THE BODY OF THE SPEECH

TOPICAL ORGANIZATION
The most widely used organizational
pattern is one that classifies major points
into topics or subdivisions, each of which
is part of the whole.
Example:
There are four important things to remember when
communicating with children.
A.
Communicate by having fun.
B.
Communicate by nurturing self-esteem
C.
Communicate by your actions.
D. Use of music to communicate.

CHRONOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
-time pattern
Like biographical speech
Examples:

Mahatma Gandhi was a hero in the nonviolence movement.

A.
His early life in South Africa.
B.
His public career teaching nonviolence.
C.
His subsequent assassination.

This skeleton outline shows the chronological

organization of a natural process.
The death of a star
A. The stars early years
B. One thousand years before its death
C. The final year
D. The stars collapse
E. One year later.

MANY SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PERSONAL

PROCESSES ALSO OCCUR IN PATTERNED
SEQUENCES OR CYCLES.

There are five stages in the grief process.

A. First is a period of denial.
B. Anger follows.
C. This is replaced by bargaining.
D. Depression follows
E. Finally, there is acceptance.

The key to chronological speeches is

that events must occur in a sequence
and there is a clear first, next, finally
pattern.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

By place of location
This is less commonly used but is good for
speeches about places or about objects
that are made up of several parts.
Example:
Major global earthquake areas
A. Eastern European fault lines
B. The Pacific ring of Fire
C. The Rift Valley in Africa.

CAUSAL ORGANIZATION
-common when a problem can be
discussed by examining the reasons for
it (the causes) and the implications it
has for individuals or for society at
large (the effects).
Two basic causal organizational
patterns:
1) Cause to effect
2) Effect to cause

Cause-to-effect outline:
Example:
Amusement park tragedies injure
thousands of people annually.
A. Causes

1.
2.
3.

Equipment failure
Operator failure
Rider behavior

B. Effects
1. Personal risks
2. Needless tragedies
Effects-to-cause organizational pattern
Example:
The lack of available organs for donation
affects many people in our society , and
there are many reasons for this shortage.

A. Effects
1. Scarcity of organs
2. Length of waiting lists
3. Deaths due to scarcity
B. Causes
1. Potential donors fears
2. The family fears
3. Health care providers fears.

PRO-CON ORGANIZATION

It is common to debate controversial

issues, looking at both the arguments
for and those against a question or
issue. If you give a speech that
summarizes both sides of an issue, you
may find the pro-con organizational
pattern to be useful. Classify the
arguments in favor of the issue under
the pro label, then list the arguments
against it under the con label.

For example:
Fetal cell transpantation is a
controversial medical procedure with
both proponents and opponents.
A. Arguments in favor of fetal cell
transplantation
1. Research is promising.
2. A fetus is like a cadaver.
3. This is a choice issue.

B. Arguments against fetal cell

transplantation
1. It will lead to an industry of profit
2. A fetus is a victim.
3. More abortions will occur.
This is best for informative speeches
when the speaker is attempting to
enlighten people on the nature of an
issue.

PROBLEM-SOLUTION ORGANIZATION

Speaker first look at the problem,

sometimes examining its causes and
effects, then they propose solutions.
Example:

Elder abuse is an increasing problem in our society.

A. Causes of the problem
B. Effects of the problem
Several solutions have been proposed.
a. Day care for adults
b. Support groups
c. Senior advocates

Some speakers choose to present

problem-solution approaches to
personal as well as national or
international topics.
Example:

Many women, as well as men, experience hair loss.

A. Causes of the problem
B. Effects of the problem
There are several solutions on the market.
A. Medications
C. Bonding Techniques
B. Hairpieces
D. Transplants

OTHER PATTERNS

The star pattern

POINT

Thematic circle

POINT

POINT

POINT

POINT

Speakers present the speech to a number of

audience.
Speakers have flexibility of choosing where
to start and what to emphasize, depending
on what is relevant for a specific audience.
Speaker may begin with a point the
audience understands or agrees with then
progressively moves to point that challenge
their understanding and agreement.

Inattentive audience- begin with their

most dramatic points
TWO WAYS TO DEVELOP THE POINTS OF
THE SPEECH:
1. State the point, support or develop it,
then provide a transition to the next
point, or they can develop each point
fully before they state it.

These decisions depend on the type of

audience and the nature of the various
points.
2. Thematic circle that binds all the
points together. Although the points of
the speech are connected individually,
each point rests comfortably within the
overall theme. By the close of the
speech, listeners should feel that the
circle is completed and the theme

THE WAVE PATTERN

Best example is Martin Luther King, Jr.s
I Have a Dream. He ended with a peak
conclusion.

Frist point
Introduction

2nd point
3rd point
Repetition of form
material
Repetition

Transition

Transition

conclusion
Build of material

Transition
or conclusion

Two types of conclusions:

1.winds down and leads the audience
gradually from the topic
2. Make transition to a conclusion and
builds so that the conclusion is a
dramatic peak

THE SPIRAL PATTERN

Introduction
Development
Development
Development

Major point
Major point

Development
Introduction

Major point

One way is to repeat a narrative with

several variations. Lets say a speaker
chooses the subject of selecting a
college. She establishes a hypothetical
student, Todd, who appears in three
scenarios. First, she narrates his
experiences if he decides to go to a
local community college. In a second
instance, Todd goes out of town but
says within the state. In the final scene,

Across the continent from where he lives.

_ this pattern is useful for speeches on
controversial topics, such as
EUTHANASIA.

ACTIVITY

1) Look for a sample speech. Print it

out. (No duplication. Post the title in the
group fb.)
2) Classify on how it is developed.
3) Label which part can you find that by
using an arrow.
4) Can you make an outline out of it?
Put your answer at the back of the
bondper.