sentence outline

(noun)

A sentence outline expresses the central ideas of a speech in complete sentences.

Related Terms

  • topic outline
  • outline

Examples of sentence outline in the following topics:

  • Building a Speech: Starting with an Outline

    • Other outlines are very detailed, filling in a skeleton of topic headings with topic sentences, pieces of evidence, and transitions.
    • Many speakers like to brainstorm before making an outline.
    • Topic outlines tend to use keywords and short phrases rather than complete sentences.
    • A sentence outline expresses the central ideas of a speech in complete sentences.
    • Sentence outlines are more detailed than topic outlines, but less detailed than first drafts.
  • The Preparation Outline

    • A preparation outline is a precursor to your speech outline.
    • Common outline styles include sentence outlines, topics outlines, chronological outlines, and alphanumeric outlines.
    • While sentence outlines follow a hierarchical structure composed of sentences and headings around the subject of the speech, topics outlines are comprised of topics and subtopics.
    • If, for example, you have separate visual aids for the introduction, main points in the body of your speech, and your conclusion, than using a sentence style for your preparation outline may be more appropriate.
    • Describe the purpose of a preparation outline, and the different preparation outline styles used by speech writers
  • Extemporaneous Speeches

    • An outline is a list of items with each item divided into additional sub-items.
    • Each level in an outline has at least two subcategories.
    • There are three basic types of outlines:
    • Sentence outline - Each complete sentence includes a heading or single sentence about the subject of the outline.
    • Speaking notes, topic outlines, and phrase outlines have an advantage over sentence outlines.
  • The Rough Draft Outline

    • Outlines help form the skeleton of the speaker's speech.
    • The parts that comprise a rough draft outline are similar to other types of writing outlines.
    • An Introduction: This part of the draft outline should include an intro topic sentence, as well as notes on the argument or point of view of the speech.
    • Your rough draft outline is essentially a technique for organizing and jotting down ideas into a traditional outline format.
    • Describe the role and different components of a rough draft outline
  • Defining the Thesis

    • Defining a thesis is essentially constructing the structural outline of your speech.
    • It is typically only one to three sentences long.
    • It's also particularly helpful to give a quick outline of just how you plan to achieve those goals in another few sentences, immediately following your thesis statement.
  • Topic Sentences

    • When you created your outline, you wrote your thesis statement and then all the claims you are using to support it.
    • Supporting sentences: examples, details, and explanations that support the topic sentence (and claim).
    • Concluding sentence: gives the paragraph closure by relating the claim back to the topic sentence and thesis statement.
    • (Stylistically speaking, if you wanted to include "Cooking is difficult," you could make it the first sentence, followed by the topic sentence.
    • It just shouldn't be the topic sentence.)
  • Thematic Modules

    • The following diagrams outline the key internal characteristics and functional role of the various theme types presented in William Caplin's Classical Form.
  • Approaches to Your Body Paragraphs

    • You decided on the order of these points during the outline phase, but as you write you may choose to reorder them for maximum impact.
    • Like your thesis, each topic sentence is an arguable statement, not a fact.
    • Check, too, to see whether the topic sentence is arguable and clear. 
    • Your concluding sentence will often have an echo of the topic sentence in it while moving the reader forward to the next topic.
    • You might decide to have a concluding sentence and then a transition sentence.
  • Structure of a Sentence

  • Classification of Sentences

Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
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  • Calculus
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  • Management
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  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

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