Chapter 10:

Organizing Informative
Outlines

Communicating in the Workplace, First Edition

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All rights reserved

Developing Main Points

Identify the Main Points

Subject: identifies your topic

Focus: states a key idea about your topic

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Developing Main Points

Include the following:

State main points in sentence form.

Choose between three and five main points.
Include only one idea for each main point.
Establish a direct connection with the
central idea.
Make the main points parallel.
Include relatively balanced information in all
main points.

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Selecting a Pattern of
Organization

Chronological

Time sequence
Used when delivering:

Set of instructions

Steps in a process

Series of events over time

Retracing history

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Selecting a Pattern of
Organization

Topical

Logical categories or groupings

Classifies your main point by types or kinds

Most common to least common

Most important to least important

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Selecting a Pattern of
Organization

Spatial

Physical location or how something is put

together

East Coast, Midwest, West Coast

Layout of departments

New machinery parts

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Creating the Outline

Introduction

Previews the remainder of the speech

Capture the audiences attention

Cite a startling fact

Tell a brief story
Ask a rhetorical question
Use a quotation
Refer to the audience/occasion
Include appropriate humor

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Creating the Outline

Introduction

State the central idea/thesis

Single sentence
Exactly what you hope to accomplish

Preview the main points that will be

developed in the body

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Creating the Outline

Body

Main points

Supporting materials

Transitions: words or phrases that create a

bridge between ideas

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Creating the Outline

Conclusion

Three parts:

Summary of main points

Restatement of central idea
Memorable closing remarks

Quotation
Brief illustration
Provocative question
Humorous anecdote
Reference to attention-getter

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved

Creating the Outline

I. Introduction
A.Attention-getter
B.Need for information
C.Central idea
D.Preview of main points
II. Body
First main point
1.Verbal support
2.Verbal support
3.Verbal support
Transition
A.Second main point
1.Verbal support
2.Verbal support
3.Verbal support
Transition
A.Third main point
1.Verbal support
2.Verbal support
3.Verbal support
A.

III. Conclusion
A.Review main points
B.Restate central idea
C.Close memorably

Cheesebro, OConnor, Rios: Communicating in the Workplace, 1e.

2010 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.

All rights reserved