Unit 5: Organizing Your Speech
Section outline
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In this unit, we will explore the creative part of speech craft: organizing the contents of the presentation. It may seem logical to start with writing the introduction, followed by the body and conclusion, because that is the order in which we will deliver the presentation. But actually, it makes more sense to start with the body, then write the introduction and conclusion.
Sure, an introduction introduces the body of the speech, but if the body of the speech does not exist yet, the speaker has nothing to base the introduction on. So, it makes sense to construct the body content first. Once we have organized the content of the body of our presentation, we can easily write an introduction that entices our audience to attend to our message. Finally, we will write a satisfying conclusion that will provide our listeners with closure.
This unit aligns with the following Course Learning Outcomes:
- CLO 3: Apply audience analysis to improve public speaking situations, which includes purpose, topic selection, and delivery strategies
- CLO 6: Select an effective pattern of organization for presenting different types of information to a listening audience
- CLO 7: Describe effective use of an introduction and conclusion in constructing a speech
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.