDEA:
Television harms children and their families because it
steals
time that could be spent on more important activities.
KEY POINTS: A. Television has a negative effect on children’s physical
fitness.
B. Television has a negative effect on children’s school
achievement.
C. Television is a hidden competitor for more important
activities.
D. Television watching may become a serious addiction.
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18. Show Causes and Effects (2 of 2)
TOPIC AREA: Obesity
PURPOSE: To understand why so many Americans are obese
CENTRAL IDEA: Understanding five reasons why people are obese is
the first step in combating its harmful effects.
KEY POINTS: A. Effect: Obesity is a serious medical problem in
the United States.
B. Causes:
1.Hidden dangers in processed and fast foods
2.Lack of exercise
3.Psychological factors: anxiety, low self-esteem,
excessive use of alcohol and tobacco
4.Family influence, habits, and lifestyle
5.Genetics
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19. Arrange Scientifically (1 of 2)
• The scientific method arrangement is used by scientists when
sharing the results of a scientific study or explaining the
development of a theory
• There are five basic sections in a scientific research report:
• Explain the research question and why it is important
• Review previous research on the topic in question
• Describe the scientific methods used to study the research
question
• Analyze and present the research results
• Discuss the implications of the research
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20. Arrange Scientifically (2 of 2)
TOPIC AREA: Presentation anxiety and the preparation process
PURPOSE: To explain why anxious speakers should study and master
the process of preparing an effective presentation
CENTRAL IDEA: Learning effective preparation skills can reduce your level
of speech anxiety and improve the quality of your
presentation.
KEY POINTS: A. Research question: What is the relationship between
speaker anxiety and preparation skills?
B. Review previous research
C. Describe the research method
D. Present the research results
E. Discuss the implications of the research: Learning
effective preparation skills can reduce presentation
anxiety.
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21. Tell Stories and Give Examples
• A series of memorable stories or examples can be compelling and
interesting enough to become the backbone of a speech
TOPIC AREA: Leaders and adversity
PURPOSE: To convince listeners that disabilities are not a barrier
to success
CENTRAL IDEA: Many noteworthy leaders have lived exceptional lives
with disabilities.
KEY POINTS: A. Franklin D. Roosevelt, president of the United
States, paralyzed by polio
B. Jan Scruggs, wounded soldier and founder of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
C. Helen Keller, deaf and blind author, lecturer, and
disability advocate
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22. Compare and Contrast (1 of 4)
• A comparison-contrast arrangement shows your audience how
individual things are similar to or different from each other
• In the block method, you describe the relevant information
about one item and then compare it to the relevant
information about another item
• In a point-by-point comparison, you focus on specific points
of comparison between the things you are comparing
• In a figurative analogy, something unfamiliar is compared
with something more familiar, showing how two unrelated
items have certain common characteristics
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23. Compare and Contrast (2 of 4)
Example of block method:
TOPIC AREA: America’s big cities
PURPOSE: To show that each of America’s big cities is an excellent
place to live, depending on your values
CENTRAL IDEA: Choosing to live in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago
depends on understanding the advantages and
disadvantages of each one.
KEY POINTS: A. New York: Advantages and disadvantages of the Big
Apple
B. Los Angeles: Advantages and disadvantages of the
City of Angels
C. Chicago: Advantages and disadvantages of the
Windy City
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24. Compare and Contrast (3 of 4)
Example of point-by-point comparison:
TOPIC AREA: Family sedans
PURPOSE: To recommend a way of evaluating medium-size cars
CENTRAL IDEA: Comparing performance, comfort, fuel economy, and
reliability can help you select and purchase a new midsize
car for your family.
KEY POINTS: A.Performance
B.Comfort
C. Fuel economy
D.Reliability
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25. Compare and Contrast (4 of 4)
Example of figurative analogy:
TOPIC AREA: Student success in college
PURPOSE: To identify the multiple factors that affect student success
in college
CENTRAL IDEA: Predicting student success is like picking the winning horse
at the racetrack and must include considerations of a
student’s high school record, teachers, advisers, parents’
education, and the college environment.
KEY POINTS: A.High school grades and test scores = Track record
B.Parents’ education = Horse’s breeding record
C. Teacher and adviser = Trainer and jockey
D.College environment = Track conditions, length of race,
and so on
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26. Use Memory Aids
Speakers can use easily remembered letters, words, or phrases to
organize their speech to help their audience follow along and
later remember their key points
TOPIC AREA: Organizing a presentation
PURPOSE: To provide an effective method for developing the key
points of a presentation
CENTRAL IDEA: The four Rs represent a series of critical thinking steps—
review, reduce, regroup, refine—for generating a
presentation’s key point.
KEY POINTS: A.Review
B.Reduce
C. Regroup
D.Refine
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27. Other Organizational Patterns
• There are additional patterns for various professions and special
occasions, and several organizational patterns best suited for
persuasive speaking
• Depending on the rhetorical situation, audience characteristics,
your credibility and purpose, and the topic area, you may be able
to adapt a common pattern or invent one of your own
• A creative organizational pattern can also enhance your credibility
and boost your audience’s interest
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28. Sequencing Key Points
• In the arrangements that don't dictate the order, the following
general considerations can help you decide the sequence of the
key points:
• Strength and Familiarity,
• Audience,
• Logistics.
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29. Strength and Familiarity
If one of your points is not as strong as the others or is less
familiar to your audience, place it in the middle position
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30. Audience
• Consider your audience’s needs and motivations when deciding on
the order of your key points
• If the audience is familiar with and interested in your topic,
begin with the strongest point
• If the audience is unfamiliar with your topic, you are better off
beginning with a point that explains why understanding the
topic is important and then build up to your strongest point at
the end
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31. Logistics
• The logistics of a speaking situation can sometimes affect the
order of key points
• If you’re one of a series of presenters, you may end up with
less time to speak than was originally scheduled, and you
should organize your presentation so that the most important
key points come first
• If the facility is not conducive to using presentation aids, you
may have to change the order of your key points or even delete
one that is highly dependent on a set of graphs
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32. Connecting Key Points
• Connectives link one part of a presentation to another, clarify
how one idea relates to another, and identify how supporting
material bolsters a key point
• There are four kinds of connective phrases:
• Internal Previews
• Internal Summaries
• Transitional Phrases
• Signposts
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33. Internal Previews
• An internal preview reveals or suggests your key points to the
audience in the introduction of the presentation
• In the body of a speech, an internal preview describes how you are
going to approach a key point
How do researchers and doctors explain obesity? Some offer genetic
explanations while others identify psychological ones. Either or both factors can
be responsible for our never-ending battle with the bathroom scale. Let’s begin
by looking at . . .
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34. Internal Summaries
• An internal summary ends a section and helps reinforce
important ideas
• Internal summaries also give you an opportunity to pause in a
presentation and repeat critical ideas or pieces of information
So remember, before spending hundreds of dollars on diet books and
exercise equipment, make sure that your weight problem is not
influenced by your hormone levels, your metabolism, or the amount of
glucose in your bloodstream.
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35. Transitions (1 of 2)
• Transitions help you lead your audience from one key point or
section to another
• Some common transitions include:
• Yet it’s important to remember . . .
• In addition to metabolism, there is . . .
• On the other hand, some people believe . . .
• Another reason why he should be elected is . . .
• Finally, a responsible parent should . . .
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36. Transitions (2 of 2)
• Transitions can also function as mini-previews and mini-
summaries that link the conclusion of one section to the beginning
of another
• Bridge words alert listeners you are moving to a new thought
• Trigger transitions use the same word or phrase twice to
connect one topic to another
• Questions shift the audience’s attention from one point to
another
• Flashbacks link a previous point to a new one
• Delivery transitions use movement, gestures, or visual aids to
signal a transition from one thing to another
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37. Signposts
• Signposts are short, often numerical, references that tell or remind
your listeners where you are in a presentation and how far you
have to go
• Specifying how many points you will cover not only offers a
preview for your audience but also lets them know when you have
made your last point and are about to conclude your presentation
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38. Constructing Your Presentation
• Once you’ve identified your topic, purpose, central idea, key
points, and supporting material, and once you’ve thought critically
about the best organizing pattern and order for everything, you
have the pieces you need to construct an effective, well-organized
presentation
• Two methods can help you build a complete blueprint or
substantial structure for your presentation:
• Outlining
• Speech Framer
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39. Outlining
• Outlining organizes ideas in a specific order and uses formatting
conventions to indicate the relative importance of, and the
relationships among, those ideas
• A preliminary outline helps you develop and arrange your key
points and supporting material into a sketch of your presentation
• A full-sentence outline gives you a comprehensive overview of
your presentation
• Speaking notes outline guides you through your presentation as
you speak
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40. The Speech Framer (1 of 3)
• The speech framer is a visual framework that identifies a place
for every component of a presentation
• It also:
• Makes it easier to modify, add, and delete content on a single
page
• Encourages experimentation, originality, and creativity
• Is easily transformed into a complete outline, if necessary
• Serves as efficient and flexible speaking notes
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41. The Speech Framer (2 of 3)
Introduction
Central idea
Key points 1. Connect to 2. 2. Connect to 3. 3.
Support
Support
Support
Conclusion
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42. The Speech Framer (3 of 3)
THE SPEECH FRAMER: ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
Introduction: Story about my best friend’s death in a car accident
Central idea: “Fall-asleep crashes” count for 100,000 car accidents and more than
1,500 deaths every year. Everyone knows about the dangers of drunk driving, but few
of us know about the dangers of sleep deprivation—and what to do about it.
Key
points
1. Why we need sleep
Connective: What
happens when you don’t
get enough sleep?
2. Sleep deprivation
affects your health,
well-being, and safety.
Connective: So how can
you ease your tired
body and mind?
3. Three steps can
help you get a good
night’s sleep.
Support Would you drive home
from class drunk? 14
hours without sleep is
akin to 0.1 blood alcohol
level.
Lack of sleep affects
your attitude and mood
(cite quotation from
sleep study).
Decide how much
sleep is right for you:
• Keep a sleep log.
• Most people need 8
or more hours a
night.
Support Circadian clock
controls sleep and
also regulates
hormones, heart
rate, body
temperature, and so
on.
Lack of sleep affects your
health. Most studies
recommend a seventh
and eighth hour of sleep.
Create a comfy sleep
Environment
• Don’t sleep on a full or
empty stomach.
• Avoid fluids and
eliminate alcohol and
caffeine before sleep.
Support Things that rob our
sleep:
• 24-hour stores
• Internet
• Television
Symptoms:
• Crave naps or doze off?
• Hit snooze button a lot?
• Hard to solve problems?
• Feel groggy, lethargic?
Don’t take your troubles
to bed.
• Can’t sleep? Get up.
• Play soothing music.
• Read a book, but not on
an electronic device.
Conclusion: Recognizing that you may be sleep deprived is the first step. The
hardest thing to do is to alter your habits. Retraining yourself to follow a normal
sleep pattern isn’t going to happen overnight. But once you discover that a few extra
hours of sleep will help you feel more rested, relaxed, and revitalized, giving up that
extra hour on the internet or watching TV will have been worth it. There so much in
life to enjoy. Sleep longer, live longer.
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43. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 1
After being discovered by a talent agent in college,
Ashton Kutcher began his career as a model. He
transitioned into acting when he landed the part of
Kelso on the television sitcom That ’70s Show.
Perhaps his most significant role as a dramatic actor
came in 2012 when he was cast as Steve Jobs in the
biopic Jobs. His work outside the industry includes
cofounding Thorn, an organization devoted to stopping
human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of
children.
In 2013, Kutcher was the recipient of MTV’s Ultimate
Choice Award at the annual Teen Choice Awards
ceremony. The awards honor various achievements in
fashion, television, film, and music, among other areas,
and are voted on by viewers aged thirteen and over.
Kutcher was thirty-five when he received the award.

44. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 2
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45. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 3
45

46. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 4
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47. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 5
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48. Notable Speaker: Ashton Kutcher, Part 6
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49. Conclusion
• Clear and coherent organization is among the most important
things your presentation needs in order to be effective
• A coherent organizational structure helps you develop compelling
and relevant key points that support your central idea in a way
that enhances your audience’s understanding and interest
49

50. Credits
This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for Chapter 3.3.
For more resources, please visit The Norton Field Guide to Speaking:
http://digital.wwnorton.com/nfgspeaking.
Copyright © 2022 W. W. Norton & Company