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A speaking outline is a shorter outline that expresses your ideas in brief phrases, key words, or abbreviations rather than in complete sentences or detailed phrases. This is the outline you will use when you actually deliver your speech. Like the brief set of driving directions we talked about earlier, this brief outline (often written on note cards rather than manuscript paper) provides quick notes that you refer to, rather than read, as you deliver your speech.

The purpose of a speaking outline is to facilitate extemporaneous delivery. As we discuss in both chapter 13, extemporaneous delivery requires that you speak with limited notes; you do not attempt to present a speech word-for-word from manuscript or memory. Your limited notes are there for your reference—you can use them as a reminder of what idea comes next—but you trust yourself to deliver the details more spontaneously, so that your speech feels fresh and conversational.