the first assignment in a speech class is usually

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8 Chapter 8: Organizing and Outlining

Victoria Leonard, College of the Canyons

Adapted by William Kelvin, Professor of Communication Studies, Katharine O’Connor, Ph.D., and Jamie C. Votraw, Professor of Communication Studies, Florida SouthWestern State College

Figure 8.1: Outlining with Post it Notes 1

Introduction

One of your authors remembers taking an urban studies course in college. The professor was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. Do you think that alone made her want to go to class? Unfortunately not. As great as this professor was in so many ways, the lectures were not organized. As much as she tried to take great notes and follow along, it felt like a hopeless task. Having a great topic that you are passionate about is important, but organizing your speech so that the audience can follow along is vital to the success of your speech.

When students are faced with developing a speech, they face the same challenges as a student asked to write an essay. Although the end product may be different in that you are not writing an essay or turning one in, you will go through much of the same process as you would in writing an essay.

Before you get too far into the writing process, it is important to know what steps you will have to take to write your speech. Note that the speech-writing process is formulaic: it is based on time-honored principles of rhetoric established thousands of years ago. Your initial preparation work will include the following:

• Selecting a topic
• Writing a general purpose
• Writing a specific purpose
• Writing a thesis statement
• Selecting main points
• Writing a preview statement
• Writing the body of the speech

This chapter will explain each of these steps so that you can create a thorough and well-written speech. As with anything we do that requires effort, the more you put in, the more you will get out of the writing process, in terms of both your education and your grade.

The Speech Topic, General Purpose, Specific Purpose, and Thesis

Selecting a topic.

We all want to know that our topics will be interesting to our audience. If you think back to Chapter 5, Identifying Topic, Purpose, and Audience, you will recall how important it is to be audience-centered. Does this mean that you cannot talk about a topic that your audience is unfamiliar with? No, what it does mean is that your goal as a speaker is to make that topic relevant to the audience. Whether you are writing an informative speech on earthquakes or the singer Jhené Aiko, you will need to make sure that you approach the speech in a way that helps your speech resonate with the audience. Although many of you would not have been alive when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, this is an important topic to people who live in hurricane zones. Explaining hurricanes and hurricane preparation would be a great way to bring this topic alive for people who may not have lived through this event. Similarly, many audience members may be unfamiliar with Jhené Aiko, and that allows you to share information about her that might lead someone to want to check out her music.

If you are writing a persuasive speech, you might approach your topic selection differently. Think about what is happening in the world today. You can look at what affects you and your peers at a local, state, national, or global level. Whether you believe that gun violence is important to address because it is a problem at the national level, or you wish to address parking fees on your campus, you will have given thought to what is important to your audience. As Chapter 2 explained, your topics must fulfill the ethical goals of the speech. If you are ethical and select a topic you care about and make it relevant for the audience, you are on the right track.

Here are some questions that might help you select a topic:

• What are some current trends in music or fashion?
• What hobbies do I have that might be interesting to others?
• What objects or habits do I use every day that are beneficial to know about?
• What people are influencing the world in social media or politics?
• What authors, artists, or actors have made an impact on society?
• What events have shaped our nation or our world?
• What political debates are taking place today?
• What challenges do we face as a society or species?
• What health-related conditions should others be aware of?
• What is important for all people to be aware of in your community?

Once you have answered these questions and narrowed your responses, you are still not done selecting your topic. For instance, you might have decided that you really care about dogs. This is a very broad topic and could easily lead to a dozen different speeches. Now you must further narrow down the topic in your purpose statements.

Writing the Purpose Statements

Purpose statements allow you to do two things. First, they allow you to focus on whether you are fulfilling the assignment. Second, they allow you to narrow your topic so that you are not speaking too broadly. When creating an outline for your speech, you should include the general purpose and specific purpose statement at the beginning of your outline.

A general purpose statement is the overarching goal of a speech whether to inform, to persuade, to inspire, to celebrate, to mourn, or to entertain. It describes what your speech goal is, or what you hope to achieve. In public speaking classes, you will be asked to do any of the following: To inform, to persuade, or to entertain . Thus, your general purpose statement will be two words —the easiest points you will ever earn! But these two words are critical for you to keep in mind as you write the speech. Your authors have seen many persuasive speeches submitted inappropriately as informative speeches. Likewise, one author remembers a fascinating “persuasive speech” on the death penalty that never took a stance on the issue or asked the audience to—that would be an informative speech, right?  You must always know your broad goal. Your audience should know it, too, and so should your instructor!  Knowing your purpose is important because this is what you begin with to build your speech. It is also important to know your general purpose because this will determine your research approach. You might use different sources if you were writing a speech to inform versus to persuade.

A specific purpose statement is consistent with the general purpose of the speech, written according to assignment requirements, and clearly identifies desired audience outcomes. It is a declaration starting with the general purpose and then providing the topic with the precise objectives of the speech. It will be written according to your general purpose. For instance, the home design enthusiast might write the following specific purpose statement: To inform my audience about the pros and cons of flipping houses.

Specific purpose statements are integral in knowing if your speech is narrowed enough or if you need to narrow it further. Consider these examples:

• To inform my audience about musical instruments
• To inform my audience about string instruments
• To inform my audience about the violin

As you can see, the first two examples are far too broad. But is the third purpose statement sufficiently narrow? Will the speaker be covering the violin’s design, physics, history, cost, or how to play it? What do you think about these possible topics?

• To inform my audience about the life and contributions of Patricia Bath
• To inform my audience about the invention of the wheelchair
• To inform my audience about the Biloxi Wade-Ins
• To inform my audience about how Fibromyalgia affects the body

Figure 8.2: Dr. Patricia Bath 2

Hopefully, you can see that the examples above would work for an informative speech. They are specific and limited in their scope.

Your instructor will give you a time limit for your speech. Your specific purpose should help you see if you can stay within the time limit. You should put the purpose statements on your outline. Others may only ask you to put these on your topic submission. However, you do not state a general purpose or specific purpose during the delivery of your speech! These are simply guidelines for you as you write and for your instructor as they assess your writing.

Writing the Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a single, declarative statement that encapsulates the essence of your speech. Just like in essay writing, you want your thesis statement, or central idea, to reveal what your speech is about. Thesis statements can never be written as questions, nor can they include a research citation. The thesis statement is not a list of main points, it is an over-arching idea that encapsulates them all.

Figure 8.3: Portrait of Aut h or, J.R.R. Tolkien 3

As a Lord of the Rings enthusiast, I may choose to write a speech on author J.R.R. Tolkien. Here is an example of what a thesis statement may sound like:

J.R.R. Tolkien is known as the father of modern fantasy literature and became a pop culture icon after his death.

The thesis you just read provides the audience with just enough information to help them know what they will hear ahd learn from your speech.

Selecting Main Points

The main points are the major ideas you want to cover in your speech. Since speeches have time requirements, your outline will always be limited to two to three  main points. Many instructors suggest that you have no more than three main points so you can do justice to each idea and stay within the time frame. You will also lose time on each main point describing it in the preview statement, internal transitions, and review of main points in the conclusion. Plus, it can be difficult for audiences to remember many points.

Let’s determine the main points for a short speech using the J.R.R. Tolkien thesis above. Having researched his life, you might come up with an initial list like this:

• Childhood and Background
• Military service
• Literary fame and honors

As interesting as all of these topics are, there is not enough time to speak about each idea. This is where the difficult decision of narrowing a speech comes in. Brainstorming all of the points you could cover would be your first step. Then, you need to determine which of the points would be the most interesting for your audience to hear. There are also creative ways to combine ideas and touch on key points within each main point. You will see how this can be achieved in the next section as we narrow down the number of topics we will discuss about J.R.R. Tolkein.

Writing the Preview Statement

A preview statement is a guide to your speech. This is the part of the speech that literally tells the audience exactly what main points you will cover. If you were to open an app on your phone to get directions to a location, you would be told exactly how to get there. Best of all, you would know what to look for, such as landmarks. A preview statement in a speech fulfills the same goal. It is a roadmap for your speech. Let’s look at how a thesis and preview statement might look for a speech on J.R.R. Tolkien:

Thesis: J.R.R. Tolkien is known as the father of modern fantasy literature and became a pop culture icon after his death.

Preview: First, I will tell you about J.R.R. Tolkien’s humble beginnings. Then, I will describe his rise to literary fame. Finally, I will explain his lasting cultural legacy.

Notice that the thesis statement captures the essence of the speech. The preview concisely names each main point that supports the thesis. You will want to refer to these main point names, or  taglines , throughout the speech. This repetition will help audience members remember each main point; use variations of these taglines in your preview statement, when introducing each point, and again in the conclusion.

Always use your words to make the audience feel that they are part of the performance. This makes them feel included and on your side. Also, occasionally audience members will have more expertise than you. Imagine how an expert would feel when you begin your speech with “Today I will teach you about…” when they already know a lot about the subject. Use inclusive language in your preview statement–“Get ready to join me on a fantastic adventure…”

Organizing the Main Points

Once you know what your speech is about, you can begin developing the body of your speech. The body of the speech is the longest and most important part of your speech because it’s where the general purpose is executed, e.g., you inform or persuade with the main points that you listed in your preview statement. In general, the body of the speech comprises about 75% to 80% of the length of your speech. This is where you will present the bulk of your research, evidence, examples, and any other supporting material you have. Chapter 7 will provide you with specifics on how to do research and support your speech.

Several patterns of organization are available to choose from when writing a speech. You should keep in mind that some patterns work only for informative speeches and others for persuasive speeches. The topical, chronological, spatial, or causal patterns discussed here are best suited to informative speeches. The patterns of organization for persuasive speeches will be discussed in Chapter 10.

Topical Pattern

The chronological pattern needed main points ordered in a specific sequence, whereas the topical pattern arranges the information of the speech into different subtopics. For example, you are currently attending college. Within your college, various student services are important for you to use while you are there. You may visit the Richard H. Rush Library and its computer lab, Academic Support Centers, Career Services and the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Figure 8.6: Valencia Campus Library Stacks 6

To organize this speech topically, it doesn’t matter which area you speak about first, but here is how you could organize it:

Topic: Student Services at Florida SouthWestern State College

Thesis Statement: Florida SouthWestern State College has five important student services, which include the library, the library computer lab, Academic Support Centers, Career Services and the Financial Aid office.

Preview : This speech will discuss each of the five important student services that Florida SouthWestern State College offers.

Main Points:

I. The Richard H. Rush Library can be accessed five days a week and online and has a multitude of books, periodicals, and other resources to use.

II.The library’s computer lab is open for students to use for several hours a day, with reliable, high-speed internet connections and webcams.

III.The Academic Support Centers have subject tutors, computers, and study rooms.

IV.CareerSource offers career services both in-person and online, with counseling and access to job listings and networking opportunities.

V. The Office of Student Financial Aid is one of the busiest offices on campus, offering students a multitude of methods by which they can supplement their personal finances by paying for both tuition and books.

Note that many novices appreciate the topical pattern because of its simplicity. However, because there is no internal logic to the ordering of points, the speech writer loses an opportunity to include a mnemonic device (phrasing that helps people remember information) in their performance. Audience members are more likely to remember information if it hangs together in an ordered, logical way, such as the following patterns employ.

Chronological (Temporal) Pattern

When organizing a speech based on time or sequence, you would use a chronological (temporal) pattern of organization. Speeches that look at the history of someone or something, or the evolution of an object or a process could be organized chronologically. For example, you could use this pattern in speaking about President Barack Obama, the Holocaust, the evolution of the cell phone, or how to carve a pumpkin. The challenge of using this pattern is to make sure your speech has distinct main points and that it does not appear to be storytelling.

Figure 8.4: Barack Obama 4

Here is an example of how your main points will help you make sure that the points are clear and distinct:

Topic: President Barack Obama

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the life of President Barack Obama.

Thesis: From his humble beginnings, President Barack Obama succeeded in law and politics to become the first African-American president in U.S. history.

Preview: First, let’s look at Obama’s background and career in law. Then, we will look at his rise to the presidency of the United States. Finally, we will explore his accomplishments after leaving the White House.

I. First, let’s look at the early life of Obama and his career as a lawyer and advocate.

II. Second, let’s examine how Obama transitioned from law to becoming the first African-American President of the United States.

III. Finally, let’s explore all that Obama has achieved since he left the White House.

We hope that you can see that the main points clearly define and isolate different parts of Obama’s life so that each point is distinct. Using a chronological pattern can also help you with other types of informative speech topics.

Figure 8.5: Pumpkin Carving 5

Here is an additional example to help you see different ways to use this pattern:

Topic : How to Carve a Pumpkin

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience how to carve a pumpkin.

Thesis: Carving a pumpkin with special techniques and tools can result in amazing creations.

Preview: First, I will explain the process of gutting the pumpkin in preparation for carving. Then, I will describe the way you use your special tools to carve the face you hope to create. Finally, I will show you a variety of different designs that are unique to make your pumpkin memorable.

I. First, let me explain exactly how you open up the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and clean it so it is ready to carve.

II. Second, let me describe how the tools you have on hand are used to draw and carve the face of the pumpkin.

III. Finally, let me show you several unique designs that will make your pumpkin dazzle your friends and neighbors.

Note that some instructors prefer their students not give “how-to” speeches. Always clear your topic with your instructor early on in the speech-writing process.

Spatial Pattern

A spatial pattern arranges ideas according to their physical or geographic relationships. Typically, we can begin with a starting point and look at the main points of your speech directionally from top to bottom, inside to outside, left to right, north to south, and so on. A spatial pattern allows for creativity as well as clarity. For example, a speech about an automobile could be arranged using a spatial pattern and you might describe the car from the front end to the back end or the interior to the exterior. A speech on Disneyland might begin with your starting point at the entrance on Main Street, and each subsequent main point may be organized by going through each land in the park in a directional manner. Even a speech on the horrific tsunami off the Indonesian coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004, could be discussed spatially as you use the starting point and describe the destruction as it traveled, killing 250,000 people.

If you have never heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it is marine debris that is in the North Pacific Ocean. Just like the tsunami in the previous example, this mass could likewise be discussed using a spatial pattern.

Figure 8.7: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch 7

In an informative speech, you could arrange your points spatially like this:

Topic: Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Thesis: The Great Pacific Garbage patch is not well known to most people; it consists of marine debris that is located in the North Pacific Ocean.

Preview: First, I will describe the Eastern Garbage Patch. Finally, I will explain the Western Patch.

I. The Eastern Garbage patch is located between the states of Hawaii and California.

II. The Western Garbage Patch is located near Japan.

Causal Pattern

A causal pattern of organization can be used to describe what occurred that caused something to happen, and what the effects were. Conversely, another approach is to begin with the effects and then talk about what caused them. For example, in 1994, there was a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the San Fernando Valley in Northridge, California.

Figure 8.8: Northridge Meadows Apartment Building Collapse 8

Let’s look at how we can arrange this speech first by using a cause-effect pattern:

Topic: Northridge Earthquake

Thesis: The Northridge, California earthquake was a devastating event that was caused by an unknown fault and resulted in the loss of life and billions of dollars of damage.

I. The Northridge earthquake was caused by a fault that was previously unknown and located nine miles beneath Northridge.

II. The Northridge earthquake resulted in the loss of 57 lives and over 40 billion dollars of damage in Northridge and surrounding communities.

Depending on your topic, you may decide it is more impactful to start with the effects and work back to the causes ( effect-cause pattern ). Let’s take the same example and flip it around:

Thesis: The Northridge, California earthquake was a devastating event that resulted in the loss of life and billions of dollars in damage and was caused by an unknown fault below Northridge.

I. The Northridge earthquake resulted in the loss of 57 lives and over 40 billion dollars of damage in Northridge and surrounding communities.

II. The Northridge earthquake was caused by a fault that was previously unknown and located nine miles beneath Northridge.

Why might you decide to use an effect-cause approach rather than a cause-effect approach? In this particular example, the effects of the earthquake were truly horrible. If you heard all of that information first, you would be much more curious to hear about what caused such devastation. Sometimes natural disasters are not that exciting, even when they are horrible. Why? Unless they affect us directly, we may not have the same attachment to the topic. This is one example where an effect-cause approach may be very impactful.

One take-home idea for you about organizing patterns is that you can usually use any pattern with any topic. Could the Great Pacific Garbage Patch be explained using the chronological or causal patterns? Could the Northridge quake be discussed using the chronological or spatial patterns? Could a pumpkin-carving speech be spatially organized? The answer to all of the above is yes. The organizational pattern you select should be one that you think will best help the audience make sense of, and remember, your ideas.

Developing the Outline

Although students are often intimidated by the process of outlining a speech, you should know that it is a formulaic process. Once you understand the formula–the same one speech instructors have long taught and used to assess throughout the nation–speech writing should be a cinch. And remember, this process is what organizes your speech. A well-organized speech leads to better delivery. Simply, outlining is a method of organizing the introduction, body with main points, and conclusion of your speech. Outlines are NOT essays; they are properly formatted outlines! They use specific symbols in a specific order to help you break down your ideas in a clear way. There are two types of outlines: the preparation outline and the speaking outline.

Outline Types

When you begin the outlining process, you will create a preparation outline. A preparation outline consists of full, complete sentences, and thus, is void of awkward sentences and sentence fragments. In a full-sentence preparation outline, only one punctuated sentence should appear beside each symbol. In many cases, this type of outline will be used in preparing your speech, but will not be allowed to be used during your speech delivery. Remember that even though this outline requires complete sentences, it is still not an essay. The examples you saw earlier in this chapter were written in complete sentences, which is exactly what a preparation outline should look like.

A speaking outline is less detailed than the preparation outline and will include brief phrases or words that help you remember your key ideas. It is also called a “key word” outline because it is not written in complete sentences–only key words are present to jog your memory as needed. It should include elements of the introduction, body, and conclusion, as well as your transitions. Speaking outlines may be written on index cards to be used when you deliver your speech.

Confirm with your professor about specific submission requirements for preparation and speaking outlines.

Outline Components

Introduction and conclusion.

In Chapter 9, we identified the components of effective introductions and conclusions. Do you remember what they were? Your preparation outline should delineate the five elements of an introduction and the four elements of a conclusion . Recall, a complete introduction includes an attention-getter, relates the topic to the audience, establishes speaker credibility, states the thesis, and previews the main points. A quality conclusion will signal the speech is ending, restate the thesis, review the main points, and finish with a memorable ending.

Main Points

Main points are the main ideas in the speech. In other words, the main points are what your audience should remember from your talk, and they are phrased as single, declarative sentences. These are never phrased as a question, nor can they be a quote or form of citation. Any supporting material you have will be put in your outline as a subpoint. Since this is a public speaking class, your instructor will decide how long your speeches will be, but in general, you can assume that no speech will be longer than 10 minutes in length. Given that alone, we can make one assumption: All speeches will fall between 2 to 3 main points based simply on length. If you are working on an outline and you have ten main points, something is wrong, and you need to revisit your ideas to see how you need to reorganize your points.

All main points are preceded by Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V). Subpoints are preceded by capital letters (A, B, C, etc.), sub-sub points by Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.), then sub-sub-sub points by lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.). You may expand further than this. Here is a short template:

I. First main point

• First subpoint
• Second subpoint
• First sub-subpoint
• First sub-sub-subpoint
• Second sub-sub-subpoint
• Second main point
• Third main point

References List

A quality speech requires a speaker to cite evidence to support their claims. Your professor will likely require that you incorporate evidence from your research in both your outline and speech. In Chapter 7, we reviewed how to gather information, incorporate the research into your speech, and cite your sources, both in your written outline and during oral delivery. An ethical and credible speaker gives credit where credit is due and shares source information with the audience. Accordingly, the last piece of your preparation outline is the References List.  The references list will include full written citations for all resources used in the composition and presentation of your speech. The structure of the references list follows a specific format dictated by the American Psychological Association 7th Ed. (remember, the Communication Studies discipline uses this APA formatting). Since formatting varies by source type, it is useful to refer to a reference guide to determine the exact citation formatting when writing your references list.

Written Oral Citations

There is a good chance your professor will ask you to include oral citations in your speech delivery. If so, you should include these in your preparation outline. The written oral citation is where you share your evidence and details of how you plan to cite the source during the delivery. Often, this is written in a similar format as “According to an article titled [title], written by [author] in [year], [resource content].” You should include enough source-identifying information for your audience to verify the accuracy and credibility of the content. In your outline, write out the specific source-information you will use to orally cite the source in your speech. Discuss the required number of oral citations with your professor and include all of them in your written outline. At FSW, we require three oral citations.

Outlining Principles

Next, we will cover the principles of outline which are outlining “rules” that you want to follow to be most effective. (Your English teachers will thank us, too!). First, read through this example outline for a main point about dogs. We will recall this example as we move through the principles. Don’t skip this example. Read it now!

Figure 6.9: Big and Small Dog 9

Topic: Dogs

Thesis: There are many types of dogs that individuals can select from before deciding which would make the best family pet.

Preview: First, I will describe the characteristics of large breed dogs,  then I will discuss the characteristics of small breed dogs.

• Some large breed dogs need daily activity.
• Some large breed dogs are dog friendly.
• After eating is one of the times drooling is bad.
• The drooling is horrible after they drink, so beware!
• Great Pyrenees Mountain dogs drool as well.
• If you live in an apartment, these breeds could pose a problem.

Transition statement: Now that we’ve explored the characteristics of large breed dogs, let’s contrast this with small breeds.

• Some small breed dogs need daily activity.
• Some small breed dogs are dog friendly.
• They will jump on people.
• They will wag their tails and nuzzle.
• Beagles love strangers.
• Cockapoos also love strangers.

This dog example will help us showcase the following outlining principles.

Subordination and Coordination

The example above helps us to explain the concepts of subordination and coordination . Subordination is used in outline organization so the content is in a hierarchical order. This means that your outline shows subordination by indention. All of the points that are “beneath” (indented in the format) are called subordinate points. For example, if you have a job with a supervisor, you are subordinate to the supervisor. The supervisor is subordinate to the owner of the company. Your outline content works in a similar way. Using the dog example outlined in the previous section of this chapter, subpoints A, B, and C described characteristics of large breed dogs, and those points are all subordinate to main point I. Similarly, subpoints i and ii beneath subpoint C.1. both described dogs that drool, so those are subordinate to subpoint C. If we had discussed “food” under point C, you would know that something didn’t make sense! Overall, to check your outline for coherence, think of the outline as a staircase; walking down the outline one step at a time.

Tech tip: You can use the Ruler function of word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs to create tabs that align subordinated points with each other and keep the following lines of text properly aligned. If you only use the tab key, text that flows beyond the first line will usually not align with the proper tab stop for a given sub-point. Some instructors may provide you with a template, but experiment with the Ruler function on your own. It’s very useful!

You will also see that there is a coordination of points. Coordination is used in outline organization so that all of the numbers or letters represent the same idea. You know they coordinate because they align vertically and there is no diagonal relationship between the symbols. In the dog example, A, B, and C were all characteristics of large breed dogs, so those are all coordinated and represent the same “idea.” Had C been “German Shepherd,” then the outline would have been incorrect because that is a type of dog, not a characteristic, therefore, breaking the rules of subordination and coordination.

Figure 8.10 below provides you with a visual graphic of the subordination and coordination process. You will see that the topic of this very brief outline is bread. The main point tells you that there are different types of bread: sourdough, wheat, white, and egg.

To check this brief outline for subordination, you would look to see what subpoints fall beneath the main point. Do all of the sub-points represent a type of bread? You will see that they do! Next, to check for coordination, you would look at all of the subpoints that have a vertical relationship to each other. Are the subpoints these four types of bread? They are. The image also allows you to see what happens when you make a mistake. The third example shows the subpoints as sourdough, wheat, white, and jelly. Clearly, jelly is not a type of bread. Thus, there is a lack of both subordination and coordination in this short example. Make sure you spend some time checking the subordination and coordination of your own subpoints all the way throughout the outline until you have reached your last level of subordination. Now, study the image so that these principles of outlining are crystal clear; please ask your professor questions about this because it is a major part of speechmaking.

Figure 8.10: Checking Your Outline 10

You may be wondering why we bother with subordination and coordination. It actually helps both your listeners and your instructors. Listening is difficult. Any techniques that help audiences make sense of information are welcome. As soon as you begin talking, audiences listen for cues on how you are structuring information. If you organize clearly using logical relationships, your audience will be better able to follow your ideas. Further, for busy instructors examining many students’ outlines, when students’ grasp of subordination and coordination jump off the page due to their proper visual alignment, we know that students understand how to organize information for verbal delivery.

Parallelism

Another important rule in outlining is known as parallelism . This means that, when possible, you begin your sentences in a similar way, using a similar grammatical structure. For example, in the previous example on dogs, some of the sentences began with “some large breed dogs.” This type of structure adds clarity to your speech. Students often worry that parallelism will sound boring. It’s actually the opposite! It adds clarity. However, if you had ten sentences in a row, we would never recommend you begin them all the same way. That is where transitions come into the picture and break up any monotony that could occur.

The principle of division is an important part of outlining. Division is a principle of outlining that requires a balance between two subpoints in an outline. For each idea in your speech, you should have enough subordinate ideas to explain the point in detail and you must have enough meaningful information so that you can divide it into a minimum of two subpoints (A and B). If subpoint A has enough information that you can explain it, then it, too, should be able to be divided into two subpoints (1 and 2). So, in other words, division means this: If you have an A, then you need a B; if you have a 1, then you need a 2, and so on. What if you cannot divide the point? In a case like that, you would simply incorporate the information in the point above.

Connecting Your 2-3 Main Points

There are different types of transitions , which are words or phrases that help you connect all sections of your speech. To guarantee the flow of the speech, you will write transition statements to make connections between all sections of the outline. You will use these transitions throughout the outline, including between the introduction and the body, between the 2-3 main points, and between the body and the conclusion.

• Internal Reviews (Summaries) and Previews are short descriptions of what a speaker has said and will say that are delivered between main points.

Internal Reviews give your audience a cue that you have finished a main point and are moving on to the next main point. These also help remind the audience of what you have spoken about throughout your speech. For example, an internal review may sound like this, “So far, we have seen that the pencil has a long and interesting history. We also looked at the many uses the pencil has that you may not have known about previously.”

Internal Previews lay out what will occur next in your speech. They are longer than transitional words or signposts. For example, “Next, let us explore what types of pencils there are to pick from that will be best for your specific project.”

• Signposts are transitional words that are not full sentences, but connect ideas using words like “first,” “next,” “also,” “moreover,” etc. Signposts are used within the main point you are discussing, and they help the audience know when you are moving to a new idea.
• A nonverbal transition is a transition that does not use words. Rather, movement, such as pausing as you move from one point to another is one way to use a nonverbal transition. You can also use inflection by raising the pitch of your voice on a signpost to indicate that you are transitioning.

The most effective transitions typically combine many or all of the elements discussed here. Here is an example:

Now ( signpost ) that I have told you about the history of the pencil, as well as its many uses, ( internal review ) let’s look at what types of pencils you can pick from (mime picking up a pencil and moving a few steps for nonverbal transition ) that might be best for your project ( internal preview ).

Although this wasn’t the splashiest chapter in the text, it is one of the most critical chapters in speechmaking. Communicating your ideas in an organized and developed fashion means your audience will easily understand you. Each one of the principles and examples provided should be referenced as you work to develop your own speech. Remember that your speech will have a general purpose (typically to inform or persuade) and a specific purpose that details exactly what you hope to accomplish in the speech. Your speech’s thesis statement will be the central idea, what audiences most remember. The thesis is not just a list of main points, but it is a larger idea encompassing the two to three main points supporting it in the speech. Speeches should follow an organizational pattern, use standard formatting practices, and progress from full-sentence preparation outlines to key word speaking outlines before your performance. To see how all of these pieces come together, check out the sample preparation outline included at the bottom of the chapter. When writing your own preparation outline, use this sample as a guide. Consider each component a puzzle piece needed to make your outline complete.

Reflection Questions

• How has the information regarding general and specific purpose statements helped you to narrow your topic for your speech?
• Using brainstorming, can you generate a list of possible main points for your speech topic? Then, how will you decide which are the best choices to speak on?
• Which pattern(s) of organization do you think would be best for your informative speech? Why?
• Researchers say writing in small bursts is better. Do you agree that it is more effective to write your outline in small chunks of time rather than writing an entire speech in one day? Why or why not?

Body of the Speech

Coordination

General Purpose Statement

Internal Review (Summary)

Internal Preview

Nonverbal Transition

Preparation Outline

Preview Statement

Speaking Outline

Specific Purpose Statement

Subordination

Thesis Statement

Transitions

Written Oral Citation

Sample Speaking Outline

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: By the end of this speech, my audience will be able to explain bottle bricking, bottle brick benches, and their purposes.

Introduction — 

I. Attention Getter: How many of you have thrown away a piece of plastic in the last 24 hours? Perhaps you pulled cellophane off a pack of gum or emptied out a produce bag. You probably don’t think about it, but those little pieces of plastic have two potential destinations – if they’re obedient, they go to a landfill. If they’re rogue, they can end up in waterways.

II. Thesis Statement: Today we will learn about a revolutionary way of dealing with plastic trash called bottle bricking.

III. Relevance Statement: As our planet’s ecological crises worsen, each of us should reflect on our impact on the environment. According to the Sea Education Society, a non-profit dedicated to reducing pollution through environmental education, there are more than one million pieces of plastic per square mile in the most polluted parts of the Atlantic Ocean, as Kirsten Silven of Earthtimes.org reported in (2011). If you want to take steps to preserve our world’s natural beauty for future generations, this speech is for you.

IV. Credibility Statement: When I first learned about bottle bricks I was incredulous. I thought “what is the point of stuffing plastic into plastic bottles?”. But soon the idea took hold of me and I was volunteering with local groups, eventually inspiring the creation of a Bottle Brick Bench at a high school I worked at.

V. Preview Main Points Statement: In this speech, we will learn how a bottle brick is made, how they are turned into benches, and the purpose behind this seemingly strange activity.

Transition: Before we go any further, let’s learn how to make a bottle brick.

Body — 

• You will soon notice it everywhere.
• The trash must be clean and dry.
• Other hard-plastic bottles work, also.
• The bottles must be clean and dry.
• The stick should be long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle.
• Pick a smooth stick or give it a handle.

Transition: Now we know how to transform our trash into tools. But, what can bottle bricks be used for? One answer: a bench.

• Most creators argue you should use reclaimed stone (urbanite).
• Bricks make up the backrest.
• Cob is like mud.
• The benches make us realize how much plastic we toss, writes Brennan Blazer Bird on earthbench.org (2014) , home of the Peace on Earthbench Movement that the 25-year-old ecological educator founded.
• Later, people might think about it the plastic away they throw away
• Currently we have little use for soft plastic; most film plastics are not recyclable.
• Benches are a sign for change, and they are comfortable.
• Plastic “sequestered” in a bottle avoids landfills and the ocean.
• In landfills it gets into drinking water.
• All five subtropical ocean gyres have plastic “garbage patches,” according to 5gyres, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating plastic pollution in the gyres (5gyres.org, 2014) .
• To have fun! The Harvest Collective called natural building such as earthbenches “incredibly fun and inspiring” on its website theharvestcollective.org (2014) .

Transition: So now that we understand why someone would make a bottle brick bench, let’s see if we’ve successfully “stuffed” this knowledge into our heads. [ I can make a bottle-stuffing motion to have fun during transition. ]

Conclusion —

• Signal end of the speech: I think it’s safe to say that every one of us throws away plastic on a regular basis has some degree of concern for the health of our planet.
• Review Main Points: Today we’ve learned how to make bottle bricks, how to put them into a bottle brick bench, and the reasons for doing so.
• Restate Thesis: Today we have seen that we can turn our seemingly useless, polluting trash into safe, useful technology. Maybe we can use such forward-thinking attitudes to promote sustainable cycles in all aspects of society.
• Specify desired audience response: I know that you aren’t all going to rush home and start bricking, but I’d like you to remember the basic premises underlying bottle bricks. But, by all means, if you’re interested in adding to the Peace on Earth Bench for Movement, visit earthbench.org or talk to me in class sometime.
• Strong closing (clincher): Who knows, maybe when you’re about to graduate you will be able to sit on a Bottle Brick Bench on campus reminding us all that we, through our individual choices, have the power to transform our species’ problems into solutions.

Introduction to Public Speaking Copyright © by Jamie C. Votraw, M.A.; Katharine O'Connor, Ph.D.; and William F. Kelvin, Ph.D.. All Rights Reserved.

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How does a College speech class work?

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

College speech classes are an effective way to master the art of public speaking. These classes differ from one to another. However, they include a variety of speeches, beginning from the basic ones to the complex ones, i.e. maybe research projects. Moreover, students are made aware of all the aspects of an effective speech i.e. how interactive it should be, what are the presentation tools used, what should be its length etc.  

In addition, some classes might use a more theoretical based teaching, wherein students use textbooks for their understanding of public speaking. On the other hand, some might use a practical way of teaching, wherein students form their own opinions about a certain topic and discuss and debate about it. 

Public speaking is an effective way to communicate your thoughts, ideas and emotions with others. For example, in a college presentation, in an office meeting, or simply, while having a conversation with family or friends. It is an important skill to master which would also be of great value in the formation of your career. Consequently, joining a speech class could be an efficient way to acquire the art of speaking in public, confidently. 

Purpose of College Speech Classes

Taking a speech class in college could prove to be the most advantageous for a student. These classes are designed to benefit students become better orators, enhance their skills in presentation, and to make them entertain and engage the audience. In other words, they are helped in presenting their viewpoints and perspectives, effectively and confidently, in front of a large group of people. 

Students learn to speak confidently with the help of various techniques, such as visual, written and verbal. These techniques are more effective when used in a small and encouraging classroom environment. Furthermore, they also acquire the skills to write an influential and persuasive speech; and to listen. On the other hand, they also perform peer evaluations by listening to the speeches of their classmates and self-evaluations through audio or visual forms.

What do you do in a College Speech Class?

A college speech class is just like a normal classroom, just with a lot more fun and activities. It is merely designed for students to understand the concept of speech communication. A student performs or experiences 7 major activities in a college speech class.

• Comprehend the fundamental concepts of public speaking or speech communication.
• Listen to the speeches of others, maybe classmates or the trainers.
• Understand and analyse your speech or the speeches of others.
• Explore and research various topics for your speeches.
• Prepare manuscripts of your speeches.
• Deliver your speeches in front of your peers and coach.
• Take assessments on public speaking provided by the trainers.

Benefits of College Speech Classes

1. supportive classroom environment.

Usually, college speech classes work with a small group of students, maybe 10 – 15 students per class. This enables individual attention to each student and helps in maintaining and organising their progress. Moreover, it benefits students with demure personalities and who often hesitate in speaking in front of a large audience, initially. In other words, students could easily overcome their fear of public speaking in these kinds of protective and helpful environments.

2. Evaluation process

Students in these classes are not only judged or marked on their speaking skills alone. But also they are evaluated on their writing and listening abilities. Because writing a speech is the first and listening to the audience’s views is the last important step of public speaking. 

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” Dianna Booher  

“Learning to give a speech is important, but almost equally so is learning to listen critically, analytically, and then to give the speaker the benefit.” Ralph C. Smedley

Moreover, the evaluation process in these classes is not a conventional one. However, students get a chance to self-evaluate themselves by listening to their speeches. It helps them in learning from their own mistakes and overcoming them. 

On the other hand, students could also assess their peers or classmates. It is an effective way of improvement as they would get to know each other’s viewpoints and feelings and learn from them. 

Furthermore, trainers also evaluate the students based on their progress and performance. They might sometimes use some traditional methods of evaluation like written or oral tests.

3. Training of different tools

Learning the art of public speaking in college classes is rather fun and entertaining. Because trainers make sure to make use of different tools and techniques which would keep the students engaged throughout the session. Like, presentations, cards, audio etc. 

In addition, these tools are also taught to students as they play an important role while delivering a speech or giving a presentation. These tools engage the audience and remove the monotonous and mundane elements from a speech. 

4. Assignments 

They are a significant way to learn writing, organising and presenting a speech. Assignments in a college speech class might differ however there are some general assignments used by trainers, like:

(i) Introductory speech

These are 2 – 3 minutes speeches wherein the student introduces herself or himself. For example, an icebreaker speech in Toastmasters. Students are advised to mention their background, ambitions, interests and personality. When a student writes this speech as a manuscript, it helps in developing his or her writing skills along with presenting it in front of an audience. 

(ii) Celebratory speech

These are 4 – 5 minutes speeches wherein the student is expected to talk about a memory of a person, thing or event. For this speech, the students are advised to use decorative and creative language with imagination. Consequently, honouring the person or event with honesty and compassion. Students could deliver this speech with the help of manuscripts. 

(iii) Informative speech

These are 7 minutes speeches wherein the student talks about any object or event. The purpose of this speech is to provide facts and specific information about a thing or event which could elevate the knowledge of the audience. It is advised for students to use any kind of tool, like presentations, while delivering this kind of speech. Moreover, students ought to write this speech however they are asked to deliver it extemporaneously. In other words, they are not allowed to use the manuscript or memorise the speech. 

(iv) Persuasive speech

These are 9 minutes speeches wherein the student persuades his audience about a certain belief or question. This speech is also expected to be delivered extemporaneously. It is advised for students to research and plan the arguments meticulously. Because influencing the audience is an arduous job. 

For this speech, students might research their audience to meet their expectations and to persuade them easily and in a better way. For example, by forming questionnaires on a certain topic for the peers and then formulating the assertions in a speech. 

(v) Self and peer assessments

These types of assignments are an effective way to learn from your own mistakes and that of others and improve them. In self-assessment, students watch the videos of their speeches and prepare an outline as an evaluation. Whereas, in the peer assessments, students prepare a detailed outline of the speeches of their peers or classmates. 

5. Stimulates improvement

Public speaking is an area which can only be mastered with continuous improvement. Moreover, the trainers or coaches at college speech classes make sure to inspire the students to keep on improving and excelling in this area. The students get an environment which self-motivates them to progress with a high level of commitment and dedication. 

In addition, these classes drive students to take up new challenges every day and fulfil them with success. For example, a reticent student giving his or her first introductory speech in front of the class. Or a student using visual aids for the first time while delivering his or her informative speech.

Significance of College Speech Classes

Everyone wants to share their thoughts and sentiments and wants to communicate effectively as it is an essential part of our lives. It is not necessary to acquire public speaking only if you want to become a professional public speaker. However, it is significant to master it for your day to day life to achieve your goals and excel in whatever career path you choose for yourself. 

1. Enhances communication skills

“Communication is power. Those who have mastered its effective use can change their own experience of the world and the world’s experience of them. All behaviour and feelings find their original roots in some form of communication.” Tony Robbins

Being a good communicator is quite significant in excelling in various fields. It is beneficial for both personal and professional lives. For example, sharing your thoughts in a form of a speech at your friend’s birthday party or wedding. Or maybe giving an interview or speaking at a TED talk. 

Good communication skills can help people broaden their goals and help them to become better leaders. It gives them the ability to persuade and entice others. Hence, taking a speech class would help in improving this skill by applying the knowledge gained in real-life situations.

2. Helps in defeating anxiety

College speech classes are quite helpful in overcoming feelings of apprehension and fear. They are designed in such a way that students become comfortable while speaking in front of others. 

Moreover, an effective public speaker needs to be more natural and speak without any nervousness. It is important to engage the audience and it won’t be possible if the speaker himself would be out of order. Hence, these classes are quite fruitful in making a person a confident speaker, on and off stage, by using various tools and techniques. 

Go through this article for more information: Public speaking for introverts

3. Improves leadership skills

Being a good leader certainly depends on being a good orator. Leadership is all about persuading and influencing your teammates. Therefore, without speaking effectively, it won’t be possible. 

Furthermore, if a person can speak confidently, then it would gain him honour and respect. Also, people would be pleased to listen to him and accept him as their leader. 

4. Showcase confidence

Speaking in front of a large audience confidently comes with practice. As a result, college speech classes provide a platform for students to become more confident while giving a presentation or speech. 

“The only way to learn to speak is to speak and speak, and speak and speak, and speak and speak and speak.” Elbert Hubbard

Who can Enrol in a College Speech Class?

Public speaking is an art which can be mastered at any stage of life. Usually, college-going students sign up for these classes, irrespective of their major, either to get credit points or to gain knowledge and improve their public speaking skills. 

In addition, other people could also join these classes at a college level, irrespective of their age or job. People usually prefer to join college speech classes instead of any other free courses because of their knowledgeable and professional trainers or instructors. Furthermore, these classes have detailed training programs and an effective evaluation process which certainly benefits the students in becoming better public speakers and communicators. 

Read this article for more useful insights:  Can you learn to be a public speaker at any age

Is College Speech Class hard?

A public speaking class at college might seem difficult for some students in the initial phase, especially students with a reticent nature. However, once the students adapt to the situations and get comfortable with their peers and trainers, then it does not seem like a hard nut to crack. 

Moreover, these classes are designed by keeping in mind all the various aspects, like the distinct personalities of the students, their understanding level etc. The syllabus of these classes is a piece of cake. The concepts taught are rarely theoretical and mostly practical which makes them quite comprehensible. In addition, the trainers make the teachings easy with their genial nature and by conducting the classes in an organised way. 

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Online classes

There are several public speaking classes and courses offered by colleges which are quite efficient and helpful. These classes are comparatively less apprehensive than live classes. These classes are more convenient and people could boost their skills quite comfortably. 

Moreover, some people find it less stressful to deliver a speech in front of the camera rather than physically presenting it, although, in both modes, the audience remains live. In addition, online classes are no less effective than live classes, as they provide the same resources and one on one assistance to students.

You can get yourselves enrolled in online public speaking classes offered by top colleges and universities like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Washington, the University of Michigan on Coursera, edX, Udemy etc.

Is Speech Class required in College?

Attending a college speech class would never be the wrong thing to do or it would never posit any harm to the attendee. On the contrary, it would only make the person more confident while speaking which would certainly result in an elevation of his or her personality.

There comes a point in everyone’s life when they are forced to speak in front of an audience, whether personally or professionally. It is not just required in college but in building a healthy career. Consequently, in the blink of an eye, one should always choose to attend a speech class in college for mastering new skills and add new colours to his or her personality. 

Go through this article for more valuable insights: Are public speaking skills required in college

Public speaking or speech classes at a college level are quite potent in mastering the art of public speaking and communication. They are quite useful and possess various benefits. Like the trainers or instructors are quite knowledgeable and professional. Moreover, learning with a bunch of people helps in acquiring the skill more easily as one would challenge himself to perform better and learn from his own mistakes and that of his peers. 

In addition, a classroom setting would first make the students comfortable with speaking in front of a smaller group and then move to a larger group. Furthermore, the environment of the classes is made supportive and lively which helps in keeping the students engaged and entertained. Although, these classes are artificial settings for public speaking but conversely, they are ideal for training purposes. Consequently, students can easily apply the skills and techniques gained from these classes to real-life scenarios. 

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Teach more, grade less

Liberating professors and students, the first speech.

How did students do on their first speech? The short of it is:  I’m pleased.  The vast majority of the students did their speeches on time and they were just as good, if not better, as previous semesters.  Actually, they seemed better but I don’t really have a clear way to measure that.  I certainly enjoyed their speeches more and the atmosphere was definitely less stressful.  I believe two reasons for that.

The first was the way they were getting credit for the speech.  Credit/No Credit seems to be a less anxious-producing system.  As I’ve said, they only have to hit eight conditions and of those eight only three are part of the presentation, in order to get credit for the speech.  It seems that most of them believe they can do it and, indeed, did it.

The second reason (I think) for the more relaxed atmosphere is because I’m less stressed.  Yes, back to me.  We don’t have the time crunch we usually do because there aren’t three required f2f speeches, only two.  So I don’t have to be stressed out if someone misses their day; I know we have time for them to do it later.  Even better, I don’t have to punish them for missing their day;  they just do it late.  Kind of like life.  I mean I took an entire grade off if they didn’t do their speech on the assigned day.  That was always horrible.

However, I do have a couple of students who are extremely late in getting their speeches done, for different reasons.  One guy was in Jamaica for two weeks (lucky him).  Another student just didn’t track that she had to hand in an outline prior to giving the speech (no good reason for that).  So the consequences for their lateness is they don’t get the same written feedback everyone else does.  I only bring my computer for speech days (which I use to immediately send students feedback on their presentations, not the outlines), same for the pile of peer feedback sheets.  It’s too heavy to shlep all of that everyday and, frankly, I forgot about the stragglers so I wasn’t ready.  But I don’t really like this fall-out from doing a speech super late.  I want everyone to learn, which means they should all get timely and substantive feedback.  So I might have to start bringing my computer more.  (Keep in mind I have a 90 minute commute so that’s no joke.)

Regarding their outlines:  almost everyone has to re-write their outlines, mostly for lack of writing in sentences, lack of writing in outline format, or lack of source citations.  I mean 90% of the students need to re-write.  I’m not sure if that’s good news or bad news, but I know that they are doing the re-writes because otherwise they won’t get credit for the speech.  In previous semesters, only the most motivated students re-wrote their outlines for more points.  The rest just settled for a C or whatever.  So I consider this a positive consequence of the credit/no credit system.

There is one strange thing that is happening which is there aren’t a whole lot of completed assignments yet.  I’m still waiting for re-writes and for the reflection papers on their optional assignments.  I will be doing power-appointments with them in early November during class where I call them up one at a time and ask them to check my records.  That will also give me the chance to prod them along.

25 thoughts on “ The First Speech ”

I felt that the outline was just a breief explanation on what our speech was going to be about, since the written paper is what has most of the information. I was one of the 90% and will make sure for my second speech I do not make that mistake again. Overall the outline is a great way to organize the speech over all, I was able to bring all main points through so that’s a plus for me!

the fisr speech in terms of the outline was pretty simple i would say. the difficulty came in the delivery, going middle of the hump helped to ease my worries but it couldn’t change the feeling of being up there. Speaking of which was horrifying, the topic was of my own choice but despite my ability to speak in general i do not posses comfortably for standing up and speak out to others. i think my voice is better for something like a radio booth not as a public speaker.

With the first speech I did pretty good it was honestly just nerves being in front speaking to everyone. But you gain credit just by eye contact and how your standing. That isn’t the overall credit but it’s simple things you can do to get credit. For the second speech I will definitely do a lot better. I just need to work on making sure it doesn’t pass 5 mins and staring at everyone while I speak.

To me, since it was my first speech I was a bit confused on how to outline it. I did not cite the sources neither did I write in full sentences. When it came to the delivery in front of the class I was nervous and the most part I looked at the professor instead of the audience. Overall I didn’t feel as if I did a great job on the first speech even though looking back now it was not complicated. I plan on paying more attention to how to outline my speech better in the future especially citing sources and looking at the audience when giving a speech because that is the most important part.

Yes I could not agree more, I felt the outline was very helpful and specific on what our speech should look like. As well as the information we had to have in our speeches in order to get our full credit. It was also very easy for me to write my second speech in order to make sure I understood what I was going to write down. I LOVE THIS!! It was very helpful.

The outline was very helpful, it really helped me keep the speech organized. I think the first speech wasn’t that bad when it comes to being nervous. One of the biggest reasons is because we weren’t getting graded on it, we were just getting feedback which i think was a very great thing. That way i learned from the first speech and did better on my other speech. I sure focused on what i was doing right or wrong, not on what grade im going to get on this speech.

the first speech to me wasn’t so hard if you followed the outline , the hard part came in actually speaking infront of people you kind of just met , i mean the first time it was so uncomfortable and nerve racking , you worried about not being up there for the time you have to and also worried about not slurring your words and stuff like that

I found the first speech to be the most difficult, only because I was not accustomed to speaking in front of people. I tried my best to keep my cool and stay focused. I found Professor Glaser’s lecture about how to handle pre-speech anxiety helpful and took her breathing techniques into good use. She mentioned to another student one day, “What is the worst that can happen when you are up there?” and it stuck with me. At the end of the day, we’re all supporting each other and no one is judging, and if they are well, whatever! My speech was about “How to Spot a Liar” and I found the outline to helpful in organizing my thoughts.

The first speech probably will be my best because of the amazing outline that was included with it. It made it very straight forward and I was pleased with the results of it. This form of teaching should be circling worldwide by now.

I really nervous to take a speech class. I knew the grading was hard but this made me less stressed and more relaxed to do my speech. Knowing that it was not hardly graded made me do way better on my speech.

This was an awesome read, often enough I wonder how educators felt on a day to day when receiving or reflecting on their students performance and how they themselves can make the curriculum undemanding on both parties. I think removing the numerical or alphabetical grading system on presentations was genius! if I have to be real honest once I realized that it was either a pass or fail, knowing that if I did what I was taught, I would pass. Any anxiety I was feeling prior to knowing that dissipated so great judgement call on that, believe me we , your students appreciated that.

Great. I definitely want to reduce students’ anxiety.

I agree with you that the credit/no credit system really helps students from being less anxious. I’m usually really scared when turning in assignments because even when I tried really hard on a assignment, I wonder if my grade will reflect that! This takes away lots of my nerves. The outline is very helpful and returning the outline helps students see their mistakes, so there is room for improvement.

I kind a like the first speech because it was short and you are talking about something that you feel more comfortable with. however organizing the outline was a bit difficult but it is also become easy when you follow the essay format.

It is definitely much more simpler to for both the students as well as yourself for the assignments to be Credit/No Credit as it gives us freedom to structure a speech the way we want to. Obviously, we needed an intro, conclusion, sources etc.. But other than that, we were able to organize the way our speech would be presented and creates diversity in how the presentations go.

It’s true that first speech makes us so nervous because for most of us is the first time to speak in front of a lot of people, it’s also can be difficult because of the outline since is the first time some of us have to rewrite unite you get the required outline

The first speech is definitely laid back. The timing is very short. Theres no pressure & no rush. You can take your time & talk about anything you want.

My first speech was extremely nerve wrecking. I don’t think my speech was well executed. But my outline helped me to keep it organized. In terms of my outline it was pretty simple and straightforward.I did not find It hard to following the steps and complete it.I may have forgotten to cite my sources in the body but I was glad I had the opportunity to correct it and hand it in back to receive my full credit.On my next speech I will be better able to provide a perfect outline.

The first speech was a real good ice breaker to the class. I feel like it was a simple, calm assignment that everyone was able to complete. I also liked the motivation my particular classmates gave each other because our professor since the start made it clear that we have to give each other positive feedback. The first speech outline was also a great tool that everyone should’ve taken into their advantage.

The atmosphere in your room is oddly soothing. Many of us aren’t complete strangers with each other and that’s because of how you broke the ice on the first day. This definitely allowed us to feel more comfortable with presenting in front of people for our first assignment. The relief of not being judged or laughed at because of your speech skills is completely thrown out the window because all of us are somewhat comfortable with each other. Great work!

Overall i feel like the first speech you gave us was self explanatory and easy. I say this because you told us to choose what we want to inform people on and you told us to how the outline should look like as well. You helped us out and made it easier for us and although some people may have done it later than others we all still did it eventually because like you said its a pass fail grade so i pretty should we all want to pass even if its not with the highest grade, a pass is still a pass.

I really enjoyed the first speech. I thought it was fun to see what my classmates wanted to share with eachother. I think because the speech itself gave alot of freedom to work with it, that it was important for the outline to be done in a specific way. I think the outline also helps the student find a way to structure their speech if they become lost. Because I had to cite my source in the outline it become more natural for me to cite it during my speech

I personally feel like the first speech is a perfect way to start off the semester mainly because you can learn from your feedback from the first speech which will make you progress with all the other speeches without causing any mistakes.

For the first speech (informative) it was only 3 to 5 minutes and we had to hand the outline in prior. I had to rewrite it because of the lack of source citations in the body and lack of writing in sentences. I also had to do a 30 to 40 seconds speech because I only did 2:28 minutes.

I agree with this post, sitting in your class and listening to peoples speeches is often relaxing. People choose topics that they like and come prepared to share with the rest. If the person is in your group you receive a paper with criteria and numbers to rate them on. I found this less pressuring, it wasn’t an obligation to write their defaults and give it them. You just simply had to rate each criteria, which was useful. You could put a 6 for a certain criteria, and this would show that their is room for progress not that they did bad or good. Knowing that not everyone is often comfortable with public speaking or communication, the concept of less requirements is helpful. This relieves us students and gives us higher confidence to present. For the outline, I think rewrites from most students is no issue. This way students learn the way you want it and may do it the correct way for the second outline. Having time adds to this positive and stress free atmosphere within the classroom.

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Assignments

Brave space lesson.

Persuasive Speech Assignment

An assignment that helps students artfully convince an audience. Students will be given the opportunity to persuade audience members that a policy should be started, changed, or stopped, and/or urge cooperation by asking them to performs specific tasks.

Self-Introduction Speech Assignment

Select an object that represents a significant aspect of your cultural background, personality, values, ambitions, etc. Using the chosen object as a point of departure, develop a speech that explains how it relates to your life. The purpose of this speech is not to explain the object in detail, but […]

Peer Feedback Assignment

A simple form to give students so that they can evaluate and comment on their classmates’ presentations. For use in an in-person or synchronous class. Download a Word doc of the Peer Feedback form here.  

Informative Speech Assignment

An assignment by Prof. Williams that discusses and analyzes preparation for the Informative Speech.

Global Competencies Exercises

Various ice-breaker activities compiled by Prof. Williams. For use in in-person or online classes.

African Burial Ground Assignment

This is an assignment that helps students practice using different types of organizational styles when outlining their speeches. Students are asked to write an outline using two different organizational styles. Download a Word doc of Prof. Williams’ African Burial Ground assignment here.

Occasional Speech Assignment

Occasional Speech Assginment. The occasion may take place in the past, present, or future. You’ll need a specific person, place, or thing that you are praising, celebrating, reflecting on, honoring, or saying goodbye to.

  Prof. Tulloch’s Informative Speech Assignment requires students to select a subject area that provides a genuine contribution of knowledge to the class (i.e. something they do not already know).ce.

Assignment Compilation

A compilation of assignments by Professor Brianne Waychoff.  Click to find everything from Informative Speech assignments to Persuasive Speech assignments to Midterm Exam questions.

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Assignments

Assignment: speech of self-introduction.

General directions for delivery:

• Deliver the speech when assigned in class.
• 3–5 minutes. Time your speech for 4 minutes.
• Limit notes to three note cards with keywords only. No written speeches are allowed. No reading or heavy note use is allowed. The speaking style should be extemporaneous.
• No sources are needed for this speech.
• An effective introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Please avoid selecting topics that require a significant amount of set-up time, numerous objects or props, or extensive room rearrangement. Pets are always welcome.

The Speech of Self-Introduction is your chance to develop ethos  or credibility when giving a short introductory speech about yourself. People frequently have to introduce themselves before a group. The speech developed as a result of this assignment is one you should keep and develop for specific situations later on in life. It is useful for job or scholarship interviews, an organization meeting where you are new, or even the first day of class. You want to isolate a few aspects of your life, personality, or beliefs that reflect favorably on you. This is often called impression management. By managing the impressions you make you want to convey competence, integrity, attractiveness (likable, easy to identify with), and natural or conferred power.

The Speech of Self-Introduction requires a general theme or purpose. The student should consider some of the following question areas for developing the speech. A “scatter shot” approach of discussing them all is not recommended:

• Geographic locations: Have you been shaped by where you grew up or by your culture?
• Important people: Who has made a great impact on you?
• Experience: Has some unique experience shaped your life?
• Activities: Do you enjoy an activity or hobby that is meaningful?
• Career or work: Are you largely defined by what you do for an occupation?
• Values: Do you have some values that are important in your life?
• Goals: Do you an overwhelming purpose in your life that defines what you do?

The speaker needs to make certain that an effective introduction and conclusion have been developed. The Speech of Self-Introduction should begin with an introduction that introduces the speech, not list the speaker’s biographical information. The conclusion should summarize the speech, not just bring general biographical information to an end.

• Speech of Self Introduction. Authored by : Brent Adrian. Provided by : Central Community College, Nebraska. License : CC BY: Attribution

Privacy Policy

Pinpoint the Onset of Public Speaking Anxiety

Different people become anxious at different times during the speechmaking process. Some people start to feel anxious as soon as they learn that they will have to give a speech. Others don’t really get nervous until they approach the podium. Even the kind of speech assigned (e.g., being called on to deliver off-the-cuff remarks versus reading from a prepared speech) may be a factor in when and how much a speaker feels anxious. 4 By pinpointing the onset of speech anxiety, you can manage it promptly with specific anxiety-reducing techniques (see Figure 3.1 ).

RECOGNIZING AND OVERCOMING YOUR UNDERLYING FEARS ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING

Pre-Preparation Anxiety

Some people feel anxious the minute they know they will be giving a speech. Pre-preparation anxiety can be a problem when the speaker delays planning for the speech, or when it so preoccupies the speaker that he or she misses vital information needed to fulfill the speech assignment. If you are particularly affected by anxiety at this stage, start immediately to use the stress-reducing techniques described later in this chapter.

Preparation Anxiety

For a few people, anxiety arises only when they actually begin to prepare for the speech. They might feel overwhelmed at the amount of time and planning required or hit a roadblock that puts them behind schedule. Preparation pressures produce a cycle of stress, procrastination, and outright avoidance, all of which contribute to preparation anxiety . Research has shown, however, that for most speakers, anxiety is lowest during the preparation phase, 5 suggesting that the best way to gain a sense of control and confidence is to immerse yourself in the speech’s preparation.

Pre-Performance Anxiety

Some people experience anxiety as they rehearse their speech. This is when the reality of the situation sets in: They anticipate an audience that will be watching and listening only to them; or they feel that their ideas aren’t as focused or as interesting as they should be, and they sense that time is short. If this pre-performance anxiety is strong enough, they may even decide to stop rehearsing. If you experience heightened anxiety at this point, consider using anxiety stop-time : Allow your anxiety to present itself for up to a few minutes until you declare time for confidence to step in so you can proceed to complete your practice. 6

I experience anxiety before, during, and after the speech. My “before speech” anxiety begins the night before my speech, but then I begin to look over my notecards, and I start to realize that I am ready for this speech. I practice one more time and I tell myself I am going to be fine.

— Paige Mease, student

Performance Anxiety

For most people, anxiety is highest just as a speech begins. 7 Performance anxiety is probably most pronounced during the introduction portion of the speech when we are most aware of the audience’s attention. Not surprisingly, audiences we perceive to be hostile or negative usually cause us to feel more anxious than those we sense are positive or neutral. 8 However, experienced speakers agree that by controlling their nervousness during the introduction, the rest of the speech goes quite smoothly.

Each of us will experience more or less speech anxiety at these four different points in the process depending mainly on our level of trait anxiety . People with high trait anxiety are naturally anxious much of the time, whereas people with low trait anxiety experience nervousness usually only in unusual situations. Public speaking situations tend to make people nervous regardless of their level of trait anxiety, for the reasons outlined earlier (lack of experience, feeling different, being the center of attention). But it can be more challenging for high trait-anxious individuals than low trait-anxious persons. For instance, researchers have shown that low trait-anxious people get nervous when starting a speech but gain confidence throughout the speech. Regardless of your level of trait anxiety, and when anxiety about a speech strikes, the important thing to remember is that you can manage the anxiety and control the time and effort you put into planning, rehearsing, and delivering a successful speech.