The Speech Outline

Speech Template Example

I. – Introduction

II. Central Idea

     Key Points (3) for the stool to stand

III. Expanding on your three key points with explanation and evidence

      With at least two examples for each key point. 

IV. Conclusion 

Needs for the Crowley Speech Template

Add explanation for the outline

The explanation

Here you will explain what kind of organization you choose and why. You will also talk about why you choose the particular introduction and conclusion. This should take no less than two paragraphs. (Paragraphs are four or five sentences each.)

Example 

I. – Introduction

            Here is where you will pull your listener in and get them interested in your subject. This might be a good place to tell a little story about your subject to connect to your audience. It does not have to be long – but it needs to put the audience in the right frame of mind to hear the rest of the speech. 

“There are some things in life that when you see it, or hear it, or smell it makes you feel happy and makes you feel like a kid again. When I get a whiff of peanut butter, I'm 10 years-old again. My mother made the best PB&J. I could make it myself but it was always better when she made it for me.  She would ask me how I wanted it and each time, for fun, I would change the way I wanted my sandwich. I sat at our kitchen counter she would ask me about my day and ask me about what kind of jelly or how much peanut butter. She took her time, and maybe some people might think it would be silly to take five minutes to make what should take one minute but that time was always special to me. Now, when I want to feel loved or show someone I love them I make a special peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Today, I want to share my secrets and special touches to the prefect peanutty snack.

II. Central Idea – Here is where you move into your thesis statement.

A.     “I want to talk with you about the intricacies of the PB&J because even through it is a simple snack, when it is made with love and care you can really make it something special.”

B.     Key Points – Here is where you introduce the audience to what the key points will be.

a.     Choosing a bread

b.     Choosing a peanut butter

c.      Choosing a spread

d.     The art of the production

    III. Expanding on your three key points with explanation and evidence

A.     Choosing a bread

a.     White or wheat (what are the differences to the texture and the flavor?)

b.     Thin slice or thick slices (discuss the merits of both)

c.      To toast or to grill

B.     Choosing a peanut butter

a.     Natural vs. processed (what are the taste differences?)

b.     Crunchy vs. smooth (how does the choice work with the bread choices?)

c.      How thick to speed the peanut butter?

d.     What about Nutella?

C.     Choosing a spread

a.     Jelly or jam (what are the differences?)

b.     Traditional grape vs. other flavors (what are the taste differences?)

c.      Amount of jelly in accordance to the bread and amount of peanut butter.

D.    The art of the production

a.     Choosing to make them open face (so that the enjoyer can choose)

b.     Crust or no crust (I like crust for soppy up any excess)

c.      Cut in halves or leave whole (Cut in half feels like more love)

E.     Conclusion - This is where you tie up the speech 

 You can experiment with variations of the PB&J with bananas, honey, strawberries, or cream cheese. Making a PB&J does not have to be a last resort when you are in a hurry. You can always make something simple into something special when you take the time to do it well and with love.

The explanation

I know that my audience is college-aged students (for the most part.) I chose to start with a story about making food that may resinate with the people in my class because a lot of people have warm feelings about their mother and what their mother fed them (and therefore maybe warm feelings for me). I also chose to make something that seems simple more complex, not in a arrogant way. Making things seem more complex than they should be can turn people off. But I wanted to show that by thinking about all of the possible options you can make something very different than what you think is a simple PB&J.

Also, I chose something that had a distinct process so that I could make that process more precise. I wanted to use it in a way to show people that you can make anything special when you give it care. I wanted to show that when you do something deliberately and with forethought you can make something special. My hope is that the audience will take away a sense of agency. You can make any moment important. I want my audience to feel more emotion with the story and showing process and all of the possibilities of that process you can make special choices. My hope for the speech is that people may be inspired to do something nice for someone else no matter how small.

The explanation needs to cover the following:
What do you want the audience to understand?
What do you want the audience to know?
What tactics did you choose in order to make the audience understand your perspective?
What is your hope for the speech?