topic outline

(noun)

A topic outline is a hierarchical list of a speech's main points. Topic outlines use keywords and short phrases rather than complete sentences.

Related Terms

  • sentence outline
  • outline

Examples of topic 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.
    • A topic outline is a hierarchical list of a speech's main points.
    • Topic outlines tend to use keywords and short phrases rather than complete sentences.
    • A topic outline is fragmentary—it serves as a prompt, rather than a draft of material to use in the actual speech.
    • Sentence outlines are more detailed than topic outlines, but less detailed than first drafts.
  • The Preparation Outline

    • As its name suggests, a preparation outline helps you lay out the main topics and sub-points of your speech.
    • 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.
    • Sub-topics should be added underneath each main topic covered in the body of the preparation outline
  • The Rough Draft Outline

    • Rough draft outlines serve as a precursor to the speech's rough draft and help organize the speakers' ideas into a cohesive topic.
    • Creating rough draft outlines—i.e., an outline that serves as a precursor to the speech's rough draft—often helps organize and structure speakers' ideas into a cohesive and definitive topic.
    • Ideally, the writer has also finalized the main topics he or she will be discussing during the speech.
    • 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.
    • Because this is the rough draft outline, the outline too will ultimately change as the speechwriter conducts additional research and continues to shape his or her speech topic.
  • Extemporaneous Speeches

    • First, think about your topics and anticipate the audience's reception to your speech.
    • There are three basic types of outlines:
    • Topic outline - Each topic is listed and functions as a subtopic of the outline's subject.
    • Speaking notes, topic outlines, and phrase outlines have an advantage over sentence outlines.
    • An alphanumeric outline includes a capitalized number or letter at the beginning of each topic.
  • The Speaking Outline

    • After putting together a rough draft outline (i.e., the "skeleton" of the speech), writers can then progress to the speaking outline.
    • Speaking outlines fill out additional details about the speech, as well as where the speaker plans to mention short phrases, pause, and transition to other topics.
    • Unlike the rough draft outline, which includes short notes on structure, the speaking outline covers both the main points and aids the speaker's memory on certain topics.
    • It leads into the overview of the speech, previews the main topics, and captures the attention of the audience.
    • To successfully deliver an outlined speech, presenters are usually subject matter experts, or at least sufficiently knowledgeable about the topic.
  • Step 1: Prewriting and Choosing a Topic

    • Prewriting can help you take a general topic and make it more specific.
    • Prewriting refers to what you do before you begin writing, whether that's brainstorming, making a concept map, or making an outline.  
    • Having these connected ideas already laid out will help you to form an outline more easily.
    • After collecting your ideas, but before turning them into an essay, many people find it helpful to produce an outline. 
    • Outlining shows how particular ideas fit—or don't fit—into a cohesive whole. 
  • Introducing the Topic, Thesis, and Main Points

    • Explain the topic at a level that is appropriate for your audience,
    • It may help to refer to your outline, which should provide a concise list of your main points, in order.
    • Vitamin D deficiency may be the hottest topic in nutrition today.
    • The opening of this speech names a topic (vitamin D deficiency), explains its importance, explains its relevance to the audience, and then states the purpose of the presentation—to investigate the improbably wide range of deficiency-rate estimates from different studies—and outlines the main points.
    • Identify your topic, thesis, and main points early in your speech
  • Step 3: Outlining

    • After you choose your topic and assemble your research, organize your ideas before you start drafting.
    • The outline stage allows you to experiment with different ways of organizing.
    • Here are some ways to use the outline to make a better argument.
    • Does one topic lead naturally to another?
    • You may need to rearrange the order based on the ease of transition from one topic to the next.
  • Choosing Clear Words and Phrasing

    • You know that you have to write a speech, and you may or may not have been given a specific topic about which to write.
    • Hold on there–take a step back for a moment and ask yourself: how well do you fully understand your topic?
    • Essentially, when you take the steps to delimit your question (your speech's purpose), you help to outline exactly how your audience can follow your line of reasoning.
    • Even though you may have outlined your plan of attack by delimiting the question, it also helps to explain exactly what you're talking about to your audience.
    • Analyze your speech topic until you fully understand the question and key terms
  • Topic Sentences

    • When you created your outline, you wrote your thesis statement and then all the claims you are using to support it.
    • Topic sentences should always connect back to and support your thesis statement.
    • Keep it clear by stating the topic and the main idea.
    • The topic may relate to your thesis statement, but you'll need to be more specific here.
    • It just shouldn't be the topic sentence.)
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