Select any of the sample speeches in this textbook. Working individually or in groups, condense the speech into a speaking outline.

Take a look at both the working outline (pp. 319–25) and the speaking outline (pp. 329–32) for Josh Betancur’s speech, “Invisibility: Science Fiction No More!” Could you deliver the speech yourself using his working outline? Why would it be difficult to deliver the speech yourself, right now, using only his speaking outline? What type of preparation could help you deliver his speech from his speaking outline?

Watch the clip from Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s commencement speech. Prepare a speaking outline of her remarks, and use that outline to deliver the excerpt from her speech. Then watch the video clip again. How closely did your speech match Senator Hutchison’s presentation?

Open one of your textbooks from another course, and outline a chapter based on the headings, subheadings, and key terms that appear in boldfaced or colored text. Do these elements show a clear hierarchy of ideas? How clear a picture of the chapter does the outline create? Could you summarize the chapter using only the outline?