Outlines part 2

Summary

The video explains how to make a public-speaking outline easier to follow for both the speaker and the audience. Unlike a paper outline, a speech outline needs repetition and verbal cues because the audience cannot see the speaker’s notes or reread earlier sections.

Helping the Audience Follow the Speech

• Signposting: State where you are in the speech and what point comes next. For example: “First, I’ll explain the problem. Second, I’ll discuss its causes.” These cues act like road signs or chapter headings.
• Transitions: Connect one main point to the next. The speaker recommends the restate–forecast model:
  1. Restate the point just covered.
  2. Forecast the next point.

For example: “Now that I’ve explained the problem, let’s look at its causes.”

Though signposts and transitions may sound repetitive, they help listeners track the structure, improving clarity and the speaker’s credibility.

Editing the Outline

The outline is primarily a tool for the speaker: it helps them stay on track, avoid reading, make eye contact, and speak with confidence. To make it more useful:

• Remove filler or vague phrases that add little meaning, such as “in my opinion,” “basically,” “like,” “by the way,” “stuff,” and “things.”
• Keep the outline concise so it is easier to scan during delivery.

The instructor notes that these habits can be hard to eliminate because they are common in everyday speech. The goal is to reduce them in the outline, not to panic over an occasional spoken filler.

Example Outline Structures

Informative Speech

The example topic is communication studies. Possible main points include:

1. The history of communication studies, supported by details about ancient Greek and Roman thought, the field’s development in the 1950s and 1960s, and more modern or critical perspectives.
2. What students can study within the discipline.
3. Courses offered at Chabot.

Persuasive Speech

The example argues that the audience should major in communication studies:

1. Need/problem: Communication skills are important in the workplace, including conflict management and communicating well with others.
2. Cause: People may lack these skills because they do not take enough communication courses.
3. Solution: Take more communication studies classes; provide information on where to take them and evidence that they improve communication.

Both examples use the same general introduction and conclusion structure described in the earlier lesson: introduce the topic, develop main points, then review the points, restate the thesis, and end strongly.

Preparing a Delivery Outline

• Start with a fuller outline, then condense it for delivery.
• Keep the delivery outline to main points, keywords, and short phrases where possible.
• Include supporting material, as well as signposts and transitions.
• Write quotations as accurately as possible and include complete wording for quotes and statistics when needed. Cite sources specifically to avoid misquoting or plagiarism.
• Write out the attention getter if that helps you practice and deliver it confidently, but do not simply read it to the audience.
• Keep the conclusion brief, since it mainly reinforces the introduction and summarizes the speech.
• Add personal prompts—such as “breathe,” “slow down,” “emphasize,” or “relax”—to cue pacing and confidence.
• Format the outline clearly, including indentation, so the speaker can quickly see where they are.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Jason Ames — the instructor and sole speaker in the subtitles.
• The Public Speaking Project, Chapter 8 — recommended as a further resource.
• Sample outlines on Canvas — mentioned as course materials.
• Ron Burgundy from Anchorman — referenced humorously as an example of someone reading everything on a teleprompter.