Public Speaking (Summer 2019)/Impromptu Outline

Your outline on the notecard may look like this
You end up filling in all the gaps when you deliver the speech. That is, you explain how main point I supports your thesis, and how IIA supports II. We can call these explanations “links” because they link the evidence to the claim or “warrants.” Someone who explains the links between the main points and the thesis and between the evidence and the main points makes it easy for an audience to understand his/her speech. Someone who doesn’t explain the links may leave their audience wondering, “what was that evidence doing in the second main point?” or worse, “what are you talking about?”

The model below is meant as a way of thinking about all the filling that helps transform your truncated (and visually oriented) outline into a clear speech for an audience of listeners. Each step is a chunk of talk. Watch one of the sample outstanding impromptu speeches on the website and you will notice that they follow this model for the most part.

Intro

 * open the speech
 * state your thesis statement
 * preview both your main points

Main point 1

 * state main point 1
 * briefly preview both of your examples
 * discuss your 1st example and how it supports main point 1
 * discuss your 2nd example and how it supports main point 1
 * if you haven’t already, address explicitly what main point 1 means and how it supports your thesis
 * wrap up point 1

Main point 2

 * state main point 2
 * briefly preview both of your examples
 * discuss your 1st example and how it supports main point 2
 * discuss your 2nd example and how it supports main point 2
 * if you haven’t already, address explicitly what main point 2 means and how it supports your thesis
 * wrap up point 2

Conclusion

 * restate your thesis
 * review both your main points
 * conclude the speech

Some phrases for indicating structure
Students have requested some potential phrases for highlighting the structure in their impromptu speeches. Below are a few suggestions. Make up your own as well. All that is important is that you are helping your audience follow along with your speech.


 * Some potential phrases for stating your thesis in the introduction
 * “I am responding to the argument…”
 * “I agree with the assertion…” (Alternatively, “I disagree with the assertion…. And I argue instead…”)


 * Some potential phrases for previewing your main points in the introduction
 * “And we can see this by looking to two main reasons…”
 * “This is true for at least two reasons…”
 * “Two thing really stand out to me when thinking about this…”


 * Some potential phrases for previewing your examples in your main points
 * “I can think of two examples that show this well…”
 * “two things jump out to me on this..”


 * Some potential phrases for transitioning between main points
 * “Now that we have examined…, let’s move on to …”
 * “Having discussed…., let us turn now to….”


 * Some potential phrases for restating your thesis in the conclusion
 * “So in the end, I do think that…”
 * “So, in response to the argument…, I have argued…”