Outlining (Chapter 7)

Speaking Outline Benefits

1) Forces you as a speaker to really know your material, rather than relying upon a manuscript or full-sentence outline. 2) Gives the speaker freedom: actually respond to audience feedback and adjust their message accordingly, rather than blindly delivering a fully pre-scripted performance. 3) Much briefer and can easily be put on index cards or printed on paper. 4) It frees up space on the page for other directions you want to remember.

Standard styles of writing and formatting for citations include:

APA, MLA, or Chicago.

Gauge whether your speech successfully meets the criteria of the assignment.

Are my main points clear? Are my supporting materials clear and supported?

Are my supporting materials clear and supported?

Are you orally citing your sources? Do I have at least one source to support each main point?

Criteria for Content of Effective Preparation Outline

Entirely written in full sentences; Include transitions. Complete reference list - works cited page. Make sure to cite your sources for the audience orally during your speech.

Are my main points clear?

If you read through your preparation outline for a friend and they cannot easily pick out your main points and repeat them back to you, see how you can better emphasize them. Do I use complete sentences? Do I restrict myself to one sentence per symbol (exception: multi-sentence quotes and grouped statistics).

Speaking Outline

Key words and brief phrases; Only to prompt you when you are speaking; Reminders/speaking notes.

Visual Framework of an Preparation Outline

Labels, Symbols, Indentations.

Indentation

Logically continuity to flow of information; Visual framework; Hierarchy of importance; Make sure to follow it properly.

An effective speech is

Organized in such a way as to repeatedly emphasize the main points for listeners: even if attention wavers, they can easily rejoin the speaker's message and fill in the gaps.

Symbols

Points - roman numerals, Sub-points - capital letters, Sub-sub-points - numbers. Use only to associate with an outlining format.

Crafting of a Preparation Outline is like

The piecing together of a puzzle: the key is figuring out where all the pieces of information fit and how they fit together in the bigger scheme of things.

Delivering a speech from a full-sentence manuscript offers the speaker no wiggle room.

This often leads to an audience perception of "wooden" delivery on the part of the speaker, and added stress for speakers who lose their exact place in the outline trying to deliver it exactly as written.

Labels

Three sections: Introduction, Body, Conclusion. Use in parentheses to clearly indicate the elements of the speech.

Transitions

Well-thought out sentences that move an audience from one main point to the next, or one part of the speech to the next.