Arranging Speech Points Using a Spatial Pattern

When describing the physical arrangement of a place, a scene, or an object, logic suggests that the main points be arranged in order of their physical proximity or direction relative to each other. This calls for the spatial pattern of arrangement. For example, you can select a spatial arrangement when your speech provides the audience with a “tour” of a particular place:

THESIS STATEMENT: El Morro National Monument in New Mexico is captivating for its variety of natural and historical landmarks.
  1. Visitors first encounter an abundant variety of plant life native to the high-country desert.
  2. Soon visitors come upon an age-old watering hole that has receded beneath the 200-foot cliffs.
  3. Beyond are the famous cliff carvings made by hundreds of travelers over several centuries of exploration in the Southwest.
  4. At the farthest reaches of the magnificent park are the ancient ruins of a pueblo dwelling secured high atop “the Rock.”

In a speech describing a geothermal heating and cooling company’s market growth across regions of the country, a speaker might use the spatial arrangement as follows:

THESIS STATEMENT: Sales of geothermal systems have grown in every region of the country.
  1. Sales are strongest in the Eastern Zone.
  2. Sales are growing at a rate of 10 percent quarterly in the Central Zone.
  3. Sales are up slightly in the Mountain Zone.
  4. Sales in the Western Zone are lagging behind the other regions.