Outlining Your Speech 9.4 203
Sample Preparation Outline
The sample outline in this chapter is for a ten-minute persuasive speech by stu-
dent speaker Brianne Geise.^23 Notice that in this example, the purpose, introduc-
tion, blueprint, signposts, conclusion, and references are included but separated
from the numbered points in the body of the speech.
Because Brianne kept good records during the preliminary bibliogra-
phy stage of her research (see Chapter 8), she can easily cite her references, as
required by her instructor. As explained in Chapter 4, the two most common
reference formats, or documentation styles, are those developed by the MLA
(Modern Language Association) and the APA (American Psychological Association).
MLA style is usually used in the humanities, APA style in the natural and social
sciences. Check with your instructor about which format he or she prefers.
PUrPOSE
At the end of my speech, the audience will be take steps to ensure
that colleges and universities provide counseling along with access to
emergency contraception.
SamPlE PrEParaTiOn OUTlinE
Placing the purpose statement
at the top of the outline
helps the speaker to keep it
in mind. But always follow
your instructor’s specific
requirements for how to format
your preparation outline.Brianne catches her listeners’
attention by opening her
presentation with an illustration.
Other strategies for effectively
getting audience attention are
discussed in Chapter 10.inTrOdUCTiOn
Students at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania can visit their
student health center for emergency contraception without ever coming
into any contact with any of the center’s staff. A simple visit to a vending
machine is enough. Time in 2012 explains that Shippensburg University
is one institution that allows access to Plan B, known as an emergency
contraceptive, without counseling. While this plan allows students to have
liberation and independence regarding their sexual health, it does so at a
very high cost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2013
indicates that one-fourth of morning-after pill users fall between ages 20
and 24, meaning that many university students are both purchasing and
using the medication. Because of the magnitude of the problem, and
because I am concerned with my health as well as that of my peers, it
is imperative that we consider the discussion regarding access to the
morning-after pill and the effects that it has regarding our own health.
Brianne writes out and
labels her central idea and
preview, which together form
the blueprint of her speech.
again, follow your instructor’s
requirements for what to include
in and how to label the various
components of your outline.CEnTral idEa
The Food and Drug Administration should require that any over-the-
counter purchase of the morning-after pill on a university campus be
accompanied by a consultation.
PrEviEw
As we consider the discussion regarding access to the morning-after
pill and the effects that it has on our health, we’ll see that every student
deserves both access and information.