CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

Sample of Descriptive Speech Preparation Outline

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the nature, extent, and symptoms
of panic attack.

(Thesis)Central Idea: Panic attacks are serious medical conditions whose fearful
symptoms affect millions of people.

Introduction

I. I can’t breathe, my arms are tingling, I’m really dizzy, and it feels as if my
heart is about to fly out of my chest.
II. When this happened to me three years ago at an outdoor concert, I was really
frightened.
A. At the time, I had no idea what was going on.
B. My doctor told me later that I had experienced a panic attack.
III. I have learned a lot about my condition during the past three years, and I did
additional research for this speech.
IV. Today I would like to inform you about the nature of panic attacks, the
people affected most often by them, and the options for treatment.

(Transition: Let’s start with the nature of panic attacks.)

Body

I. Panic attacks are a severe medical condition with a number of physical

and mental symptoms.
A. Physical symptoms.
1. The attacks usually come out of nowhere and strike when least
expected.
2. Their length can vary from a few minutes to several hours.
B. Mental symptoms.
1. Pounding heart, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and
numbness or tingling sensations in the arms and legs.
2. Acute fear, a sense of disaster or helplessness, and a feeling of
being detached from one’s own body.

(Transition: Now that you know something about the nature of panic attacks, let’s look
at how widespread they are.)

II. Panic attacks affect millions of people.

A. Six million Americans suffer from panic attacks.
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

B. Some groups have a higher incidence of panic attacks.

1. Panic attacks strike women twice as often as men.
2. Half the people who suffer from panic attacks develop
symptoms before the age of 24.

(Transition: Given the severity of panic attacks, I’m sure you are wondering how they
can be treated.)

III. There are two major options for treating panic attacks.
A. Medication.
1. Antidepressants are the most frequently prescribed medication
for panic attacks.
2. They rearrange the brain’s chemical levels so as to get rid of
unwanted fear responses.
B. Cognitive-behavioral therapy.
1. This therapy involves techniques that help people with panic
attacks gain control of their symptoms and feelings.
2. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be highly effective.

Conclusion

I. Panic attacks affect millions of people.

II. There are treatment options to help prevent panic attacks and to help deal
with them when they occur.
III. The combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy has been
extremely helpful.

Adapted from Ivy Tech Community College, COMM 101: Fundamentals of Public
Speaking
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

References

Abumrad, J., & Krulwich, R. (Hosts). (2018, February 14). Managing Anxiety [Audio
podcast episode]. In Radiolab. WNYC.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/managing-anxiety
Blakey, N., Guinea, S., & Saghafi, F. (2017). Transforming undergraduate nursing
curriculum by aligning models of clinical reasoning through simulation. In R. Walker
& S. Bedford (Eds.), Research and Development in Higher Education: Vol. 40.
Curriculum Transformation (pp. 25-37). Higher Education Research and
Development Society of Australasia.
http://www.herdsa.org.au/research-and-development-higher-education-vol-40-25
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2017). Understanding the needs of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls: A joint project with the
Australian Human Rights Commission. Australian Government.
https://pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/factsheet-supporting-indigenous-w
omen-girls.pdf
Egan, D. (Writer), & Weyr, T. N. (Director). (2019, October 14). Take my hand (Season
3, Episode 4) [TV series episode]. In D. Shore (Executive producer), The good
doctor. ABC Studios; Sony Pictures Television.
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

Sample Demonstrative Speech Preparation Outline

General Purpose: To demonstrate a process

Specific Purpose: To demonstrate to my audience how to make a personal recipe
collection cookbook.
(Thesis)Central Idea: It is important to preserve family recipes and this project
is the best way in which to do that.

INTRODUCTION:

I. My favorite cookbook is a homemade one filled with family recipes.

II. This cookbook originated at my daughter’s request.
III. It is an effective way to collect and store your recipes.
IV. Today I will show you the four steps in making your own personal cookbook.

(Transition: Like many projects let’s start by gathering our materials)

BODY:

I. The first step is to gather the materials.

A. There are several supplies that are essential to complete the project.
1. The first item is a 3-ring binder.
2. The second item is paper both for recipes and for making the cover.
3. The third item is double-sided tape.
4. The fourth item is scissors.

B. Some supplies are optional.

1. Plastic page protectors are one such item.
2. Scissors that cut decorative edges are another.
3. Dividers are also optional.
4. Stickers to enhance the cover are also another.

(Transition: Now that we’ve collected all the materials, we can create our
cover.)

II. The second step is to create your own covers.

A. A theme usually inspired from your recipe paper will give your direction in
creating your cover.

B. There are several steps to create the front cover.

1. The first step is to cut your paper to the size of the binder.
2. The second step is to attach the titles.
3. The third step is to add stickers to enhance your cover.

C. To create the back cover repeat the process, omitting the title.
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

(Transition: We’re half way done now, we’ve finished the outside. So let’s go inside).

III. The third step is to copy the recipes.

A. Typing on the computer is my preferred method for copying recipes.

1. On the computer mistakes are easily corrected.
2. You can format your recipes so the writing is large and easy to read.
3. Your recipes will look more uniform.
4. Recipes can be saved on a disk to be printed at a later date.

B. Other methods can be used to copy recipes.

1. They can be typed on a typewriter.
2. They can be handwritten.

(Transition: We now have our cover made, our recipes typed and printed. So,
let’s put them all together.)

IV. The fourth step is to assemble your book.

A. Slip the covers into the front and back of the binder.

B. Recipes can be organized in several ways.

1. Arrange recipes in alphabetical order according to categories.
a. Your first category might be salads.
b. Your second category could be vegetables.
c. Your third category might be meat.

2. If you don’t choose to use plastic pages, use hole reinforcements.

Brake Light: (Near end of speech, signal to the audience that you are about to review
the steps in the process.) You now have a personalised cookbook that was
done in four steps. Let’s review those steps again.

CONCLUSION:

I. The four steps in making a personal recipe book are:

A. The first step is gathering the materials
B. The second step is creating the cover
C. The third step is copying the recipes
D. The fourth step is assembling the book

II. I’d like to serve you one of the recipes from my book so you can see why it’s
important to me to preserve recipes for my family. I hope this demonstration will
encourage you to make the effort to preserve your family recipes in this very
efficient way, while you still can.
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)

References

Abumrad, J., & Krulwich, R. (Hosts). (2018, February 14). Crafty hands [Audio podcast
episode]. In Radiolab. WNYC.
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/crafty-hands
Blakey, N., Guinea, S., & Saghafi, F. (2017). Transforming undergraduate nursing
curriculum by aligning models of clinical reasoning through simulation. In R. Walker
& S. Bedford (Eds.), Research and Development in Higher Education: Vol. 40.
Curriculum Transformation (pp. 25-37). Higher Education Research and
Development Society of Australasia.
http://www.herdsa.org.au/research-and-development-higher-education-vol-40-25
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2017). Understanding the needs of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls: A joint project with the
Australian Human Rights Commission. Australian Government.
https://pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/factsheet-supporting-indigenous-w
omen-girls.pdf
Egan, D. (Writer), & Weyr, T. N. (Director). (2019, October 14). Take my idea (Season
3, Episode 4) [TV series episode]. In D. Shore (Executive producer), The good
craftsman. ABC Studios; Sony Pictures Television
CONFIDENTIAL LCC/OCT 2023/LCC400 (SAMPLE)