This summary is organized around the questions found at the beginning of the chapter. See if you can answer them before reading the summary paragraphs.

1. How do I organize the main points of my speech?

You should select between two and five main points for your speech. These main points should express the essence of your speech. The main points should flow smoothly in a logical way that allows the audience to understand at all times during the speech where you have been, where you are, and where you are going. There are several traditional ways of organizing your main points that accomplish this goal, including time, narrative, spatial, topical, comparison, cause and effect, and problem/solution.

2. How do I support and develop the main ideas of my speech?

An effective speech uses a variety of forms of support. Speeches become monotonous and less convincing when you use only one type of development. Instead, you should use a lively mix of supporting materials. You should provide enough support to be credible and interesting. Using too little support makes the ideas shallow and less acceptable. There are many different forms of support available, including testimony, examples, analogies, statistics, explanations, and definitions.

3. What is an effective introduction to my speech?

An effective introduction should gain and maintain audience attention. Your speech should begin with an attention step such as an anecdote, quotation, provocative statement, or statistic that focuses the interest of the audience on your topic. A good introduction should also state the purpose of your speech, preview your main points, establish your credibility, and give the audience a good reason for listening.

4. What is an effective conclusion to my speech?

An effective conclusion should summarize the key points of your speech and reinforce the purpose of the speech with a clincher. The conclusion should also be consonant with the mood of the rest of the speech. Avoid being apologetic or making excuses for your speech. Also, do not open new areas of discussion. Introducing new topics in the conclusion leaves the audience with doubts and questions rather than the main ideas you have tried to convey.

5. How do I outline my speech?

An outline is a visual and verbal map of your speech. An outline helps you organize your information and deliver your speech. To make an outline, you should first group your ideas into two to five main points and then place the subpoints under the appropriate main points. Next, mark each main and subpoint with a consistent set of spaces and symbols to identify all levels of your speech. An effective outline maps the relationship of your ideas by using a conventional system of indentations and symbols. By glancing at an outline, you can easily see the main points, the chief subpoints, and the lesser subpoints by the placement of each sentence on the page. Be sure to use parallel phrasing and sentence structure. Finally, be sure your outline has an introduction and conclusion.