Organizing the body of your speech Preparing and

Organizing the body of your speech Preparing and ordering your main points

Outline I. Forming your main points • Base your points on the specific purpose of the presentation II. Strategic order of main points • • • Chronological order Spatial order Causal order Problem-solution order Topical order III. Tips for preparing main points • Balance the amount of information • Use transitions/signposts

Forming your main points What is the purpose of your presentation? • Example: To inform my audience about three serious dangers of obesity What is the central or main idea of your presentation? • Example: Because obesity is a growing problem in our society, it is essential for people to be aware of the health and economic dangers obese people face.

Forming your main points Purpose? Main idea? How can you support your main idea? • Example: Obesity can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes. • Example: Being obese can have a negative effect on psychological health.

Strategic order of main points Chronological Order • Points follow a time pattern • Useful for informative speeches • Also good for explaining a process • Example: Steps in a laser eye surgery I. First, the surface of the eye is sliced off II. Second, laser reshapes cornea III. Third, slice is reattached

Strategic order of main points Topical order • Divide the speech into subtopics, each becomes a main point in the presentation Example: Purpose: To inform my audience about the talents of George Washington I. Military talents II. Political talents III. Artistic talents

Strategic order of main points Causal order • Used to explain a cause/effect relationship • Automatically form TWO MAIN POINTS, 1 st deals with causes 2 nd deals with effects

Strategic order of main points Problem-Solution order • Automatically form TWO MAIN POINTS Example: Purpose: To persuade my audience that action is needed to fight the abuses of puppy mills I. Puppy mills are a problem II. Solving the problem involves new laws and consumer behavior changes

Tips for preparing main points I. Keep points separate II. Use similar words in each point III. Balance the amount of time for each point

Tips for preparing main points IV. Guiding language helps your audience follow your organization • • • Refer to the slide you are speaking about Mention when you arrive at the next main point Connect ideas using transitions and signposts Update audience by reviewing along the way Signal the end of your presentation