Chapter 7 Organizing and Outlining Your Speech
Chapter Objectives
Explain how human memory affects speech organization.
List the six basic organizational patterns for speeches.
Explain how speech organizational patterns differ.
List the two types of speech outlines, and explain their similarities and differences.
Describe the differences between citations in working and speaking outlines.
Define extemporaneous speaking.
Lecture Outline
I. Organizing Your Speech
A. Learning objectives
1. Explain how human memory affects speech organization.
2. List the six basic organizational patterns for speeches.
3. Explain how speech organizational patterns differ.
B. Memory: Three Is a Magic Number
1. It is important that the speaker remember the audience will need to remember the
main points of a speech by simply listening.
2. Public speaking works mainly in short-term memory, which is readily accessible
in the moment but cannot hold large amounts of information.
3. George A. Miller in the 1950s noted that the magic number of short-term
memory was seven key points or things.
4. Scholar Jean-Luc Doumont noted that a person can only remember up to seven
items if they are organized into two to three groups. These groups are sometimes called
“chunks” of information, meaning the actual magic number of memory is three.
5. Most of the commonly used organizational patterns of speaking limit main
points to two or three.
C. The Speech Overview: On Purposes and Points
1. The norms of speaking and writing are built around a three-part sequence: the
introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
2. You must first determine the speech purpose and a thesis statement prior to
determining the main points of your speech.
3. You will then examine the material collected and determine the best way to
organize it.
D. Patterning Your Main Points
1. Spatial organization attempts to help your audience visualize moving through a
place or over an object. It is especially useful for speeches involving geography or when
describing a physical space.
2. Temporal organization is a speech arranged according to how events occurred in
a time sequence. It can move backward or forward in time and is most often used in
speech with historical arrangement and narrative arrangement.
3. Topical organization presents main points grouped together by characteristics,
topics, parts, or types. Transitions are especially challenging in this organizational
structure.
4. Problem-solution organization is pervasive in popular culture and is often used in
advertising. In this pattern, the speaker notes a problem, describes the effect of the
problem, and details their solution for the problem.
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5. Rambling pattern is an inductive approach to speaking which seems disorganized.
It denotes informality and may be used when the speaker is unprepared. Or it may be
intentionally used for dramatic effect.
II. Outlining Your Speech
A. Learning objectives
1. List the two types of speech outlines, and explain their similarities and
differences.
2. Describe the differences between citations in working and speaking outlines.
3. Define extemporaneous speaking.
B. Developing a Preparation Outline
1. The preparation outline organizes your main points and speech support on paper.
2. The purpose of the outline is to develop a hierarchy among speech points by
alternating between number and letter.
3. An outline should not exceed five levels of specificity, as this indicates you are
being too specific. Keep in mind that magic number of three for memory, which means
you should not exceed three levels of abstraction.
4. In the preparation outline, plot out ideas for your speech and alter the
organization to fit your needs and purpose. During this time, you can also begin to write
transitional phrases and direct quotations you intend to use.
5. The preparation outline will also include a full bibliography.
C. The Speaking Outline
1. The speaking outline is a condensed version of the preparation outline that you
will use when actually speaking.
2. It should include main points, key statistics, and direct quotations and citations,
but it should not contain your entire speech word for word.
3. It is used for extemporaneously delivered speeches, which are speeches that are
delivered with few notes or that seem to be delivered with little or no preparation.
Key Terms
Historical arrangement: how a given object or event occurred in documented fact.
Narrative arrangement: sequencing of a speech like a story, moving from the beginning to the end.
Extemporaneous delivery: a speech that is delivered with few notes or that seems to be delivered with
little or no preparation.
Chapter Summary
Although organizing and outlini ng a speech can seem like a daunting task to students , Chapter 7:
Organizing and Outlining Your Speech provides a clear and detailed explanation to students on how to
arrange a speech. This c hapter explains that spee ches ar e organized si milarly to formal writt en
communication, with a three-part structure that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.
The chapter walks through the steps in determining the main points of a speech and choosing main points.
It also suggests limiting main points to no more than three, since research shows that any more than three
is too m uch inform ation for an audience to take in and recall. Next, the chapter discusse s selecting a n
organizational pattern for a speech, which can be de termined by the ty pe of speech and the ty pe of
material collected. The fiv e types of speech organizational patterns are also r eviewed: spatial, temporal,
topical, problem-solution, and rambling.
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From there, the chapter discusses the process of developing a written outline of a speech to use both when
preparing and presenting. Two ty pes of speech outlines are defin ed: the working or preparation outline
and the speaking outli ne. The speaking outline is described as being necess ary for speec hes that are
delivered extemporaneously, or ones that are delivered with few notes or that seem to be delivered with
little preparation (which is the type of speech emphasized throughout this textbook).
Discussion Questions
1. Because audiences rely heavily on memory for listening to speeches, how does knowing about how
memory works help speakers craft better speeches?
A: Understanding how short-term memory works can guide speakers in making choices about the
2. How speakers outline a speech is based on a recipe or prescribed format. How does a speaker know
when deviating from the format is acceptable?
A: Following the example of a recipe, the chapter advises learning the recipe before tinkering
with it. Speakers need to know the principles behind the recipe so that when they tinker, they can
3. A rambling organization pattern can either be distracting or fulfilling to listeners. When would you use
a rambling pattern for the most impact? What would you do to ensure that the pattern was effective? Use
ideas from the chapter and examples to illustrate your answer.
A: The chapter states that rambling speeches can be effective if they draw to a point. This
4. No two people have the same memory or organize ideas the same way. What makes understanding this
gap between speakers and listeners critical to crafting good speeches?
A. Since people don’t process or remember messages the same way, speakers must overcome this
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5. Based on your experience either giving or listening to speeches, what is the “secret ingredient” for
“boiling down” (p. 154) a speech from a preparation outline to a delivery outline to make a successful
presentation?
A: Students’ answers will vary. The discussion should guide students to avoid word-for-word
Activities for in-class work or homework
1. Organizing bodies
This activity gets students physically moving. It works for face-to-face classes, but does not translate to
homework, online, or hybrid delivery. It can work in distance learning depending on the site and
technology.
Directions:
2. Group outlining sticky notes
This activity is a jigsaw structure in which groups of students collaborate on an outline. A jigsaw
structure divides the work in a group of students such that each participant does something separate, like a
piece of a jigsaw puzzle, but all pieces must come together to complete the task. For more information,
search “penn state jigsaw strategy pdf.”
Sticky notes, markers, flip charts
Steps (in class):
1. In groups, students should make a pile of sticky notes listing key points from their article. The
goal is quantity, not quality. Start with the homework and then move to the articles for more.
3. Individual outline with sticky notes
This activity is similar to #2, except completed individually instead of in groups. It works in all formats
including online. Students should complete this activity in preparation for an upcoming speech. They
4. Evaluate a topical organizational pattern
This activity can be structured to fit any kind of format. Students should identify the topical organization
pattern and evaluate its effectiveness in Gever Tulley’s “5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your
Children Do” (search “ted talk 5 dangerous things you should let your children do”). The speaker
provides enumeration (Chapter 8), but miscounts the main points, which might confuse listeners. Because
the speech is well organized, it is easy to follow despite the error, so the speech demonstrates the benefit
of good planning.
Discussion Prompt:
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Evaluate the structure of Gever Tulley’s “5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do” by
identifying the speaker’s thesis, main points, and organization pattern. Is the organization pattern
effective in making the speaker’s point? If you think the speech was effective, what did you find worked
particularly well? If you think the speech was ineffective, what could the speaker have done differently?
Defend your answer with ideas from the chapter and examples from the speech to illustrate.
5. Evaluate a rambling organizational pattern
This activity can be structured to fit any kind of format. Students should identify the organization pattern
of a rambling speech and evaluate its effectiveness. Rich Grehalva’s TEDTalk “Change to an Elder
Culture” meanders even though the message about changing from an elderly to an elder culture is
generally clear. Search “ted talk change to an elder culture”.
Discussion Prompt:
Teaching Tips
1. Taking extra time on outlining can benefit many students since this skill is particularly challenging.
Some students have survived outlining in high school only by reverse engineering them from essays or
speeches. Even students who graduate with bachelors’ degrees manage to leave school without mastering
outlining. For example, outlining is crucial in law school, but faculty commonly lament over students’
lack of skills. Search “prawfsblawg Have Law Students Become Worse Students in Recent Years?” for
2. Students with strong metacognitive skills tend to be more successful learners. Metacognition is
3. For new instructors who have latitude to decide about assigning outlines, some things to consider
include: A) Detailed outlines make grading easier; B) Outlines can provide documentation for potential
4. For managing complicated in-class or group activities, the “Go Strategy” can be effective. This strategy
keeps students from acting until all the directions have been delivered. Simply say, “When I say go,
Content Presentation Ideas
1. Determining Main Points
The goal of this activity is for students to recognize that the speeches with more than three main points
Preparing for the Assignment
Prepare a set of index cards for the class. On each card, write a topic and a number. The number
represents the main points the students should include in their speech. Make sure one group gets the
number “3.”
Assignment Instructions
Research shows that audiences typically have difficulty remembering more than three main points. In
other words, the typical audience finds more than three main speech points to be overwhelming and an
overload of information. So, let’s have some fun and test this theory out.
2. Trying Out Organizational Patterns
This assignment will enable students to become more familiar with the structure and use of various
speech organizational patterns.
After the group presentations, engage the class in a discussion asking questions such as:
Which organizational patterns did you find simple to put together? More challenging?
How long did it take to come up with a topic based on your particular organizational pattern?
3. From Working Outline to Speaking Outline
This assignment will show students a simple and efficient way to create a final speaking outline from the
more comprehensive working outline.
Preparing for the Assignment
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Model this method for the class first. The method consists of taking the detailed working outline and
asking yourself what is necessary to include for the speaking outline versus what is unnecessary. Of
course, all main points and major examples and supporting examples are necessary, but for the speaking
outline, the goal is to only keep what is necessary to present; there should be no full sentences, as this
speech is to be delivered extemporaneously, not word for word. This can be done by using critical
thinking and reasoning skills to cut out the extra words and minor details, so you are left with the major
points, with bullets or notes rather than full sentences.
After you have modeled the method, have students work on their outlines. Keep in mind that you can start
this assignment once students have written their working outline, or you can include developing the
working outline as part of the assignment.
More Resources
1. Video by speech instructor Eric Robertson using five organization patterns similar to the ones in
Speech Craft: search “eric robertson organizational formats for informative speech.” Does not include
3. For a large speech archive for analysis, check out the BELTEI Group, a kindergarten-through-
4. Jess Alberts’s 2009 Thinkwell video on using a delivery outline on notecards: search “thinkwell how to