CHAPTER 8
COMPLETING THE OUTLINE: CREATING THE
INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter discusses the significance of carefully planned introductions and
conclusions. The information provided gives a solid foundation on which to create
attention-getting introductions and memorable conclusions. The proper outlining
of these two major speech elements is illustrated with a completed outline at the
end of the chapter, combining the organizational fundamentals from both
Chapters 7 and 8.
TRANSITION FROM THE 12TH EDITION
In Chapter 8, greater emphasis is placed on the goals of the introduction, the
elaboration of sub points, and the importance of listing the required number of
sources. For example, what used to be the introductory goal of “Leading into
Content” is now more accurately reflected as “Stating the Thesis.” Given the
importance of well-developed sub points, their elaborations are now included as
a component of reviewing the outline. At the end of the chapter, sources are
properly noted according to acceptable methods for citing sources in a speech.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction (p.133): This chapter focuses on the completion of the organizational
process discussed in Chapter 7, by creating an introduction that gets attention
and leads into the body, creating a conclusion that summarizes the material and
ends on a high note, and completing a list of sources used to develop the
speech.
I. Creating the introduction (pp. 133-140).
A. The introduction establishes your relationship with the audience,
gaining its attention, creating goodwill, and motivating it to listen.
B. Goals of the introduction.
1. Getting Attention: creating an opening that will win your
listeners’ attention by arousing curiosity.
2. Stating the Thesis: giving the audience a preview of the speech
topic by introducing its main points.
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3. Establishing Credibility: building trust between the speaker and
the audience.
4. Setting a Tone: establishing the desired emotional tone
appropriate to the topic.
5. Creating a Bond of Goodwill: encouraging the audience to feel
comfortable with the speaker, through enthusiasm, warmth, and
concern for the audience’s well-being.
C. Types of introductions.
1. Startling Statement: a sentence or two that grabs listeners’
attention by shocking them in some way. The shock of what was
said causes audience members stop and focus on the speaker
(example, p. 135).
2. Rhetorical Question: a question seeking a mental, rather than
vocal, response (examples, p. 135-136).
3. Story: an account of something that has happened. Given the
length of most stories, it is often necessary to abbreviate
(example, p.136).
4. Personal Reference: presenting information in a way that allows
the audience to personally identify with, or find self-interest in,
the speech topic (example, p. 137).
5. Quotation: a particularly vivid or thought provoking phrase that
is directly related to the speech topic, and therefore can
introduce it (examples, p. 137-138).
6. Suspense: strategically wording the introduction so that what is
described remains uncertain, causing excitement and
anticipation in the audience (example, p. 138).
D. Selecting and outlining the Introduction.
1. Because the introduction is critical in establishing the
speaker/audience relationship, it is important to compare
multiple (2-3) openings, before deciding on the final version.
2. For longer speeches, you may be able to include all five goals in
the introduction, however for shorter speeches focus on getting
attention and stating the thesis, and develop the others as the
speech moves along.
II. Creating the conclusion (pp. 141-143).
A. A strong conclusion can heighten the impact of a good speech;
therefore it is important that it be carefully planned.
B. Goals of the Conclusion:
1. Review key ideas in the speech to help the audience remember
what has been said.
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2. Leave with a vivid impression to help audience members
understand the importance of what has been said.
C. Types of conclusions (examples p. 142):
1. Summary: review of the speech’s main points (because all
conclusions should contain a summary, use this in combination
with the following types).
2. Appeal to action: describes the behavior desired from the
audience after hearing the speeches arguments (often used in
persuasive speeches).
3. Emotional impact: driving home a speech’s main points by
invoking an emotional response in the audience (often used in
persuasive speeches).
4. Story: the retelling of an event, whose story reinforces the
overall message of the speech.
D. Selecting and outlining the conclusion.
1. Like the introduction, create two to three versions of the
conclusion, and then choose the one that best reinforces the
speech goal with the audience.
2. For shorter speeches, a two-sentence conclusion is perfectly
appropriate, given the time needed to develop the body.
III. Completing the outline (pp. 144-147).
A. Listing sources: allows for easy retrieval of information/sources.
1. The two standard forms for organizing the source list are
alphabetically, by author’s last name, or by content category.
2. Utilize a standard bibliographic style (APA, MLA, Chicago).
B. Writing a title: be brief, creative, and preview the content.
C. Reviewing the outline
1. Sample speech (pp. 148-149)
2. Checklist (p. 150)
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LECTURE IDEAS
1. Because of their trade, journalists have a limited number of words with which
to relate their story. Such pressure results in the use of the “inverted
pyramid”—presenting the most newsworthy information first and then moving
towards the least. Based on the inverted pyramid, the beginning or
introductory words of a news story will often contain the most important
elements: who, what, when, where, why, and how. As a class, discuss the
similarities and differences between speeches and newspaper articles,
specifically focusing on their beginnings and endings. For a closer
examination, use InfoTrac to find example newspaper articles and speeches
to distribute for comparison.
2. Too often, students do not put forth the effort when writing their conclusion
that they did when writing their introduction. Understandably, the introduction
needs to grab the audience’s attention so it is stressed more in the text,
leaving the conclusion to be less emphasized. However, the conclusion is a
vital part of the speech and students should not brush it off. Some of the best
endings appear on screen, instead of on paper. Introduce students to some of
the finest “conclusions” by selecting a handful of movie clips, known for their
ending. Play these clips in class, discussing each. When all have been
viewed, comment on the similarities between a movie’s ending and a
speech’s conclusion. Ask students what they can take away from the screen
to use in their own conclusions.
3. Search the journal Vital Speeches of the Day, for examples of powerful
speeches. Analyze these speeches for their introductions and conclusions. As
a class, discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Determine what truly made
these introductions and conclusions memorable. What can students learn
from these speeches about their own creativity, and how to apply it to their
own speech introductions and conclusions? Most importantly, try to use these
examples as a way to get students excited about this step in the speech
process.
4. Assign “Beginnings and Endings for Speeches,” from InfoTrac College Edition
Student Workbook for Communication. Allow the students to share their
perceptions about the speech introductions and conclusions found in these
exercises. Discussion should focus on the effectiveness of the speakers’
choices and why the choices reflect topic selection and audience analysis.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Many speakers begin with “Hello, I am …, and today I am going to talk
about…” Is this an effective means of beginning a speech, why or why not?
Many speakers also say “In conclusion” at the end of a speech. Is this
effective, why or why not?
2. What possible problems might a speaker encounter when using humor in a
speech introduction? Can such problems be prevented? What are some
suggestions for dealing with humor and its appropriateness?
3. One option for concluding a speech is through the use of an appeal, which
can be emotional or based on cost/reward. What are the ethical implications
of appealing to an audience at the end of a speech? What must a speaker do,
in both the speech’s content and delivery, to successfully appeal to an
audience, and stay within ethical boundaries?
4. Which is more difficult for the speaker, the introduction or conclusion? Why?
What, if anything, can be done to make it easier?
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Activity #8.1: Impromptu Speech Introductions
Provide each student with a note card displaying one of the six types of speech
introductions. You will use all six types—startling statement, rhetorical question,
story, personal reference, quotation, suspense—therefore if you have 24
students you will have 4 cards of each type. When each student has a card, pass
around an envelope or container filled with predetermined speech topics (ex.
current events, entertainment issues/figures, special interests, school, leisure).
Each student will draw a different topic, which they will then use to create their
individual introductions. To practice and encourage proper speech construction,
students should develop a speech goal and thesis statement to help build their
introductions. After five minutes of preparation time, call students at random to
present their introductions to the class. Time allowing, vote on the best
introduction and discuss the reasons behind the selection.
Activity #8.2: Pivotal Introductions & Conclusions
Obtain copies of three or four major speeches from history (or current events),
and distribute them to the students. Individually or in groups, have students
identify the following components: the type of introduction and/or conclusion
used, the intended audience, the intended goal, and the context of the speech.
Then, as a class, discuss what the students have found. Were these
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introductions and conclusions effective? Why? Overall, were the speeches
effective? Why? Do the basic “types” of introductions and conclusions transcend
time and context? Why?
Activity #8.3: Outside Speech Research
Have students attend a speech outside of class, observing the style of
introduction and conclusion used by the speaker. What type of
introduction/conclusion was used? Was it appropriate? Was it effective?
Activity #8.4: Writing Introductions & Conclusions Using
Speech Builder Express
For homework, direct students to the Speech Builder Express website and
have them complete Step 5, “Introduction” and Step 6, “Conclusion.” When
finished, students should export their work to a Word document to be turned in to
the instructor.
Activity #8.5: Evaluation of Introductions & Conclusions
Select three students to deliver either an introduction or conclusion, or both
(depending on time). Distribute the following questionnaire to the class and have
students evaluate the presentations.
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WORKSHEET: EVALUATION OF INTROS AND CONCLUSIONS
Speaker:
Type of Introduction:
1. Does the introduction relate to and reinforce the topic?
2. Does the introduction stimulate interest or curiosity?
3. Did the introduction establish the speaker’s credibility or goodwill?
4. Was the thesis identifiable?
Type of Conclusion:
1. Did the speaker restate the thesis?
2. Did the conclusion relate to the introduction?
3. Did the conclusion leave the audience on a high note?
4. Did the conclusion adequately “tie-up” the speech?
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
appeal: describes the behavior that you want your listeners to follow after they
have heard the arguments.
rhetorical question: a question seeking a mental rather than a vocal response.
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TEST QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 8
Multiple Choice
1. A good introduction will, at minimum, _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
state the information on the outline
include source material
utilize parallel structure
get the attention of the audience
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 133
2. One technique for creating a bond of goodwill is through the use of
_____________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
quotations
startling statements
personal references
suspense
ANS: c
SEE PAGE 135
3. If a speaker is considering using a “story” introduction, its effectiveness will
depend on _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
its contrast with the speech topic
its relevance to the speech content
its entertainment value
its creativity
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 136
4. One way top determine whether or not your introduction is appropriate for
your speech is to _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
prepare several then select the best one
use introductions that have succeeded in the past
practice saying the introduction many times
decide if it can be memorized
ANS: a
SEE PAGE 138
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5. Speakers ask rhetorical questions in order to ______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
entertain the audience
get the audience thinking about an idea
startle the audience
demonstrate knowledge on the subject
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 135
6. The thesis statement _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
sets the tone of the speech
acts as an attention-getter
is the opening sentence in the introduction
introduces the speech’s main points
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 134
7. If a speaker begins by saying, “It is nature’s best bug control, and nightblooming flowers depend on it for pollination. As North America’s most
endangered animal, the Chiroptera, or ‘bat’, is in serious trouble,” what type of
introduction is he/she trying to use?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Quotation
Story
Personal Reference
Suspense
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 138
8. A speaker who begins with, “It’s a pleasure to return to State University. As
you know, I’m a graduate of State. Though it was some time ago, the last few
days I’ve spent on campus have made me feel as though I never left,” is
using what type of introduction?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Personal Reference
Story
Quotation
Rhetorical Question
ANS: a
SEE PAGE 136
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9. The conclusion offers a speaker one last chance to do all of the following
except _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
emphasize the speech’s main points
leave the audience with a vivid impression
motivate the audience to action
introduce new information
ANS: c
SEE PAGE 141
10. One of the goals of a conclusion is to _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
put the speaker at ease
leave the subject on a high note
make the structure of the speech clear
offer new information
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 141
11. The easiest, appropriate way to end a speech is to _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
restate the introduction
restate the thesis
summarize the main points
say, “In conclusion…”
ANS: c
SEE PAGE 141
12. If a speaker concludes his/her speech by saying, “With his vision, courage,
and brotherly love, Martin Luther King Jr. will always be remembered as a
great humanitarian,” what type of conclusion is in use?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Appeal
Summary
Challenge
Illustration
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 141
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13. A conclusion that states, “We must not permit our forests to die. Please, the
next time you are camping, practice the suggestions I have made you,” is
using the technique called _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Appeal
Summary
Illustration
Emotional Impact
ANS: a
SEE PAGE 142
14. A conclusion that uses _______________ arouses a personal response in
the audience, inviting it to feel a certain way.
a.
b.
c.
d.
an appeal
a summary
an illustration
emotional impact
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 142
15. Regardless of the type of speech, all conclusions should contain
_______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
an argument
a personal reference
a story
a summary
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 143
16. When preparing a speech outline, you should begin with the
_______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
introduction
body
conclusion
reference list
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 133
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17. The last item on the speech outline is _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
the specific goal
the source list
the thesis statement
the conclusion
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 144
18. The following are all essential elements of a source list except
_______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
author
date of publication
title of the work
none of the above
ANS: d
SEE PAGE 145
19. A good title will do all of the following except _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
attract the audience
build interest
introduce the main points
preview the content
ANS: c
SEE PAGE 147
20. The final stage in completing the outline is _______________.
a.
b.
c.
d.
creating a title
reviewing the outline
adding the source list
reviewing the facts
ANS: b
SEE PAGE 147
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True-False
21. T F Because the introduction establishes a relationship with the audience,
it is worth the time to compare different openings.
ANS: T
SEE PAGE 133
22. T F The audience’s physical presence guarantees that its member’s will
listen to the speech.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 133
23. T F A speech’s introductory remarks set the overall tone for the speech.
ANS: T
SEE PAGE 134
24. T F Regardless of length, all five goals must be present for an introduction
to be effective.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 135
25. T F Because the conclusion only represents 5% of the speech, careful
planning is not a must.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 141
26. T F For shorter speeches, a speaker only needs to summarize the main
points.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 141
27. T F Ending with emotional impact is particularly appropriate for persuasive
speeches.
ANS: T
SEE PAGE 142
28. T F Depending on the type of speech, a source list may not be necessary.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 144
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29. T F The two standard methods for organizing a source list are
alphabetically and chronologically.
ANS: F
SEE PAGE 144
30. T F In addition to the source in the outline, sources should also be cited in
the speech body.
ANS: T
SEE PAGE 146
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Gring-Pemble, L., & Watson, M. S. (2003). The rhetorical limits of satire: An
analysis of James Finn Garner’s politically correct bedtime stories.
Quarterly Journal of Speech, 89(2), 132-154.
Hart, M. (2000). A compelling introduction leads to a good presentation.
Presentations, 14(8), 82.
McGrath, V. (2002). The quest to engage and involve your audience.
Presentations, 16(9), 58.
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