Handout 4
Continue Writing the Outline – Introduction & Conclusion (Step IV)
Goals of the Introduction (usually 10-15% of the speech)
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Attention Getter: (startling statistic or fact, rhetorical question, quotation, tell a story, perform a task…)
Listener Relevance: (explain how and why your speech relates to your audience)
Speaker Credibility: (convince your audience that you are a reliable and credible speaker)
Preview of Main Points (thesis): (be straightforward- “Today, we will disucuss….”)
****Sometimes, your attention getter will provide listener relevance and speaker credibility. Therefore, it is not necessary to
include additional listener relevance and speaker credibility statements.
Introduction Example:
I.
II.
Attention Getter / Listener Relevance / Speaker Credibility: Take a moment and think about 8 women in
your life. Women that come to mind may include your mother, sister, best friend, aunt, girlfriend, or the
woman sitting next to you. Now, imagine one of them being diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately,
this will most likely happen to each and every one of you. This is because one of eight women living in
America will be diagnosed with breast cancer within their lifetime, according to the September 2014 “US
Breast Cancer Statistics” found on the BreastCancer.org website.
Preview of Main Points: Today, we will discuss what breast cancer is, the signs associated with breast
cancer, and how breast cancer is treated.
**** Notice how the attention getter also serves as listener relevance and speaker credibility. By asking the audience to
identify eight women in their life and imagining one of them being diagnosed with breast cancer, the speaker makes this topic
relevant to the audience. Speaker credibility is accomplished by citing a statistic.
Goals of the Conclusion (usually less than 5% of the speech)
I.
Signal Conclusion / Review Main Points: (Signal conclusion verbally and nonverbally / In past tense, restate
II.
main points as introduced in the introduction – “Today we have discussed…..”)
Clincher: (This is accomplished by using one of the attention getters mentioned above or the “bookend” effect.)
****Bookending your speech means that your speech introduction and conclusion support your speech in a way that provides
balance. You “close the circle” for your audience, wrapping up your speech in a neat package. A few ways to bookend a speech are:
1. End by referencing your opening. Refer back to what you started with (statistic, story, quote, visual aid,…).
2. Ask a question/answer a question. Open with a question. Answer the question at the end.
(See more at: http://www.virtualspeechcoach.com/2012/07/03/bookending-your-speech-tying-the-introduction-to-the-conclusion/#sthash.E5vacwhG.dpuf)
Conclusion Example:
I.
II.
Signal Conclusion / Restate Main Points: In conclusion, we have learned what breast cancer is, the signs
associated with breast cancer, and how breast cancer is treated.
Clincher: Think back to those eight women that came to mind just minutes ago. Imagine one of them being
told they have breast cancer. Hopefully, now, you can share with them the information we learned today.
You can fight the battle of breast cancer with them. You can reassure them that this battle can be fought
and won.
**** Notice how the clincher created a “bookend” effect by referring back to the opening comments of the introduction.