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It is a work in process in which you display the relationships among ideas and identify potential trouble spots. Why should you start with a working outline? Assume that you plan to present an informative speech on the greenhouse effect. You have done some research but you are not completely sure how your speech should develop. Your working outline is a tool that can help reduce your uncertainty. It is also a discipline: merely following the format of an outline helps you think productively about the design of your speech. Figure 8.1 provides you with a format for developing a working outline. You should not think of this format as a rigid structure. Adapt it so that it works for you. In this early stage of developing your speech, dont worry about the formalities of outlining.3 your working outline is a disposable tool to help you arrange your ideas. You will probably prepare and discard several working outlines before you find the right approach A good starting point for your working outline is to write out your specific purpose and thesis statement. You need to have this clearly in mind so that you can check how well your main points fit them. Your specific purpose and thesis statement form the foundation for your speech. Topic: _______________________________________________________ Specific Purpose: ______________________________________________ Thesis statement:______________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Attention material: ____________________________________________ Credibility material: ___________________________________________ Thesis statement: _____________________________________________ Preview: ____________________________________________________ (Transition to body of speech) Body First main point: ______________________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ Sub point: ______________________________________ Sub point: ______________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ (Transition to second main point) Second main point: ____________________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ Sub point: ______________________________________ Sub point: ______________________________________ (Transition to third main point) Third main point: ____________________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ Sub point: _____________________________________________ (Transition to conclusion) CONCLUSION Summary: ___________________________________________________ Concluding remarks: __________________________________________ FIGURE 8.1 Format for a Working Outline
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the significance of the green house effect. Thesis statement: We must understand the greenhouse effect before we can hope to counter global warming.
Second main point: Personal energy consumption magnifies the greenhouse effect. Third main point: The loss of woodlands adds to the greenhouse effect Once you have the main points written out, ask the following questions: Will these points make my message clear to my audience? Is this the right order in which to develop them? Have I left out anything important?
As you consider these questions, you realize that you have indeed left something out. You remember that all of your sources explained what the green house effect was before discussing its causes. You note that your original list of main points neither explains the greenhouse effect nor gives the audience a reason to be interested in it. You also see another potential trouble spot: there is no clear, logical order in your arrangement of main points. But if you developed a motivating explanation in your first main point, then recorded the remaining points so that you would discuss, in order, lost woodlands, agricultural and industrial emissions, and personal consumption, then you would both involve and inform listeners and establish an order of increasing importance among the remaining points. Your speech could build toward its conclusion. You decide to toss out your first working outline and to revise the main points as follows: First main point: The greenhouse effect is a process by which certain gases in the atmosphere retain the heat of the sun. Second main point: The loss of woodlands adds to the greenhouse effect. Third main point: Agricultural and industrial emissions accelerate the greenhouse effect. Forth main point: Personal energy consumption magnifies the greenhouse effect.
you state the main point, this listener will want to know:
What do you mean? Why should I care? How do I know this is true?
The sub points of each main point should answer these questions. If the main points are columns built on the foundation of your purpose and thesis statement, the sub points reinforce these columns so that they will stand up under critical scrutiny. For example, as you develop your working outline, you might list the following sub points for your first main point: First main point: Sub points: the green house effect is a process by which certain gases in the atmosphere retain the heat of the sun. A. Among these gases are carbon dioxide and methane. B. They form a window that holds the heat. C. Natural process has been unbalanced by human activities D. Too many gasses are holding too much heat. E. Artificial heat wave is breaking all records. F. This situation is causing climate and health problems.
You notice that you have listed six sub points. Recalling the principles of good form learned in Chapter 7, you conclude rightly that you have too many sub points for your speech to remain simple, balanced, and orderly. At this point, you examine how your sub points relate to one another. Can you combine any of them? Do you need to break out the material to a more detailed level of sub-sub points? Just as sub points reinforce and clarify main points, sub-sub points strengthen and specify sub points. You should also include supporting material as you work out the sub-sub points. For example, you might expand the first main point in this working outline as follows: First main point: Sub points: Sub-sub points: the green house effect is a process by which certain gases in the atmosphere retain the heat of the sun. A. This natural process makes the Earth livable. B. Process now unbalanced by human activities. 1. High concentrations of carbon dioxide, and methane in the atmosphere. 2. Artificial heat wave is breaking all temperature records. 3. This threatens Earth's climate and many living things.
Follow this same procedure as you develop each main point. When you finish, review the working outline of the body of your speech and ask yourself:
Will a speech based on this outline satisfy my thesis statement? Will I be able to do all of this in the time available?
Be honest with yourself. It's better to be frustrated now than disappointed later during your presentation. In addition, be sure your ideas are arranged in an orderly manner that is easy to follow. Make certain that each sub point relates directly to the main point above it and that you have enough supporting material to build a strong, responsible structure of ideas. If you are lacking in any of these respects, now is the time to discover and correct the problem.
Topic: The Greenhouse Effect Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the significance of the greenhouse effect. Thesis statement: We must understand the greenhouse effect before we can hope to counter global warming. INTRODUCTION Attention material: Antarctic icebergs breaking loose: ominous signs of global warming. Nero fiddled while Rome burned: we're fiddling while the Earth burns. Thesis statement: We must understand the greenhouse effect before we can hope to counter global warming. Preview: We need to be concerned especially about the loss of woodlands, harmful agricultural and industrial emissions, and our own energy consumption. (Transition to body of speech: "Let's begin by understanding the greenhouse effect.) Body First main point: The greenhouse effect is a process by which certain gases in the atmosphere retain the heat of the sun. Sub point A: This natural process makes the Earth livable. Sub point B: Process now unbalanced by human activities. Sub- Sub point: 1. High concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere.' 2. Artificial heat wave is breaking all temperature records. ' 3. This threatens 'Earth's climate and many living things. (Transition to second main point: "Let's examine the causes, one by one.) Second main point: The loss of woodlands adds to the greenhouse effect Sub point A: Loss from cutting. Sub point B: Loss from clearing. Sub point C: Loss from Burning. (Transition to third main point: "An even greater cause is harmful agricultural and industrial emissions.")
Labeling the body of the speech points out its importance. Remember to develop the body of the speech before you develop the introduction or conclusion.
Include transitions to remind yourself to tie material together and make it flow smoothly.
Note that the working outline does not follow the numbering and lettering system of a formal outline. The purpose of the working outline is to allow you to organize ideas and see how they work together.
Third main point: Agricultural and industrial emissions accelerate the greenhouse effect Sub point A: farming an important part of problem. Sub-Sub points: 1. frequent tilling and massive CO2. 2. Rice farms and methane. 3. Cattle ranches and more methane. Sub point B: Industrial emissions from burning fossil fuels another big source of problem, (Transition to fourth main point: Finally, lets consider the most important cause of the runaway greenhouse effect ourselves.)
The working outline serves as, your guide and provides a check, on the structure of the speech and the adequacy of your preparation.
Fourth main point: Our personal energy consumption magnifies the green house effect Sub point A: Both population and prosperity fuel the problem. Sub-Sub points: 1. More people = more energy consumption. 2. Improve living standards add to the problem Sub point B: personal energy consumption single largest cause of the green house effect. Sub-Sub points: 1. Fossil fuels account for 90% of U.S. personal energy consumption. 2. Personal cars triple since 1950 (Transition: In conclusion)
Like the introduction, the conclusion is merely sketched in the working outline. Specific techniques are worked out as planning proceeds.
CONCLUSION Summary statement: The greenhouse effect is the key to understanding global warming. Major causes are loss of woodlands agricultural and industrial emissions, and increase personal consumption. Concluding remarks: Future generations will ask why we did this to the quality of their lives.
Speech preparation often proceeds in fits and starts, periods of frustration followed by moments of inspiration and revision. You may find yourself making and revising several working outlines before you are satisfied. SPEAKERs NOTES 8.1 CHECKLIST FOR A WORKING OUTLINE 1. My topic specific purpose and thesis statement are clearly stated. 2. My introduction contains attention getting material, establishes my credibility and focuses and previews my message 3. My main points represent the most important ideas on my topic 4. I have an appropriate number of main points to cover my material in the time allotted. 5. Each sub point breaks its main point into more specific detail. 6. My conclusion contains summary statement and concluding remarks that reinforce and reflect on the meaning of my speech 7. I have planned transitions to use between the introduction and the body between each of my main points and between the body and conclusion of my speech.
TITLE Topic: _______________________________________________________ Specific Purpose: ______________________________________________ Thesis statement: ______________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Attention material: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Credibility material: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Thesis statement: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Preview: ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ (Transition to body of speech) Body I. First main point: A. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ B. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ 1. Sub point or supporting material: __________________________ 2. Sub point or supporting material: __________________________
(Transition into next main point) II. Second main point: A. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ 1. Sub point or supporting material: _________________________ 2. Sub point or supporting material: _________________________ B. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ (Transition into next main point) III. Third main point: A. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ B. Sub point or supporting material: ____________________________ 1. Sub point or supporting material: _________________________ 2. Sub point or supporting material: _________________________ a. Sub point or supporting material: _______________________ b. Sub point or supporting material: _______________________ (Transition to conclusion) CONCLUSION Summary statement: __________________________________________ Concluding remarks: ___________________________________________ WORKS CONSULTED Note that in Figure 8.3; only the body of the speech follows an outlining format.5 as we suggested in Chapters 2 and 7, it is best to plan your introduction and conclusion verbatim to ensure that you get into and out of your speech gracefully and effectively. Although there may be times when you must change your introduction (we discussed these under "Context" in Chapter 4), as a general rule a carefully worded beginning works best. Knowing exactly what you want to say and how you want to say it gets you off to a good start and helps build
the confidence you need to make your presentation effective. At the end of your speech, the exact wording of your concluding remarks can determine whether you make a lasting impression.
more specific
The more important statement is, the farther to the left it is positioned. If you rotate an outline so that it rests on its right margin, the Peaks will represent the main points, the most important ideas in your speech, with the height of the other points representing their relative significance. The easiest way to demonstrate the importance of coordination and subordination is to look at an abbreviated sample outline that violates these principles: I. Computers can help you develop writing skills. A. Using PCs can improve your schoolwork. B. PCs can be useful for organizing class notes. II. Computers can help you keep better financial records. A. They can help you plan personal time more effectively. B. They can be useful in your personal life. C. They can help organize your research notes for class projects. This collection of ideas may look like an outline, but it isn't. It violates the principles of coordination and subordination. The points at each level are not in importance, nor are they logically related to one another. To straighten out this problem, look at the points I and II. They are neither the most important nor the most general statements. The main points are actually I-A and II-B: the ideas that PCs can improve your schoolwork
and can be useful in your personal life. Once we put the main points where they belong, we can see where the points go: I. Computers can improve your schoolwork. A. PCs can help you develop writing skills. B. PCs can be useful for organizing class notes. C. PCs can' help organize your research notes for class projects II. Computers can be useful in your personal life. A. PCs can help you keep better financial records. B. PCs can help you plan personal time more effectively.
good form and closure discussed in Chapter 7. Not all material lends itself readily to parallel construction, but look for opportunities to use it,
Title
For speeches given outside the classroom, a title may serve to attract listeners to a presentation. A good title arouses curiosity. It makes people want to hear the message. You may wish to mention your title in your introduction & then refer to it throughout the speech as a reminder of your thesis statement. However, you don't want to begin your speech by simply stating your title. Rather, find some way to weave the title into your introduction to gain your audiences attention. You should wait until you have outlined your speech before you select a title. Your title should not promise too much or deceive the audience. Titles that promise everything from eternal peace of mind to the end of taxation often disappoint listeners. Overblown titles can damage your ethos.
Agricultural and Industrial emissions accelerate the greenhouse effect. Farming an important part of problem. 1. frequent tilling and massive CO2. 2. Rice farms and methane. 3. Cattle ranches and more methane. An industrial emission from burning fossil fuels another big source of problem.
Sub point B:
To change this into a formal outline, you need to use the proper system of numbering and lettering. You also need to write your ideas as complete sentences, and finish any incomplete structuring, such as we see in sub point B. In the formal outline, the third main point would take the following form: III. Harmful agricultural and industrial emissions accelerate the greenhouse effect (Kluger; Union). A. Farming is an important part of the problem. I. Frequent tilling releases massive CO2. 2. Rice farms add methane. 3. Cattle ranches add more methane.
B. Industrial emissions from fossil fuels are a major part of problem 1. Smokestacks strain to produce more energy. 2. Fleets of trucks crowd the nation's highways. 3. Flocks of airplanes crisscross the skies. Notice that sources of supporting material are indicated in parentheses at the end of the statement of the main point. This source citation is brief, because it refers to the full listing in "Works Cited" or "Works Consulted" at the end of the' formal outline. Placement of the citation at the end of the statement of the main point means that this source supports all claims in the sub points and sub-sub points below it. If the citation were placed at the end of a sub point or Sub-Sub point, the citation would apply only to that statement. Putting source citations in your outline reminds you of the importance of documenting points as you speak. These citations tell your instructor that you have integrated your research into your speech. They help affirm that you have met the challenge of responsible knowledge. The Modern Language Association of America suggests the following procedures for citations in a text: List the last name of the author plus the page number when more than one page is cited. List the author's last name accompanied 'by an abbreviated title if there is more than one work by the same author. If the author" is a group, list the name (for example, Greenpeace); if the' author is not provided, list the first word of the title ("Thirteen.).
Remember: Documenting your sources in your outline does not satisfy the need for oral documentation as you present your speech. For example, you must say, "In its recent in-depth investigation, 'The Future Is Here: Earth at the Summit, Newsweek revealed that one acre of tropical forest disappears every second from logging or burning. Your audience will be listening to your speech, not reading the formal outline. Full oral documentation in your presentation allows you to give credit where credit is due and to enjoy credit for careful research. Moreover, actually citing expert sources enhances your ethos and helps prevent any suspicion of plagiarism.
Title: LIFE IN THE GREENHOUSE Topic: The Green house Effect Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the significance of the greenhouse effect. Thesis statement: We must understand the greenhouse effect before we can hope to control global warming INTRODUCTION Attention material: Gigantic icebergs melting in Antarctica. The elephant seal vanishing in many areas. These are symptoms of global warming, the great environmental disease of our planet. This artificial heat wave is happening because of a remarkable phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. Thesis statement: We must understand the greenhouse effect before we can hope to counter global warming. Preview: We need to be concerned, first, about the loss of woodlands, second, about harmful agricultural and industrial practices, and third, about our own, personal energy consumption. (Transition: Lets begin by understanding the greenhouse effect.) Body I. The green house effect is a process by which certain gases in the atmosphere retain the heat of the sun (Summary). A. This natural process makes the Earth livable B. Process is now unbalanced by human activities. (Schneider) 1. High concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane have collected in the atmosphere. 2. Artificial heat wave is breaking all temperature records. a. 1990s were the warmest decade of the last thousand years. b. 1998 was the hottest year of the millennium. C. This threatens Earths climate and many living things - including us! (Transition to second main point: Lets examine the causes, one by one.)
This transition helps the audience Change their focus from the explanation to the causes of the greenhouse effect. The speaker develops three causes of the greenhouse effect, arranged in order of increasing importance. Since the loss of woodlands contributes less than agricultural and Industrial emissions or personal energy consumption, it receives less attention. It may even be, underdeveloped here, but the speaker dearly is conscious that he has a great deal of ground to cover in a brief amount of time.
II.
The loss of woodlands adds to the greenhouse effect (Kluger 34). A. Cutting the woods and rain forests for timber is a major global problem. B. Clearing the land for development compounds the problem (Thompson) C. Wide scale burning means more CO2 (Transition to Third main point: An even greater cause is agricultural and industrial emissions.)
III.
Agricultural and industrial emissions accelerate the greenhouse effect (Union) A. Farming is an important part of problem. 1. Frequent tilling release massive CO2 2. Rice farms add methane 3. Cattle ranches add more methane.