Organizing your speech

Introduction

Attention-getters Asking questions ? ? ? ? ? Making References Making a startling statement ! ! ! ! ! Telling a story Giving a quotation “ ”

The Link this is the statement that comes between the attention-getter and the thesis statement that logically connects the two. The link should develop a “bridge” between the audience and the topic.

The thesis statement The thesis should both clarify the overall goal of your speech (to inform, to persuade, or to entertain) and state your specific topic.

Preview Statement This is usually one sentence at the end of the introduction that gives the audience an overview of the major areas that will be discussed in the body of the speech.

Body of the speech This is the place where the speaker exhibits in an organized manner their powers of persuasion and reasoning.

When outlining your main points with supporting material and details, you will employ one of the following organizational patterns:

Chronological pattern Items are placed in a time sequence in the order in which they happened.

Climatic pattern Saving your most important point for last.

Spatial pattern Divide the topic on the basis of space relations.

Cause-effect pattern “because of that, this happened.”

Problem-solution pattern Presents a problem and then provides ideas about how the problem can be solved.

conclusion Summarizes the major points of the speech. Presents a solution or an “action step.” Offers a final appeal or a solid final impression. It must fit the mood of your speech. It must make sense. It should bring some finality to your speech so that your audience realizes that you have finished.