SPEAKING IN PUBLIC

ORGANIZING THE SPEECH

Overview

Determining and arranging

the main points
Providing support for main
ideas
Beginning the speech
Ending the speech

The Introduction
To get the attention and interest of
the audience
To reveal the topic of the speech
To establish the credibility of the
speaker
To preview the body of the
speech

Getting the Attention and

Interest of the Audience
1. Relating the topic to the audience.
2. Stating the importance of your topic.
3. Startling the audience.
4. Arousing the curiosity of the audience.
5. Questioning the audience.
6. Beginning with an attention getting
quotation.
7. Telling a story.

Revealing the Topic

In the process of gaining attention, be

sure to state clearly the topic of your
speech. If you do not, your listeners
will be confused.

Establishing Credibility and

Goodwill
Credibility is mostly a matter of being
qualified to speak on a given topic,
and of being perceived as qualified by
your listeners.

Previewing the Body of the

Speech
One way to help your listeners sort out
your ideas is to tell them at the outset
what they should listen for in the speech.
Preview statements also serve as smooth
transition from beginning to the body of
the speech.

The Body of the Speech

Topic: Philippine theater
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience
about pre-colonial theater in the Philippines
Central Idea: The forms and functions of
pre-colonial theater of the Philippines were
generally related to communal concerns.

 Main Points:
I. The forms of theater in pre-colonial
Philippines consisted of song and movement
limitations of natural objects and everyday
events which where all members of the
community participate.
II. The functions of theater revolved around the
individuals relationship with nature and his
community and the latters relation with nature
and other communities.

Five Basic Patterns of

Organization used frequently by
public speakers:
1. Chronological Order this pattern
follows a time sequence.
2. Spatial Order follow a directional
pattern.
3. Casual Order organize main points to
show cause and effect relationship.
4. Problem-Solution Order divided into
main parts.

 The first shows the existence and

seriousness of a problem.
The second presents a workable solution
to the problem.
5. Topical Order usually fall into topical
order which proceeds by dividing the speech
into subtopics, each becomes a main point
in the speech.

Methods of Supporting the

Main Points
Good speakers are made of strong supporting
materials to buttress the speakers point of
view.
There are several kinds of examples you may want
to try:
A. Brief examples also called specific instances
B. Extended examples are often called illustrations
C. Hypothetical examples describe an imaginary
situation.

Statistics
Are often cited to clarify or strengthen a
speakers points. Use statistics to quantify
your ideas and give them numerical
precision. Explain your statistics when you
using them since they do not speak for
themselves and need to be interpreted. Be
sure to analyze and understand
information.

 Evaluate them in the light of the following

questions:
Are the statistics representative of the
population?
How much of the population is sampled?
Are the statistical measures used
correctly?
Are the statistics based on a reliable
source?

Testimonies
Audiences tend to respect the opinions of
people who have special knowledge or
experience on the topic at hand.
Expert Testimony
Expert is Testimony helpful students who
are recognized as experts of their speech
topics. It is even more important when a
topic is controversial, or when the audience
is skeptical about the credibility of your
ideas.

 Peer testimony
Is from opinions of people like ourselves.
It conveys the feelings, knowledge, and
insights of people who speak the voice
of genuine experience.

The Conclusion
Your final remarks should be as impressive
as your beginning. Your closing statements
are your last chance to drive home your
ideas. For the ending of your speech, you
need to fulfill the following:
Let the audience know you are ending
your speech
Reinforce the audience understanding of,
or commitment to, the central idea.

Signaling the End of the

Speech
To signal this impending close, you may use
transitional markers such as
In conclusion
In closing
My purpose has been

Reinforcing the Central Idea

1.
2.
3.
4.

Summarizing your speech.

Ending with a quotation.
Making a dramatic statement.
Refer to the introduction.

- All these can be used separately. They can

even be more effective if they are fused into
one.