This document provides guidance on organizing and outlining speeches. It discusses the importance of writing speech outlines to reduce speaker anxiety and help audiences follow the speech. There are three main parts to a speech: introduction, body, and conclusion. There are also three types of outlines - preparation, speaking, and visual framework outlines. The document explains how to structure main points and supporting details using different organizational patterns like chronological, spatial, and cause-effect arrangements. It emphasizes using connectives like previews, summaries, transitions, and signposts to tie the speech ideas together cohesively.

1. ORGANIZING &
OUTLINING
YOUR SPEECH
Speech Course -Kelly Soczka Steidinger
Chapters 9, 10, and 11 from
The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen Lucas

2. Why should you
write a speech
outline?
1. An organized speech, lowers the speaker’s
anxiety
2. So that your audience does not get lost
(Listeners only have one chance to hear & understand you!)
3. So that the speaker does not get lost
4. Well organized speeches are perceived as more
competent and credible because it exhibits your
critical thinking skills

3. 3 Parts of a Speech
 Introduction
 Body
 Conclusion

4. Three Types of
Outlines
1. Preparation
This is the one you will turn into the instructor
Includes your list of references
2. Speaking
This one will be written on your notecards

5. Preparation Outline
Is a detailed outline developed during the speech
writing process that includes:
Full Sentences
The Introduction – The AGD, Thesis, Est. Credibility &
Preview of Main Points
Body – Main Points, Supporting Points, Sub-Supporting
Points & Transitions/Connectives
Conclusion
References – Both in-text citations & Reference page

6. Speaking Outline
A brief outline used to jog a person’s
memory during the presentation.
*Hint: You can write notes to yourself to enhance
delivery on your note cards – i.e. Speak Louder,
Pause, Breath, Look Up.

7. Guidelines for the Speaking
Outline
 Use a visual framework
 Make sure it is legible
 Keep it as brief as possible
 Give yourself speaking clues

8. Visual Framework
A pattern of symbolization & indentation in a
speech that shows the relationships among
the speaker’s ideas.
Indentation
Roman Numerals, Letters, & Numbers

9. Example of Visual
Framework
I. Main Point
A. Supporting point
B. Supporting point
1. Sub-supporting point
2. Sub-supporting point
a. Sub-sub supporting point
Transition:
II. Main Point

10. Main Points
The key ideas or claims developed in the body
of a speech.

11. Tips for Writing Main Points
1. Keep main points separate – use only one key
idea per main point
2. Try to use the same pattern of wording for main
points
3. Balance the amount of time devoted to
main points

12. 1. Keep The Main Points
Separate
Example
Incorrect Correct
I. West Texas has
its own Grand
Canyon, and
South Texas has
its own desert.
I. West Texas
boasts its own
Grand Canyon.
II. South Texas
boasts its own
desert.

13. 2. Use the same pattern of
wording
I. Regular exercise increases endurance.
II. Regular exercise improves your sleeping
pattern.
III. Regular exercise helps control your
weight.

14. 3. Give equal time to main
points to balance your speech.
Incorrect Correct
I. 75%
II. 20%
III. 5%
I. 30%
II. 40%
III. 30%

15. How can you organize
How can you organizeyour main points?
your main points?
By Using Informative Speech Organizational Patterns

16. Organizational Patterns for
Informative Speeches Include:
1. Time Arrangement
2. Spatial Arrangement
3. Cause-Effect Arrangement
4. Topical Arrangement

17. Chronological
Arrangement
Organizing your speech based on a time or date
Thesis: Americans believe they have a fundamental right to
privacy.
I.More than a century ago, Justice Louis D. Brandeis called
privacy “the right to be alone.”
II.Within a decade, the courts began to recognize the right to
privacy.
III.The Supreme Court relied on a privacy rationale in teaching
its fundamental and controversial decisions on abortion.
IV.Threats to privacy are abound in today’s society.

18. Time pattern is also used
when explaining a process…
Thesis: There are four main steps to
getting a professional tattoo.
I. First, the hair is shaved…..
II. Second, the main lines are drawn.
III. Third, colored pigments are applied inside
the outline….

19. Spatial Arrangement
The main points follow a directional pattern.
The main points proceed from top to
bottom, left to right, front to back,
inside to outside, east to west or in some
other route.

20. Spatial
Example
Thesis: A hurricane is made up of three major cloud
formations.
I. At the center of the hurricane is the calm,
cloud-free cloud.
II. Surrounding the eye is the eye-wall, a dense
ring of clouds that produces the most intense
wind and rainfall.
III. Rotating around the eye wall are large bands
of swirling clouds.

21. Cause-Effect
Arrangement
Main points are organized in a cause – effect
relationship.
This speech has two main points:
1. One dealing with the causes of an event
2. The other dealing with its effects
**Can appear in reverse order – the effect, then the
Cause, but this is rare.**

22. Cause-Effect Example
I. Caused by the bite of infected mosquito, West
Nile virus is spreading throughout the U.S.
II. The effects of West Nile Virus include
flu-like symptoms, convulsions, swelling
of the brain and in some cases, death.

23. Topical Arrangement
The main points of the speech divide the
topic into logical and consistent subtopics.
Speeches that do not fit under any of the other
organizational patterns, usually can fit into this
pattern.

24. Topical Example
I. Genetic engineering is producing new plant
hybrids that will vastly increase world agricultural
production.
II. Genetic engineering is producing breakthroughs
in medicine that will allow people to live
healthier lives.
III. Genetic engineering is producing bacteria that
will help clean up industrial pollutants.

25. Once you have your main points organized, it is
time to add supporting points with supporting
materials (evidence) to your speech outline.
Yahoo!

26. Supporting Points
Represents the
supporting material you
gathered to justify the
main points.

27. Types of Supporting
Materials
1. Definitions
2. Statistics/Numbers
3. Examples, Illustrations & Descriptions
4. Testimony
5. Facts
6. Stories

28. How can you tie your ideasHow can you tie your ideas
together?together?
BY USING CONNECTIVES!

29. Connectives
Are words, phrases or
sentences that tie the speech
ideas together. They keep the
audience and speaker on track.
 Internal Preview & Summaries
 Restate-Forecast Transitions
 Rhetorical Questions
 Signpost Transitions

30. Internal Previews &
Summaries
Previews
Previews key points of
a section of the body of
the speech
Example: I will focus on
three solutions…..
Summaries
Summarizes or reviews a
section just covered to
reinforce key on the body
of the speech
Example: Let’s pause for a
moment to summarize
what we have found so far.

31. Restate-Forecast
Transition
States the main point just covered, then
previews the next main point.
Examples:
Now that we have explored the ancient origins
of
astrology, let us turn to its modern popularity.
So much for the present; what about the
future?

32. Rhetorical Question
Transition
Are questions that do not invite an actual
response. They make the audience think.
Example: How do the costs of contests stack up
against the expense of training new
employees?

33. Signpost Transition
Brief phrases that indicate
exactly where you are in a
speech.
◦Numbers
◦Focused attention words

34. Examples of Signposts
Numbers
The first cause of this
problem is…
The second cause is..
The final cause is..
Focused Attention Words
Finally…
Next…
We now turn to….