Ch12: Outlining and Revising Your Speech

George shows Laura his delivery outline for an upcoming speech. After glancing at it, Laura criticizes George for including supporting material and signposts in his delivery outline. Who is right?

George is right because supporting material and signposts should be included in a delivery outline.

Gina shows her preparation outline to a classmate, Fran, who says that Gina has done it wrong because she used complete sentences instead of key phrases or single words. According to your textbook, who's right?

Gina, because a preparation outline should be drafted in complete sentences.

What tip is suggested regarding the use of speaking notes?

Type or print information so that it can be easily read.

What is one of the features of the standard outline form?

Use at least two subdivisions, if any, for each point.

When developing a preparation outline, you should write out everything but...

directions for delivering your speech.

The ultimate goal of the planning period with your outline is to...

ensure that all main ideas and sub points are clearly and logically arranged and adequately supported.

The delivery outline

should be brief and have speaking notes.

When you finally deliver your speech, you should speak from

the delivery outline.

The speaker's outline which contains the specific purpose, the introduction, all main ideas with supporting material, and a conclusion is...

the preparation outline.

What is preferable as speaking notes?

whatever system makes sense and works best for the speaker

True/False: It is unwise to ask a friend to listen to your speech to help you edit it.

False

True/False: Note cards are always preferable to full sheets of paper because they are less conspicuous to an audience.

False

True/False: The preparation outline is typically used by a speaker during the speech.

False

True/False: Write your preparation outline in phrases rather than complete sentences.

False

Sandy decided that she needed almost all of her material on her delivery outline because she had so many statistics and direct quotations. She liked to use note cards, but was distressed to find she had fifteen. When delivering the speech, she dropped her cards and lost her place. What can help a speaker avoid a situation like this?

Don't have too many cards, if possible; always be sure and number them.

True/False: Be sure to include the specific purpose statement on the delivery outline.

False

True/False: In an outline, a sub point should be indented to a point under the letter or number above it.

False

True/False: It is acceptable to use a manuscript of your speech for a delivery outline.

False

Stuart has always been a nervous public speaker, but this time he's going to prepare an outline that will really help him calm his nerves and build his confidence. He's going to completely write out his introduction and conclusion and include them on his delivery outline. Is this advisable, according to your textbook?

No; he should only write the first sentence of the intro and final sentence of the conclusion, if needed.

True/False: The delivery outline should include transitions, citations, and directions for delivery.

True

True/False: The preparation outline can be viewed as a map of your speech.

True

True/False: The preparation outline should be in standard outline form.

True

Maria worked on her preparation outline for a long time and is satisfied with it. She practices several times from it, and then transfers her speaking outline onto note cards. She decides to put her introduction on one card, each main idea on a separate card, her conclusion on another card. Each card is a different color. Is this a good idea?

Yes, because delivery notes are personal and can be any format.

Bernard is rehearsing a class demonstration speech that he has to present in two days. As he rehearses from his delivery outline, he continues to revise the outline. He changes the order of some points, deletes some extraneous detail, and reworks his conclusion. According to your textbook, is this kind of revision advisable?

Yes; this kind of revising of the delivery outline is expected and helpful during rehearsal.

Just as a traveler needs a map for a journey, a speaker needs a map for a speech. This detailed map of a speech is

a preparation outline.

Why should you use complete sentences in a preparation outline, according to the text?

because this will help you judge the coherence of the speech

Writing down your main ideas, subpoints, and supporting material, then using geometric shapes and arrows to indicate logical relationships is a technique known as

mapping.