Create Main Points that will Express Your Main Ideas
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| Organize Your Thoughts First |
Body of Speech-Main Points, Supporting Points, & Transitions
Main Points
All your main points will come from your Thesis Statement.
Limit your main points between 2 and 5.
Make sure that each main point focuses on ONE idea.
Write out each main point in a full "purposeful" sentence.
Make sure the main point statements support the Thesis Statement.
State your main points in a logical order.
Supporting Points
Supporting points do what they say, they support the main points.
Use different research/material from different sources for supporting points (This creates credibility and support to your speech).
Use research material as supporting points.
Make sure the supporting points align with the main point.
Make sure you are using well documented supporting points (especially if using facts and statistics).
FYI on Main and Supporting Points
Make sure each point supports the main or thesis. Think of it as a hierarchy (supporting supports main supports thesis).
Keep information in a logical, "free-flowing" order.
Keep transitions from main point to supporting point to next main point to supporting point, etc., smooth in its transitions.
Dedicate "roughly" the same amount of time on each main point and supporting points.
Good rule of thumb to have the Introduction + Conclusion = the same amount of time as the main body of the speech.
Check List
- Are the most important ideas in your speech expressed in the main points?
- Are any key ideas implied by your thesis not addressed by main points?
- Does each supporting point offer sufficient evidence for the corresponding main point?
- Do your supporting points reflect a variety of appropriate supporting material, such as examples, narratives, testimony, and facts and statistics?
- Does each main point refer directly to your specific purpose of thesis statement?
- Does each point focus on a single idea?
- Do your main points follow logically form your thesis statement?
- Do your supporting points follow logically from the main points?
- Do you spend roughly the same amount of time on each main point?
- Is each main point substantiated by at least two supporting points?
Use clear transitions to move from one point to another.
Use full-sentence transitions to move from one main point to another.
Prepare the audience for transitions.
Use "mini-summaries" to help audience review what's been said.
Transitional Words and Phrases
FUNCTION
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EXAMPLE
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To show comparison:
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similarly, in the same way, likewise, in comparison, just as
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To contrast ideas:
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on the other hand, and yet, at the same time, in spite of, however, in contrast
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To illustrate cause and effect:
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as a result, therefore, hence, because, thus, consequently, so the evidence shows, for this reason
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To illustrate sequence of time or events:
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first, second, third, following this, before, after, later, earlier, at present, in the past, until now, tomorrow, next week, eventually
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To indicate explanation:
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to example, to illustrate, in other words, to simplify, to clarify
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To indicate additional examples:
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not only, in addition to, let's look at
To emphasize significance: most importantly, above all, remember, keep in mind
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To emphasize significance:
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most importantly, above all, remember, keep in mind
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To summarize:
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as we have seen, altogether, in summary, finally, in conclusion, let me conclude by saying
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Here's a basic outline form
1. Attention-Getter
2. Thesis/Introduction statement
3. Main Body
A. Main Point
1. Supporting Point
2. Supporting Point
B. Main Point
1. Supporting Point
2. Supporting Point
C. Main Point
1. Supporting Point
2. Supporting Point
4. Conclusion/Summary
5. Memorable Statement
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