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The outline and parts of your speech

Site: Poznan University of Technology
Course: Unit 6: The outline: parts of your speech
Book: The outline and parts of your speech
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Date: Friday, 20 September 2024, 12:42 AM

Table of contents

1. The Outline

Why do we need to create an outline?

  1. First of all, it helps your creativity, because seeing things come together as a whole makes you want to add things or change them (or change their order). Secondly, it is obvious that creating an outline gets your thoughts organized. What you thought of before as single ideas will now get developed or perhaps dropped altogether, particularly when they do not seem to fit into the general pattern. Thirdly, an outline helps you state your main points clearly. Moreover, when you are ready to present your speech, a quick glance at your outline will help you remember the most important points.
  2. Remember that writing an outline is a work in progress! Do not be afraid to add or delete things when you see that they do not fit into the overall plan. Very often you may need to rewrite your outline several times, as you add facts to the original “skeleton”.
  3. What is described by Mr. J.H. Jowett above is the natural division of any speech or piece of writing for that matter. We tend to expect a speech to have an introduction, a main body and a conclusion. When listening to people, we notice (subconsciously or not) if the speech lacks a proper introduction, or if it ends abruptly, without any conclusion. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to all three parts of a presentation.

2. The Structure of a Speech

In general, the structure of a speech will be as follows:

2. 1. Introduction

2. 2.  Main body of the speech

2. 3. Conclusion

2. 1. Introduction

It is the part in which you state the purpose of your speech and identify the main points you will cover later. (It is best to mention no more than three of those.) You want to prepare your audience for what comes next, so sometimes you may even tell them what they will learn by the end of the speech.

At the same time you want to capture people’s attention and motivate them to listen to you. A good introduction sets the tone for the speech and establishes rapport with the audience, too. It also gives you a chance to give the audience necessary background and establish your credentials.

If you want to arouse curiosity, you may want to start with a question or an example. Sometimes you may want to start with a handy quotation, related to your topic.

If you have problems thinking of a good beginning, imagine talking to your friend about a topic: how would you start? Remember, do not make the introduction too long, it should only take 10 to 15% of your speech.

2. 2. Main body of the speech

This part should be organized according to the purpose of your speech (informative, persuasive, problem/solution). It will consist of different paragraphs supporting one idea, with data and examples. What is important is to present ideas in logical order, using correct transitional expressions to connect the elements. (See activity 3 below.)

Suggested order for different types of speeches:

  1. Informative: choose the pattern (topical or chronological) and then proceed with your points, e.g.:

    Best renewable sources of energy and their assessment
    I.  Introduction: naming the sources along with an initial description
    II.     Main body: description of
    1. Wind energy and its advantages and disadvantages
    2. Solar energy and its advantages and disadvantages
    3. Wave power and its advantages and disadvantages
    III. Conclusion: summary of the main points, best source is…
  2. Persuasive: choose three arguments that you think will persuade your audience to change their behavior and present them in the order you choose (from weakest to strongest or the other way round). Remember to differentiate between facts and opinions.
  3. Problem/solution speech: first describe the problem and then suggest three solutions. Evaluate the solutions and choose the one that you think is the best. Another approach is to present one solution, and the arguments for and against it.

2. 3. Conclusion

This is the time when you summarize what you have said so far, paraphrasing the main idea. You do not want to repeat what you said in the introduction, but you want to create a lasting impression on your audience. Sometimes you may want to call them to act, but you always want to create a memorable ending. Your audience needs a sense of closure, so do not end your speech too abruptly, and do not make the conclusion too short. It should be similar in length to the introduction, about 10% of your speech as a whole.