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Chapter Goals
Chapter 7 focuses on the effectiveness of a well-organized speech and of properly outlined speeches.
Students will learn the important components of organizing a speech in order to be clear public
speakers. Students should have an understanding of the following goals at the end of this chapter:
To develop the appropriate number of main points for a speech
To organize main points according to five different patterns
Chapter Outline
Organize for clarity (pg. 128).
Organization is the systematic arrangement of ideas into a coherent whole
Public speakers usually take considerable time to organize their ideas so that their audiences will find
their message logical and easy to follow.
Order your main points (pg. 130).
Chronological pattern is the pattern of organization that traces a sequence of events or ideas. (pg. 131)
Step 2. “Get ready.”
132).
Arranging ideas from left to right, top to bottom, or inside to outside, helps an audience visualize the
relationship between ideas or the structure of something.
Spatial relationships can be abstract, like eating according to the food pyramid.
Spatial relationships can also indicate the location of real things or places.
Causal pattern is the pattern of organization that describes a cause-and-effect relationship between
ideas or events (pgs. 132-134).
Its two points are to describe the problem followed by a description of the solution.
3. Solutions can be general or specific.
Topical pattern is the pattern of organization that allows the speaker to divide a topic into subtopics,
For causal patterns. Organization of graphs and charts, presentation of statistics.
For problem-solution patterns. Presentation tools can help list the parts or components of a problem or
Tips for preparing main points (pgs. 135-136).
Connectives (pg. 138-140).
Connective. Word or phrase used to link ideas in a speech.
A signpost is a simple word or statement that indicates where you are in your speech or highlights an
important idea.
Introduction.
Capture the attention of the audience.
Reveal the topic of the speech.
A subpoint develops an aspect of a main point.
A sub-subpoint goes deeper to develop an aspect of a subpoint.
Coordination is the process of arranging points into successive levels, with the points on a specific level
having equal importance.
Conclusion.
The conclusion should satisfy two goals, to signal the ending of the speech and to reinforce the thesis
Connectives (pg. 143).
Works cited (pg. 143).
When citing sources, follow the guidelines required by your instructor and the guidelines in Figure 5.3 in
Chapter 5, pg. 97.
Use a consistent pattern of symbols and indentation.
Main points are labeled with capital Roman numerals.
Subpoints are labeled with capital letters, or lower case letters (this will be dependent upon auto
formatting that occurs on your computer).
Sub-subpoints are labeled with Arabic numerals.
Indentations help a speaker to visually indicate the subordination of ideas.
The main ideas are set farthest left.
The speaking outline (pg. 149-151).
Speaking outline, sometimes called speaking notes, is a condensed form of the preparation outline that
you use when speaking.
Tips for the speaking outline (pgs. 150-151).
Use key words and phrases.
Write clearly and legibly.
Use only one side of the card.
End of Chapter Activities and Discussion Questions
The following questions can be found at the end of Chapter 7.
Review Questions and Activities
Write a specific purpose, thesis statement, main points, and subpoints for a speech on a topic of your
choice. Now mix up those main points and subpoints, and try to deliver a sketch of the speech to your
classmates. Can they follow your organization? Why or why not?
This activity can work well as an impromptu speaking activity. Give students time to write out their
thesis statement, main points, and subpoints for the speech. Encourage students to respond with a
Choose one of the following topics: “M & M’s®” candy, “Valentine’s Day,” or “finals week.” Using each of
the five patterns of organization discussed in this chapter, write a specific purpose, thesis statement,
and main points for a speech about the topic you chose. What is the emphasis in each speech,
depending on its organizational pattern?
This activity can work well as an in-class assignment. Place students into small groups and give each
group a specific topic (or have the students choose their topic). Direct the students to follow the
instructions and write an outline for each of the organizational patterns. You can use a variation of the
connectives discussed in this chapter. Now deliver the sketch of your group’s speech to the class (be
sure to use your connectives).
Place students into small groups, and follow the instructions included here. This activity can be very
Divide students into small groups of about 4, and have them work together or individually to create the
preparation outline. Have students give each other feedback on how effectively the preparation outline
Web Activities
One Voice
Access http://www.onevoicemovement.org/to gather additional information about PeaceWorks.
Consider how members of this organization might use the different patterns of organization for
different speeches they may give. How is this useful to you as you prepare speeches in relation to
service learning?
Business Council for Peace
Access http://www.bpeace.org/ By exploring this website you will learn how this organization assists
that emerges in this website. For example, can they use the topical pattern of organization if giving an
informative speech about this organization? How would they use the problem and solution pattern?
MLA and APA Citation Styles
Interactive Student and Professional Speech Videos in MindTap
Video Clip 1: Lisa Alagna, “Breast Cancer Awareness”
Watch Lisa’s speech about breast cancer awareness. What are her main points? What are her
subpoints? What organizational pattern does she use? How effective is this pattern for her particular
topic?
Video Clip 2: Brent Erb, “Stay on Designated Hiking Trails”
Watch how Brent Erb organizes his speech. What are his main points? Is it easy to follow his
organization? What are the advantages of using this pattern? What are the disadvantages?
Additional Exercises and Resources
Transition Words and Phrases
phrases you can use to guide your audience creatively through your speech. Some of these words are
signposts, and some could be useful in transition sentences. Listen to your everyday conversations with
people. What transition words are used? Are you more likely to hear transition words in formal
discussions or informal conversations?
Have students access this website for their own reference. This website can prove to be particularly
Plagiarism: Its Nature and Consequences
Go to http://www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/plagiarism.htm. Search this website to find Duke University’s
description of plagiarism. What is Duke’s definition of plagiarism? How does this definition compare
with what you thought plagiarism is? What is the penalty for plagiarism at your school?
Students often get confused about what plagiarism actually entails. This website can help students
Quoting/Paraphrasing and Works Cited
At the end of this chapter, you will find a handout that includes information on how to directly quote
and paraphrase sources as well as what information to include. Feel free to copy this handout for
Practicing Connectives
For a quick in-class activity, try the following: Have students write a topic on a piece of scrap paper. Then
have students switch their topics around with their peers a few times. Then, have students partner up
A modified version of this assignment is to have students write down topics on a piece of paper and
Preparing a Mini-Speech in Small Groups
To practice general-purpose statements, specific purpose and thesis statements, main points and
connectives, and source citation, direct students to create mini-speeches in small groups. Begin by
placing the students into groups of 3 or 4, and give each group a newspaper or magazine. Tell students
Created by
Jennifer Emerling Bone
T. M. Linda Scholz
Citing Sources While Speaking
Direct quotes: When you use the source’s content word for word.
When you directly quote, you should not use a quotation that is more than a few sentences long
because of wordiness and confusion.
The author and source still need to be cited.
(112).
Information that must be cited: The following information needs to be stated (cited) while you are
speaking.
1. Nine of the dead from the pre-dawn raid on Gaza City were children, including one two-month
old baby who was borne aloft by angry mourners Tuesday in a funeral procession that brought out tens
of thousands of Palestinians to the dusty streets of Gaza.
2. Toronto is the site this year of World Youth Day, a recurring Roman Catholic gathering that the
pope began in the mid-1980’s and makes a point of attending. His journey here brought him within a
few dozen miles of the United States, where revelations of the sexual abuse of young people by Catholic
priests have thrown the church into crisis.
3. Already this summer, in addition to felling a crow in Oklahoma and a blue jay in Nebraska, West
Nile has infected more than 50 birds and 8 horses in Texas. Health officials in Houston on Tuesday
confirmed that a 50-year-old man who went to the emergency room complaining of a stiff neck, nausea,
a low-grade fever and slight confusion, was infected with West Nile, that state’s first human exposure.
“The patient is making a nice recovery. He’ll definitely survive,” said Dr. Daniel Musher, head of
could appear in Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico before the outbreak season tapers off with fall’s
chillier weather.
Source:
Henderson, Diedtra. “W. Nile Virus on the Way to Colorado.” Denver Post. July
The following are a few examples of the different connectives that can be used for a speech focusing on
Topic: Neighbor to Neighbor
General Purpose: To inform
Main Points:
I. Mortgage counseling.
II. Rental assistance.
III. Transitional housing.
Connectives
Transition
“Now that I have told you about mortgage counseling at Neighbor to Neighbor, I will talk about
rental assistance.”
Internal Preview
Internal Summary
“To summarize rental assistance, clients are provided with lists of available housing, and are
provided with counseling to help keep the rental.”
Signposts and Preview
Supplemental Bibliography
Brake, Mike. “9 Steps to Effective Speech-Writing.” Writer’s Digest, 79 (July 1999): 40-43.
In Chapter 6, “Structure as Organization,” Cohen addresses the overall concept of ordering or organizing
in communication. The canon of disposition or arrangement is discussed, as well as order in editing,
Donahue, Elinor. “The Eight Fold Path to Better Speeches: Clarity, Power and Purpose.” Vital Speeches of
the Day, 61 (1995): 669.
Similar to the nine steps asserted by Brake, these tips come in the form of a speech given about
giving speeches. These are great practical tips from a real speechwriter and a fun speech to hand out to
the class and evaluate together.
1997.
Included in this book are an abundance of tips on how to put together a research assignment,
