Chapter 11 Review

“A good outline strengthens organization and preparation.”

In this chapter, we explained the importance of outlining. We showed you how to develop and use working and speaking outlines to organize your ideas, practice your presentation, and ultimately deliver an effective speech. A detailed working outline shows the structure of your speech and the hierarchy of your ideas, as well as full quotations for all evidence you’ll provide in your speech. This long outline also includes notes for transitions and visual aids. Use your working outline to practice your speech until you’re thoroughly familiar with it.

Your speaking outline is briefer and condenses your ideas, using phrases, key words, and abbreviations. It still should retain word-for-word quotations from your evidence sources. Speaking outlines usually are prepared on numbered note cards or on pieces of 8½ in. × 11 in. paper; the writing on these outlines must be clear and easy to read. You may want to develop your speaking outline only after you’ve practiced your speech extensively with your working outline. The speaking outline helps you present your speech conversationally—by conveying your ideas in your own words, maintaining eye contact with the audience, and not reading a word-for-word script or reciting your presentation from memory. The speaking outline also serves as a handy reminder if you lose your place while delivering your speech, if you need to quote evidence during your talk, or if you want to remember certain delivery tips (such as emphasizing a particular point while presenting your speech).

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LaunchPad for Speak Up offers videos and encourages self-assessment through adaptive quizzing. Look for the check icon and play icon throughout the chapter for adaptive quizzing and online video activities.

Key Terms

outlining 306

working outline 308

Play video speaking outline 309

Play video extemporaneous delivery 309

body 310

subordination 311

evidence 313

Play video transition 314

Play video introduction 314

Play video conclusion 315

list of works cited 315

delivery reminder 326

Review Questions

  1. Question

    Explain the differences between a working outline and a speaking outline.

  2. Question

    How does creating an outline help ensure that your ideas are well supported?

  3. Question

    Describe the most important guidelines for creating a working outline for a speech’s body, introduction, and conclusion.

  4. Question

    What are the benefits of delivering your speech from a relatively brief speaking outline?

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    Question

    Describe the most important guidelines for creating an effective speaking outline.

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Question

    If you were to give a speech on the nature of working outlines, what would your main points be? How would they compare to the main points of a speech about the nature of speaking outlines?

  2. Question

    How can the process of developing a working outline help you be more confident when delivering your final speech?

  3. Question

    Can you think of a situation in everyday life in which you use subordination? How might you use subordination in a conversation with a friend? In a writing assignment? What does this lead you to believe about the importance of subordination in communication?

Activities

  1. Question

    Select any of the sample speeches in this textbook. Working individually or in groups, condense the speech into a speaking outline.
    Chapter 11 - Activity Question 1

  2. Question

    Take a look at both the working outline and the speaking outline 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?
    Chapter 11 - Activity Question 2

  3. Question

    Video Activity 11.4, “DuBoise, Central Texas Coalition against Human Trafficking.” Watch the clip from a persuasive speech against human trafficking. Prepare a brief speaking outline of the speaker’s conclusion, and use that outline to deliver the excerpt from her speech. Then watch the video clip again. How closely did your speech match the presentation?
    Chapter 11 - Activity Question 3

  4. Question

    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 is the picture of the chapter that the outline creates? Could you summarize the chapter using only the outline?
    Chapter 11 - Activity Question 4