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The structure of a speech is composed of three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a
conclusion.
The introduction of a speech tells listeners where they are going.
The body of a speech establishes the speech purpose and shows its relevance to the
audience.
Main points express the key ideas and major themes of the speech.
Research shows that audiences can comfortably take in between eight and ten main
points.
A speaker who has too many main points should further narrow the topic or check for
proper subordination.
A main point often introduces two or more ideas.
Listeners will remember main points made in the middle of the speech more than those
made at the beginning or end of the speech.
Each main point should be expressed as a declarative sentence.
Putting main points in parallel form means casting your main points in similar
grammatical form and style.
The main points should flow from the speech thesis.
Supporting points represent the material or evidence that a speaker has gathered to
justify or explain the main points.
In an outline, supporting points appear in a coordinate position to the main points.
In an outline, a coordinate point is indicated by indented alignment.
The most common outline format is the Roman numeral outline.
In a Roman numeral outline, supporting points are always enumerated with Arabic
numerals.
In an outline, indentation indicates different levels of points.
In an outline, Main Point II is subordinate to Main Point I, and Subpoint A is coordinate
to Main Point I.
In an outline, subordinate points are indicated by their parallel alignment, and
coordinate points are indicated by their indentation below the more important points.
A well-organized speech is characterized by unity, coherence, and balance.
Coherence refers to the characteristic of a speech containing only those points that are
implied by the purpose and thesis statements.
Unity refers to clarity and logical consistency.
The speech body should follow logically from the introduction, and the conclusion
should follow logically from the body.
The principle of balance suggests that appropriate emphasis or weight be given to each
part of the speech relative to the other parts and to the theme.
Ideas that are coordinate are given equal weight.
Words, phrases, or sentences that tie the speech ideas together and enable the speaker to
move smoothly from one point to the next are called transitions.
Transitions should be stated as rhetorical questions, not as full sentences.
Internal previews and internal summaries can serve as effective transitions.
The conclusion of the speech should
introduce new information.
leave the audience laughing.
The body of a speech consists of
thesis statements and introductions.
main points, supporting points, and transitions.
specific purpose statements and internal summaries.
a restatement of the thesis and statement of closure.
Research indicates that audiences prefer speeches that contain how many main points?
Audiences find it easiest to remember the
first and last points made.
longest point of the speech.
shortest point of the speech.
points that occur in the middle of the speech.
Facts, statistics, testimonies, and narratives are all examples of
What kind of points in an outline are of roughly equal importance and weight in the
speech?
A well-organized speech is characterized by
unity, coherence, and balance.
unity, coordination, and balance.
unity, subordination, and coherence.
unity, coordination, and subordination.
All of the following are examples of transition techniques EXCEPT