190 9.1 Organizing and Outlining YOur Speech
From soLution to ProBLem If your audience knows about an action
or program that has been implemented but does not know the reasons for
its implementation, you might select instead a solution–problem pattern of
organization. In the following example, the speaker knows that her listen-
ers are already aware of a new business–school partnership program in their
community but believes that they might be unclear about why it has been
established:
Purpose statement: At the end of my speech, the audience will be able
to explain how business–school partnership pro-
grams can help to solve two of the major problems
facing our public schools today.
Central idea: Business–school partnership programs can help
to alleviate at least two of the problems faced by
public schools today.
Main ideas: I. (Solution): In a business–school partnership,
local businesses provide volunteers, financial
support, and in-kind contributions to public
schools.
II. (Problem): Many public schools can no
longer afford special programs and fine arts
programs.
III. (Problem): Many public schools have no
resources to fund enrichment materials and
opportunities.
Note that in both of the preceding examples the main ideas are natural divi-
sions of the central idea.Quick check
Organizing Your Main Points
topical Organization according to primacy, recency, or complexity
chronological Organization by time or sequence
Spatial Organization based on location or direction
cause and effect Organization that focuses on a situation and its causes or a
situation and its effects
problem–solution Organization that focuses on a problem and then solutions to
it or on a solution and then the problems it would solve