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CHAPTER TEN
ORGANIZING THE BODY OF THE SPEECH
OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter students should be able to:
1. Recognize how to approach speech organization logically;
3. Organize the body of a speech outline;
4. Construct effective speaking notes from an outline.
Additional Skill Builder Exercises
3. Scrambled outline: informative speech. Here is a scrambled outline of the body of an
informative descriptive speech that can be used as pre-test, a homework assignment, or a quiz.
Specific purpose: to inform the audience about chocolate1
SCRAMBLED OUTLINE (BODY)
1. Aphrodisiac in chocolate
3. Effect on teeth
5. 20 degrees on either side of equator
7. Calories contain vitamins
9. Addictive chemicals in chocolate
11. Remainder in South America and Malaysia
13. Godiva for $21 per pound
15. Spaniards distributed to other countries
17. Chocolate Monopoly Set for $600
19. One ounce contains 140-160
21. Acne not caused by chocolate
23. Discovered by Cortes
25. Large consumption causes cavities
27. Chocolatiere Magazine
29. American consumer’s love of chocolate
31. Cacao tree sacred to Aztecs
33. Periodicals exclusively about chocolate
35. Originated in Amazon
37. Novelty items of interest
UNSCRAMBLED OUTLINE (BODY)
I. General origins of chocolate
A. Brief history of cocoa bean
1. Originated in Amazon
3. Discovered by Cortes
4. Spaniards distributed to other countries
B. Location of groves
1. 20 degrees on either side of equator
3. Remainder in South America and Malaysia
II. Health issues related to chocolate
A. Effect on teeth
1. Chemical reduces cavity-causing aspects
1. Few allergic to chocolate
1. Addictive chemicals in chocolate
1. One ounce contains 140-160
2. Calories contain vitamins
E. Aphrodisiac in chocolate
III. American consumer’s love of chocolate
A. U.S. largest importer of cacao beans
B. 90 percent U.S. sales from milk chocolate
C. Novelty items of interest
2. Periodicals exclusively about chocolate
3. Gourmet gifts of chocolate
a. Godiva for $21 per pound
4. Scrambled outline: persuasive convincing speech. Divide your class into groups of 3 or 4
and analyze the following 19 items representing scrambled elements from an outline of a
persuasive speech to convince. Using the thesis as an overall guide, unscramble the items into
the correct three-level outline, using numerals, capital letters, and numbers. Compare your final
version with other groups in your class.
Specific purpose: To persuade listeners that America discriminates against divorced
fathers
Thesis statement: Americans discriminate against divorced fathers through court
decision, legislative actions, and through the general practices of society.
1. Courts’ concern with enforcement of child support
3. Divorced dads are disposable to many women
5. President’s proposed law on child support enforcement
7. economic savings for states regarding enforcement of child support
9. “Deadbeat dads” phrase
11. Discrimination against fathers by the courts
13. Public’s lack of concern for enforcement of visitation rights
15. Court’s lack of concern for visitation right/agreements
17. Discrimination against fathers by society
19. Ease of mothers to deny visitation
Here is the answer to the scrambled outline provided in exercise 2.
Topic: Discrimination against divorced fathers.
Thesis statement: Americans discriminate against divorced fathers through court
decisions, legislative actions, and through the general practice of
society.
Body
I. Discrimination by the courts against fathers
A. Statistics on custody awards to moms versus dads
B. Courts’ concern with child support enforcement
1. Economic savings for the states
3. Punishments for non-compliance
C. Courts’ lack of concern for visitation rights/agreements
2. Ease of mothers to deny visitation
3. Statistics on allowed visitations for fathers
II. Discrimination of fathers by legislature
A. President’s 1992 Democratic acceptance speech excerpt
5. Correct outlining. There are a number of items in the flowing outline that are not constructed
according to correct outline procedure. Have students write the specific purpose and thesis
statements of this persuasive speech and rewrite headings and subdivisions to reflect appropriate
and consistent outline techniques.
improve the U.S. economy, and make America exist as intended by
our forefathers.
I. Improve economy
A. Immigrants save cities with declining populations
B. Doctors
C. Workers keep industries competitive
II. INS control issues
A. INS is understaffed
1. Too few people
B. Immigration
III. Forefathers wanted immigration
A. Overview of Immigration Acts
B. Quote
C. Quote from Declaration of Independence and example from U.S.
Constitution
D. Emma Lazarus (Statue of Liberty)
6. Organizational sequences. Ask students to review the following list of specific purpose
statements and explain which method of organization they would use to arrange the main points
in the body (time, space, causal, or topical order). Have them be able to support their answers.
a. To inform about the life of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong
b. To describe the memorial to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing
c. To describe the damaging aspects of estrogen
InfoTrac/Library Database Exercise
a. Summarize how the author advises speakers to outline a speech.
b. After outlining, the author suggests that speakers “flesh it out.” What is he
referring to? What types of supporting materials does the author advise
speakers to include in speeches?
c. What distinction does the author make between a “presentation” and a
“speech?”
10. What is critical is that students understand the importance of structuring ideas into major and
subordinate points.
Speech Builder Express
The program gives students the opportunity to practice developing outlines of their speeches.
