Dacia Charlesworth
Robert Morris University
Title: Developing and Organizing Information for Public Speeches: An Interactive Approach
Objective: To increase students’ understanding and use of brainstorming and organizational
techniques when developing a public speech.
Approximate Time Required: 50-75 minutes
Materials Needed: Handout
Rationale:
While communication studies scholars have studied extensively the concepts of communication
apprehension, speech anxiety, reticence, and willingness to communicate, surprisingly few have
examined the role these concepts play in the preparation of a public speech. In 1995, Daly,
Vangelisti, and Weber noted the paucity of empirical research and theories focusing on how
individuals prepare their speeches. To offer more information related to this topic, they
conducted a study that found speech anxiety affects the ways individuals prepare public
speeches. Their findings indicated that highly anxious people are “less likely to think about
things that make for a good speech—they spend less time on the audience, are less concerned
about visual aids and other support equipment, and spend less time composing their speech text”
(p. 396). Thus, one may infer that the less anxious speakers are, the more time they will be able
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to devote to the preparation of their speech text. One other important study examined how
college students prepare for public speeches and found a direct correlation of preparation time
with higher speech grades assigned by instructors (Pearson, Child, & Kahl, 2006). My own
classroom experience echoes the studies cited above and though I stress the importance of
preparation continually, I find that students do not always devote the time to the preparation of
their speech texts as I had hoped. To aid students in the preparation of their speech texts, I
developed the following activity that focuses on the various ways students may organize
information for a public speech and the strengths and weaknesses of the various organizational
patterns.
In terms of teaching students about developing and organizing a public speech, I find that the
majority of public speaking textbooks do a fine job of describing the brainstorming process
students should use to select a topic for a public speech; however, the actual process of
brainstorming is usually left for students to complete on their own, and outside of the classroom.
In addition, although there are several organizational patterns available to students for arranging
information in a public speech, the majority of students choose to use the cause-effect or
problem-solution pattern simply because these patterns are the most familiar; this familiarity
usually results in students not considering any of the other organizational patterns available to
them. To purpose of this activity, therefore, is to have students engage in a collaborative
brainstorming session as well as consider several different types of organizational patterns for
arranging information in a public speech.
Before the Activity:
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Familiarize students with the brainstorming process and the various types of organizational
patterns appropriate for arranging information in a public speech. Usually, this entails a review
of pertinent textbook chapters. The most common organizational patterns include the following:
Chronological (information is organized by the time or sequence in which it occurred), Topical
(information is organized as individual and independent subtopics that relate directly to the
topic), Spatial (information is organized by location, place, position, or direction), Cause-Effect
(information is organized to focus on a cause and its effects), and Problem-Solution (information
is organized to focus on a specific problem and possible solutions for solving that problem). It is
most helpful during this session to provide students with sample outlines that feature different
organizational patterns so that students have concrete examples of various outline patterns look
like for actual speeches. Moreover, it is very useful to save excellent outlines from past students
and share them with current students since they will be completing similar assignments;
however, most Instructor’s Manuals feature sample outlines that should be helpful for this
discussion if you do not have sample student outlines for all five organizational patterns.
During the Activity:
Divide the class into groups with five members each. You may wish to have students “count
off” so that they will not be in the same group with those they sit by and will interact with other
members of the class. Once the class has been divided into groups, distribute the handout
(below) to each member of every group and have each student count off from 1-5; that is, each
student within the group will be 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Ask students to write their number in the top left
hand corner of the handout so that they will not forget it. Following the same steps discussed in
the previous class, students should begin brainstorming topics that would make an interesting
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public speech using the space provided on the handout. To keep the topics more general, and to
promote the non-judgmental phase of brainstorming, do not identify a specific speech
assignment for which the students should generate topics (i.e., do not tell students to generate
speech topics for an informative or persuasive topic; just tell them to generate topics for speeches
that they would like to hear). After the students have generated some topics (this usually takes
no more than 5 minutes and you may want to inform students that they will only have 5 minutes
to complete this task), have each group select one topic from their individual brainstorming
session.
After the group has selected their topic, have each group announce their topic to the class so that
no topics are duplicated. If two or more groups have selected the same topic, ask them to select
different topics. Next, ask each student to come up with 2-3 points about their group topic and
write those points in the space provided on the handout (e.g., if the group’s topic is crossword
puzzles, then the students might list the following points: 1) the best way to solve crossword
puzzles, 2) where to find crossword puzzles, and 3) the history of crossword puzzles). After
each student has generated 2-3 points about the group topic, each student will read his or her
points aloud to the entire group. Each group member will need to write each point on the space
provided on the handout.
After each group member has read her or his points to the entire group, ask students to complete
Question 3 on the handout. During this time, each student will review all the points his or her
group generated and will attempt to organize that information using the organizational pattern
assigned to the student’s number (e.g., a student with the number 1 will use the Chronological
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pattern to organize the information). You may wish to inform students of the amount of time
they will have to complete this task—10 minutes is usually enough, but those with a 75 minute
class may want to allow more time for this part of the activity.
After students have organized their group’s information using their assigned pattern, ask the
group to come back together and have each student present an overview of his or her outline.
Remind the group members that they need to “check” each other’s outlines to make sure they
conform to the organizational structure. Next, ask the group to decide upon the best outline
format generated by this activity. Be sure that the group reviews each student’s outline before
selecting the most appropriate outline for their topic.
After The Activity:
Once the students are finished organizing their group’s points, invite students to share their
reactions regarding their organizational pattern. If students are not quick to offer feedback, you
may ask questions such as: Did you like brainstorming with a group? Did you like using your
organizational pattern? Did you find it easy to categorize your group’s information using your
organizational pattern? Were you surprised by the outline pattern that best met the needs of your
group’s topic? Do you now have a deeper appreciation for the complexity involved with
organizing information?
After a general discussion, focus students on the importance of considering various
organizational patterns and how those patterns can yield different, and often more interesting,
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results. This lays the foundation to stress the importance of invention and arrangement in a
public speech.
Appraisal:
Students have responded very positively to this activity and I am always pleased by their
creativity in selecting topics and ability to identify key points for their topic on the spot. Of
course, I am always careful to note that the points they are using for this activity need to be
“fleshed out” with research. I used to schedule this activity near the middle of the semester when
students begin their more complicated speaking assignments (i.e., they develop and deliver their
informative and persuasive speeches); however, last semester I completed this activity before the
Introductory Speech. The students in this course reported that they really liked knowing about
the different types of organizational patterns for this speech. An added benefit of this activity for
me was, for the first time in a long time, all of the students’ Introductory Speeches were not
written using a Chronological pattern. Some really creative students utilized the Topical and
Spatial patterns for this assignment. Another benefit of this activity is that the brainstorming
session supplies students with potential speech topics for the rest of the semester/quarter.
Alternative Uses Or Extensions:
If time is a constraint, this activity may be spread out over two classes: Have students brainstorm
topics and come up with their individual points on the first day; then, on the second day, have
each member state his/her points and then use the majority of the class to outline the information
and discuss the importance of considering all organizational patterns. Another option may be for
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the instructor to eliminate the brainstorming portion of this activity and assign topics to students
so that the students may immediately begin formulating their points for the topic.
References:
Daly, J. A., Vangelisti, A. L., & Weber, D. J. (1995). Speech anxiety affects how people
prepare speeches: A protocol analysis of the preparation process of speakers.
Communication Monographs, 62, 383-397.
Pearson, J. C., Child, J. T., & Kahl, D. H. (2006). Preparation meeting opportunity: How do
college students prepare for public speeches? Communication Quarterly, 54, 351-366.
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Student Handout:
Brainstorming and Organizing Information for a Public Speech
Name: __________________________________________________________________
1. Working on your own, use the brainstorming process to identify public speaking topics you
would be interested in hearing.
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2a. Now that your group has selected a topic for a possible public speech, list 2-3 items you
would like to know, or already know, about your group’s topic that would be appropriate for
a speech on this topic.
1. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2b. Write the other group members’ points in the space below.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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3. Based upon the number assigned to you at the beginning of this activity, organize the
information generated by your group using the assigned organizational pattern (e.g., the
person who was assigned number 1 will use the Chronological pattern to organize all the
points generated by your group in question 2b).
1: Chronological Pattern 2. Topical Pattern 3. Spatial Pattern 4. Cause/Effect 5. Problem/Solution
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