This guide is intended for anyone interested in improving their public speaking skills. My aim is to simplify a subject that many people find overwhelming. I have condensed what I believe to be the most relevant information into this post. Public speaking became an important part of my life out of necessity. My first speech class was stressful and overwhelming. I had severe speech anxiety and was frustrated by my inability to express myself with clarity and confidence. I set out to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible. I completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in communication studies. I delivered numerous speeches through Toastmasters International. Now, I teach college level public speaking courses as an Adjunct-Instructor. Throughout this time, I have coached hundreds of students and evaluated thousands of speeches. I remain committed to improving my own speaking skills while also helping others along their journey towards becoming competent co
An outline helps provide you with a sense of direction. Think of it like your GPS navigation or a roadmap. It helps get you to your destination. I've created a guide to help make the outlining process as easy as possible. Please see the following template: Include Speech Title (Try condensing your thesis into six or fewer words – think simple, catchy, and memorable – this helps to focus your main idea) Introduction I. Attention getter: Start with a rehearsed story, thought-provoking quote, shocking fact, rhetorical question, or some other way to hook the audience right away. Avoid introducing yourself, yes/no or dead-end questions, or my personal least favorite opening, “Hey guys, so today I’m going to talk about XYZ”. II. Introduce your topic: Provide necessary background information, context, and/or definitions. III. Thesis statement: Provide a single declarative sentence expressing your main idea. IV. Establish credibility: Tell the audience why you chose the topi