Preparation outline – a detailed outline developed during the process of speech preparation that includes the title, specific purpose, central idea, introduction, main points, sub-points, connectives, conclusion, and bibliography.
Connectives – are word or phrase that connects the ideas of a speech and indicates the relationship between them.
Transition – is a word or phrase that indicates when a speaker has finished one thought and is moving on to another.
Example: Now that we have a clear understanding of the problem, let me share the solution with you.
Internal Preview – is a statement in the body of the speech that lets the audience know what the speaker is going to discuss next.
Example: In discussing how Asian Americans have been stereotyped in the mass media, we’ll look first at the origins of the problem and second at its continuing impact today.
Internal Previews are often combined with transitions. For example:
[Transition]: Now that we have seen how serious the problem of faulty credit reports is, let’s look at some solutions. [Internal Preview]: I will focus on three solutions – instituting tighter government regulation of credit bureaus financially responsible for their errors, and giving individual easier access to their credit reports.
Internal Summary – is a statement in the body of the speech that summarize the speaker’s preceding point or points.
Example: In short, palm reading is an ancient art. Developed in China more than five thousand years ago, it was practiced in classical Greece and Rome, flourished during the Middle Ages, survived the Industrial Revolution, and remains popular today in many parts of the world.
Guidelines for the Preparation Outline
1. State the Specific Purpose of your Speech
2. Identify the Central Idea 3. Label the Introduction, Body and Conclusion 4. Use a Consistent Pattern of Symbolization and Indentation
Example:
I. Main Point A. Sub-point B. Sub-point 1. Sub-sub-point 2. Sub-sub-point a. Sub-sub-sub-point b. Sub-sub-sub-point II. Main Point A. Sub-point 1. Sub-sub-point 2. Sub-sub-point B. Sub-point 1. Sub-sub-point 2. Sub-sub-point
Visual Framework – The pattern of symbolization and indentation in a speech outline that shows relationships among the speaker’s ideas.
I. One of the most common sources of superstition is numbers.
A. The number 13 has meant bad luck as long as anyone can remember. 1. There are 13 people at the Last Supper – Jesus and his 12 disciples. 2. In the United States, 13 is often omitted in the floor numbering of hotels and skyscrapers.
5. State Main Points and Sub-points in Full Sentences
Ineffective
I. Montgomery II. 1960s A. Birmingham B. March 1. 200,000 2. Dream C. Prize III. Final Years A. Criticized B. Vietnam C. Assassination
More Effective
1. King began civil rights career in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-1956. 2. King’s greatest trips came during the early 1960s. A. In 1963, he campaigned against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. B. Later that year, he participated in the famous march on Washington, D.C. 1. More than 200,000 people took part. 2. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. C. In 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize. 3. King faced great turmoil during his final years. A. He was criticized by more militant blacks for being nonviolent. B. He protested against the war in Vietnam. C. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
6. Label Transitions, Internal Summaries, and Internal Previews
7. Attach a bibliography a. Bibliography – is a list of all sources used in preparing a speech. 8. Give your Speech a Title If One is Desired
