Informative Speech Outline
Student’s Name:
Course #/Section:
Planning for the Informative Speech with Analysis
Speech Topic:
Rhetorical Purpose:
To inform my audience about . . .
Audience Analysis:
(Refer to chapter on
Audience Analysis)
Summarize Audience demographics, prior exposure/knowledge,
common ground/interest, disposition/attitude, and situational
characteristics. Incorporate results of Audience Analysis Survey about
classmates from the Audience Analysis Activity/Discussion in Unit 3.
Informative
Technique(s):
(refer to chapter on
Informative Speaking)
Organizational
Pattern:
(refer to chapters on
Organizing Your Speech
& Informative Speaking)
Message:
(refer to chapter on
Informative Speaking)
Definition, explanation, description, demonstration, and/or narrative?
Please explain.
Types of Supporting
Materials:
(refer to chapter on
Supporting Materials)
Types of Research
Sources:
(review “Background
Information” for the
Speech Research
Activity)
What types of supporting materials do you plan to include? (e.g.,
examples, definitions, testimony, statistics, narratives, analogies)
Spatial, chronological, causal, comparison, criteria-application, narrative,
or topical? Please explain.
How do you plan to simplify and/or clarify your message? (e.g., general
to specific, reduce quantity of information, draw analogies, reiterate
message, repeat message) (Note: presentation aids are not required for
this speech other than ‘speaker notes’).
What types of research sources (e.g., primary, secondary, and/or
tertiary) do you plan to use to support the thesis statement and main
points? Please explain. Note: 5 credible and relevant sources are
required including at least 1 source from a Rutgers University Libraries
periodical database.
Informative Speech Outline Template designed by Denise Kreiger and Ralph Gigliotti, SC&I, 12/13
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Informative Speech “Working Outline”
Introduction
Write in complete sentences.
I.
Attention Getter:
II.
Thesis Statement:
III. Connection with
Audience:
IV.
Speaker’s Credibility:
V.
Preview of Main
Points:
Informative Speech Outline Template designed by Denise Kreiger and Ralph Gigliotti, SC&I, 12/13
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Informative Speech “Working Outline” (contd.)
Body
Write in complete sentences. Important: Include evidence in sub-points, as applicable (i.e., refer to source in
each sub-point by paraphrasing, quoting, or summarizing with a citation following APA format – 6th edition),
and insert transitions between main points.
I.
Main Point One:
Sub-point A:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point B:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point C:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Transition:
II.
Main Point Two:
Sub-point A:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point B:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point C:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Transition:
III. Main Point Three:
Sub-point A:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point B:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Sub-point C:
(w/source
citation, if
applicable)
Transition:
Informative Speech Outline Template designed by Denise Kreiger and Ralph Gigliotti, SC&I, 12/13
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Informative Speech “Working Outline”
Conclusion
I.
Write in complete sentences. Refer to chapter on Outlining Your Speech.
Summary of Main
Points:
II.
Clincher:
Reference List
Include a complete Reference List (i.e., Bibliography) for five (5) research sources including at least 1 source
from a Rutgers University Libraries periodical database that was referenced in the Main Points (sub-points).
All sources are to meet the 6 criteria: expertise, objectivity, accuracy, currency, origin, and relevancy. The
Reference List is to follow APA format style guidelines (6th edition). Refer to the chapter on Researching Your
Speech, and also the APA Resources at the end of this document.
Full Citation I:
Full Citation II:
Full Citation III:
Full Citation IV:
Full Citation V:
Informative Speech Outline Template designed by Denise Kreiger and Ralph Gigliotti, SC&I, 12/13
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APA Resources
Research sources that will be referenced in your speeches (and cited in the “Speech Outline” and
the Reference List) are to follow APA style format (6th edition). The following resources can assist
you in citing your sources and creating the Reference List (bibliography) following APA guidelines:

Rutgers University Libraries - LibGuide: Writing and Citation Formatting Electronic
Reference Sources – See: http://libguides.rutgers.edu/writing

The OWL at Purdue Online Writing Lab: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing (for subpoints) – See: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/563/ and
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/01/

The OWL at Purdue Online Writing Lab: In-Text Citations (for sub-points) – See:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/ and
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/03/

The OWL at Purdue Online Writing Lab: APA Formatting and Style Guide – Reference List –
See: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/

The OWL at Purdue Online Writing Lab: APA Formatting and Style Guide – See:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Hackerhandbooks.com: Research and Documentation Online: APA List of References – See:
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch09_s1-0002.html

Trinity University: Citing Sources (select APA Style and content type from drop-down
menu) – See: http://lib.trinity.edu/lib2/cite.php

Cornell University Library: APA Citation Style – See:
http://www.library.cornell.edu/newhelp/res_strategy/citing/apa.html

University of Maryland University Libraries: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources –
See: http://www.lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/primary-sources#tertiary

Ref Works is Web-based citation management software that can help you to create your
own research database and generate bibliographies or works cited lists in a specified style
such as APA. All of the sources listed under the Finding Journals tab will allow you to export
references. See: http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/refworks/refworks.shtml
Informative Speech Outline Template designed by Denise Kreiger and Ralph Gigliotti, SC&I, 12/13
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