OUTLINE AND TRIGGER SHEETS

Value 10%

The outline and trigger sheets are are extremely useful documents to produce because

• the outline provides helps you to plan and structure your speech, and
• the trigger sheets can be used when you deliver your speech to help you remember what you had planned to say. 

1.  Speech Outline

Your speech must follow the following basic design (and so should your outline):

• Topic
• Introduction
• Thesis Statement
• Preview
• Body
• Conclusion (including re-thesis)

The topic is usually a modified word or a short phrase.  For example, “Single Parenthood,” or “Men and Their Irritating Habits,” or "Dating," etc.

The introduction is a paragraph (or two) describing just what you will be saying and doing to immediately captivate your audience.  Be sure to mention any visuals or ideas that you will be re-visiting (right after the final “Preview Review”) to set up your conclusion.

The thesis statement is simply one, short sentence that declares your opinion of the topic.  For example, if your topic is “Single Parenthood,” your opinion might be "Single Parenthood is difficult but rewarding.”  (Ideally, it will represent a unique view of the topic).

To outline the preview, show clearly the sub-topic divisions that the body of your speech will be using. For each, use a modified word or short phrase.  [Note: For a ten-minute speech, having two subtopics usually works best; for a fifteen-minute speech, three.]

For each sub-topic section of the body of the speech, start with a mini-thesis statement (i.e. topic sentence) that gives the main idea of that particular section of the speech. Then simply provide a list of point-forms to summarize the speech material used to support or illustrate the sub-topic.

The outline of the conclusion could mention the visual or idea planted in the introduction to provide a transition. However, it must show a re-thesis (the thesis statement re-stated in different wording) and the clincher (the last impressive line of the speech). This could be done either in a brief paragraph or in separate statements.

• Before you write the summary, download, print and read the sample outline (which is available by clicking on "Course Documents"). 

• FOLLOW THE FORMAT OF THIS SAMPLE CAREFULLY.

2.  Trigger Sheets

The design of the trigger sheets is entirely up to you. These are the sheets which help the speaker remember just what to say and do for the speech.

• For the content, they should include BIG-PRINT single words or very short phrases.

• They should never include sentences or paragraphs. Oftentimes, using different font or pen colors works well. And, sometimes speakers employ little drawings or symbols to remind about hands or volume, or smiles, or platform or pausing etc.

• Again, these sheets are entirely up to you and your creativity. Have fun designing them.

Before you create your trigger sheets, check out the sample trigger sheets (which are also available by clicking on "Course Documents").

Of course, I will discuss and explain this in greater detail in class.