Outlining an Oral Presentation:

THE BASICS

Formal Outlining - Moving from a general idea to specific support

How does an outline work? Start with a general topic – informative or

persuasive Slice up that general topic into main points

Slice up the main point into sub points

Slice up the sub points into sub sub points

How does an outline work?

Let’s have a dinner

party

Pre-dinner

The Dinner

The Dessert

Beer

hors d'œuvre

Wine

Meat

Coffee

Cakes

Vegetable

GuinnessBudweiser

ShrimpCheddar Cheese

MerlotChardonnay

T-boneHamburgers

PotatoesPeas

General Less general Specific More specific

What is the process of creating an outline?

Begin with a topic

Discover the focus and goal

Ask a question that the speech will answer

What are the main points

Cutting money from CUNY

By the end of my speech I want my audience to KNOW ABOUT the budget cuts at CUNY.

What are the new budget cuts at CUNY?

I. Why is there a need for these cuts?II. What is being cut?III. What is being done to stop these cuts?

I. Why is there a need for these cuts? A. Less taxesB. Housing bubbleC. Everything costs more

II. What is being cut?A. Grants to students and professorsB. Fewer instructorsC. Less for technology

III. What is being done to stop these cuts? A. ???B. ???

Then – Find at least two sub points for each Main Point

Any supporting material here? – examples – statistics - testimony

What is the process of creating an outline?

Begin with a topic Teen Driving

Discover the focus and goal By the end of my speech I want my audience to be PERSUADED that teens

should not be allowed to drive at 18

Ask a question that the speech will answer What should be done about the problems of teen drivers?

What are the main points I. Problem created by teen drivers.II. Why are they such bad drivers?III. What should be done about this problem?

Then – Find at least two sub points for each Main Point

I. Problem created by teen drivers. A. Teens involved with a lot of car accidents B. The younger drivers are the worst.

Then – Find at least two sub sub points for each sub point – supporting material goes here Examples – Statistics - Testimony

I. Problem created by teen drivers. A. Teens involved with a lot of car accidents

1. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - teens make up 7% of nation’s licensed drivers - represent 14% of all motor vehicle fatalities.

2. Last year 8,666 people were killed in automobile accidents involving teenage drivers.

B. The younger drivers are the worst. 1. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety -16-year-olds have “highest % of crashes

involving speeding, of single-vehicle crashes, & of crashes with driver error.”2. USA Today reports that 16-year-olds are three times more likely to be involved in

fatal crashes than are other drivers.

What is wrong with this second main point of the “Teen Driving” outline?

II. There are three major causes of the problem. A. One of the causes is inexperience.

1. New drivers haven’t had enough time on the road to develop their driving skills.2. Inexperience is not the only cause—always inexperienced drivers.

B. Findings from the National Institute of Mental Health show that the brain of an average 16-year-old has not developed1. He or she is not able to judge the risk of a given situation.

C. A five-year study of traffic records by Steven Lowenstein, a medical professor at the University of Colorado, 1. Shows “deliberate risk-taking and dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors 2. Predominated” among 16-year-old drivers.

D. Third cause of motor vehicle fatalities among teenage drivers is night driving. 1. According to the Washington Post, when 16-year-olds get behind the wheel

after dark, the likelihood of having an accident increases several times over.2. Nighttime driving is less safe for everyone, but it becomes particularly

dangerous when combined with a younger driver’s inexperience and reduced ability to gauge risk.

What is wrong with this second main point of the “Teen Driving” outline?

II. There are three major causes of the problem. A. One of the causes is inexperience.

1. New drivers haven’t had enough time on the road to develop their driving skills.2. Inexperience is not the only cause—always inexperienced drivers.

B. Findings from the National Institute of Mental Health show that the brain of an average 16-year-old has not developed1. He or she is not able to judge the risk of a given situation.

C. A five-year study of traffic records by Steven Lowenstein, a medical professor at the University of Colorado, 1. Shows “deliberate risk-taking and dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors 2. Predominated” among 16-year-old drivers.

D. Third cause of motor vehicle fatalities among teenage drivers is night driving. 1. According to the Washington Post, when 16-year-olds get behind the wheel

after dark, the likelihood of having an accident increases several times over.2. Nighttime driving is less safe – particularly dangerous when combined with a

younger driver’s inexperience and reduced ability to gauge risk.

B. Second cause is revealed by brain research. 1. Findings from the National Institute of Mental Health show - average 16-

year-old brain- not developed - he or she is unable to judge risk of situation.2. Five-year study of traffic records by Steven Lowenstein, a medical professor

at the University of Colorado, shows that “deliberate risk-taking and dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors predominated” among 16-year-old drivers.