Core 201 Week 3 Outlining a Speech Obj 2

Problem/Solution

Are you describing the solution to a problem? Start by explaining the problem and then work your way through the elements of the solution. Organize sequentially if one part of the solution must be completed to set the stage for the next part. This type of organizational pattern can be informative if you are describing a solution, but if you are attempting to convince the audience that a particular solution should be adopted, then it becomes persuasive in nature. Because of this fact, this pattern is more often used in persuasive speeches.

Cause/Effect

Are you setting out to show the cause of something or to recommend the steps that will result in a desired outcome? Determine the sequence of events that leads to the outcome or end result, and follow that sequence in your speech. If the effect is stated at the outset and then the remainder of the speech focuses on the causes, the pattern is called Effect/Cause.

Spatial

Are you trying to recreate a place in the minds of your audience? This organizational pattern takes the audience through a sequence of key ideas organized according to where objects or features are located in space. For example, the organization may take the listener from the exterior to the interior, from right to left, or from top to bottom.

Chronological

Are you trying to recreate an event in which one incident follows another? This organizational pattern takes the audience through a sequence of key ideas organized according to where incidents or actions are located on a timeline. This is the customary pattern for how-to type speeches.

Once the body is complete, what else should I include with the outline?

Because logical transitions are important to your audience and help them understand connections between information, it is often useful to go back and write them in, especially between main points. These are not part of the outline format and are usually signaled through the use of italics. Example of transition signaled through the use of italics: I. Some national parks are legally prohibited from charging entrance fees. A. These parks rely on money from the federal budget. B. They can suggest donations from visitors. C. They can charge for certain services within the park, like camping. But although some national parks are limited in the ways they can bring in revenue, other parks have more freedom to bolster their resources. II. Other national parks charge fees for one week or sell one year passes as a way to bolster their budgets. After you compose the body of the presentation, consider what you want to include in the introduction and conclusion. Because both sections are best delivered with excellent eye contact, it may be useful to memorize these parts. However, they are not part of the outline format and generally are included in paragraph form at the beginning and end of the outline.

The order of formatting for an outline is as follows:

I. A. 1. a. i. A quick way to remember the order is that it is "number-letter-number-letter-number," keeping in mind that "I" and "i" are Roman numerals. The "number-letter" pattern is important for showing the relationships between ideas, but the indentation is important, too. Be certain to indent consistently as a way of signaling the level of each part of the outline.

What are the guidelines for a properly formatted outline?

I. Every subpoint must be related to the point main point it is under. A. Subpoints can be used to clarify the main point. B. Subpoints can provide support or examples of the main point. C. Subpoints can be used to further break down the main point. II. Every point or subpoint should contain only one idea. A. If there is more than one idea in a point, break it into multiple points. B. If a subpoint is repeating the main point in basic idea, reword the main point to delete the subpoint. III. Main points should be arranged for optimal logical flow. A. Do not randomly place main points, even if you're using topical organization. B. Use one of the organizational patterns discussed to choose your main point order. IV. If you only have one subpoint, it cannot stand alone. A. If there is an A, there must be a B. B. If there is a 1, there must be a 2. C. If you have a single subpoint and nothing to add, delete it and reword the main point to include that information. V. Key points should be concise and clear claims or truths, worded as complete sentences. A. Do not use the outline as a script when delivering the speech. B. Do use it to make sure your speech makes logical sense. VI. Sources must be cited within the outline. A. They can be transferred to your visual aid if appropriate. B. They will help remind you to orally cite necessary material.

Are topical organization key points will be introduced randomly?

No. In topically organized speeches, audiences tend to remember the first and last main points, so order your key ideas with that in mind. In the previous example, you may decide that the loss of the landmark, while regrettable, did not change the community as much as the highway construction and the high-school consolidation, and so you may decide to open and close with those elements.

Why should I outline my speech?

Once you have your basic content and have decided on an overarching organizational pattern, it can be helpful to begin thinking of your speech in terms of an outline. Outlining will allow you to lay out the information in a clear and logical way that will help your audience follow and see connections. Speech outlines, when written in complete sentences, also give you an excellent source for rehearsing the presentation. While you don't need to memorize the speech, practicing initially with the complete-sentence outline can help you feel more confident because you will know what words are going to come out of your mouth. Practicing with speech outlines also can help keep you from rambling during a presentation, a common problem with people who don't have a clear idea of what they intend to say.

What should I base my outline on? Like a paper, the speech outline will take several drafts. As you read and practice with what you've written, you likely will find places where you need to include more information, as well as places where unnecessary information should be cut. You also may discover ways of wording ideas that may feel more natural than the language included in the first version of the outline.

Outlines are based on the concept that ideas are logically connected in one of two ways. Ideas may be of equal weight, in which case they are said to be coordinate. On the other hand, one idea may function as support for another, in which case the supporting idea is said to be subordinate. These two logical relationships should be apparent in your outline. Start by identifying the organizational pattern in the body of your speech. The key ideas in that pattern will be coordinate to each other. List these key ideas as capital Roman numerals. Next, each key idea must be adequately supported. These supporting points are subordinate to the key ideas. Under each key idea, list the subordinate ideas, labeling them with capital letters. Remember that, just as in a paper, documentation is important. The outline should include both in-text (parenthetical) citations and a references page in appropriate APA format.

Topical

Several of the previous patterns are sequential. That is, they require that the key ideas be brought up in a particular order (for example, chronologically). A topical organization, on the other hand, may be chosen when you have some leeway in deciding the order in which to bring up each key idea. Imagine that you wanted to inform an audience about changes in a community and that each change occurred independently of the other changes—that is, one change did not have to take place in order to set the stage for the next change. A fire may have destroyed a major landmark; the building of a highway may have changed residential patterns; two high schools may have been consolidated into one. All these changes help you explain to your audience why a way of life has vanished, but since each change occurred independently, you have some freedom to decide the order in which to introduce them.

What are the different ways to organize the body of a speech?

What are the different ways to organize the body of a speech? You can let the audience know during the introduction how you plan to organize your information by the careful wording of something called a preview step. For now, though, it is enough to know that a preview step is one or more sentences that outline the organization of your speech, which will likely correspond to one of the following patterns. Spatial Chronological Cause/Effect Problem/Solution Topical