{"id":271,"date":"2019-01-16T00:17:52","date_gmt":"2019-01-16T00:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-oneonta-communication\/chapter\/9-3-organizing\/"},"modified":"2020-06-26T15:15:43","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T15:15:43","slug":"9-3-organizing","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-oneonta-communication\/chapter\/9-3-organizing\/","title":{"raw":"8.3 Organizing","rendered":"8.3 Organizing"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
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  1. Explain the process of organizing a speech.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Identify common organizational patterns.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Incorporate supporting materials into a speech.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Employ verbal citations for various types of supporting material.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. List key organizing signposts.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Identify the objectives of a speech introduction.<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Identify the objectives of a speech conclusion.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    When organizing your speech, you want to start with the body. Even though most students want to start with the introduction, I explain that it\u2019s difficult to introduce and preview something that you haven\u2019t yet developed. A well-structured speech includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Think of this structure as a human body. This type of comparison dates back to Plato, who noted, \u201cevery speech ought to be put together like a living creature\u201d (Winans, 1917). The introduction is the head, the body is the torso and legs, and the conclusion is the feet. The information you add to this structure from your research and personal experience is the organs and muscle. The transitions you add are the connecting tissues that hold the parts together, and a well-practiced delivery is the skin and clothing that makes everything presentable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    Organizing the Body of Your Speech<\/h2>\r\n

    Writing the body of your speech takes the most time in the speech-writing process. Your specific purpose and thesis statements should guide the initial development of the body, which will then be more informed by your research process. You will determine main points that help achieve your purpose and match your thesis. You will then fill information into your main points by incorporating the various types of supporting material discussed previously. Before you move on to your introduction and conclusion, you will connect the main points together with transitions and other signposts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    Determining Your Main Points<\/h2>\r\n

    Think of each main point as a miniature speech within your larger speech. Each main point<\/a><\/span> will have a central idea, meet some part of your specific purpose, and include supporting material from your research that relates to your thesis. Reviewing the draft of your thesis and specific purpose statements can lead you to research materials. As you review your research, take notes on and\/or highlight key ideas that stick out to you as useful, effective, relevant, and interesting. It is likely that these key ideas will become the central ideas of your main points, or at least subpoints. Once you\u2019ve researched your speech enough to achieve your specific purpose, support your thesis, and meet the research guidelines set forth by your instructor, boss, or project guidelines, you can distill the research down to a series of central ideas. As you draft these central ideas, use parallel wording<\/a><\/span>, which is similar wording among key organizing signposts and main points that helps structure a speech. Using parallel wording in your central idea statement for each main point will also help you write parallel key signposts like the preview statement in the introduction, transitions between main points, and the review statement in the conclusion. The following example shows parallel wording in the central ideas of each main point in a speech about the green movement and schools:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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    1. The green movement in schools positively affects school buildings and facilities.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. The green movement in schools positively affects students.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. The green movement in schools positively affects teachers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      While writing each central idea using parallel wording is useful for organizing information at this stage in the speech-making process, you should feel free to vary the wording a little more in your actual speech delivery. You will still want some parallel key words that are woven throughout the speech, but sticking too close to parallel wording can make your content sound forced or artificial.<\/p>\r\n

      After distilling your research materials down, you may have several central idea statements. You will likely have two to five main points, depending on what your instructor prefers, time constraints, or the organizational pattern you choose. All the central ideas may not get converted into main points; some may end up becoming subpoints and some may be discarded. Once you get your series of central ideas drafted, you will then want to consider how you might organize them, which will help you narrow your list down to what may actually end up becoming the body of your speech.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Organizing Your Main Points<\/h2>\r\n

      There are several ways you can organize your main points, and some patterns correspond well to a particular subject area or speech type. Determining which pattern you will use helps filter through your list of central ideas generated from your research and allows you to move on to the next step of inserting supporting material into your speech. Here are some common organizational patterns.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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      Topical Pattern<\/h2>\r\n

      When you use the topical pattern<\/a><\/span>, you are breaking a large idea or category into smaller ideas or subcategories. In short you are finding logical divisions to a whole. While you may break something down into smaller topics that will make two, three, or more main points, people tend to like groups of three. In a speech about the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, for example, you could break the main points down to (1) the musicians who performed, (2) the musicians who declined to perform, and (3) the audience. You could also break it down into three specific performances\u2014(1) Santana, (2) The Grateful Dead, and (3) Creedence Clearwater Revival\u2014or three genres of music\u2014(1) folk, (2) funk, and (3) rock.<\/p>\r\n

      The topical pattern breaks a topic down into logical divisions but doesn\u2019t necessarily offer any guidance in ordering them. To help determine the order of topical main points, you may consider the primacy or recency effect. You prime an engine before you attempt to start it and prime a surface before you paint it. The primacy effect<\/a><\/span> is similar in that you present your best information first in order to make a positive impression and engage your audience early in your speech. The recency effect<\/a><\/span> is based on the idea that an audience will best remember the information they heard most recently. Therefore you would include your best information last in your speech to leave a strong final impression. Both primacy and recency can be effective. Consider your topic and your audience to help determine which would work best for your speech.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Chronological Pattern<\/h2>\r\n

      A chronological pattern<\/a><\/span> helps structure your speech based on time or sequence. If you order a speech based on time, you may trace the development of an idea, product, or event. A speech on Woodstock could cover the following: (1) preparing for the event, (2) what happened during the event, and (3) the aftermath of the event. Ordering a speech based on sequence is also chronological and can be useful when providing directions on how to do something or how a process works. This could work well for a speech on baking bread at home, refinishing furniture, or harvesting corn. The chronological pattern is often a good choice for speeches related to history or demonstration speeches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Spatial Pattern<\/h2>\r\n

      The spatial pattern<\/a><\/span> arranges main points based on their layout or proximity to each other. A speech on Woodstock could focus on the layout of the venue, including (1) the camping area, (2) the stage area, and (3) the musician\/crew area. A speech could also focus on the components of a typical theater stage or the layout of the new 9\/11 memorial at the World Trade Center site.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Problem-Solution Pattern<\/h2>\r\n

      The problem-solution pattern<\/a><\/span> entails presenting a problem and offering a solution. This pattern can be useful for persuasive speaking\u2014specifically, persuasive speeches focused on a current societal issue. This can also be coupled with a call to action asking an audience to take specific steps to implement a solution offered. This organizational pattern can be applied to a wide range of topics and can be easily organized into two or three main points. You can offer evidence to support your claim that a problem exists in one main point and then offer a specific solution in the second main point. To be more comprehensive, you could set up the problem, review multiple solutions that have been proposed, and then add a third main point that argues for a specific solution out of the ones reviewed in the second main point. Using this pattern, you could offer solutions to the problem of rising textbook costs or offer your audience guidance on how to solve conflicts with roommates or coworkers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Cause-Effect Pattern<\/h2>\r\n

      The cause-effect pattern<\/a><\/span> sets up a relationship between ideas that shows a progression from origin to result. You could also start with the current situation and trace back to the root causes. This pattern can be used for informative or persuasive speeches. When used for informing, the speaker is explaining an established relationship and citing evidence to support the claim\u2014for example, accessing unsecured, untrusted websites or e-mails leads to computer viruses. When used for persuading, the speaker is arguing for a link that is not as well established and\/or is controversial\u2014for example, violent video games lead to violent thoughts and actions. In a persuasive speech, a cause-effect argument is often paired with a proposed solution or call to action, such as advocating for stricter age restrictions on who can play violent video games. When organizing an informative speech using the cause-effect pattern, be careful not to advocate for a particular course of action.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Monroe\u2019s Motivated Sequence<\/h2>\r\n

      Monroe\u2019s Motivated Sequence<\/a><\/span> is a five-step organization pattern that attempts to persuade an audience by making a topic relevant, using positive and\/or negative motivation, and including a call to action. The five steps are (1) attention, (2) need, (3) satisfaction, (4) visualization, and (5) action (Monroe & Ehninger, 1964).<\/p>\r\n

      The attention step is accomplished in the introduction to your speech. Whether your entire speech is organized using this pattern or not, any good speaker begins by getting the attention of the audience. We will discuss several strategies in Section 9 \"Getting Your Audience\u2019s Attention\"<\/a> for getting an audience\u2019s attention. The next two steps set up a problem and solution.<\/p>\r\n

      After getting the audience\u2019s attention you will want to establish that there is a need for your topic to be addressed. You will want to cite credible research that points out the seriousness or prevalence of an issue. In the attention and need steps, it is helpful to use supporting material that is relevant and proxemic to the audience.<\/p>\r\n

      Once you have set up the need for the problem to be addressed, you move on to the satisfaction step, where you present a solution to the problem. You may propose your own solution if it is informed by your research and reasonable. You may also propose a solution that you found in your research.<\/p>\r\n

      The visualization step is next and incorporates positive and\/or negative motivation as a way to support the relationship you have set up between the need and your proposal to satisfy the need. You may ask your audience to visualize a world where things are better because they took your advice and addressed this problem. This capitalizes on positive motivation. You may also ask your audience to visualize a world where things are worse because they did not address the issue, which is a use of negative motivation. Now that you have hopefully persuaded your audience to believe the problem is worthy of addressing, proposed a solution, and asked them to visualize potential positive or negative consequences, you move to the action step.<\/p>\r\n

      The action step includes a call to action where you as basically saying, \u201cNow that you see the seriousness of this problem, here\u2019s what you can do about it.\u201d The call to action should include concrete and specific steps an audience can take. Your goal should be to facilitate the call to action, making it easy for the audience to complete. Instead of asking them to contact their elected officials, you could start an online petition and make the link available to everyone. You could also bring the contact information for officials that represent that region so the audience doesn\u2019t have to look them up on their own. Although this organizing pattern is more complicated than the others, it offers a proven structure that can help you organize your supporting materials and achieve your speech goals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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      Incorporating Supporting Material<\/h2>\r\n

      So far, you have learned several key steps in the speech creation process, which are reviewed in Figure 9.4 \"From Research to Main Points\"<\/a>. Now you will begin to incorporate more specific information from your supporting materials into the body of your speech. You can place the central ideas that fit your organizational pattern at the beginning of each main point and then plug supporting material in as subpoints.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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      Figure 9.4<\/span> From Research to Main Points<\/p>\r\n\"image\"<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

      This information will also make up the content of your formal and speaking outlines, which we will discuss more in Section 9.4 \"Outlining\"<\/a>. Remember that you want to include a variety of supporting material (examples, analogies, statistics, explanations, etc.) within your speech. The information that you include as subpoints helps back up the central idea that started the main point. Depending on the length of your speech and the depth of your research, you may also have sub-subpoints that back up the claim you are making in the subpoint. Each piece of supporting material you include eventually links back to the specific purpose and thesis statement. This approach to supporting your speech is systematic and organized and helps ensure that your content fits together logically and that your main points are clearly supported and balanced.<\/p>\r\n

      One of the key elements of academic and professional public speaking is verbally citing your supporting materials so your audience can evaluate your credibility and the credibility of your sources. You should include citation information in three places: verbally in your speech, on any paper or electronic information (outline, PowerPoint), and on a separate reference sheet. Since much of the supporting material you incorporate into your speech comes directly from your research, it\u2019s important that you include relevant citation information as you plug this information into your main points. Don\u2019t wait to include citation information once you\u2019ve drafted the body of your speech. At that point it may be difficult to retrace your steps to locate the source of a specific sentence or statistic. As you paraphrase or quote your supporting material, work the citation information into the sentences; do not clump the information together at the end of a sentence, or try to cite more than one source at the end of a paragraph or main point. It\u2019s important that the audience hear the citations as you use the respective information so it\u2019s clear which supporting material matches up with which source.<\/p>\r\n

      Writing key bibliographic information into your speech will help ensure that you remember to verbally cite your sources and that your citations will be more natural and flowing and less likely to result in fluency hiccups. At minimum, you should include the author, date, and source in a verbal citation. Sometimes more information is necessary. When citing a magazine, newspaper, or journal article, it is more important to include the source name than the title of the article, since the source name\u2014for example, Newsweek<\/em>\u2014is what the audience needs to evaluate the speaker\u2019s credibility. For a book, make sure to cite the title and indicate that the source is a book. When verbally citing information retrieved from a website, you do not want to try to recite a long and cumbersome URL in your speech. Most people don\u2019t even make it past the \u201cwww.\u201d before they mess up. It is more relevant to audiences for speakers to report the sponsor\/author of the site and the title of the web page, or section of the website, where they obtained their information. When getting information from a website, it is best to use \u201cofficial\u201d organization websites or government websites. When you get information from an official site, make sure you state that in your citation to add to your credibility. For an interview, state the interviewee\u2019s name, their credentials, and when the interview took place. Advice for verbally citing sources and examples from specific types of sources follow:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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        Magazine article<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n