Chapter Twelve
Types of
Organizational
Arrangements
Chapter Twelve
Table of Contents
Arranging Points Topically
Arranging Points Chronologically
Spatial or Geographical Patterns
Causal (Cause-Effect) Pattern
Problem-Solution Pattern
Alternate Patterns of Organization
Organizing Subpoints*
Types of Organizational
Arrangements
After you identify your
speech thesis and decide
on your main points, you
will need to organize your
speech points in a way best
suited to your specific
speech purpose and the
information-processing
needs of the audience.*
Arranging Speech Points
Topically
A topical pattern of arrangement is
used when each of the main points of a
topic is of relatively equal importance,
and when these points can be
presented in any order relative to the
other main points without changing the
message.*
Arranging Speech Points
Chronologically
A chronological pattern
of arrangement is used
to reflect the natural or
sequential order of the
main points.*
Arranging Speech Points Using a
Spatial or Geographical Pattern
Spatial or geographical
patterns of arrangement
are used when main points
are arranged in order of
their physical proximity or
direction relative to each
other.*
Arranging Speech Points in a
Causal (Cause-Effect) Pattern
A causal pattern of arrangement is
used when the main points of the speech
compare something known to be a
“cause” to its “effects.”*
Arranging Speech Points By a
Problem-Solution Pattern
A problem-solution pattern of
arrangement is used when the main
points are organized to demonstrate
the nature and significance of a
problem and then to provide
justification for a proposed solution.*
Alternate Patterns of
Organization
In addition to these types of
organization, there exist others, such as
deductive and inductive organizations or
motivated sequences.*
Organizing Subpoints
Your subpoints do not have to be
arranged using the same pattern as
your main points; rather, organization
should be driven by what’s most
effective for the particular topic,
occasion, or audience.*