Lillian Magda
9/10/25
Public speaking
Professor Miller
Journal #4 – chapter 11 & 12 reflection
Chapter11: In the book some key take aways I noticed were how the speeches are just like an essay. There are 3 parts, and introduction, body, and conclusion. THe main points in the speech should be about 2-5 points with no more than 7. Main ideas typically should not lead to other ideas and should be just the point. Making sure to use supporting ideas is also important with those points, as well as the main points, being researched. Making sure to keep your speech organized is also another key thing to include. This ensures making your speech balanced with emphasis, making sure its coherence is smooth and easy to understand, unity as everything leads to the main idea, and clean transitions. The transitions are important to tie in ideas and easy for the listener to follow along while feeling organized. You can use summaries or internal previews.
Overall, I learned from these chapters to keep a limit on the amount of main points you have. I also learned to save the best points or ideas for first or last, as the audience will be able to remember it better and be more engaged.
In chapter 12 was describing a more helpful way to present your speeches and the type of organization they are. THey gave ways to make sure it was effective and organized with clean intentions for the audience. The six common organization patterns were chronological, spatial, causal, problem-solution, topical, and narrative. Each of these set ups for your speech were different approaches and kinds of speeches for your topic. After you gather your main points and materials you are using for your speech you should select one of these patterns.
I learned that choosing which pattern is right for each speech and the differences they have. Each one gets your point across differently with different organization styles.This chapter emphasized that the organization of a speech should support its purpose and content. Picking the right structure improves clarity, keeps the audience engaged, and strengthens the overall message. I now understand how important it is to plan the order of ideas carefully before writing or delivering a speech.
Journal 4
Some of the big takeaways from Chapter 11 were the whole concept of how to structure a speech. There are 3 basic parts of a speech: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is to grab the audience’s attention, and it also establishes the topic or purpose of the speech. The body is the supporting point and should be the longest part of the speech. The conclusion is the closure or wrapping up of the speech.
In the body, there should be main points and also supporting points to support the main points. The main points are the key ideas of the speech, with claims and evidence. There should be around 2-5 main points. The supporting points justify the main points with stats and facts.
A speech should also have unity, coherence, and balance. Unity of the thesis statement main points and supporting points. Coherence is when the speech is organized clearly and logically. Balance is the emphasis in each part of the speech.
Some of the big takeaways from chapter 12 were the organization patterns of a speech. Organization patterns are patterns that help to link points for maximum effect of the audience’s listening and engaging. Studies have been done that show that patterns in a speech help to keep the audience engaged rather than not having patterns.
The 6 main patterns are chronological, spatial, causal, topical, narrative, and problem-to-solution. Chronological order follows a natural sequence of the order of the main points. It follows a time sequence. Spatial is the order of physical proximity or direction relative to one another. Causality is cause and then effect. Topical is 3 equal points that can be said interchangeably. Narrative is a story or a series of short stories of a conflict from its resolution. The final point is problem to solution, which is mainly used in a persuasive speech of a problem, then a solution to the problem.
Read chapters 11 and 12. What are the big takeaways from each chapter (11/12)? In a full journal entry, explain the significance of what you found important and what I connected with in the chapters (150 words per chapter).
Ch. 11 – Structuring the Speech – This chapter is all about the structure of speeches. Speeches should have 3 main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion, so like a basic writing piece. This chapter also states the importance of using main points to give meaning to your major ideas. One thing I enjoyed reading about in this chapter was the importance of transitions because I am not good at including transitions and that is something I want to work to improve,. It helps the words flow and adds structure to your topic. I like that this chapter includes transition guidance and examples, I plan to refer to this next time I am writing a speech to ensure I make improvements. Overall, this chapter was very helpful to my speech writing and my confidence in structure and transitions.
Ch 12 – Selecting an Organizational Pattern – This chapter is all about the way you organize points in a speech in the most efficient way. It is important to write about your points in a chronological pattern to make your speech naturally flow and easy to understand. There are multiple patterns you can follow when writing a speech, for example: arranging speech points using a Spacial Pattern, arranging speech points using a Casual Pattern, or arranging speech points using a Problem-Solution pattern. Prior to reading this chapter I had never learned about this concept but it is actually very interesting, and I believe it will be helpful as I write speeches in the future. You can even blend organizational patterns which is very interesting! This chapter also included examples on how to write speeches in each of six ways.
Abigail Chapman
Prof. Miller
SPC-100-A
10 September 2025
Chapter 11: Structuring the Speech
Chapter 11 mainly focuses on how to properly build a speech that had a clear and effective structure to it. O’Hair explains that a speech usually is made up of three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Each of these parts play a specific role in keeping the audience engaged and to properly deliver the message. Personally, what I found interesting was his detailed breakdown of a strong introduction and its parts, such as capturing attention, establishing credibility, and introducing the key points. This chapter also highlights the importance of a conclusion that reinforces key ideas and leaves the audience with a lasting impression. Overall this chapter helped me understand that no matter the speech topic, organization is the most crucial part to ensure clarity and effectiveness. It also helped motivate me to spend more time crafting these parts carefully in order to properly get my point across.
Chapter 12: Selecting an Organizational Pattern
Chapter 12 focuses on choosing the right organizational structure that helps the audience follow the speech and leave a lasting impression. O’Hair presents several common speech patterns: chronological, spatial, casual, problem-solution, and topical. Each of which is suited for different content, purposes, and audience. What really resonated with me was his emphasis on matching your organization to the speech goal and the audience’s needs, as opposed to just picking what’s easiest. The chapter also points out the value of clear transitions to connect your points to each other smoothly. This chapter highlighted the importance of proper and thoughtful planning to ensure the message of the speech flows logically, making it easier for the audience to stay engaged in the speech and ensure they fully understand the speaker’s points. Overall his chapter has inspired me to ensure the careful planning and organization of my speeches to properly get all my points across.
In chapter 11 it was about speech structure, my biggest takeaway from this chapter was learning that main points express the key ideas of the speech. The speech should be two-five points (fewer points= better attention). Main points should only cover one main idea. Supporting points provide examples or evidence to explain the main points. In this chapter I also learned about the transitions and how important they are to speeches. Transition words make the ideas flow smoothly and help keep you organized. You want to connect points and guide the audience by using transition words such as (first, next, similarity, now we turn). Lastly there are three qualities of a well organized speech. The first quality is unity which is only points connected to the thesis, the next quality is coherence, ideas should be clear and logical. The last quality is balance, each part of the speech has equal weight.
In chapter 12 it was about the different speech patterns and knowing when to select the right one. My biggest takeaway from this chapter was learning about each pattern and what the purpose of them was. The first one was a chronological (temporal) pattern; it presents ideas, events, or steps in the order they happened. You use this pattern when talking about historical information, how to give speeches or describing an event. The second pattern is the spatial which describes places, scenes,or objects based on their location or arrangement in space. You use this pattern when describing a place or explaining a geographic location. The third pattern in the cause and effect pattern. This pattern shows why something happened (causes) or what will happen as a result (effects). You use this pattern when explaining problems, persuasive speeches or technical topics. The fourth pattern is the topical pattern. Topical means it is organized by topics or subtopics and is normally three main points. This is used when categories work better than time or space order or when comparing parts of a whole. The fifth pattern is the narrative pattern. This is based on a story, short stories with characters that have a beginning, middle and end. The last pattern in problem- solution pattern. This pattern is when the organized structure or method you use to arrange your ideas in a speech or essay. You use this pattern when trying to persuade, motivate or inform.
In chapters 11, they often talk about the structure and the importance of giving a strong speech. It’s necessary to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion in the writing process. Understanding that you need key points and evidence is a huge part of being a good presenter. This includes having done research from others to back up your answers. In chapter 11, it points out to avoid using words like “most likely” or being coming off as not sure. Being confident in your answers makes you come off as having a powerful voice. Not only is having well-built verbal expression crucial, but also a smooth transition within your paragraphs. This helps the choppiness and reduces the looks of being disorganized. Transitions can come across as full sentences, phrases, or single words. The conclusion also needs to somehow tie in and do a summary of what the speaker’s main key points on. It’s just as important to finish off the statement strongly.
In chapter 12 it mentions the lead up to a proven point. They use the example of needing a vaccine, how that can take a while to create the right antidote. Not only does the development help the listeners get a better visual, but it explains the scenery. If you’re telling a story based off yourself, make clear what you saw, smell, and feel. This is how the audience can feel more engaged. When it comes to public speaking, you can talk about anything. This chapter mentions using a problem-solution pattern as a way to create a point. This would happen by identifying the problem and acknowledging how to create a solution. With this set up, evidence as well as generating arguments can make people think differently. It’s interesting how public speaking can change the way someone thinks by putting them into an unlikely situation.
From chapter 11 I learned that the most important part of a speech is the structure. By using main points as building blocks, the speech can be structured to effectively relay information or persuade the audience to feel a certain way. It is best to keep the main points single ideas rather than have multiple ideas in one point. This helps with organization later and flow of the speech. If a main point can be broken down into multiple ideas, or one idea can be supported by other ideas, than supporting points can be added to follow main points. This helps give depth and clarify the main points, which helps strengthen the speech. Additionally, using transitions to move from one main point to another helps keep the speech coherent and understandable. Being able to tie together one main idea to the next helps with the overall flow and tone of the speech.
In chapter 12 I found various styles of organization that can be used to structure a speech. The first style, chronological, is likely the simplest to understand and utilize. This style involves organizing the speech in a time-ordered sequence. There are many other patterns (causal, spatial, problem-solution, and narrative), but one that sticks out to me is the topical pattern. With this style, the end goal is to have a speech that is organized with relatively equally important main points delivered as subtopics to the overall topic. In the book, the example given is about Chicago where the subpoints are diverse neighborhoods, vibrant social scene, and the location. All of these points are delivered as equally important while also supporting the main idea that all of these reasons make Chicago a good place for young professionals. Overall, I found that organization of a speech can vary depending on the main idea and supporting ideas.
Journal 4
As I was reading chapter 11 I was confused on how to put my takeaways into words without making it complicated for the reader. I am going to do my best to write smoothly and not jumble my thoughts. So here we go, some of my takeaways from chapter 11 were, when performing a speech you have to stay organized and put together while presenting your speech, it is going to show your audience you know what you are talking about and make it a lot easier on you too. That looks like making sure the main points follow directly from the speech thesis, making sure to explain the main topics clearly so your audience understands and takes away from it, and also a big one is to present the evidence you have to back up your information. You also want to make sure you don’t go overboard when talking, because I learned while reading how an audience can only take away 2-7 main points you serve them. While there were many more takeaways in chapter 11 I am going to move onto chapter 12.
In chapter 12 there was a lot of mention on staying organized on a deeper level than chapter 11. There were many different organization patterns like, for example, the chronological pattern, casual pattern, problem solving pattern, and a couple other ones. Like I had said before this chapter was focused on the patterns on how to keep track of your speech and how well you are performing. Overall these chapters gave you a lot on how to give yourself a good outline to follow, and how to mash your thesis and main points together or one after another. I think that is such an important skill to have and to learn on, but to incorporate that skill you need to work on the way you perform.
A big take away I have from chapter eleven was how the author wrote about the significance of writing a coherent thesis statement. The thesis statement is the guideline for writing your main points and supporting points. I connect with this because it has always been a struggle for me to write a clear thesis statement, but after trial and error, I always make room for improvement. Also, balance is important for clarity. Although it is important to emphasize the thesis, keep in mind too that each section of the speech (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion) gets the same amount of attention. I relate to this because I tend to overpower one body paragraph over the other, or I am more strong in my introduction than my conclusion. This chapter reminded me that I should have balance when writing, so that way I can deliver a well organized and balanced speech.
In reading chapter twelve, something that I found interesting was the different styles of organizing a topic. Specifically, I found the narrative pattern the most interesting. I found this pattern interesting because the speech itself consists of a series or short stories, replete with characters, conflict or complications, and resolution. I connect with the narrative pattern because I generally like to hear or read about a story about someone else, one that is real. This narrative also incorporates the cause and effect narrative. I have written many cause and effect papers during high school, so now that I understand what I have read, I can take my interest and apply it to my knowledge. I also found it interesting to generally read about how there are different types of narratives to speak about. I knew there were different types of writing styles and how to approach them, but I did not know they had real definitions and categories.
Chapter 11, and chapter 12 discuss some important pieces of how to break down your speech and be able to smoothly transition between parts of speech, and why it’s valuable to do so. In chapter 11 we’re told to start with an intro that strikes the attention of your reader, or listener. In chapter 12 they tell us to even use a famous quote from a trusted popular source that will be widely known amongst the general listener or reader. In the intro you also state your thesis clearly. After your intro, you should begin your body paragraph that is framed off of the thesis. Your main points should be efficient, and only list around 2-5 main points. The reasoning being a listener can interpret roughly 2-5 points, and after that it may go in one ear and out the other. Main points should be restricted to a single idea too, it’s important to not build off of one point and twist two points together, the goal of the speech is to get your points across clearly. Chapter 12 gives us an insight of a speech where a woman named Suandra wants colleges to go carbon neutral. Suandra provides evidence from other colleges doing the same, and uses credible sources to build trust with your audience and listener. She also makes it clear what exactly going carbon neutral is so her audience clearly understands her main point. A way you can transition smoothly between parts of your speech is when you’re wrapping up a certain section, you quickly summarize and then begin on the new main point at hand, this helps the audience stay with Suandra and stay engaged. Her conclusion uses “finally” to wrap up her speech which is an indicator that she’s stating her last pieces of information, and she states her sources at the end too.
Journal #4
Chapter 11- This chapter describes the ideas of structure and organizational skills to make a speech coherent and engaging. On page 78, the quick tip of putting your best speech points at the beginning and end of the speech, makes a lot of sense to me, and something I hadn’t previously thought of. Also, the idea of having too many points, this could come off as disorganized, and the audience could get losses, or lose interest. I thought the section of using the thesis statement as a guide was important because it allows you to follow and add on to what you’re trying to express. What I found to be most important of the chapter was the idea of transitions, without transition it’s hard for the audience to follow when there are multiple points in a speech. This chapter was important for me, because during my first speech I tried to focus my energy on structure and organization.
Chapter 12- This chapter describes selecting an organizational pattern. Organizational patterns are an important tool in public speaking for the reader and the audience. For the reader, a structured speech allows the brain to follow a clear, concise outline, making it easier to read and provide clarity. Organizational patterns also promote engagement within the audience. For example: if you have a speech with specific dates and times, you wouldn’t want to order those dates randomly, if organized properly, it allows the audience to follow. In the few chapters we have read, I have found that quick tips are useful, the tip on page 90 provided insight on how you can blend organizational patterns. Whenever I think of speech writing I don’t think of organizational patterns. But now in the future I can use the six organizational patterns to structure my speech. One of the things I try to implement into my speech is clarity, and using these patterns will make my speech more concise.
In these chapters it talks about how to have a good starting line and a good ending line, and to make sure you don’t have to many points and make sure your points are organized.If you ramble on to much the audience will get lost and not really know what the main idea is. I think the starting and the ending lines being the most important makes a lot of sense because that’s what people are most likely to remember the most, you should have an introduction, body, then conclusion just like an essay. Another important note is that you speech shouldn’t have to many points, 2-5 main points is best, and your main points shouldn’t lead to other points. Another point was to make a clear thesis statement so your audience can know what you’re talking about or are going to talk about . In chapter 12 it talks more in depth about organizational patterns of speeches so it can be easier for you to deliver the speech and it can be easier for your audience to follow the speech, in turn allowing the audience to have better engagement and understanding of what you trying to say. Another element they talk about is make sure to describe your points, like with the carbon neutral speech she made sure the audience knew what carbon neutral was and also building trust with your audience. I thought these were two really good chapters for learning how to better my public speaking skills with the speech I write and how to write it. In the next speech I write I will take organization and main points into a more consideration so I can connect and engage the audience.
Studying chapter 11 and 12, help me realise how important organization is the foundation for any effective speech and public speaker. Chapter 11 taught me that most speeches, especially the ones delivered in the classroom shouldn’t have more than five or 7 points. I think I find this especially important in public speaking because if we just make the whole speech about boring points the audience won’t be engaged at all. So it’s pretty important to keep it short but informative at the same time so the audience can keep engaged at what you’re saying and presenting. I realized that I often struggle with maybe putting a lot of boring points that aren’t as necessary, and this chapter gave me tools to not put as many points because I won’t keep my listeners attention.
A takeaway from Chapter 12 that stood out to me was the chronological pattern of arrangement. I really didn’t know that we needed to follow a specific order when it came to explaining historical speeches, process explanations, or storytelling. This chapter helped me understand that the chronological pattern of arrangement is actually really important when it comes to talking about historical speeches, process explanations, or storytelling. But now I understand it is because we need an organised way of talking and telling things so people can follow and understand what we are talking about. This relates to my daily life because when I explain things to others I often tell things mixed and disorganised and people sometimes can’t follow what I’m saying or trying to tell.
Chapter 11 of A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking emphasizes the importance of structuring your speech using balance and simplicity. The authors first mention main points, which “express the key ideas of the speech”. They also talk about the amount of main points appropriate for a speech, and that having between two and seven is ideal because “the fewer main points in a speech, the greater odds that the speaker will maintain the listeners’ attention.” They also talk about supporting points – which organize evidence you’ve gathered – and how the proper and clear organization of the main points, supporting points, subsupporting points, and sub-subsupporting points is key in making an effective and understandable speech. The authors end on the topic of transitions – which help tie the speech together – in order to effectively move from one main point to another, or from one supporting point to another. Personally, my main takeaway from this chapter is that balance is crucial in making any kind of speech.
The twelfth chapter of A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking talks about six commonly used patterns within speeches; chronological, spatial, casual, topical, narrative, and the problem-solution pattern. Chronological pattern “follows the natural sequential order of the main points”; spatial is a pattern in which the main points are “arranged in order of their physical proximity or direction relative to one another.”; Casual organizes the main points into a cause-effect pattern; topical is when “the main points can be presented optimally as a subtopic or category of the speech topic.”; a narrative pattern is when a speech has a series of short stories within it; a problem-solution pattern exists to “demonstrate the nature and significance of a problem followed by a proposed solution.” All of these patterns are extremely useful to understand when preparing a speech, and it’s important to use the most fitting organizational structure for it.
14 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 4”
Lillian Magda
9/10/25
Public speaking
Professor Miller
Journal #4 – chapter 11 & 12 reflection
Chapter11: In the book some key take aways I noticed were how the speeches are just like an essay. There are 3 parts, and introduction, body, and conclusion. THe main points in the speech should be about 2-5 points with no more than 7. Main ideas typically should not lead to other ideas and should be just the point. Making sure to use supporting ideas is also important with those points, as well as the main points, being researched. Making sure to keep your speech organized is also another key thing to include. This ensures making your speech balanced with emphasis, making sure its coherence is smooth and easy to understand, unity as everything leads to the main idea, and clean transitions. The transitions are important to tie in ideas and easy for the listener to follow along while feeling organized. You can use summaries or internal previews.
Overall, I learned from these chapters to keep a limit on the amount of main points you have. I also learned to save the best points or ideas for first or last, as the audience will be able to remember it better and be more engaged.
In chapter 12 was describing a more helpful way to present your speeches and the type of organization they are. THey gave ways to make sure it was effective and organized with clean intentions for the audience. The six common organization patterns were chronological, spatial, causal, problem-solution, topical, and narrative. Each of these set ups for your speech were different approaches and kinds of speeches for your topic. After you gather your main points and materials you are using for your speech you should select one of these patterns.
I learned that choosing which pattern is right for each speech and the differences they have. Each one gets your point across differently with different organization styles.This chapter emphasized that the organization of a speech should support its purpose and content. Picking the right structure improves clarity, keeps the audience engaged, and strengthens the overall message. I now understand how important it is to plan the order of ideas carefully before writing or delivering a speech.
Journal 4
Some of the big takeaways from Chapter 11 were the whole concept of how to structure a speech. There are 3 basic parts of a speech: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is to grab the audience’s attention, and it also establishes the topic or purpose of the speech. The body is the supporting point and should be the longest part of the speech. The conclusion is the closure or wrapping up of the speech.
In the body, there should be main points and also supporting points to support the main points. The main points are the key ideas of the speech, with claims and evidence. There should be around 2-5 main points. The supporting points justify the main points with stats and facts.
A speech should also have unity, coherence, and balance. Unity of the thesis statement main points and supporting points. Coherence is when the speech is organized clearly and logically. Balance is the emphasis in each part of the speech.
Some of the big takeaways from chapter 12 were the organization patterns of a speech. Organization patterns are patterns that help to link points for maximum effect of the audience’s listening and engaging. Studies have been done that show that patterns in a speech help to keep the audience engaged rather than not having patterns.
The 6 main patterns are chronological, spatial, causal, topical, narrative, and problem-to-solution. Chronological order follows a natural sequence of the order of the main points. It follows a time sequence. Spatial is the order of physical proximity or direction relative to one another. Causality is cause and then effect. Topical is 3 equal points that can be said interchangeably. Narrative is a story or a series of short stories of a conflict from its resolution. The final point is problem to solution, which is mainly used in a persuasive speech of a problem, then a solution to the problem.
Journal #4
Read chapters 11 and 12. What are the big takeaways from each chapter (11/12)? In a full journal entry, explain the significance of what you found important and what I connected with in the chapters (150 words per chapter).
Ch. 11 – Structuring the Speech – This chapter is all about the structure of speeches. Speeches should have 3 main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion, so like a basic writing piece. This chapter also states the importance of using main points to give meaning to your major ideas. One thing I enjoyed reading about in this chapter was the importance of transitions because I am not good at including transitions and that is something I want to work to improve,. It helps the words flow and adds structure to your topic. I like that this chapter includes transition guidance and examples, I plan to refer to this next time I am writing a speech to ensure I make improvements. Overall, this chapter was very helpful to my speech writing and my confidence in structure and transitions.
Ch 12 – Selecting an Organizational Pattern – This chapter is all about the way you organize points in a speech in the most efficient way. It is important to write about your points in a chronological pattern to make your speech naturally flow and easy to understand. There are multiple patterns you can follow when writing a speech, for example: arranging speech points using a Spacial Pattern, arranging speech points using a Casual Pattern, or arranging speech points using a Problem-Solution pattern. Prior to reading this chapter I had never learned about this concept but it is actually very interesting, and I believe it will be helpful as I write speeches in the future. You can even blend organizational patterns which is very interesting! This chapter also included examples on how to write speeches in each of six ways.
Abigail Chapman
Prof. Miller
SPC-100-A
10 September 2025
Chapter 11: Structuring the Speech
Chapter 11 mainly focuses on how to properly build a speech that had a clear and effective structure to it. O’Hair explains that a speech usually is made up of three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Each of these parts play a specific role in keeping the audience engaged and to properly deliver the message. Personally, what I found interesting was his detailed breakdown of a strong introduction and its parts, such as capturing attention, establishing credibility, and introducing the key points. This chapter also highlights the importance of a conclusion that reinforces key ideas and leaves the audience with a lasting impression. Overall this chapter helped me understand that no matter the speech topic, organization is the most crucial part to ensure clarity and effectiveness. It also helped motivate me to spend more time crafting these parts carefully in order to properly get my point across.
Chapter 12: Selecting an Organizational Pattern
Chapter 12 focuses on choosing the right organizational structure that helps the audience follow the speech and leave a lasting impression. O’Hair presents several common speech patterns: chronological, spatial, casual, problem-solution, and topical. Each of which is suited for different content, purposes, and audience. What really resonated with me was his emphasis on matching your organization to the speech goal and the audience’s needs, as opposed to just picking what’s easiest. The chapter also points out the value of clear transitions to connect your points to each other smoothly. This chapter highlighted the importance of proper and thoughtful planning to ensure the message of the speech flows logically, making it easier for the audience to stay engaged in the speech and ensure they fully understand the speaker’s points. Overall his chapter has inspired me to ensure the careful planning and organization of my speeches to properly get all my points across.
In chapter 11 it was about speech structure, my biggest takeaway from this chapter was learning that main points express the key ideas of the speech. The speech should be two-five points (fewer points= better attention). Main points should only cover one main idea. Supporting points provide examples or evidence to explain the main points. In this chapter I also learned about the transitions and how important they are to speeches. Transition words make the ideas flow smoothly and help keep you organized. You want to connect points and guide the audience by using transition words such as (first, next, similarity, now we turn). Lastly there are three qualities of a well organized speech. The first quality is unity which is only points connected to the thesis, the next quality is coherence, ideas should be clear and logical. The last quality is balance, each part of the speech has equal weight.
In chapter 12 it was about the different speech patterns and knowing when to select the right one. My biggest takeaway from this chapter was learning about each pattern and what the purpose of them was. The first one was a chronological (temporal) pattern; it presents ideas, events, or steps in the order they happened. You use this pattern when talking about historical information, how to give speeches or describing an event. The second pattern is the spatial which describes places, scenes,or objects based on their location or arrangement in space. You use this pattern when describing a place or explaining a geographic location. The third pattern in the cause and effect pattern. This pattern shows why something happened (causes) or what will happen as a result (effects). You use this pattern when explaining problems, persuasive speeches or technical topics. The fourth pattern is the topical pattern. Topical means it is organized by topics or subtopics and is normally three main points. This is used when categories work better than time or space order or when comparing parts of a whole. The fifth pattern is the narrative pattern. This is based on a story, short stories with characters that have a beginning, middle and end. The last pattern in problem- solution pattern. This pattern is when the organized structure or method you use to arrange your ideas in a speech or essay. You use this pattern when trying to persuade, motivate or inform.
In chapters 11, they often talk about the structure and the importance of giving a strong speech. It’s necessary to have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion in the writing process. Understanding that you need key points and evidence is a huge part of being a good presenter. This includes having done research from others to back up your answers. In chapter 11, it points out to avoid using words like “most likely” or being coming off as not sure. Being confident in your answers makes you come off as having a powerful voice. Not only is having well-built verbal expression crucial, but also a smooth transition within your paragraphs. This helps the choppiness and reduces the looks of being disorganized. Transitions can come across as full sentences, phrases, or single words. The conclusion also needs to somehow tie in and do a summary of what the speaker’s main key points on. It’s just as important to finish off the statement strongly.
In chapter 12 it mentions the lead up to a proven point. They use the example of needing a vaccine, how that can take a while to create the right antidote. Not only does the development help the listeners get a better visual, but it explains the scenery. If you’re telling a story based off yourself, make clear what you saw, smell, and feel. This is how the audience can feel more engaged. When it comes to public speaking, you can talk about anything. This chapter mentions using a problem-solution pattern as a way to create a point. This would happen by identifying the problem and acknowledging how to create a solution. With this set up, evidence as well as generating arguments can make people think differently. It’s interesting how public speaking can change the way someone thinks by putting them into an unlikely situation.
From chapter 11 I learned that the most important part of a speech is the structure. By using main points as building blocks, the speech can be structured to effectively relay information or persuade the audience to feel a certain way. It is best to keep the main points single ideas rather than have multiple ideas in one point. This helps with organization later and flow of the speech. If a main point can be broken down into multiple ideas, or one idea can be supported by other ideas, than supporting points can be added to follow main points. This helps give depth and clarify the main points, which helps strengthen the speech. Additionally, using transitions to move from one main point to another helps keep the speech coherent and understandable. Being able to tie together one main idea to the next helps with the overall flow and tone of the speech.
In chapter 12 I found various styles of organization that can be used to structure a speech. The first style, chronological, is likely the simplest to understand and utilize. This style involves organizing the speech in a time-ordered sequence. There are many other patterns (causal, spatial, problem-solution, and narrative), but one that sticks out to me is the topical pattern. With this style, the end goal is to have a speech that is organized with relatively equally important main points delivered as subtopics to the overall topic. In the book, the example given is about Chicago where the subpoints are diverse neighborhoods, vibrant social scene, and the location. All of these points are delivered as equally important while also supporting the main idea that all of these reasons make Chicago a good place for young professionals. Overall, I found that organization of a speech can vary depending on the main idea and supporting ideas.
Journal 4
As I was reading chapter 11 I was confused on how to put my takeaways into words without making it complicated for the reader. I am going to do my best to write smoothly and not jumble my thoughts. So here we go, some of my takeaways from chapter 11 were, when performing a speech you have to stay organized and put together while presenting your speech, it is going to show your audience you know what you are talking about and make it a lot easier on you too. That looks like making sure the main points follow directly from the speech thesis, making sure to explain the main topics clearly so your audience understands and takes away from it, and also a big one is to present the evidence you have to back up your information. You also want to make sure you don’t go overboard when talking, because I learned while reading how an audience can only take away 2-7 main points you serve them. While there were many more takeaways in chapter 11 I am going to move onto chapter 12.
In chapter 12 there was a lot of mention on staying organized on a deeper level than chapter 11. There were many different organization patterns like, for example, the chronological pattern, casual pattern, problem solving pattern, and a couple other ones. Like I had said before this chapter was focused on the patterns on how to keep track of your speech and how well you are performing. Overall these chapters gave you a lot on how to give yourself a good outline to follow, and how to mash your thesis and main points together or one after another. I think that is such an important skill to have and to learn on, but to incorporate that skill you need to work on the way you perform.
A big take away I have from chapter eleven was how the author wrote about the significance of writing a coherent thesis statement. The thesis statement is the guideline for writing your main points and supporting points. I connect with this because it has always been a struggle for me to write a clear thesis statement, but after trial and error, I always make room for improvement. Also, balance is important for clarity. Although it is important to emphasize the thesis, keep in mind too that each section of the speech (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion) gets the same amount of attention. I relate to this because I tend to overpower one body paragraph over the other, or I am more strong in my introduction than my conclusion. This chapter reminded me that I should have balance when writing, so that way I can deliver a well organized and balanced speech.
In reading chapter twelve, something that I found interesting was the different styles of organizing a topic. Specifically, I found the narrative pattern the most interesting. I found this pattern interesting because the speech itself consists of a series or short stories, replete with characters, conflict or complications, and resolution. I connect with the narrative pattern because I generally like to hear or read about a story about someone else, one that is real. This narrative also incorporates the cause and effect narrative. I have written many cause and effect papers during high school, so now that I understand what I have read, I can take my interest and apply it to my knowledge. I also found it interesting to generally read about how there are different types of narratives to speak about. I knew there were different types of writing styles and how to approach them, but I did not know they had real definitions and categories.
Chapter 11, and chapter 12 discuss some important pieces of how to break down your speech and be able to smoothly transition between parts of speech, and why it’s valuable to do so. In chapter 11 we’re told to start with an intro that strikes the attention of your reader, or listener. In chapter 12 they tell us to even use a famous quote from a trusted popular source that will be widely known amongst the general listener or reader. In the intro you also state your thesis clearly. After your intro, you should begin your body paragraph that is framed off of the thesis. Your main points should be efficient, and only list around 2-5 main points. The reasoning being a listener can interpret roughly 2-5 points, and after that it may go in one ear and out the other. Main points should be restricted to a single idea too, it’s important to not build off of one point and twist two points together, the goal of the speech is to get your points across clearly. Chapter 12 gives us an insight of a speech where a woman named Suandra wants colleges to go carbon neutral. Suandra provides evidence from other colleges doing the same, and uses credible sources to build trust with your audience and listener. She also makes it clear what exactly going carbon neutral is so her audience clearly understands her main point. A way you can transition smoothly between parts of your speech is when you’re wrapping up a certain section, you quickly summarize and then begin on the new main point at hand, this helps the audience stay with Suandra and stay engaged. Her conclusion uses “finally” to wrap up her speech which is an indicator that she’s stating her last pieces of information, and she states her sources at the end too.
Journal #4
Chapter 11- This chapter describes the ideas of structure and organizational skills to make a speech coherent and engaging. On page 78, the quick tip of putting your best speech points at the beginning and end of the speech, makes a lot of sense to me, and something I hadn’t previously thought of. Also, the idea of having too many points, this could come off as disorganized, and the audience could get losses, or lose interest. I thought the section of using the thesis statement as a guide was important because it allows you to follow and add on to what you’re trying to express. What I found to be most important of the chapter was the idea of transitions, without transition it’s hard for the audience to follow when there are multiple points in a speech. This chapter was important for me, because during my first speech I tried to focus my energy on structure and organization.
Chapter 12- This chapter describes selecting an organizational pattern. Organizational patterns are an important tool in public speaking for the reader and the audience. For the reader, a structured speech allows the brain to follow a clear, concise outline, making it easier to read and provide clarity. Organizational patterns also promote engagement within the audience. For example: if you have a speech with specific dates and times, you wouldn’t want to order those dates randomly, if organized properly, it allows the audience to follow. In the few chapters we have read, I have found that quick tips are useful, the tip on page 90 provided insight on how you can blend organizational patterns. Whenever I think of speech writing I don’t think of organizational patterns. But now in the future I can use the six organizational patterns to structure my speech. One of the things I try to implement into my speech is clarity, and using these patterns will make my speech more concise.
In these chapters it talks about how to have a good starting line and a good ending line, and to make sure you don’t have to many points and make sure your points are organized.If you ramble on to much the audience will get lost and not really know what the main idea is. I think the starting and the ending lines being the most important makes a lot of sense because that’s what people are most likely to remember the most, you should have an introduction, body, then conclusion just like an essay. Another important note is that you speech shouldn’t have to many points, 2-5 main points is best, and your main points shouldn’t lead to other points. Another point was to make a clear thesis statement so your audience can know what you’re talking about or are going to talk about . In chapter 12 it talks more in depth about organizational patterns of speeches so it can be easier for you to deliver the speech and it can be easier for your audience to follow the speech, in turn allowing the audience to have better engagement and understanding of what you trying to say. Another element they talk about is make sure to describe your points, like with the carbon neutral speech she made sure the audience knew what carbon neutral was and also building trust with your audience. I thought these were two really good chapters for learning how to better my public speaking skills with the speech I write and how to write it. In the next speech I write I will take organization and main points into a more consideration so I can connect and engage the audience.
Studying chapter 11 and 12, help me realise how important organization is the foundation for any effective speech and public speaker. Chapter 11 taught me that most speeches, especially the ones delivered in the classroom shouldn’t have more than five or 7 points. I think I find this especially important in public speaking because if we just make the whole speech about boring points the audience won’t be engaged at all. So it’s pretty important to keep it short but informative at the same time so the audience can keep engaged at what you’re saying and presenting. I realized that I often struggle with maybe putting a lot of boring points that aren’t as necessary, and this chapter gave me tools to not put as many points because I won’t keep my listeners attention.
A takeaway from Chapter 12 that stood out to me was the chronological pattern of arrangement. I really didn’t know that we needed to follow a specific order when it came to explaining historical speeches, process explanations, or storytelling. This chapter helped me understand that the chronological pattern of arrangement is actually really important when it comes to talking about historical speeches, process explanations, or storytelling. But now I understand it is because we need an organised way of talking and telling things so people can follow and understand what we are talking about. This relates to my daily life because when I explain things to others I often tell things mixed and disorganised and people sometimes can’t follow what I’m saying or trying to tell.
Chapter 11 of A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking emphasizes the importance of structuring your speech using balance and simplicity. The authors first mention main points, which “express the key ideas of the speech”. They also talk about the amount of main points appropriate for a speech, and that having between two and seven is ideal because “the fewer main points in a speech, the greater odds that the speaker will maintain the listeners’ attention.” They also talk about supporting points – which organize evidence you’ve gathered – and how the proper and clear organization of the main points, supporting points, subsupporting points, and sub-subsupporting points is key in making an effective and understandable speech. The authors end on the topic of transitions – which help tie the speech together – in order to effectively move from one main point to another, or from one supporting point to another. Personally, my main takeaway from this chapter is that balance is crucial in making any kind of speech.
The twelfth chapter of A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking talks about six commonly used patterns within speeches; chronological, spatial, casual, topical, narrative, and the problem-solution pattern. Chronological pattern “follows the natural sequential order of the main points”; spatial is a pattern in which the main points are “arranged in order of their physical proximity or direction relative to one another.”; Casual organizes the main points into a cause-effect pattern; topical is when “the main points can be presented optimally as a subtopic or category of the speech topic.”; a narrative pattern is when a speech has a series of short stories within it; a problem-solution pattern exists to “demonstrate the nature and significance of a problem followed by a proposed solution.” All of these patterns are extremely useful to understand when preparing a speech, and it’s important to use the most fitting organizational structure for it.