401REAL REFERENCE A Study Tool
Organize and support your main points:
c Identify your main points, the central claims that
support your specific speech purpose and your
thesis statement (p. 368).
c Subpoints support your main points using all of
the statistics, stories, and other forms of research
you discovered on your topic (pp. 369–370).Choose an appropriate organizational pattern for
your speech:
c A chronological pattern presents main points in a
systematic, time-related fashion (pp. 370–371).
c A topical pattern is based on categories, such as
person, place, thing, or process (p. 371). The
primacy–recency effect argues that audiences are
most likely to remember what comes at the
beginning and end of messages (p. 371).
c A spatial pattern arranges points according to
physical proximity or direction from one to the
next (p. 371).
c The problem–solution pattern first presents an
obstacle and then suggestions for overcoming it
(p. 371).
c The cause–effect pattern moves from the cause
of a phenomenon to the results or vice versa
(pp. 372–373).
c The narrative pattern uses a story line to tie
points together (p. 373).
c The motivated sequence pattern uses a five-step
plan to motivate listeners: attention, need, satisfac-
tion, visualization, and action (p. 373).
Move smoothly from point to point:
c Build strong transitions, sentences that connect the
points so that topics flow naturally (pp. 373–374).
c Use signposts, key words or phrases that signify
transitions (p. 375).
c Internal previews prime the audience for the
content immediately ahead (p. 375).
c Internal summaries crystallize points in one
section before moving on (p. 375).Choose appropriate and powerful language:
c Consider your audience when you choose your
words (p. 376).
c Use simple, unambiguous words (pp. 376–377).c Be concise (p. 376).
c Use vivid language (p. 377).
c Use repetition, allusion, similes, and metaphors to
make a lasting impression (pp. 377–379).Develop a strong introduction, a crucial part of all
speeches:
c Grab listeners’ attention with surprise, a good story,
a quote, a question, or humor (pp. 379–381).
c Introduce your purpose and thesis (p. 382).
c Preview your main points to provide a mental
outline for your audience (p. 382).
c Establish a relationship with the audience
(p. 382).
Conclude with the same strength as in the
introduction:
c Signal the end to ask for listeners’ full attention,
and wrap up quickly (p. 383).
c Reiterate your topic, purpose, and main points
(p. 383).
c Make a final impact with a memorable closing
quote, statement, question, or story (pp. 383–385).
c Challenge the audience to respond with a call to
action—what you hope they will do in response
to the speech (p. 385).Prepare an effective outline:
c The outline puts the hierarchy of points into a text
format (pp. 386–387 ).
c The hierarchy of points for a strong outline will
show each point supported by two or more
subpoints (p. 387).
c There are three essential styles of outlines (from
most detailed to sparest): sentence outline, phrase
outline, and key-word outline (pp. 390–391).
c Write a preparation outline (or working outline)
to organize and develop your speech (p. 391).
c The speaking outline (or delivery outline) is your
final speech plan (p. 391).
c Add delivery cues, brief reminders about important
information, to your speaking outline (p. 393).
c Oral citations, references to source materials to be
included in your narrative, should also be in your
speaking outline (pp. 393–394 ).Now that you have finished reading this chapter, you can✁