1. A clear and appropriate organizational structure must be used - The Guide for Good Transitions document on Blackboard is a great resource. 2. Preparation outline MUST be submitted at the same time as the video submission. - Failure to submit a full and complete preparation outline in the format described on Blackboard will result in a 20% penalty on the ENTIRE speech grade (i.e., TWO FULL LETTER GRADES). - The Formatting Outlines for Speeches handout on Blackboard shows the exact format. 3. At least FOUR legitimate, credible outside sources must be used and CITED ORALLY in the speech - The Source Citations Guide document on Blackboard is a great resource for figuring out how to cite sources orally - Place these in an APA-formatted list of References at the end of the preparation outline. The APA Style Guide document on Blackboard is a great resource for figuring out how to format References. 4. DO have a clear introduction and conclusion. DO establish the significance and relevance of what you are presenting. - Why should the audience listen to you? - What’s in it for us? DO use organizational tools like previews, transitions, and summaries. DO cite sources to support your claims. DO “dress for the speech” 5. Orally citing sources requires full information on a first citation: A. Who is being quoted or paraphrased? B. What are their credentials? C. From what specific publication or source is the information taken? D. What date was the information generated, published, or last updated? These details should come BEFORE the information you want to share from the source EXCEPT in the case of an attention-getting device (AGD)—then it should be embedded. Introducing sources should be done purposefully. This means using appropriate language based on the reason you introduce the source material. “According to…” is probably the most OVERUSED and LEAST MEANINGFUL way to introduce a source into your speech. The role the testimony is intended to play in your discussion is not clear. This is okay when that role is obvious AND you have not said, “According to…” too often. Otherwise, try to avoid this worn out phrase. Some alternatives* are: A, B, confirms in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, reports in C, D, that blah, blah, blah…. A, B, notes in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, explains in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, reveals in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, elaborates in C, D, that blah, blah, blah…. A, B, disagrees in C, D, where he/she argues/states/asserts/claims blah, blah… On the contrary, A, B, informs us in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, clarifies this point in C, D, by explaining blah, blah, blah…. In C D, A B suggests blah, blah, blah… In subsequent citations, you simply can say something like “The previously mentioned [INSERT SOURCE]…” OR “The aforementioned [INSERT SOURCE]…” or any other truncated citation that reminds us clearly of the earlier full citation. * A, B, C, D, reference the components in the list ...

1. 1. A clear and appropriate organizational structure must be used
- The Guide for Good Transitions document on Blackboard is a
great resource.
2. Preparation outline MUST be submitted at the same time as
the video submission. - Failure to submit a full and complete
preparation outline in the format described on Blackboard will
result in a 20% penalty on the ENTIRE speech grade (i.e., TWO
FULL LETTER GRADES). - The Formatting Outlines for
Speeches handout on Blackboard shows the exact format.
3. At least FOUR legitimate, credible outside sources must be
used and CITED ORALLY in the speech - The Source Citations
Guide document on Blackboard is a great resource for figuring
out how to cite sources orally - Place these in an APA-formatted
list of References at the end of the preparation outline. The
APA Style Guide document on Blackboard is a great resource
for figuring out how to format References.
4. DO have a clear introduction and conclusion. DO establish
the significance and relevance of what you are presenting. -
Why should the audience listen to you? - What’s in it for us?
DO use organizational tools like previews, transitions, and
summaries. DO cite sources to support your claims. DO “dress
for the speech”
5. Orally citing sources requires full information on a first
citation: A. Who is being quoted or paraphrased? B. What are
their credentials? C. From what specific publication or source is
the information taken? D. What date was the information
generated, published, or last updated? These details should
come BEFORE the information you want to share from the
source EXCEPT in the case of an attention-getting device
(AGD)—then it should be embedded. Introducing sources
should be done purposefully. This means using appropriate
language based on the reason you introduce the source material.
“According to…” is probably the most OVERUSED and LEAST
MEANINGFUL way to introduce a source into your speech. The

2. role the testimony is intended to play in your discussion is not
clear. This is okay when that role is obvious AND you have not
said, “According to…” too often. Otherwise, try to avoid this
worn out phrase. Some alternatives* are: A, B, confirms in C,
D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, reports in C, D, that blah, blah,
blah…. A, B, notes in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B,
explains in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, reveals in C, D,
that blah, blah, blah… A, B, elaborates in C, D, that blah, blah,
blah…. A, B, disagrees in C, D, where he/she
argues/states/asserts/claims blah, blah… On the contrary, A, B,
informs us in C, D, that blah, blah, blah… A, B, clarifies this
point in C, D, by explaining blah, blah, blah…. In C D, A B
suggests blah, blah, blah… In subsequent citations, you simply
can say something like “The previously mentioned [INSERT
SOURCE]…” OR “The aforementioned [INSERT SOURCE]…”
or any other truncated citation that reminds us clearly of the
earlier full citation. * A, B, C, D, reference the components in
the list at the top of the page. Sample First Citations 1. Citing
information from an expert who is quoted in a periodical: Dr.
Joseph Lightfeather, director or the Chronobiology Research
Institute at Harvard University, reveals in the May, 15, 2017,
edition of Time that 2-4 p.m. are our least creative hours of the
day. 2. Staff written information in an article in a periodical:
Time magazine of May 15, 2017, confirms that 2-4 p.m. are our
least creative hours of the day. 3. Book: However, MIT
Biochronologist, Dr. Mary Wainwright suggests in her newly
published book Body Beats that creative hours vary depending
on each person’s unique body timer. OR However, Dr. Mary
Wainright, a Biochronologist at MIT, suggests in her newly
published book Body Beats, that creative hours vary depending
on each person’s unique body timer. 4. Journal Article: Drs.
Joseph Lightfeather and Mary Wainright found in their study of
body rhythms— published in the Spring 2017 issue of the
Journal of the American Medical Association that our hours of
creativity may vary somewhat from person to person, but most
people are least creative between the afternoon hours of 2-4

3. p.m. 5. Web source: The official silly putty website,
sillyputty.com (last updated in March 2015), reveals that silly
putty acts both as a liquid and as a solid. 6. Interview: In a June
8, 2017, telephone conversation with peter Hodgson, Jr.—son of
the man who popularized silly putty in the 1950s—he told me
that his Dad built his business with a $120 loan from a friend,
because the banks thought his idea was…well…s
Formatting Outlines for Speeches
The organizational structure below illustrates the typical format
that a speech outline follows. However, student should
recognize that the actual number of main points, sub points, and
the organizational pattern within each of the speech parts will
vary according to topic, content, style, and general purpose
(i.e., to inform or to persuade). Please pay close attention to the
use of Roman numerals and letters (including capitalization), as
these are the CORRECT way to format an outline, despite what
MS Word or Google Docs might auto produce.
This outline should be a full-sentence outline. As you rehearse
from this outline, you will narrow it down to those things you
have a difficult time remembering. It is those things that you
should write on the notecards you will use while presenting
your speeches.
SPEAKER’S NAME
TOPIC: (What is the general subject you will be speaking
about?)
PURPOSE: (In one sentence, tell the Instructor what you intend
to accomplish with your speech. Please be specific. For
example: By the end of my speech, my audience will understand
the hazards of texting while driving.)
THESIS: (In one sentence, sum up the entire point of the

4. speech. What is the “take-home message” of your speech?)
INTRODUCTION*
Attention Getting Device: (Get us listening. Be creative!)
Thesis Statement: (Tell us your take-home message.)
Credibility Statement: (Why should we listen to YOU?
Demonstrate your expertise.)
Relevance Statement: (Why should the audience listen to you?
What’s in it for US?)
Preview of Main Points: (Let us know the major areas you will
cover, so we know what is coming.)
*With the exception of the AGD being first and the Preview of
Main Points being last, the other parts of the Introduction can
be in any order.
BODY
I. Transition into 1st main point (i.e., sentence that establishes
the first topic area)
A. 1st sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
B. 2nd sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)

5. b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
C. 3rd sub point (if needed)
II. Transition into 2nd Main Point (i.e., sentence that
establishes the second topic area)
A. 1st sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
B. 2nd sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
C. 3rd sub point (if needed)
III. Transition into 3rd Main Point (i.e., sentence that
establishes the third topic area)
A. 1st sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
B. 2nd sub point (i.e., expansion and development of idea)
1. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)

6. a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
2. Support (e.g., narrative, illustration, evidence, statistics)
a. Further development/explanation (if needed)
b. Further development/explanation (if needed)
C. 3rd sub point (if needed)
CONCLUSION
Review of Main Points: (Let us know the major areas you
covered. What did we learn about today?)
Thesis Statement: (Reiterate your take-home message, but do it
in different words than you used in the introduction.)
Clincher: (End on something memorable. Be creative! If it
links back to the intro’s AGD, even better!)
NOTE: On a separate page, provide APA-formatted list of
References.