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There are many reasons to create an outline, but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline when you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information.
Many people find that organizing a speech or presentation in outline form helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd.
Below are the primary reasons for creating an outline.
An outline helps guide you as you prepare your speech as follows:
You can ensure you do not skip anything crucial and that your speech follows a logical sequence and order of information.
Your outline should consist of the three main components of your speech: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Within each of these sections, you'll need to plan more specifically what you would like to say.
You can list your hook in the introduction; identify three or so main points in the body of your speech. Clearly lay out how you will end your speech and what thoughts you will leave your audience with in your conclusion.
It is important to keep in mind that your outline is only a guide. The purpose of it is to aid you in delivering a clear speech that flows smoothly and effectively, communicating all your ideas. An outline is not a script of your speech with the exact text you want to say, nor is it a rigid structure that you must follow exactly when giving your speech.
Think of your outline as a skeleton—a tool for the delivery of extemporaneous speaking. It will serve as the backbone of your speech, providing you with a solid structure on which to build. However, it is your job to flesh it out and enrich it. Use your creative flare to make the bare bones more appealing and accessible to your audience.
A preparation outline is a precursor to your speech outline. As its name suggests, a preparation outline helps you prepare your speech.
Presentations that require significant research, visual aids, or other types of content outside of speech rehearsal usually require organization and preparation in the form of an outline.
An outline is a list of items organized according to a consistent principle. Each item may be divided into additional sub-items or sub-points. A preparation outline consists of three main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. It also includes the title of the speech.
The types of preparation outlines for speeches vary. However, it is up to you to evaluate the style most appropriate for the speech, as well as the best form to assist you.
Common outline styles include sentence outlines, topic outlines, chronological outlines, and alphanumeric outlines. While sentence outlines follow a hierarchical structure composed of sentences and headings around the subject of the speech, topic outlines are comprised of topics and subtopics.
Alphanumeric outlines include a prefix in the form of a Roman numeral at the top level, uppercase letters for the next level, Arabic numerals for the third level, and lowercase letters for the final level.
If, for example, you have separate visual aids for the introduction, main points in the body of your speech, and your conclusion, then using a sentence style for your preparation outline may be more appropriate.
Your preparation outline will start with the introduction and may include an agenda or preview of the main topic and an attention-grabbing quote, statistic, or anecdote to engage your audience in your topic.
The body of your speech will contain the main points that support your key message (thesis). You should add subtopics underneath each main topic covered in the body to provide additional supporting detail.
No matter what type of speech you are giving, every preparation outline should have a conclusion. The conclusion allows you to restate and emphasize your main topic or argument (mentioned in the introduction) in a summary or list of key points. Moreover, you should identify how you will end your speech for the audience.
Additional items you can add to the preparation outline include a reference list of sources you have used to prepare your speech.
Remember, an outline is simply your guide. While there are traditional and nontraditional ways of outlining, do not worry about "right and wrong" ways to outline. However, a standard preparation outline can serve as a helpful aid for a well-prepared and organized presentation.
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