Public Speaking

ChaPter 11 Outlining Your Speech

circumstances, and the time limitations. The more speeches you give, the more

you’ll work out your own method for ordering your ideas, given your individual learn-

ing preferences. This chapter explains some foundational outlining principles, fol-

lowed by a description of how to prepare speaking notes. It concludes with ideas

for alternative, more visual methods of recording your ideas that take into account

diversity in individual thinking styles.

Creating a Content Outline

A content outline accomplishes two major purposes: (1) it shows the speech’s structural

elements—the introduction, body, and conclusion, and (2) it shows the speech’s logical

elements—the major ideas, the supporting materials, and their relationship to one

another. In contrast to a script where you write out every word you say, it’s more like a

skeleton or a blueprint of your ideas that provides the framework for the points you will

develop as you talk. Using full sentences instead of fragments ensures that all your ideas

are visible and helps you learn the content. Common elements of outline preparation

include a heading and standard formatting features.

Begin with a Heading

The heading provides a brief overview of your entire speech. Include the title, general

purpose, specific purpose, finalized central idea or thesis statement, preview, and the organiza-

tional pattern that you’ve developed using principles found in Chapters 5 and 9. Here is

Chelsea’s heading for her speech on political campaigns:^1

Topic: Political campaigns

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about four major ele-

ments in a political campaign and give examples

for each.

Central Idea/Thesis: Political campaigns typically incorporate four ma-

jor elements designed to win a political office.

Preview: The four main parts of a campaign involve money,

endorsements, debates, and physical campaigning.

Organizational Pattern: Topical

Use Standard Formatting

Four features—alternation and indentation combined with coordination and subordination—

make visible your speech’s structural and logical interrelationships.

Alternation and Indentation

Alternation means you vary numbers and letters, using a consistent pattern. Use Roman

numeral (I, II, III,.. .) for your main points, a capital letter (A, B, C,.. .) for first-level sup-

porting points, Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3,.. .) for second-level support, lowercase letters

(a, b, c,.. .) for third-level supporting points, and so on. Also use indentation to space vari-

ous levels of supporting points toward the right and additionally show interrelationships

among materials. That is, begin your I- and II-level points at the left margin, but indent

content outline formal
record of your major ideas
and their relationship to one
another in your speech

structural elements a
speech’s introduction, body,
and conclusion

logical elements a speech’s
major ideas with support-
ing materials and their
relationship

script the written text con-
taining every word of the
speech

alternation varying num-
bers and letters in a con-
sistent pattern for different
levels of points

indentation formatting by
spacing various levels of
points toward the right

Read, highlight, and take
notes online.

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