Selecting an Organizational Pattern

For your audience to follow the development of your speech thesis, you need to arrange your main points into a logical pattern. There are five common organizational patterns: topical, chronological, spatial, cause-effect, and problem-solution.

Topical.Use a topical pattern when your main points can be organized into categories or subtopics. You can arrange the topics in any order—such as least to most important, most to least common, or type (e.g., types of movies: comedy, drama, action, adventure, documentary). Just be sure your order is logical and supports your thesis statement. For example, in a speech about note taking, you could arrange your main points from most common to least common techniques:

Speech thesis: Successful students rely on one of four note-taking techniques.

Main points:

  1. A traditional outline consists of identifying main topics and subtopics.
  2. The fact versus principle pattern lists main points on one side of the page and related facts on the other side.
  3. A mind map creates a diagram to indicate the relationship of ideas as they are presented.
  4. The précis method involves periodically writing brief summaries of ideas.

Chronological.When your main points suggest a time sequence or a series of steps, you can organize them using a chronological pattern. Speeches about a process or how to do or make something often use this pattern:

Speech thesis: Scholar Steven Duck’s model of relationship dissolution demonstrates that a relationship breakup involves more than just saying “good-bye.”

Main points:

  1. The intrapsychic phase involves thinking about your dissatisfaction.
  2. The dyadic phase happens when you discuss your dissatisfaction with your partner.
  3. The social phase occurs when partners inform immediate family and friends about the relationship breakup.
  4. The grave-dressing phase consists of the attributions partners make about why the relationship ended.

Spatial. The spatial pattern shows listeners how things are related within a physical space. For example, if you were briefing a group that’s about to visit Las Vegas for the first time, you’d have an arrangement like the following:

Speech thesis: The excitement of the Las Vegas strip is increased when visitors know the unique attractions found along the way.

Main points:

  1. The south strip features a lot of themed attractions appropriate for families.
  2. The mid strip has many resorts with appeal for young adults.
  3. The north strip preserves some of the charm of old Las Vegas.

Cause-effect. The cause-effect pattern enables you to show how events or forces will lead to (or did lead to) specific outcomes:

Speech thesis: Establishing and maintaining a home garden can benefit your well-being.

Main points:

  1. Creating and tending to a home garden involves physical exercise that burns calories.
  2. Retreating to work in a home garden helps relieve mental stress.
  3. Sharing the products of your home garden builds social connections with others.

Problem-solution.The problem-solution pattern helps you motivate listeners to take action to address a challenge. In this arrangement, you describe a problem and then present a solution:

Speech thesis: Getting an annual health screening as a college student can save your life.

Main points:

  1. Many common diseases affect college students.
  2. The failure to diagnose a treatable disease early can lead to bigger problems.
  3. Annual health screenings have the power to detect problems, making them easier to treat.