Appendix H: Sample Outlines and Formats
On the following pages we have provided some sample outline formats and examples. The first two examples show outlines using parallelism with the subpoints. The last three are formats that could be used as templates. However, your instructor is the one and only guide to which format you will use. It may be one of these, one of the formats shown in Chapter 12, 13, or 15, or a different one your instructor provides. These are provided as a resource for instructors and for students to see the various ways extemporaneous speeches may be outlined. Follow the directions given by your instructor for your assignments.
Informative Speech on Types of Coffee Around the World
By: Samantha Gentry
Specific Purpose: To inform my classmates of specific types of coffee drinks from around the world.
Introduction: Do you ever just need something really warm to drink? Have you ever been so sleepy that you couldn’t keep your eyes open without help? Did you know that according to Consumer Reports that about 62% of us drink coffee every day? As a daily coffee drinker, I can attest to wanting and needing to drink coffee every day to keep away the awful caffeine headache. Coffee is not just a beverage drank here in the United States; people all around the world drink billions of cups of coffee every day. There are many different kinds of coffee drinks out there.
Thesis/Preview: According to RoastyCoffee.com there are over 43 different types of coffee drinks from all around the world. These drinks include: Turkish Coffee, Caffè Crema, and Irish Coffee.
I. Turkish Coffee is one of the oldest methods for preparing coffee.
- Turkish coffee was first introduced to the Ottoman Empire in 1543 from Yemen.
- While being introduced in Istanbul, a new method of preparing coffee was established.
- The coffee beans were roasted over a fire, finely grounded, and then boiled into water.
- TheSpruceEats.com explains that Turkish coffee is named for its special brewing method.
1. Turkish coffee traditional not sweetened, but if it sweetened the sugar is added before the boiling.2. Also, it must be served with foam on the top.
Transition: Coffee beverages can be named for their preparation style like Turkish coffee, but also for their appearance like caffe crema.
I. Caffè crema is one of the first types of espresso drinks.
- It gained popularity and became primarily served in Switzerland and Northern Italy in the mid 20th century.
- It is a long espresso meaning there is more water than regular espresso.
- Caffè crema has 180ml to 240ml of water compared to the 25ml of water normally used to make espresso.
- Despite its name, Caffè crema does not contain any form of cream or dairy.
- According to Jonathan Morris, researcher and author of The Cappuccino Conquests exhibit, the Gaggia Classica machine of 1948 revolutionized espresso by creating this drink.
- The pressure of the machine created a creamy foam at the top of the espresso resulting in the name Caffè crema.
Transition: Classic coffee and espresso drinks are popular and enjoyed around the world, but so are cocktail styled coffee beverages.
II. Irish Coffee is a cocktail twist on traditional coffee.
- According to Good Food Ireland, this coffee cocktail was first created by a chef named Joe Sheridan.
- Sheridan created Irish coffee in the 1940’s at Foynes’ Airport; he was looking for ways to keep passengers warm while their planes were being refueled.
- The first Irish coffee was served to American flyers; they asked, “Is this Brazilian coffee?”, in which, Sheridan replied, “no it’s Irish Coffee.”
- Sheridan mixed black coffee with whiskey and topped it with whipped cream.
- Irish coffee of today is a mixture of whiskey, sugar, and black coffee with a topping of whipped cream.
- Today people all over the world are drinking Irish coffee to keep them warm.
Conclusion: Coffee is one of the most popular beverages drank around the world every day. According to The National Coffee Association in 2010 Americans drank on average 3.1 cups of coffee a day, and the average cup size is 9 oz. This means that on average Americans are drinking 27.9 oz of coffee per day. Turkish coffee, Caffe crema, and Irish coffee are three types of coffee beverages that are being drank every day.
References:
A Brief History of Turkish Coffee. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://coffeefacts. org/turkish- coffee/history-of-turkish-coffee/
Calderone, J., Lee, J., & Dabney, C. (2017). Not your average Joe. Consumer Reports, 82(10), 8–13. Retrieved from http://dsc.idm.oclc.org/log- in?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true& db=fth&AN =124661970&site=eds-live&scope=site
A Complete List Of Every Type of Coffee That Exists. (2018, July 23). Retrieved from https://www.roastycoffee.com/coffee-types/
Fayed, S. (2018, November 24). 4 tips to making the perfect cup of Turkish coffee. Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/turkish-cof- fee-recipe-2355497
Green, D. (n.d.). Caffè Crema. Retrieved from https://www.cooksinfo. com/caffe-crema/ McMeel, N. (n.d.). Irish coffee. Retrieved from https:// www.goodfoodireland.ie/recipe/irish-coffee
Morris, J. (n.d.). The Cappuccino conquests. The transnational history of Italian coffee (2007). Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/379110/ The_Cappuccino_Conquests._The_Transnational_History_of_Italian_ Coffee_2007_
National Coffee Association. (2014, February 28). Coffee by the numbers. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/multimedia-article/ facts/
Persuasive Speech on Reading During Leisure Time
By: Samantha Gentry
Specific Purpose: To persuade my fellow classmates on the importance of reading during leisure time.
Introduction: Raise your hand if you have read a book outside of a class requirement within the past year. Did you know that according to the American Time Spent survey of 2017 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans who read for pleasure has declined by over 30% since 2004? In 2004, about 28% of American ages 15 and older read for pleasure; in 2017 that number was down to about 19%. Less men are reading for pleasure than women with a whopping 15% of men reading for fun and about 22% of women. Hello, my name is Samantha Gentry, and today I’m going to persuaded you why reading for pleasure is good for you.
Thesis/Preview: Reading for pleasure and as a leisure active has many benefits for your mind, body, and soul. Three of the benefits include: improved brain health, relieved stress, and improved empathy skills.
I. Reading is a fantastic activity to help maintain and even improve your brain health.
- As many of us may be aware, as we begin to get older and age, our physical bodies begin to decline, but so do our brain and mental activity.
- A study published by Neurology, a peer-reviewed neurology journal, showed that people who read throughout their lifetime had a slower decline in memory compared to their peers who did not.
- When you are reading, specifically fiction books, your brain is having to make connections; over time these connections for new pathways between the four lobes and two hemispheres in the brain. Over time these new pathways help promote quicker thinking and help defend against cognitive decay.
Transition: Reading is like exercise for your mind. It also serves as a stress reliever.
II. There are many ways to reduce stress. Why is reading one of them you ask?
- Well according to a study by the University of Sussex in 2009 found that reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress level by up to 68%.
- Reading is such a large part of going through school and at many jobs; it is hard to find the benefits of it.
- When you are immersed in a new world of a fiction novel or learning about one of the greatest leaders in history in a biography book, you are focusing your mind and body to think beyond the stress of your everyday life. Reading also helps reduce your heart rate and eases muscle tension.
Transition: Everyone needs a little stress relief in their life. They also need to learn how to become more empathetic.
III. Being able to show empathy and understand the mental and emotional states of those around is an important skill to forming social relationships.
- A study by Bal and Veltkemp in 2013, showed that over a week’s time readers who were emotionally transported into a fiction story felt a change in their empathy skills.
- When you are immersed in an emotional book, you are able to feel what the characters are feeling and think what they are thinking. This helps you to begin to understand how those around you are feeling about situations you may actually never face in your own life.
If you are wanting to be a more empathic person, make sure you read fiction books over nonfiction because literary fiction had a more significant impact than nonfiction.
Conclusion: According to Caleb Crain, a writer for The New Yorker, there are many reasons why Americans don’t read; from actives on computers, to cell phone scroll, to the king of them all television watching. However, there are many benefits to reading. These benefits include improved brain health, relieved stress, and improved empathy skills. So please understand that no matter how boring or how much of a waste of time it may seem to you, reading books for fun is good for you. Thank you.
References:
Bal, P. M., & Veltkamp, M. (2013). How does fiction reading influence empathy? An experimental investigation on the role of emotional transportation. PLoS ONE,8(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055341
Crain, C. (2018, June 14). Why we don’t read, revisited. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/why-we-dont- read-revisited
Ingraham, C. (2018, June 29). Leisure reading in the U.S. is at an all- time low. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/ wp/2018/06/29/leisure- reading-in-the-u-s-is-at-an-all-time- low/?nore- direct=on&utmterm=.f3fa9d4bd61c
Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science,342(6156), 377-380. doi:10.1126/science.1239918
PJ Web Solutions Ltd. (n.d.). Reading reduces stress levels. Retrieved from https://www.kumon.co.uk/blog/reading-reduces-stress-levels/
Schocker, L., & Schocker, L. (2017, December 07). 6 science-backed reasons to go read a book right now. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost. com/entry/health-benefits-reading_n_4081258
Specktor, B. (2019, March 04). Here’s why your brain needs you to read every single day. Retrieved from https://www.rd.com/culture/benefits-of- reading/
Wilson, R. S., Boyle, P. A., Yu, L., Barnes, L. L., Schneider, J. A., & Bennett, D. A. (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging. Neurology,81(4), 314-321. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31829c- 5e8a
Wise, A. (17, October 17). 8 science-backed reasons to read a (real) book. Retrieved from https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative- health/ benefits-of-reading-real-books
Sample Format 1
Speech Topic
Specific Purpose: Your specific purpose is determined by the topic you choose. It indicates the direction of focus you will take with your topic.
Thesis/Central Idea: Your thesis statement is a clear and concise sentence that provides an overview of your entire presentation.
Organizational Pattern: Remember, the body of your speech has to match this.
I. Introduction
A. Attention Getter: Capture the audience’s attention.
B. Relevance: Establish the relevance of your topic to your audience—why is your topic worthy of their time and attention?
C. Credibility: Establish your speaker credibility—consider your personal experience, connection with the topic, interest and expertise.
D. Thesis: Thesis statement.
E. Preview: Preview of the three main points.
Transition: Preview your first main point.
II. Body
A. First main point.
- Supporting materials to support the main point.a. sub-main pointb. etc.
- Supporting materials to support the main point.a. do not forget to cite sources.
b. etc. Transition: Review and preview
B. Second main point.
- Supporting materials to support the main point.a. sub-main pointb. etc.
- Supporting materials to support the main point.
a. do not forget to cite sources
b. etc.
Transition: Review and preview
C. Third main point.
1.Supporting materials to support the main point.
a. sub-main point
b. etc.
2.Supporting materials to support the main point.
a. do not forget to cite sources
b. etc.
Transition: Preview. Prepare your audience for the conclusion.
III. Conclusion
A. Thesis/Summary: A summary for the speech.
B. Memorable Close: A powerful ending.
References (separate page)
Sample Format 2
“Writing a Proper Outline”
General Purpose: To Inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my class how to write a proper outline.
Central Idea: A proper form of outlining includes the correct formatting of main points, connectives, and a well written introduction and conclusion.
Introduction
It’s shocking how many students in speech class do not know how to write a proper outline. Statistics taken in Ms. Correll’s two speech classes show that 95% of students did not know how to use the proper outline format. The cause of this ineptitude is still not certain, even though the format was clearly explained in class, and it is also fully explained and exemplified in the text book. The goal of this speech is to inform each of you the proper way to write an outline by including the correct formatting of main points, connectives, and a well written introduction and conclusion. By doing so your audience will have a much clearer understanding of your speech and it will also result in a good grade!
(Transition: Let’s get started on how to write out the main points.)
Body
I. The main points are the central features of your speech.
A. The main points should be arranged strategically.
B. The main points must always be in complete sentences.
1. The sub-subpoints should also be in complete sentences
C. The main points must use a consistent pattern of symbolization and indentation.
1. The sub- sub point will begin with the number 1. 2. The second sub-sub point will begin with the number 2
(Internal Summary: Let’s pause for a moment to summarize what we have found out so far: Main points are the central feature of our speech. They must be arranged strategically and written in complete sentences and use a consistent pattern of symbolization and indentation.)
II. Connectives are important to transition from one main point to the next.
- Connectives will include transitions.
- Connectives will include internal previews.
- Connectives will include internal summaries.
- Connectives will include sign posts.
(Internal Preview: I will now focus on the importance of writing a proper introduction and conclusion and some ways in which to grab the audience’s attention.)
III. A proper introduction and conclusion will make your speech exciting and memorable.
- A well written introduction will include your specific purpose and central idea.
- An introduction should only make up about 10-20% of your speech.
- An introduction should gain the interest and attention of your audience.
- A startling statement is a good way to arouse interest.
- Asking a rhetorical question is another way to get your listeners thinking.
- A conclusion should only make up about 5-10% of your entire speech.
- A conclusion should reinforce the central idea.
- An exciting conclusion will help to make your speech more memorable.
1. You may end with a quotation or a dramatic statement.
2. You may refer back to the introduction.
Conclusion
To conclude, I hope that I have shown you the proper way to write an outline. This includes the proper labeling of main points, connectives, and how to write a proper introduction and conclusion. Writing a proper outline is the basis of a well-organized speech. By implementing these steps it will ensure that your audience will not be confused, and it will also result in a good grade and put a big smile on Ms. Correll’s face.
Sample Format 3
Title (if desired; not necessary)
Specific Purpose: To (verb) (the target audience) (the specific content.) (Verbs would include to inform, demonstrate, convince, explain, describe, persuade, motivate, entertain, inspire, delight, or define.)
Introduction: (The introduction is written out in paragraph form. Use some sort of attention getting device as discussed in Chapter 9. The introduction should be written after the body of the speech is prepared. It should be about 10% of the total speech time, and there should be a clear bridging statement between the attention-getting technique and the thesis/central idea. Practice the introduction so that you know it particularly well.)
Thesis or Central Idea: This sentence makes it very clear to the audience what you intend to accomplish in the speech and/or what position you intend to defend.
Preview: This portion serves to inform your audience of the plan that you will follow in order to explain, demonstrate, expose, or prove your thesis/ central idea. It is a signpost to the major ideas of the speech. The central idea and the preview might be contained in the same sentence.
I. First Main Idea, Step, Argument, or Reason used to explain, prove, or demonstrate thesis
A. First Division of First Main Idea.
1. Supporting Material such as statistic, quotation, fact, narrative.
2. Etc.
B. Second Division of First Main Idea C. Etc.
(Note 1 – Phrase Roman numeral and A, B, C, etc. units of outline as full but brief sentences. For example, not “Heimlich’s list of symptoms,” but “Dr. Heimlich offered a reliable list of choking symptoms.”)
(Note 2 – Phrase units directly. I should be able to look at the preparation outline and have a fairly complete idea of your content. For example, not “I will talk about symptoms” or “Tell audience choking symptoms,” or “Give symptoms of choking.”)
(Note 3 – Quotations, stories, statistics, and their sources need only be
noted, not written in full detail.)
(Note 4 – Main ideas are ideas, not supporting materials.)
(Note 5 – If you have A, you must have B; if you have 1, you must have 2, etc.)
Transition: These are bridging statements that inform the audience that you are moving to a different main step, point, or argument in the speech. Include them between I and II, II and III, etc.
II. Second Main Idea, Step, Argument, or Reason needed to explain, prove, or demonstrate thesis
A. Sample Content
1. Sample Content
2. Etc.
B. Etc.
Transition:
III. Third Main Idea, etc. Speech should have at least 2 and no more than 5 main points/ideas/steps/arguments.
Conclusion: Write out the words you will use to close the speech. It should include a summary of your main points. Avoid saying “In conclusion” or similar phrases. It should be a little shorter than the introduction (5-10% of speech). Practice it well also.
References or Works Cited
(Use References if sources are in APA and Works Cited if sources are in MLA.)
