Select an Appropriate Number of Main Points
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In most situations, effective speeches present two to five main points. In our experience, student speeches typically contain three main points. However, there is no rule that you must have three. You may also have two, four, or five main points if that number gives you the most logical organization of ideas.
Most audiences have trouble remembering more than five points. Also, it is unlikely that you will have enough time to develop that many points. Here are a few suggestions for whittling down your main points to a manageable number:
- See whether any of your main points are related. Can two or more main points be combined into a single broader category?
- Review your audience analysis. Are there any points that can be excluded because they will be less likely to resonate with your audience?
- Evaluate which points are the most important to developing your topic or thesis. Exclude the point(s) that are less essential.
If you find that you have only one main point, consider making that point the topic or thesis of your speech. Then organize the information you plan to use to support that point into two to five key ideas, which will become your main points.
