390 Part 4 Public Speaking
Styles of Outlines
There are three basic approaches you can take to outlining your speech, which
vary according to the level of detail. All three formats—sentence outlines, phrase
outlines, and key-word outlines—can be valuable tools in developing and even-
tually delivering your speech. In most cases, you’ll move from one format to
another as you progress from preparing your speech to actually delivering it.Sentence Outline
The first type of outline is the sentence outline, which offers the full text of
what you want to say in your speech. Sentence outlines are generally used as
you develop and prepare early drafts of your speech because they help you
become more comfortable with all aspects of your speech; they are typically
not ideal for your actual presentation because many speakers wind up read-
ing directly from the outline, missing out on valuable eye contact with the
audience. Consider the following example from Sample Speech Outline 13.1
(see p. 394) regarding sleep deprivation:II. There are many causes of sleep deprivation, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.A. Busy work and family schedules contribute to sleep deprivation.- As college students, many of us are trying to handle full-time course
work and full- or part-time jobs to help pay for tuition, in addition to
maintaining relationships with loved ones. - New parents are often incredibly sleep deprived as they attempt to adjust
to life with an infant as well as those infamous nighttime feedings. - Shift workers (including police officers, nurses, pilots, and so on)
often have trouble establishing good sleep habits because their sched-
ules change frequently and they are sometimes required to work the
night shift.
B. Late-night television and Internet use can interfere with the ability to fall
asleep or can prevent individuals from adhering to a bedtime schedule.C. The use of caffeine and alcohol can also make it difficult to fall asleep
and stay asleep.D. Some medical conditions—including insomnia and obstructive sleep
apnea—also make sleeping incredibly difficult.Phrase Outline
A phrase outline takes parts of sentences and uses those phrases as instant
reminders of what the point or subpoint means. Consider the following example:II. Many causes of sleep deprivation (CDC)
A. Busy work and personal lives- Students struggling with school and work