Sentence Outline

The first type of outline is the sentence outline, which offers the full text of what you want to say in your speech. Sentence outlines are generally used as you develop and prepare early drafts of your speech because they help you become more comfortable with all aspects of your speech; they are typically not ideal for your actual presentation because many speakers wind up reading directly from the outline, missing out on valuable eye contact with the audience. Consider the following example from Sample Speech Outline 13.1 regarding sleep deprivation:

  1. There are many causes of sleep deprivation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    1. Busy work and family schedules contribute to sleep deprivation.
      1. As college students, many of us are trying to handle full-time course work and full-or part-time jobs to help pay for tuition, in addition to maintaining relationships with loved ones.
      2. New parents are often incredibly sleep deprived as they attempt to adjust to life with an infant as well as those infamous nighttime feedings.
      3. Shift workers (including police officers, nurses, pilots, and so on) often have trouble establishing good sleep habits because their schedules change frequently and they are sometimes required to work the night shift.
    2. Late-night television and Internet use can interfere with the ability to fall asleep or can prevent individuals from adhering to a bedtime schedule.
    3. The use of caffeine and alcohol can also make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
    4. Some medical conditions—including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea—also make sleeping incredibly difficult.