Formal Speech Outline
A speech is a spoken expression of ideas or opinions that is made by someone who is speaking in front of a group of people.
The following is a formal speech outline:
1.0 Introduction
The introduction usually states the purpose of the speech. A good introduction serves as an attention-getter, previews the topic and main ideas, and establishes your credibility as a speaker.
Some good ways to grab your audience’s attention include:
- Using a quotation.
- Telling a story.
- Posing questions.
- Using humor.
- Using startling facts or statistics.
- Providing an illustration or anecdote.
- Referencing historical or recent events.
A preview statement identifies the main points of the speech, helping the audience focus on the key points of the remainder of the presentation. The audience determines your credibility based on the introduction.
They want to know why they should believe what you have to say. Therefore, establishing yourself as a credible speaker in the introduction is imperative, especially for a persuasive speech, so that the audience will want to be persuaded by you. You should include some knowledge that shows why you are credible on the topic.
2.0 Body
The body is the largest part of the speech, where you provide the audience with explanations about the point in your introduction. The main points of the speech are contained in this section.
Main points should flow from the speech’s goal and thesis statement. It is advisable to limit your content to include between two and five main points, with a maximum of seven main points. If you have too many main points, your audience will forget them. Focusing on a few points and providing effective supporting points for each makes your speech more memorable. Supporting points are the supporting materials you have collected to justify your main points. These help to justify your thesis.
3.0 Conclusion
The conclusion wraps up the presentation by providing a summary of what the audience was supposed to have learned or have been persuaded to do during the presentation. You can signal that the conclusion is approaching by using key phrases, such as "finally†and "in conclusion.†your conclusion should end strongly because it presents you with the last opportunity to motivate your listeners.
For a persuasive speech, a strong ending would be a call to action, telling your audience that they should do something with the information they have learned. Many times, you can use a mirrored conclusion example that ties back to the information you provide in the introduction.