As noted earlier, your speaking outline is a brief version of your long working outline. Essentially, it is a set of notes that help you to deliver your speech extemporaneously. By limiting these notes to brief phrases, key words, and abbreviations, you prevent yourself from reading the speech word-for-word and allow yourself to improvise by choosing fresh words as you speak. The speaking outline provides useful reminders of your main and supporting points.

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To deliver the most effective extemporaneous presentation possible, you’ll need to transform your working outline into a speaking outline. You may want to prepare the speaking outline after you’ve practiced your speech several times with your working outline and become thoroughly familiar with the ideas in your presentation. Then you can use the speaking outline for your final practice sessions and for delivering your speech.