Organize Your Thoughts -
A guide to developing a speech outline

Your outline is, in many ways, the birth of your speech. Outlines are vital for two reasons: they allow you to test your ideas, and they provide a guide from which your finished speech will take shape. Most speakers go through several drafts before finally settling on a final outline. Requiring several revisions of yourself should not be cause for frustration; it is a natural part of the speech preparation process.

The first one or two outlines you will develop are often referred to as "rough drafts," while your finished version is often called a "speaking outline." It is advisable to go through at least one rough draft before your speaking engagement. A rough draft gives you the opportunity to actually see your ideas on paper. You can begin to rearrange your thoughts and practice pieces of your speech out loud to see how well your research supports your central idea. Rough outlines also tend to be far more detailed than a speaking outline should be. As you revise your outline you will be able to cut back on some of the material, giving yourself more flexibility when you actually deliver the speech.

Let us imagine that your central idea is the following: "Fully understanding your medical insurance coverage is essential to your continued health and happiness." Every main idea you present during the course of your speech should support that central idea. Your audience needs to know why understanding their health coverage is so important and exactly what the repercussions to them could be should they fail to educate themselves. It is generally recommended that each piece of the outline, that is, each unit, should contain only one main idea. Each unit will also include sub-points that relate to the main idea, organized beneath.

The first unit supporting the central idea "Fully understanding your medical insurance is essential to your continued health and happiness," might look like this:

1. The cost of medical care is skyrocketing
   1. Hospital charges are higher than ever
      1. A private room often costs more than $1500 per day
      2. Operating room fees can amount to tens of thousands of dollars
      3. X-rays and laboratory costs are not always included in exam fee
   2. Prescription drugs are expensive
      1. Most antibiotics cost between $2 and $3 per dose
      2. The advent of generic drugs can cause confusion as to exactly what is and what is not covered by your plan

In this outline, "The cost of medical care is skyrocketing," is your first main point. This point supports your central idea because it explains to your audience why understanding their medical insurance policy is so urgent. This first unit also contains two sub-points, "Hospital charges are higher than ever," and "Prescription drugs are expensive." Each of these, in turn, has their own supporting points. Can you see how an outline like this would eventually translate into a speech?

The key is knowing exactly the central idea you wish to convey and the main points that will best support your argument. Outlines are meant to be a help, not a hindrance. Instead of approaching your outline as a necessary evil, approach is as an integral part of the overall success of your speech. Preparing well is the only way to become an outstanding public speaker. That preparation comes in the form of a carefully crafted series of speech outlines.