The success of giving a speech in front of a group of people or in an important event is largely determined by quality preparation. A good speech outline makes you more prepared and confident so that you appear more charismatic and convincing. To outline a good speech, start by learning how to introduce yourself, address the main topic of your speech, explain important issues, and cultivate audience interest.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Composing the Preface
Step 1. Begin the speech by greeting the audience
When you stand on stage to give a speech, the audience will wonder who you really are. If someone has already introduced you to your audience, don't forget to say thank you, including the organizer or the person who invited you.
- Keep in mind that you may feel nervous when you start your speech. Write it down in the outline of a speech as a reminder.
- If you have information that connects you to the audience and the organizers, disclose it when you make a brief introduction, especially if no one has introduced you to the audience.
- Example sentences to introduce yourself: “Good afternoon. Introducing, my name is Sari Matahari. For the past five years, I have been volunteering in the Animal Lovers Community. Thank you to the committee for inviting me to explain the importance of pet sterilization.”
Step 2. Start the speech with something interesting
After introducing yourself, try to get the audience's attention, for example by telling jokes, personal experiences, or observations about the topic to be discussed.
- When determining the right way for your audience to listen, prioritize what interests them, not what you find interesting or humorous.
- To build confidence that your audience will pay attention, practice in front of friends or family members who are the same age or interest as the audience who will be listening to you speak.
- For example: if you want to explain the importance of pet sterilization to a family community living in the suburbs, open your speech by telling a funny story from the Disney movie “101 Dalmatians”.
Step 3. Give reasons for your audience to listen to you speak
To end the introduction, move from trying to grab the audience's attention using anecdotes to getting into the main material by delivering 1-2 transitional sentences.
- Briefly explain the importance of the topic or issue you will be discussing.
- If the speech is informative, explain why the information is so important or relevant to the audience.
- For an argumentative speech, explain what will happen if the problem is not addressed.
- Example of a transition sentence: “Every year, animal shelters must kill 500 stray cats and dogs. If a pet is sterilized, the number will be less than 100.”
Step 4. Present your thesis
In a broad sense, a thesis is a statement that explains the scope of the speech material. The structure and content of the thesis sentence is determined by the type of speech to be delivered.
- If you want to give an argumentative speech, the thesis sentence will explain important facts that you want to prove through the information and supporting evidence presented in the speech.
- Example thesis sentence to state that all pets must be sterilized: “The whole community will benefit if all pets are sterilized.”
- The thesis sentence in an informative speech is a summary of the information conveyed to the audience through the speech.
- For a scientific speech, the thesis sentence reflects a hypothesis based on a scientific study that you will convey during your speech.
Step 5. Build credibility
After delivering the topic of your speech, give your audience a reason why they need to hear you speak. Building credibility doesn't always require a certain degree or years of research, but simply by sharing personal experiences.
- If you are going to give a speech to discuss a certain subject, "credibility" can be obtained through the fact that you have attended the lesson and done research.
- However, if you are preparing a speech that is backed up by personal experience, this is a good time to say it.
- For argumentative speeches, you can increase credibility by sharing personal experiences to support the subject of the speech. For example: You want to give a speech about housing policy in an urban setting because you know a family who has experienced an eviction. Personal experience can be more useful to an audience than professional knowledge in a particular area.
Step 6. Present the main topic of your speech
Once your audience knows what you're going to say, why you want to talk about it, and why they need to hear you speak, provide a summary of the main topic of your speech that you're going to elaborate on further.
- Although there are no fixed rules, speeches usually consist of three main topics. When introducing yourself, address the three topics in the order in which you made your speech. The order in which the topics are covered depends on the type of speech you are going to deliver.
- For example: a speech about pet sterilization will explain the benefits for the animal itself, for the family caring for it, then for the community as a whole. Start from the smallest scope and then discuss broader things.
- For an argumentative speech, start by presenting the strongest argument and then provide other supporting arguments.
- If you want to make a speech to convey information in the order of events, deliver it in chronological order. Informative speeches can also be delivered from the most broad topics followed by more specific topics.
- Finally, you can sort the topics so that your speech feels more natural and makes it easier to move on to the next topic.
Part 2 of 3: Composing the Main Material of the Speech
Step 1. Write down the first topic
Outline your speech by writing down the first topic you want to cover. Arrange transitional sentences so that the transition from the introduction to the main material of the speech goes smoothly.
- The first topic that will be the first sentence of the outline of the speech usually begins with a roman numeral.
- Below the first sentence, put a number in front of the subtopic that contains explanations, statistical data, or supporting facts. Depending on the outline format you choose, these sentences usually start with letters or bullets.
Step 2. Present supporting evidence or arguments
Under the first topic, write supporting evidence or facts to explain the topic you want to cover, for example: dates, statistical data, or citations from bibliographic sources.
- Just like presenting a topic, present subtopics or supporting evidence starting with the strongest evidence. If you run out of time, you can skip the last topic without missing anything important.
- The evidence or subtopic you need to provide depends on the type of speech you want to deliver.
- Do not present numbers or statistics that are too long because the audience will have a hard time remembering them. If you want to convey important information in the form of numbers or statistical data, present it in graphic form to make it more useful.
- Keep in mind that personal experiences or anecdotes can help you better explain the topic during your speech.
- For example: if the first topic is pet sterilization for the good of the animal itself, provide information that this method makes the animal live longer, reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, and is healthier than non-sterilized animals.
Step 3. Move on to the next topic
After you have written all the information in the first topic, read again from the beginning and then build 1-2 sentences as a transition from the first topic to the second topic.
- Don't focus too much on transitional sentences because you don't need to use words that sound great. If you haven't found the right sentence, use simple phrases.
- Example of a transition sentence: “After we discuss the impact of sterilization on pets, I will explain the benefits of pet sterilization for families who care for them.”
- You can make good transitions with certain words or phrases, such as the words “impact” and “benefit” in the examples above.
Step 4. Repeat the same for the next topic
The outline of the speech will have the same format for the next two (or more) topics. Begin to outline the speech by writing the first topic followed by 3-4 subtopic sentences starting with letters or points followed by supporting facts.
Put the interests of the audience first and consider the topic thoroughly when choosing the subtopics or facts you will explain in your speech. Think of things that are useful, surprising, or interesting to your audience
Part 3 of 3: Compose Closing Sentences
Step 1. Set up a smooth transition
Once you've finished compiling your main material, you need to prepare good transitional sentences to let your audience know that you've finished your speech.
Transition sentences don't have to sound great and don't have to be too long. You can simply say: “In conclusion” then present a summary of the speech material
Step 2. Make a summary of the material you have presented
Speech coaches usually describe the steps of a speech as follows: “explain what you want to say, explain, then explain what you have said”. Begin your conclusion by emphasizing to your audience the important points you have made in your speech.
- At this time, you only need to convey the conclusion of all the material you have presented, instead of providing detailed explanations.
- Do not provide new information in the summary at the end of the speech.
- Example of a closing sentence: “As you already know, pet sterilization is very beneficial for the whole community, not just you and your pet.”
Step 3. Resubmit your thesis
To confirm your thesis at the end of your speech, construct a sentence that contains an important conclusion or finding, rather than the hypothesis you presented at the beginning of your speech.
- Know that a new speech can be said to work well if you manage to prove the thesis and its benefits. The resubmission of the thesis must be linked to the conclusion and stated in a clear sentence.
- If you want to give a short speech, combine the conclusion with the thesis in one sentence as a summary of the entire speech material.
- Sample speech summary: “After understanding the benefits of sterilization for the health of your pet, your family, and the well-being of the entire community, it is clear that pet sterilization should be a priority for the owner.”
Step 4. Deliver a message that your audience will remember
As a closing sentence, use the same techniques you started your speech with to get attention, for example by telling an anecdote or restating an important issue in a humorous way.
- Think about how to reconnect the entire material with the story you are telling while trying to get the audience's attention at the beginning of your speech.
- For an argumentative speech or similar, the closing sentence usually contains a message for action. Give examples to prove how important your speech material is and then convey an appeal for the audience to take action based on the information you just conveyed.
- When asking your audience to act, provide specific detailed information, for example: where they should go, who they should call, and when they should act.
- Example of an appeal sentence: “Next week, the Sayang Satwa community which accommodates abandoned animals will conduct free pet sterilization at their clinic located on Jl. Wildlife 999. Please contact Ms/Mr _ at the registration section by calling 123-4567890.”
Step 5. Thank your audience and the person who invited you
Thanking your audience for listening to you speak shows that you respect and value their time. If you've been invited by a specific person or organization, say thank you again.
- If the duration of the speech turns out to be longer than the allotted time, you should also express appreciation for the extra time that the audience has given.
- Write it in the outline of a speech as a reminder, but don't write a word-for-word thank you. Express a sincere thank you because the audience will still listen to you, even if it takes too long.
Step 6. Take time to answer questions
Discuss in advance with the organizers whether you can or should give the opportunity to ask the audience. If there is a question and answer session, write it down in the outline of the speech so you can share it at the end of the speech.
- If the question and answer session will be conducted in a certain way, don't forget to take notes so you don't forget to announce that the audience is welcome to ask questions.
- Also include if you want to limit the time or number of questions for the Q&A session.
Tips
- Drafts of outlines of speeches do not have to be prepared sequentially. You can start with the main material and then develop an introduction and conclusion. Sometimes, the introduction is more difficult to prepare if you haven't prepared the full speech material.
- Type out the outline of your speech using a script writing application that provides a variety of formats so that the script can be neatly organized by itself.
- Use large fonts to make them easier to read with just a quick glance down. Print out the outline of the speech, place it on the table in front of you, then read it standing up. If you have to bend over because the text is too small, increase the font.
- If you want to give a speech on a particular subject, prepare a speech outline with the material or in a predetermined format. Review your work carefully before submitting it to the teacher. Make sure the material and format are appropriate, even if you want to use a slightly different outline.
