Public Speaking

SPCH 1110 Complete Sentence Outline Workshop Assignment Workshop: The Anatomy of a Complete Sentence Outline Phase 1: The Foundation (The “Big Three”) Before writing a single Roman numeral, students must define their core logic. Have them write these at the very top of their page: Specific Purpose: A single statement starting with “At the end of my speech, the audience will…” Thesis Statement: The one-sentence “DNA” of the speech. Organizational Pattern: Label which one they are using (Topical, Causal, Problem Solution, etc.). Phase 2: The Skeleton (The Alphanumeric Hierarchy) This is where Labeling comes in. Every outline must follow this strict hierarchy to show which ideas are “bigger” than others. I, II, III (Main Points): These are your “big ideas.” They should be written in parallel structure (e.g., if one starts with a verb, they all should). A, B, C (Sub-points): These support the main points with explanations or reasoning. 1, 2, 3 (Sub-subpoints): This is where the “heavy lifting” happensspecific statistics, expert quotes, or examples. Phase 3: The Flesh (The “Full Sentence” Rule) The most common mistake in this workshop is students writing “keywords” instead of sentences. The Rule: If you can’t read it out loud and have it sound like a coherent thought, its not a complete sentence. The Benefit: Writing in full sentences helps students realize when they don’t actually have enough information to support a point. Phase 4: The Bridges (Connectives) D. Paul Schlador, NTC Minnesota SPCH 1110 Complete Sentence Outline Workshop Assignment In a workshop setting, have students highlight their Transitions in a different color. They should be placed between the Introduction and Body, between each Main Point, and before the Conclusion. Example Label: [Transition: Now that weve seen the problem, lets look at the cause.] The “Submission Ready” Checklist Give this to your students to use for peer review during the workshop. 1. [ ] Labeling: Are the Introduction, Body, Conclusion, and Transitions clearly labeled? 2. [ ] Hierarchy: Does every A have a B? (You cant have a sub-point without a pair!) 3. [ ] Citations: Are there oral citations (e.g., “According to the Mayo Clinic…”) written directly into the sentences? 4. [ ] Sentences: Is every single bullet point a complete, grammatically correct sentence? 5. [ ] References: Is there a properly formatted APA/MLA reference list at the very end?