CHAPTER 14: Organizing and Presenting Public Speeches
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying the topics in this chapter, students should be able to:
1. List and explain the three ways in which oral communication differs from written
communication.
3. Identify seven common organizational patterns used in speeches.
5. Recall tips for understanding and managing speech anxiety.
6. Use the recommendations in this chapter to effectively practice an upcoming speech.
MINDTAP ENGAGEMENT QUESTION
The first student activity in Chapter 14 asks students a polling question where they are presented
with a set of answer choices. One point is awarded regardless of what answer they choose. The
question is designed to reveal beliefs or assumptions about a chapter-specific topic. As an
instructor, you can view your classes’ responses as a pie chart within MindTap and discuss the
results in class, if you choose. This chapter’s question is:
What aspects of delivery are most important to you when you are listening to a speech?
a. A speaker’s eye contact with audience members matters most to me.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Good organization is important for effective public speaking.
A. Listeners expect ideas to be structured in an orderly way.
2. Listeners can understand and remember content that is well organized because
they grasp connections between ideas.
4. Good organization enhances a speaker’s credibility because it reflects well on a
speaker’s preparation and respect for listeners.
5. Organization of oral and written communication has three key differences.
a. Oral communication requires more explicit organization.
b. Oral communication benefits from greater redundancy within the message.
c. Oral communication should rely on less complex sentence structures.
B. Outlines provide a clear, concise profile of the speech.
2. A formal outline includes all main points, supporting materials, transitions, and a
bibliography of sources. If the speech includes quotations, statistics, or other
3. A key word outline includes only key words for each point to trigger the speaker’s
memory.
C. Seven useful patterns for organizing the body of a speech are:
1. Temporal patterns (also called time or chronological patterns) organize ideas
chronologically.
3. Topical patterns organize ideas into several categories, classes, or areas of
discussion.
5. Comparative patterns compare two or more objects, people, situations, events, or
other phenomena.
6. Problem–solution patterns organize ideas into a problem and a solution that the
7. Cause–effect and effect–cause patterns organize ideas by representing one thing
as caused by another or one thing as the cause of another.
D. A good introduction accomplishes four goals: (a) It captures listeners’ attention, (b) it
presents a clear thesis statement, (c) it enhances the speaker’s credibility, and (d) it
previews how the speech will be developed.
1. The first objective of an introduction is to gain listeners’ attention.
a. A dramatic piece of evidence such as a stirring quotation, visual aid, statistic,
or example can capture attention.
3. An introduction should build credibility for the speaker.
a. Listeners regard the speaker as credible if she or he seems qualified to speak
4. An introduction should preview the body of the speech.
a. Main points of the speech body should be announced.
b. A good preview tells listeners how to follow a speaker as she or he presents a
speech.
E. An effective conclusion summarizes the speech and provides a memorable final
thought.
F. Transitions should be built into speeches.
2. Transitions may be nonverbal behaviors that signal listeners that new points are
being introduced, a speaker is moving on, and so forth.
II. Presenting Public Speeches
A. Speaking confidence enhances effectiveness; however, many people experience a
degree of anxiety about communicating in some situations.
B. There are different causes of communication apprehension.
1. Five situational factors may generate apprehension.
a. We tend to be more anxious when communicating with people who are
2. Chronic communication apprehension is more difficult to manage. People who
have chronic communication anxiety learn to fear communication.
C. There are methods for managing communication apprehension.
2. Speakers can use positive self-talk and challenge negative, self-defeating
thoughts.
4. Engaging in positive visualization is another way to reduce communication
apprehension, by guiding apprehensive speakers through imagined positive
speaking experiences.
D. Oral style involves speaker’s visual, vocal, and verbal communication with listeners.
1. Oral style is more informal than written communication.
3. Oral style is more immediate and active than written style.
E. Four styles of delivery have been identified.
2. Extemporaneous speaking involves substantial preparation and practice, but
actual words and nonverbal behaviors are not memorized.
4. Memorized speaking involves committing an entire speech to memory and
1. Many speakers prefer to practice alone initially.
3. Recording your practice and reviewing the clip is helpful.
4. Practice in front of others.
III. Digital Media and Speech Organization and Delivery
A. Digital media can be major assets during the processes of organizing and delivering a
speech.
2. Increasingly, speakers rely on tablets or smartphones rather than paper notes or
outlines.
You can also search for these terms directly in MindTap to find them in the Reader. Students can
use flashcards in MindTap to study key concepts.
KEY TERMS PAGE IN TEXT
Communication apprehension 283
Extemporaneous speaking 286
Formal outline 271
Impromptu speaking 285
Key word outline 272
ACTIVITIES
1. Outlining Exercise
This exercise is designed to introduce students to proper outlining form. Begin by dividing the
class in half down the center of the room. Divide the chalkboard or dry erase board space evenly
between the two halves of the class.
2. Impromptu Delivery Exercise
This exercise gives students the opportunity for an in-class impromptu speech exercise while
drawing attention to common delivery problems. In class, you will need to briefly discuss speech
organization before asking students to perform this exercise.
Begin by asking students to bring to class three impromptu speech topics. You can lead them in
keys every time the speaker’s hands touch or drop below his or her waist (you should explain to
students that it is not inappropriate during a speech for their hands to touch or drop below their
waists; this is merely an exercise to make them more aware of their gestures). The students
monitoring eye contact should keep their hands raised during the speech until the speaker makes
direct and sustained eye contact with them three times.
3. What’s in a Style
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate to students the impact of different styles of
presentation by having students give speeches using two or more styles. Unless a major portion
of your course is devoted to public speaking, it will not be feasible to have all students engage in
4. PowerPoint Presentations
5. Taking Our Show on the Road
An effective final speaking assignment is to have students give their speeches to audiences other
6. Adapting the Presentation to Their Audiences
Ask students to work with their public speaking teams to decide how they might adapt the
7. Random Acts of Kindness Speech
Chris Inman, a former student of Julia Wood, developed the following exercise for his classes in
public speaking. He graciously allowed it to be included in the manual.
The purpose of this assignment is to give students an opportunity to create a story and then
present the story as a narrative speech. Students enjoy this assignment because it not only gives
them practice in speaking, but it also introduces them to an idea that can enhance their lives.
2. Buy a cold drink for your entire row at the baseball game.
4. Go to an AIDS hospice or hospital ward and talk with a patient who you don’t know.
6. Buy a giant box of candy, take one piece, and pass the rest down your row at the movie
theater.
8. Write a thank-you note to a clerk or other person who helped you.
10. Stop and spend a few minutes talking to a homeless person. Offer to go to lunch with the
person.
11. Send flowers to someone who is having a rough time.
After brainstorming ideas, explain the assignment: Each student is to engage in at least one
8. Communication Apprehension
Break your class into their speech groups, and have each group brainstorm about ways to relieve
9. Constructing the Introduction and the Conclusion
After discussing the essential components of the introduction and the conclusion of a speech,
divide students into groups of four to five students per group. Have one member of each group
draw a persuasive topic from a bag or jar of topics you’ve put together beforehand. Each group
will have 15 minutes to prepare an introduction and a conclusion for the topic.
For the purposes of this activity ONLY, group members can “create” their own data, statistics,
and evidence as long as they “create” their own source citations for their data. Group members
will need to come up with an effective attention-getter, reveal their thesis statements, establish
their credibility, and preview their points for the introduction. In their conclusion, members must
also bring the speech to closure, repeat their points, and leave the audience with a memorable
JOURNAL IDEAS
• Take one chapter in your textbook and determine the organizational pattern employed. Why
do you think the author chose this pattern? What other ways of organizing the chapter
material might have been effective?
• Select a professor or other public communicator whom you consider particularly effective in
public presentations. Listen to this person when he or she is speaking and note whether he or
she uses the characteristics of oral style discussed in Chapter 14.
• Think of a previous public speaking experience and recall it as you assess your level of
communication anxiety. How did you feel going into the speech? How did you feel during
the speech? How did you feel after the speech? How would you rate your overall attitude
toward public speaking? What steps can you take to increase your confidence as a speaker?
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
There are additional student resources in MindTap. If you have a networked computer in your
classroom and a projection system for viewing the computer screen, you can easily introduce
your students by walking them through the process for accessing the website. If you don’t have
this projection and computer equipment in your classroom, you can share the resources in this
Web Links
Website Description
URL
This article, “How To Conquer Public Speaking Fear,”
was written to help people overcome their fear of public
speaking.
https://sajidocean.wordpress.com/category/how–to–
conquer-public-speaking-fear-by-morton-c-orman/
This site gives students tips for presenting speeches and
provides links to helpful sites about public speaking.
http://www.aresearchguide.com/3tips.html
This website offers an excellent collection of speeches.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html
To learn more about regional and ethnic dialects that
might affect speakers’ effectiveness, visit the Slanguage
website.
http://www.slanguage.com/
TEST ITEMS
Multiple Choice Items
1. “Today I will explain to you how humans have evolved from apes to Neanderthals to the
human form we have today.” This thesis sentence suggests which organizational pattern?
a. temporal
b. spatial
c. motivated sequence
d. comparative
e. topical
2. “In my speech I will demonstrate that there are clear parallels between the study of natural
sciences and the study of humanities.” This thesis sentence suggests which organizational
patterns?
a. temporal
b. spatial
c. motivated sequence
d. comparative
e. topical
3. “My talk will inform you about what the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is, the work they do, and
how you can donate.” This thesis statement suggests which organizational pattern?
a. temporal
b. spatial
c. motivated sequence
d. comparative
e. topical
4. “I hope to give you an appreciation of important differences between social media and mass
media.” This thesis statement suggests which organizational pattern?
a. temporal
b. spatial
c. motivated sequence
d. comparative
e. topical
5. All of the following are ways organization increases speaker effectiveness EXCEPT
a. people generally expect structure and they expect ideas to be orderly
b. organization influences comprehension of ideas.
c. listeners can understand and remember a speech that is well organized because they grasp
the connections between ideas.
d. listeners find an organized speech more informative than persuasive.
e. organization enhances credibility.
6. “Our campus reflects contributions of administrators, faculty, students, and staff.” This thesis
statement suggests which organizational pattern?
a. temporal
b. comparative
c. problem-solution
d. star
e. topical
7. “All students who graduate should be literate in speaking,” “All students who graduate
should be literate in communication technologies,” and “All students who graduate should be
literate in cultural life.” These main points suggest which organizational pattern?
a. temporal
b. comparative
c. problem-solution
d. star
e. topical
8. An introduction…
a. gets listeners’ attention, is funny, includes a story, and presents the thesis.
b. previews the content of the speech, includes the thesis, and also includes the speaker’s
name.
c. gets listeners’ attention, previews the content of the speech, uses a rhetorical question,
and provides the thesis.
d. previews the content of the speech and includes a credibility statement.
e. gets listeners’ attention, previews the content of the speech, and presents the thesis
statement.
9. The type of speaking that involves preparation and practice resulting in a conversational and
interactive manner with the audience is
a. extemporaneous.
b. impromptu.
c. manuscript.
d. memorized.
e. cohesive.
10. All of the following are true of communication anxiety EXCEPT
a. Communication anxiety is only imagined and not real.
b. A degree of anxiety is natural and helpful to speakers.
c. Anxiety strong enough to hinder our ability to interact with others is communication
apprehension.
d. Communication apprehension may be situational or chronic.
e. Up to 95% of Americans have some speaking anxiety.
11. This type of outline is basically a map of the speech and can be called a “sketch” of the
speech.
a. a working outline
b. a formal outline
c. a key word outline
d. oral style
e. delivery
12. All of the following characterize oral style EXCEPT
a. oral style is more formal than written communication.
b. oral style tends to be more personal than written style.
c. oral style tends to be more immediate than written style.
d. oral style tends to be more active than written style.
e. oral style tends to use more simple sentences.
13. Which of the following terms involves speakers’ visual, vocal, and verbal communication
with listeners?
a. outlining
b. positive visualization
c. communication anxiety
d. cognitive restructuring
e. oral style
14. Which of the following methods of reducing communication apprehension aims to reduce
anxiety by guiding apprehensive speakers through imagined positive speaking experiences?
a. systematic desensitization
b. cognitive restructuring
c. positive visualization
d. skills training
e. reflective practicing
15. Which of the following is not true about practicing your speech?
a. You should begin by practicing alone.
b. You should practice in front of others.
c. You should videotape your practice and watch the tapes.
d. You should practice until you have the speech memorized.
e. All of these choices are true about practicing your speech.