Outlining the
Speech
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
2. Explain the differences between a preparation outline and a speaking outline.
4. Construct a speaking outline following the guidelines presented in the book.
11
158 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Chapter Outline
I. Outlines are essential to effective speeches.
A. An outline helps a speaker see the full scope and content of the speech at a glance.
II. Creating a preparation outline is a vital step in putting a speech together.
A. A preparation outline is a detailed outline used to plan a speech.
B. The process of writing a preparation outline requires that a speaker bring together the
major elements of the speech.
C. There are eight guidelines for effective preparation outlines.
1. The preparation outline should include the speaker’s specific purpose statement.
3. The preparation outline should clearly label the introduction, body, and
conclusion of the speech.
5. The preparation outline should state main points and subpoints in full sentences.
7. The preparation outline should include a bibliography.
8. The preparation outline may also include a title for the speech.
D. Students can log onto Connect for additional resources related to outlining their
speeches.
III. Once the preparation outline is completed, a speaking outline can be drawn up.
A. A speaking outline is a brief outline used to deliver a speech.
B. The primary purpose of a speaking outline is to help a speaker remember what to say.
2. It includes essential statistics and quotations the speaker does not want to forget.
3. It includes cues to direct and sharpen a speaker’s delivery.
C. Speaking outlines are especially effective for extemporaneous speeches.
CHAPTER 11—OUTLINING THE SPEECH 159
D. There are four guidelines for effective speaking outlines.
2. The speaking outline should be plainly legible.
4. The speaking outline should include cues for delivering the speech.
Exercises for Critical Thinking
(from text page 211)
1. In the left–hand column below is a partially blank outline from a speech about the Golden
Gate Bridge. In the right–hand column, arranged in random order, are the subpoints to fill in
the outline. Choose the appropriate subpoint for each blank in the outline.
Outline
I. More than 20 years passed from
the time the Golden Gate Bridge
was proposed to the time it
opened.
A.
II. Now over 80 years old, the
Golden Gate Bridge remains a
marvel of engineering.
A.
2.
B.
1.
Subpoints
Today, those towers make it the world’s
fourth tallest suspension bridge.
Construction finally began in 1933 and ended
in 1937.
The span between its towers is 4,200 feet.
Its two towers rise almost 750 feet above the
waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Once construction of the bridge was
authorized, it took ten years to approve the
suspension bridge in the world today.
At the time it was built, the Golden Gate was
the tallest suspension bridge in the world.
160 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Discussion: This is an excellent exercise to help students develop outlining skills. You
can do the exercise in class, or you can have students use the interactive outlining feature
for this chapter at Connect. In case you wish to assign more than one such exercise, there
are four additional scrambled outlines on Connect, three among the Additional Exercis-
es/Activities in this manual (pages 163–168), and two more among the essay exam ques-
tions in Chapter 11 of the Test Bank.
I. More than 20 years passed from the time the Golden Gate Bridge was proposed to
the time it opened.
A. The bridge was originally proposed in 1916 but faced years of legal hurdles.
II. Now over 80 years old, the Golden Gate Bridge remains a marvel of engineering.
A. At the time it was built, the Golden Gate was the tallest suspension bridge in the
world.
2. Today, those towers make it the world’s fourth tallest suspension bridge.
B. At the time it was built, the Golden Gate was also the longest suspension bridge
in the world.
1. The span between its towers is 4,200 feet.
2. From the preparation outline on the Golden Gate Bridge you constructed in Exercise 1, create
a speaking outline that you might use in delivering the speech. Follow the guidelines for a
speaking outline discussed in this chapter.
Discussion: This exercise helps clarify the differences between a preparation outline and a
speaking outline and gives students practice in creating a speaking outline. Whether or not
CHAPTER 11—OUTLINING THE SPEECH 161
Using Public Speaking in Your Career
(from text page 208)
As the defense attorney in a car theft case, you need to prepare your closing argument to the jury
before it begins its deliberations. After reviewing evidence from the trial, you decide to stress the
following points to demonstrate the innocence of your client:
a. The stolen car was found abandoned three hours after the theft with the engine still warm; at
the time the car was found, your client was at the airport to meet the flight of a friend who
was flying into town.
b. Lab analysis of muddy shoe prints on the floor mat of the car indicates that the prints came
from a size 13 shoe; your client wears a size 10.
As you work on the outline of your speech, you see that these points can be organized into
three main points, each with two supporting points. Compose an outline that organizes the points
in this manner.
Discussion: As with the other Using Public Speaking in Your Career scenarios throughout
the book, this one is meant to illustrate that the principles of effective speechmaking are
applied in a wide range of situations outside the classroom. In dealing with this scenario,
162 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
I. Lab analysis does not support a guilty verdict.
A. Lab analysis of muddy shoe prints on the floor mat of the car indicates that the
prints came from a size 13 shoe; the defendant wears a size 10.
II. The timeline of events in the case does not support a guilty verdict.
A. The stolen car was found abandoned three hours after the theft with the engine
still warm; at the time the car was found, the defendant was at the airport to
meet the flight of a friend who was flying into town.
B. The car was stolen at about 1 p.m.; the defendant testified that he was in a small
town 250 miles away at 11 a.m.
III. Eyewitness testimony does not support a guilty verdict.
A. The only eyewitness to the crime, who was fifty feet from the car, said the thief
“looked like” the defendant; yet the eyewitness admitted that at the time of the
Additional Exercises and Activities
1. Distribute the “Preparation Outline Guide,” which appears on pages 170–171 of this manual.
Discussion: Outlining often proves difficult for students to master. The “Preparation Out-
line Guide” is a companion to numerous other resources in the textbook, in this manual,
and on Connect designed to help students learn the art of effective outlining. You can
even send students the “Preparation Outline Guide” as a Word document, which allows
them to type over the guidelines and retain the proper formatting.
Alternatively, you can send students to Connect, which includes a Speech Outliner
2. In the left–hand column below is a partially blank outline from a speech about suicide among
college students. In the right–hand column, arranged in random order, are the subpoints to fill
in the outline. Choose the appropriate subpoint for each blank in the outline.
Outline
Subpoints
I. Suicide among college students is a
serious problem.
A.
1.
2.
II. We can help solve the problem by
knowing how to identify potential
suicide victims and whom to
contact about helping them.
A.
1.
Even on our campus the rate of suicide and
attempted suicide is quite high.
There are also more subtle warning signs that a
person may try to commit suicide.
One warning sign is loss of appetite.
Identifying potential suicide victims is easier
than you think.
Dean Howard also said that for every known
suicide attempt, two or three more go unnoticed.
According to the National Institute of Mental
Health, suicide is the fastest growing cause of
death for people aged 17 to 24 nationwide.
In an interview with Roger Howard, associate
dean of students, I learned that last year there
were over 60 known suicide attempts on our
campus.
164 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Discussion: When filled in, the outline should look like the one below. (The order of
points IA and IB can be reversed without damaging the students’ answers.)
I. Suicide among college students is a serious problem.
A. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide is the fastest grow-
ing cause of death for people aged 17 to 24 nationwide.
B. Last year 10,000 young Americans committed suicide.
C. Even on our campus the rate of suicide and attempted suicide is quite high.
II. We can help to solve the problem by knowing how to identify potential suicide vic-
tims and whom to contact about helping them.
A. Identifying potential suicide victims is easier than you might think.
1. The National Institute of Mental Health says that 80 percent of the people
2. There are also more subtle warning signs that a person may try to commit
suicide.
a. One warning sign is loss of appetite.
B. There are excellent services on campus and in the community to help potential
suicide victims.
2. In town students can go to the Suicide Prevention Center.
3. In the left-hand column below is a blank outline from a speech about the achievements of
Booker T. Washington. In the right-hand column, arranged in random order, are the main points
and subpoints to fill in the outline. Choose the appropriate main point or subpoint for each
blank in the outline.
CHAPTER 11—OUTLINING THE SPEECH 165
Main Points and Subpoints
I.
2.
B.
II.
A.
B.
2.
a.
All told, Washington delivered some 4,000
public speeches during his 30–year career as an
orator.
When Washington founded Tuskegee Institute
in 1881, the school had only one dilapidated
building and an enrollment of 40 students.
Today, Tuskegee Institute remains a leader in
applied research and practical education.
Washington’s most famous speech is his
“Atlanta Exposition Address” of 1895.
The growth of Tuskegee Institute under
Washington’s guidance was nothing short of
phenomenal.
To this day, Washington’s speech at Atlanta
remains highly controversial.
By the time Washington died in 1915,
Tuskegee Institute occupied 2,000 acres of
land, enrolled 1,500 students, and boasted a
faculty of 200 instructors.
Other people condemn the speech for failing to
denounce racial segregation and inequality.
166 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Discussion: When filled in, the outline should look like the one below.
I. Booker T. Washington is best known for founding Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
A. The growth of Tuskegee Institute under Washington’s guidance was nothing
short of phenomenal.
2. By the time Washington died in 1915, Tuskegee Institute occupied 2,000 acres
of land, enrolled 1,500 students, and boasted a faculty of 200 instructors.
B. Today, Tuskegee Institute remains a leader in applied research and practical
education.
II. Booker T. Washington is also known as one of the ablest speakers in American his-
tory.
B. Washington’s most famous speech is his “Atlanta Exposition Address” of 1895.
1. In the “Atlanta Exposition Address” Washington urged blacks to strive for
economic advancement rather than to agitate for immediate social equality.
2. To this day, Washington’s speech at Atlanta remains highly controversial.
a. Some people praise the speech as a brilliant example of audience ad-
4. In the left–hand column below is a partially blank outline from a speech about robots. In the
right–hand column, arranged in random order, are the subpoints to fill in the outline. Choose
the appropriate subpoint for each blank in the outline.
Outline
Subpoints
I. Robots have captured the human
imagination for centuries.
II. Today robots are used in many
fields, including space
exploration and medicine.
A.
2.
Astronauts use robots to perform maintenance
on the International Space Station.
In 1937, Westinghouse created a seven–foot
Robots have become indispensable to space
exploration.
In 1497, Leonardo da Vinci designed a
mechanical suit of armor that could sit up and
move its arms, neck, and jaw.
In addition, NASA sends robotic spacecraft to
explore distant planets.
168 CHAPTER–BY–CHAPTER GUIDE TO THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Discussion: When filled in, the outline should look like the one below.
I. Robots have captured the human imagination for centuries.
II. Today robots are used in many fields, including space exploration and medicine.
A. Robots have become indispensable to space exploration.
2. In addition, NASA sends robotic spacecraft to explore distant planets.
B. Robots are becoming more and more important in medicine.
2. They also allow surgeons to operate on patients from thousands of miles
away.
5. Distribute “Tips for the Speaking Outline,” which appears on page 169 of this manual.
Discussion: Creating a good speaking outline can be challenging because some
students feel that, in the speaking outline, they lose all the work they put into the
169
Tips for the Speaking Outline
1. Keep your speaking outline as brief as possible. Reduce your speech to key words and
2. Follow the visual framework of symbolization and indentation used in your preparation out-
line. This will make it easier for you to see where you are in the speech at any given moment.
3. Some people put their speaking outlines on index cards; others prefer to write them on paper
5. If you put your speaking outline on index cards, try to use one card for each main point, plus
6. Whether you use index cards or regular paper, write on only one side of each card or sheet of
7. If you compose your speaking outline on a computer, use a large readable font. It is not a good
8. If you are composing your outline on a computer and want to use index cards for your speak-
9. If you write your speaking outline by hand, do not use pencil, which smudges easily and is
often too light to read without straining.
10. Give yourself cues for delivering the speech. Remind yourself to maintain eye contact and to
11. Prepare your speaking outline far enough in advance that you will have plenty of time to
practice with it as you rehearse the speech.
Preparation Outline Guide
The following is a guide to use as you develop preparation outlines for your speeches. For purpos-
es of illustration, this guide has three main points in the body of the speech. In your speeches, of
course, the number and organization of main points, subpoints, and sub–subpoints will vary de-
pending on the topic and purpose of any given speech. However, the elements needed in the out-
line—title, specific purpose statement, central idea, introduction, body, conclusion, connectives,
bibliography—will remain the same. For more information, check the guidelines for preparation
outlines and the sample preparation outline with commentary on pages 198–205 of your textbook.
Name:
Date:
Section:
TITLE
[Check with your instructor to see if you need to include a title with your outline. If you
do, be sure to consult the discussion of speech titles on pages 201–202 of your textbook.]
Specific Purpose Statement: [Should fit the criteria for specific purpose statements on pages 80–
86 of your textbook]
Central Idea: [Should fit the criteria for central ideas on pages 86–90 of your textbook]
INTRODUCTION
[Check with your instructor to see whether the introduction should be written out word
for word or presented in outline form. In either case, label the introduction as a distinct
section of the speech and make sure it fulfills all four major objectives of an introduction
BODY
I. A single complete sentence expressing the main point of this section of the speech.
A. Subpoint [As with main points, subpoints should be written in full sentences.]
2. Sub–subpoint
B. Subpoint
171
II. A single complete sentence expressing the main point of this section of the speech.
A. Subpoint
B. Subpoint
1. Sub–subpoint
2. Sub–subpoint
(Connective: Use a transition or other connective to help the audience move with you from one
main point to the next.)
III. A single complete sentence expressing the main point of this section of the speech.
A. Subpoint
1. Sub–subpoint
B. Subpoint
1. Sub–subpoint
3. Sub–subpoint
C. Subpoint
(Connective: Use a transition or other connective to help the audience move with you from the
body of your speech to the conclusion.)
CONCLUSION
[Check with your instructor to see whether the conclusion should be written out word for
word or presented in outline form. In either case, label the conclusion as a distinct section
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[Here you list complete citations for the research materials used in preparing your speech. The
two major bibliographic formats are those recommended by the Modern Language Association