OUTLINING

THE SPEECH
MODULE 9
 OUTLINE

KEY THE PREPARATION

OUTLINE

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES FOR THE

PREPARATION

POINTS OUTLINES

THE SPEAKING OUTLINE

GUIDELINES FOR THE

SPEAKING OUTLINES
 An outline is a helpful guide in organizing

your paper. Outlines give a visual structure

to your work and are used to show

relationships and hierarchies within your

content.

OUTLINE To outline, you must create a linear,

organized plan for your paper that shows

the main ideas that you will discuss as well

as their relationships within the paper.

Note: Remember that the outline is like the

skeleton of your work; you will still need to

include analysis and explanation of why

these major and minor points support your

thesis.
THE
It is an outline that helps you

prepare the speech. Writing a

PREPARATION preparation outline means

putting your speech together—

OUTLINE deciding what you will say in

the introduction, how you will

organize the main points and

supporting materials in the

body, and what you will say in

the conclusion.
 INTRODUCTION
I.

A. (ATTENTION GETTER)

B. (PURPOSE A)

C. (PERSONAL CREDIBILITY- HOW ARE YOU RELATED TO THIS TOPIC?)

D. (CENTRAL IDEA—REMEMBER YOU MUST PREVIEW WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH THIS TOPIC)

TRANSITION STATEMENT:

BODY
II. MAIN POINT #1

A. DOCUMENTED INFORMATION OF SUPPORT- EXAMPLES, TESTIMONY, STATISTICS

B. DOCUMENTED INFORMATION OF SUPPORT- EXAMPLES, TESTIMONY, STATISTICS

III MAIN POINT #2

A. DOCUMENTED INFORMATION OF SUPPORT- EXAMPLES, TESTIMONY, STATISTICS

B. DOCUMENTED INFORMATION OF SUPPORT- EXAMPLES, TESTIMONY, STATISTICS

1. SUBPOINTS

2. SUBPOINTS

A. SUB-SUBPOINTS

B. SUB-SUBPOINTS

TRANSITION STATEMENT:

CONCLUSION
IV. RESTATE CENTRAL IDEA

A. SUMMARIZE MAIN POINTS

B. GIVE AUDIENCE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: LASTING IMPRESSION

NOTE: NEXT PAGE IS MLA BIBLIOGRAPHY (NOT WORKS CITED)

 GUIDELINES FOR
THE PREPARATION
OUTLINES
 STATE THE IDENTIFY THE LABEL THE USE A CONSISTENT
SPECIFIC PURPOSE CENTRAL IDEA INTRODUCTION, PATTERN OF
OF YOUR SPEECH BODY, AND SYMBOLIZATION
CONCLUSION AND INDENTATION

The specific purpose Some central idea is They are technical labels Main points are identified by

statement should being given immediately only and are not included Roman numerals and are indented

equally to be aligned down the

be a separate unit that after the purpose in the system of
page. Subpoints are identified

comes before the statement. Others prefer symbolization used to by capital letters and are indented

subpoints, connectives, that it be given and identify main points and equally to be aligned with each

other.
outline itself. identified in the text of supporting materials.
Beyond this, there may be sub-

the outline. subpoints and even sub-sub-

subpoints
EXAMPLE OF PATTERN OF
SYMBOLIZATION AND INDENTATION
I. MAIN POINT
A. SUBPOINT

B. SUBPOINT

1. SUB-SUBPOINT

2. SUB-SUBPOINT

A. SUB-SUB-SUBPOINT

B. SUB-SUB-SUBPOINT

II. MAIN POINT

A. SUBPOINT

1. SUB-SUBPOINT

2. SUB-SUBPOINT

B. SUBPOINT

1. SUB-SUBPOINT

2. SUB-SUBPOINT
There were 13 people at the Last Supper—Jesus and his 12 disciples.

One of the most common sources of superstition is numbers.

In the United States, 13 is often omitted in the floor numbering of hotels and

skyscrapers.

Rearranged properly, they look like this:

I. One of the most common sources of superstition is numbers.

A. The number 13 has meant bad luck as long as anyone can

remember.

1. There were 13 people at the Last Supper—Jesus and his 12

disciples.

2. In the United States, 13 is often omitted in the floor numbering

of hotels and skyscrapers.

Above all, remember that all points at the same level should immediately

support the point that is just above and one notch to the left in your outline.
 STATE MAIN LABEL ATTACH A GIVE YOUR
POINTS AND TRANSITIONS, BIBLIOGRAPHY SPEECH A TITLE,
SUBPOINTS IN FULL INTERNAL IF ONE IS DESIRED
SENTENCES SUMMARIES, AND You should include with

INTERNAL the outline a bibliography

If you do decide to use a

PREVIEWS
that shows all
Stating your main points title, it should

the books, magazines,

and subpoints in full (1) be brief,
One way to make sure
newspapers, and Internet
sentences will (2) attract the attention
you have strong transitions,
sources you consulted, as
ensure that you develop of your audience, and
internal summaries, and
well as any
your ideas fully. internal previews is to include
(3) encapsulate the main

interviews or field
them in the preparation thrust of your speech.

outline. research you conducted.

 THREE TYPES OF TITLES

STRAIGHTFORWARD FIGURATIVE THE QUESTION

AND DESCRIPTIVE
Unsafe Drinking Water Toxins on Tap Is Your Water Safe to

Drink?

Living with Deafness The Sounds of Silence Can You See What I’m

Saying?

The Rage to Diet The Art of Wishful Diets: How Effective Are

Shrinking They?

The United States Mint The Buck Starts Here Where Is Making Money a

Way of Life?

Gambling Addiction Against All Odds Do You Really Think You

Can Beat the Odds?

THE SPEAKING OUTLINE
YOU SHOULD KNOW, THEN, ABOUT THE SPEAKING OUTLINE—THE MOST

WIDELY RECOMMENDED FORM OF NOTES FOR EXTEMPORANEOUS

SPEECHES.

THE AIM OF A SPEAKING OUTLINE IS TO HELP YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU

WANT TO SAY. IN SOME WAYS IT IS A CONDENSED VERSION OF YOUR

PREPARATION OUTLINES. IT SHOULD CONTAIN KEY WORDS OR PHRASES TO

JOG YOUR MEMORY, AS WELL AS ESSENTIAL STATISTICS AND QUOTATIONS

THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO RISK FORGETTING. BUT IT SHOULD ALSO

INCLUDE MATERIAL NOT IN YOUR PREPARATION OUTLINE—ESPECIALLY CUES

TO DIRECT AND SHARPEN YOUR DELIVERY.

GUIDELINES
FOR THE
SPEAKING
OUTLINES
FOLLOW THE MAKE SURE KEEP THE GIVE
VISUAL THE OUTLINE OUTLINE AS YOURSELF
FRAMEWORK IS LEGIBLE BRIEF AS CUES FOR
USED IN THE POSSIBLE DELIVERING
PREPARATION THE SPEECH
OUTLINE
DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS?
End of the
module.